Life on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico

As workers fret about their future, CNNMoney.com got a rare look at how an oil rig drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, after the BP oil spill disaster, works.

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Sensitive ecosystem

South of New Orleans, Louisiana's bayou is one of the most sensitive and stressed ecosystems in the world, and home to much of the Gulf oil industry.

Last updated July 01 2010: 5:09 PM ET

Their fear: When the wells they are currently drilling are finished, their jobs will disappear. More

The offshore drilling ban imposed after the BP disaster is only supposed to hit operations in deep water -- 500 feet or more. More

They are act as an insurance policy against oil and gas spills, but these machines fail more often than people realize. More

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