Offshore oil rigs are platforms on the surface of the ocean that retrieve oil from reservoirs deep beneath the seafloor. They may contain vents, pipes, and scaffolds on their surface. They will likely have a helicopter pad for resupply and emergencies as well as a living quarters used by the crew. Fictional offshore rigs are often used as post-apocalyptic havens due to their remote locations and access to crude oil. They may be part of a post-apocalyptic raft town. Offshore oil rigs are home to helicopter pilots, scuba divers, roughnecks, geologists, and the occasional sea monster brought in from the deep.

Decommissioned offshore oil rigs have been repurposed as spaceship launch platforms. There are proposals to use others as artificial reefs.

For narrative worlds, consider adding a violent sea storm.

Once extracted, crude oil may be shipped to a refinery.