Improved drilling technology has made it possible to drill up to eight kilometres below the surface. The diameters of wells are also smaller which makes drilling cheaper and reduces environmental damage. The bit is made of tungsten carbide or polycrystalline diamond and is attached to a string of steel pipes, each about 9 metres long. A complete string can weigh more than 100 tons, but computer-automated drilling rigs have improved safety as the crew no longer has to manhandle the drilling string.

Another key technological development has been the ability to drill wells horizontally away from the surface location above the field. As oil and gas are trapped in the pores of the rock and not an underground lake), only the reservoir relatively close to the platform could previously be extracted. The ability to drill further away - and/or horizontally - has increased the productivity per well three or fourfold. For example, at Wytch Farm in Dorset, the offshore part of the field can now be drilled from an onshore rig up to 10 kilometres away, which saves money and minimised environmental damage.

CAD
Computer technology has completely changed the way oil and gas installations are designed. Computer-aided design (CAD) is now the standard tool for designing safer and more efficient rigs and refineries. CAD systems allow installations to be completely designed and 'built' on a computer screen. Using virtual reality it is possible to 'walk' around a 3D model which can be tested far more realistically than before. Any problems that are found, like a safety valve that is obstructed, or an exit that doesn't open, can be 'designed out'.

People
Technology is nothing without people to make it work. Training new and existing staff in the technology to help them innovate is almost as big a challenge as inventing it in the first place. Thanks to the technology and the training, the industry has a more exciting future than ever before.