Oil Extraction in the Seabed




Obtaining oil from the sea bed posses a great challenge due to the conditions for the extraction.

When the inland oilfields depleted, the attention switched to the depth of the sea to find new oilfields. At the beginning, the right technology to reach such depth did not exist. The sea currents, avoiding destruction or dragging of the expensive platforms were the first inconvenient to solve.    
The extraction of oil began when the platforms were firmly fixed to the seabed, then it evolved into floating modular structures that resist more efficiently the conditions at sea, and allow an adequate extraction, process, and storage of oil. 
The floating aspect of the new structures also enables to move from one oilfield to the other, to storage hydrocarbon, and to supply other ships. The most commonly used units are known as the FPSO unit.
The new platforms are modular structures resistant of the conditions at sea
At sea, oil locates deep between natural gas and salt water. It has special characteristics different from the oil extracted inland, since is constituted by organic compounds such as linear straight-chain alkanes, alkanes cycles, branched chain alkanes, aromatic elements, and compounds with sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
The appearance of hydrocarbons under the sea is due to geochemical processes and biosynthesis, which are vital for the production of phytoplankton, bacteria, and superior plants, as they are called. 

Avoiding accidents is a great challenge for extraction in seabed

A geological study previous to the construction of the platform will indicate the characteristics of the surface, and the possible underground flow of the hydrocarbon, all with the use of a gravimeter. After the drilling and extraction point is located, a buoy is placed with the help of a GPS.  
Besides the conditions of the sea, the biggest challenge for oil extraction at seabed is avoiding devastating oil spills and contaminating effects. Many measures are taken to guarantee a safe extraction; one of them is a system of prevention of explosions. It is known as compression program, and it makes sure everything remains perfectly sealed.

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