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offshore drilling

Cultural  
  1. The operation of oil wells on the continental shelf, sometimes in water hundreds of feet deep.


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Public debate about offshore drilling concentrates on the possibility that large oil spills will occur, with subsequent damage to the coastal environment.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Offshore drilling stocks have rallied, with Transocean shares up 44% over the past year and Valaris shares up 20% year-to-date before the merger announcement.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

Offshore drilling, however, hasn’t been part of the state’s efforts to expand production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

Offshore drilling accounts for roughly 15% of domestic oil production and about 3% of natural gas production, according to Energy Information Administration data reviewed by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

From Washington Times • Jul. 5, 2022

Offshore drilling might not captivate voters in most parts of the country, but it did here.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2019

"Offshore drilling is done all over the world and we're not reinventing the wheel," said Lokeris.

From Scientific American • Jun. 27, 2013