ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Offshore oil and gas in the US Gulf of Mexico

Offshore oil and gas in the US Gulf of Mexico is like a treasure hunt but under the ocean. It's like finding hidden toys in a pool!

So, there are big boats called oil rigs that go to the Gulf of Mexico, which is a big area of water near the United States. These oil rigs are like big factories, but instead of making toys or clothes, they make oil and gas.

The oil and gas are hidden under the ocean floor, so the rig has to use a special machine called a drill to go down and find it. It's like using a big straw to suck up juice from a drink.

When the drill reaches the oil or gas, it sucks it up through the straw and sends it up to the rig. The rig then has big tanks to store all the oil and gas they find.

Once they have a lot of oil and gas, they put it on big ships to take it to places where people need it, like factories or homes.

But, finding oil is not always easy and it can be very expensive to do this kind of treasure hunt. There are also rules and regulations in place to make sure the ocean is not harmed in the process.