Big, Heavy and Automated: Trends in Machining for Seafloor Recovery Extracting oil and gas in the deep ocean
requires heavy-duty expertise. But the tight skilled labor market is forcing more efficient use of capital equipment through single setup and automation
Bruce Morey Contributing Editor T
he sea is beckoning to energy providers, with oil and gas drilling platforms moving into ever- deeper waters. The US is seeing a rebound in offshore drilling after recovering from the BP Gulf of Mexico spill in 2010. Dana Scott of Mazak Corp. said 105 drilling permits were is- sued through August 2012, compared to 79 in all of 2011. What’s more, Scott said the equipment is getting elderly, which means it will need to be replaced soon—a potential boon to manufacturers. “Of the 474 jack-up rigs used in the worldwide fleet, 317 are 25 years and older—approach- ing the end of their useful life,” Scott said. “There is going to be a tremendous amount of deep-water drilling.”