American architects Morris Architects are proposing a radical new way of using decommissioned oil rigs - as luxury ‘extreme hotels’. The idea was originally submitted to a ‘Radical Innovation in Hospitality’ competition, but now the Houston-based firm of architects are running with the idea. The company proposes to turn oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico into hotels with stunning sea views. The design won on the big idea that an icon of non-renewable energy could be turned into a luxury hotel that would be powered by clean and renewable energy.

Heating and air conditioning inside the hotel would come from modified, land-based geothermal systems, which would make use of the constant temperatures at lower sea levels. Solar panels and underwater turbines would top up the power supply on the self-sufficient rig, with the main power supply coming from wind turbines and the solar panel systems.

The entire system would be based around the rig’s internal core of water, which would act as ballast to stabilize the rig during any tropical storms that may blow up. This core could also act as the venue for aquatic shows to entertain the guests, and is a first in design technology. The designers claim that being on board the rig would be very similar to being on a cruise ship, with guests finding their ‘sea legs’ after only a day or two. In the event of a storm warning, guests would, however, be evacuated back to shore rather than roughing out a tropical storm in the middle of the Gulf.

Space inside may be at a premium, but the designers have big plans for the disused platforms, including a glass lobby floor, rooftop white sand beach and pool and pre-fabricated guest room ‘modules’ which would close up during the Gulf’s hurricanes. The 300 rooms may be small, but incorporating sofa beds and a special retractable viewing balcony that can be extended from each room would optimize the use of space. Guests would be able to enjoy gourmet meals and spend their evenings in the rig’s casino or take in the night sky in a special ‘stargazer’ lounge. The rig would be ideally suited for watersports including diving, sailing, windsurfing and fishing, with guests being able to bring their own ‘catch of the day’ to the restaurant at night and have it converted into a first-class meal.

From supporting drilling jobs, oil rig jobs and oil careers, these platforms could take on a whole new lease of life and support a completely new range of jobs and careers as a result of this visionary idea. There are 4,000 rigs in the Gulf of Mexico that are due to be decommissioned in the coming years, and Morris have already taken on one project to convert a rig into a luxury hotel. If the venture is successful, there is a possibility that a whole new travel adventure could open up for visitors who wish to stay somewhere a little out of the ordinary, but with no compromise on quality. Morris Architects believe that the rig hotels will offer a viable solution to the problem of disused rigs, eliminating the high cost of rig disposal once a platform has been decommissioned. They also believe that it will provide alternative adventure travel opportunities based on a natural setting. As the rig is powered by renewable energy, it will also be a low carbon-footprint vacation, appealing to today’s more environmentally aware traveller, who certainly will appreciate the irony of such an icon of a ‘dirty’ industry being transformed into an environmental utopia!

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Duncan freer - Director - Oil and Gas Jobs Search is a job site dedicated to candidates & recruiters in the Oil and Gas industry. An online service that is effective in terms of cost and ease of use for a range of drilling jobs, oil careers & oil rig jobs

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