Underwater drilling towers consist of semi-submerged oil platforms anchored to the ocean floor that produce around 25% of the world's oil. The towers suspend and rotate drill pipes with drills at the end to penetrate the earth's crust, adding pipe sections as it drills deeper. Mud constantly circulates through the drill pipe and drill bit to remove rock cuttings, exiting through nozzles and rising back up between the pipe and well, allowing drilling of wells over 6.4 km deep from the sea surface and exploiting additional oil reserves.