There is a mechanical process of mining subsequence of hydrocarbon that located under the rock formation on the seabed; it is usually mentioned as offshore drilling. The term is also usually being used to mention the drilling for mining process on the continental shelf. The mining and drilling activities creates problem to the environment as it produces hydrocarbon and also the materials left over during the operation. Offshore mines also have to deal with natural challenges, the harsh environment and also the isolation that create the offshore mining facility as a small community with daily life facilities. There are many developed technology and equipment in order to meet the requirements to deal with the challenges.
Today’s trend of offshore mining is the subsea operation that separate water from the oil with under water installation rather than pumping the oil to the mining platform facility. The method can deal with covered ice offshore that can provide wider range of exploration, but there are also more challenges and environmental risk that have to consider. Oil spills, leaks, and other chemicals included on the offshore drilling process might endanger the environment. Water that also becomes the result of drilling fluid become another problem, as well as heavy metals that emerge from the drilling well.