an oil rig

Meaning

1. 1nouncountable

   A large structure, often in the sea, used for drilling into the ground to get oil.

   Grammar: Countable: one oil rig, two oil rigs.

   Patterns

   • an oil rig in the sea
   • work on an oil rig

   An oil rig stood far out in the water.

   He got a job on an oil rig off the coast of Norway.

   The company plans to build an oil rig near the island.

Word forms

Common combinations

offshore oil rig

The offshore oil rig was visible from the beach.

oil rig worker

Oil rig workers often spend weeks away from home.

drill on an oil rig

They drill for oil on an oil rig in the North Sea.

Synonyms and how they differ

drilling platform

A more formal term for the same structure, often used in news reports.

rig

A short form used when the context already makes clear it is for oil.

Word family

rig noun

The equipment or structure used for drilling.

rigger noun

A worker who sets up or operates rigging or drilling equipment.

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “an oil rig”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words