Oil derricks are drilling platforms used to extract oil and gas. They have a stationary upright section and a movable boom. The term derrick comes from an executioner who invented a gallows device. Early derricks were used for hammer drilling, while modern ones use drill bits cooled with mud slurry. Permanent derricks are used in oil-rich areas, while portable ones are used in less resource-rich areas or for preliminary exploration. They require an extensive crew to function properly.
An oil derrick is a drilling platform designed for use in the production of oil and natural gas. The basic version has a stationary upright section potentially capable of holding hundreds of tons of weight, coupled with a movable boom that is used to raise and lower equipment. Derricks of various designs have been used for centuries to extract valuable resources from beneath the Earth and continue to be used extensively today.
The term derrick comes from Thomas Derrick, an executioner who invented a type of gallows using a system of movable beams and pulleys during the Elizabethan era. During his lifetime, Derrick executed over 3,000 people, many with his modified gallows device, and the support structure for his gallows became known as a derrick. The term was adopted to describe cranes and other lifting devices that used a similar support mechanism.
Early derricks consisted of a structure designed to hold a large pile used for hammer drilling, which is achieved by repeatedly pounding the earth to create a hole. A modern derrick typically uses a drill bit capable of biting into the substrate and cooled with a constant mud slurry to keep it from overheating. Typically, as the drill bit sinks, the hole is coated to prevent it from forming. Once the drill reaches the oil, it is withdrawn so that pumps and hoses can be inserted into the hole to extract it.
In an oil-rich area, a derrick is designed to be a permanent structure and will continue to operate for many years. Portable oil towers are also used in less resource-rich areas or to carry out preliminary exploration in areas of potential interest. In general, a portable tower cannot support as much weight as a permanent one, which can be anchored to the ground and built with heavy equipment since it doesn’t have to be moved.
The basic design of the oil tower is familiar to residents of oil-rich areas and is also used on offshore oil drilling platforms that extract water from beneath the ocean. A large tower requires an extensive crew to function properly and is often found in a field of similar towers, all operating on a constant basis. The oil derrick crew typically includes geologists, engineers, mechanics, and safety inspectors to ensure that the workplace is well maintained.
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