A crane barge driving pilings for the underwater support jacket for a new offshore oil and gas production platform (far left) in the gulf's South Pelto sector. To its right, a shallow water jackup drilling rig uses directional drilling to develop more wells to be served by the new production platform. Estimates indicate the gulf's oil production will reach over 2.2 million barrels of oil and 13.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day by the year 2012.

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