Modern Marvels

Offshore Oil Drilling (6x28)

Air date: Jul 06, 1999

They are virtual cities stuck in the middle of some of the most dangerous seas on earth. Life on them is hard and fraught with danger from calamitous fires and the risk of storms and natural disasters. But fueled by the endless demand for oil and the unpredictable politics of the global economy, the search for fossil fuel has led to the creation of some of the most incredible structures ever made. This episode takes a fascinating look at how oilrigs are designed, deployed and run. Meet the engineers who must develop structures that can handle waves of up to 50 feet high and 100mph winds while extracting oil from thousands of feet below the seas? surface. Hear from industry insiders like Rich Pattarozzi, CEO of Shell Deepwater, Inc. and Jim Bowles, Vice President of Phillips Petroleum, Inc. See incredible footage of some of the worst disasters ever to strike them. And go aboard rigs worldwide for an up-close look at how they work.