Ep 4. Skyscrapers of the Deep

In "Impossible Engineering" season 5 episode 4 titled "Skyscrapers of the Deep," viewers are taken on a fascinating journey exploring the world's largest offshore oil platforms. These massive structures, often located in deep ocean waters, are engineering marvels that have revolutionized oil exploration and drastically altered the global economy.

The episode starts by introducing the Bonga Oil Field, located off the coast of Nigeria, which is one of the most productive oil fields in Africa. The platform that extracts oil from the Bonga Field is the size of three football fields and has the capacity to produce up to 10% of Nigeria's daily oil output. Viewers get a detailed look at the various components of the platform, including its subsea pipelines, drilling rigs, and helicopter landing pad.

Next, viewers are taken to the Gulf of Mexico, where an even more massive platform awaits. The Perdido platform is a staggering 2,450 feet tall, which is taller than the Empire State Building. The platform is located in water that is two miles deep and can produce up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. Viewers learn about the challenges of building and maintaining a platform of this size in such deep waters, including the logistics of transporting workers and supplies to and from the platform.

The episode then delves into the technologies that have made these offshore oil platforms possible. Viewers learn about the state-of-the-art drilling equipment that can penetrate the ocean floor and extract oil from depths of several miles below the surface. They also learn about the advanced safety systems that are necessary to prevent spills and other disasters. These systems include automatic shut-off valves that can seal off a well in seconds and massive containment domes that can be deployed to contain an oil spill.

The episode concludes by highlighting the environmental impact of offshore oil drilling and the efforts that are being made to reduce this impact. Viewers learn about the steps that oil companies are taking to minimize their carbon footprint and develop cleaner forms of energy. They also learn about the regulations that govern offshore drilling operations and the role that governments and other organizations play in ensuring that these operations are conducted safely and responsibly.

Overall, "Skyscrapers of the Deep" is a fascinating look at the incredible engineering that goes into building and maintaining offshore oil platforms. Viewers will leave the episode with a newfound appreciation for just how much work and ingenuity is required to extract oil from beneath the ocean floor.