A. 3. PRODUCTION PLATFORMS: Production platforms operate in three phases: 

 (a) drilling, (b) production, and (c) workover. 



(a) Production drilling , when wells are sunk, requires about the same 

 number of employees per platform, performing similar roles, as are 

 needed for each exploratory drill rig. The proportion of local 

 employment, however, is likely to be higher, since the platform 



is a fixed facility that will be in place for a substantial period. 



(b) Production , after drilling is completed, requires only a \/ery 

 small labor force to monitor and maintain the platform and wells. 

 One study, for example, estimated that 16 employees per platform 

 would be needed; others estimated as few as 8 [15, 26]. Because 

 production is a long-term operation, however, the workers are 

 very likely to live in nearby coastal areas. 



(c) Workover , which is a process of improving well production, occurs 

 infrequently on a given well but continually in a large field. It 

 may require about as many employees as production drilling, but 

 many are likely to be specialists imported for the occasion. 



In estimating the employment consequences of production platforms, it 

 is essential to recognize that there may be a number of platforms within a 

 single lease area (Example 9). The short-term employment consequences of 

 production drilling can be great, since drilling is likely to take place on 

 many platforms simultaneously. 



A. 4. PIPELINES: The location of pipelines is tied to each offshore field 

 site and (usually) the shortest distance to a landfall and connecting lines. 

 The locational flexibility of pipelines is somewhat limited because of high 

 construction costs but bottom conditions, or environmental decisions, may 

 dictate use of other than the most direct route to shore in some areas. 

 Seafloor pipelines may also be laid to link production platforms with 

 storage and ship-loading facilities offshore and thus avoid landfall 

 altogether. 



(a) Construction : Pipelaying barges may employ some 160 to 175 

 people [10]. Like workers on drilling rigs, most pipelaying 

 workers migrate with the vessel from job-to-job. Perhaps 50 

 workers would be recruited locally, principally unskilled labor 

 or specialized workers such as welders [10]. If these workers are 

 unavailable locally, pipeline construction is likely to bring new 

 residents to the community. Most pipelines are no more than 200 

 miles long; a rule of thumb for pipelaying progress is approximate- 

 ly one mile per day. Construction is seasonal, and may take as 

 little as 6 months or as much as 2 years because of such 

 factors as bottom topography, wave conditions, and weather. 



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