Offshore Drilling Rigs: Types, Uses & Selection
The three main mobile offshore drilling rigs are jackups, semisubmersibles and drillships. Jackups stand on seabed-bearing legs during drilling; semisubmersibles and drillships remain afloat. Platform rigs, tender-assisted arrangements and shallow-water barge or submersible units serve other offshore applications. This guide compares how each type works, where its advantages matter, and what can disqualify a candidate. …