Berut Oil Drilling Platform
The Berut oil drilling platform is located 15 miles from Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk. It’s a massive, six-story, fully autonomous plant that drills new wells and extracts thousands of tons of oil daily.
Structure and Design
The platform is built on a gravity-based structure, firmly fixed to the seabed with a reinforced concrete foundation that weighs 160,000 tons. It’s designed to withstand intense earthquakes, with sliding bearings that dampen vibrations.
Operations
The platform has a drilling site at the top, where a joystick controls the manipulator that pulls out or puts in drilling tools and pipes. The platform is designed to accommodate 45 wells, with 237 personnel on board, and operates 24/7, with an emergency shutdown button that can freeze all operations in an instant.
Safety Features
The platform has multiple safety features, including a preventor that cuts off the well in case of an accident, and a system that equalizes pressure to prevent oil from gushing out. It also has a desalination plant that provides fresh water, and a chemical injection area that prevents corrosion and scaling in the wells.
Living Quarters
The platform has a dining room that serves as a gathering place in case of an emergency, and provides meals that are high in calories to sustain the personnel. The living quarters are cramped, but the personnel are well taken care of.
Power Generation
The platform has its own power plant, consisting of four powerful turbines that run on gas produced on the platform, generating enough electricity to power half a city like Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomous | Operating independently without human intervention | The Berut oil drilling platform is a fully autonomous plant that drills new wells and extracts thousands of tons of oil daily. |
| Gravity-based structure | A structure built on a foundation that uses the weight of the structure to provide stability and support | The platform is built on a gravity-based structure, firmly fixed to the seabed with a reinforced concrete foundation that weighs 160,000 tons. |
| Manipulator | A mechanical device that can be controlled remotely to perform tasks | The platform has a drilling site at the top, where a joystick controls the manipulator that pulls out or puts in drilling tools and pipes. |
| Preventor | A safety device that cuts off the well in case of an accident | The platform has multiple safety features, including a preventor that cuts off the well in case of an accident. |
| Desalination plant | A plant that removes salt and other minerals from seawater to produce fresh water | The platform also has a desalination plant that provides fresh water. |
| Chemical injection area | An area where chemicals are injected into the well to prevent corrosion and scaling | The platform also has a chemical injection area that prevents corrosion and scaling in the wells. |
| Turbines | Machines that convert energy into mechanical or electrical power | The platform has its own power plant, consisting of four powerful turbines that run on gas produced on the platform. |
| Reinforced concrete foundation | A foundation made of concrete that has been reinforced with metal or other materials to increase its strength and durability | The platform is built on a gravity-based structure, firmly fixed to the seabed with a reinforced concrete foundation that weighs 160,000 tons. |
| Sliding bearings | Mechanical devices that allow movement while reducing friction and vibration | The platform is designed to withstand intense earthquakes, with sliding bearings that dampen vibrations. |
| Emergency shutdown button | A button that can be pressed to immediately stop all operations in case of an emergency | The platform operates 24/7, with an emergency shutdown button that can freeze all operations in an instant. |
Vocabulary Quiz: Berut Oil Drilling Platform
-
What does the term “autonomous” mean in the context of the Berut oil drilling platform?
- A) Controlled by a team of experts
- B) Fully independent and self-sufficient
- C) Connected to the mainland by a bridge
- D) Powered by solar energy
-
What is the purpose of the “sliding bearings” in the platform’s design?
- A) To increase the platform’s weight
- B) To reduce the impact of earthquakes
- C) To facilitate the drilling process
- D) To generate electricity
-
What is the function of the “preventor” in the platform’s safety features?
- A) To equalize pressure in the wells
- B) To cut off the well in case of an accident
- C) To provide fresh water
- D) To prevent corrosion and scaling
-
What is the purpose of the “desalination plant” on the platform?
- A) To generate electricity
- B) To provide fresh water
- C) To facilitate the drilling process
- D) To prevent corrosion and scaling
-
How many personnel are on board the platform?
- A) 100
- B) 237
- C) 500
- D) 1000
Answer Key
- B) Fully independent and self-sufficient
- B) To reduce the impact of earthquakes
- B) To cut off the well in case of an accident
- B) To provide fresh water
- B) 237
The Use of Passive Voice in Technical Descriptions
| Explanation |
|---|
| In technical descriptions, the passive voice is often used to focus on the action rather than the doer. This is particularly useful when the doer is not important or is unknown. The passive voice is formed using the verb “to be” in the correct tense and the past participle of the main verb. For example, in the sentence “The platform is designed to withstand intense earthquakes,” the focus is on the platform and its design, rather than on who designed it. |
Quiz
Choose the correct sentence using the passive voice:
1. The wells are accommodated by the platform.
A) The wells are accommodated by the platform.
B) The platform accommodates the wells.
C) The wells accommodate the platform.
D) The platform is accommodated by the wells.
2. The joystick ____________________ to control the manipulator.
A) is used
B) uses
C) is being used
D) was used
3. The platform ____________________ with a desalination plant.
A) is equipped
B) equips
C) was equipped
D) has been equipped
4. The personnel ____________________ with fresh water.
A) are provided
B) provide
C) provides
D) were provided
5. The turbines ____________________ on gas produced on the platform.
A) run
B) are run
C) runs
D) are running
Answer Key
1. B) The platform accommodates the wells.
2. A) is used
3. A) is equipped
4. A) are provided
5. B) are run
