A drillship is a maritime vessel that has been fitted with drilling apparatus. It is most often used for exploratory drilling of new oil or gas wells in deep water but can also be used for scientific drilling. It is often built on a modified tanker hull and outfitted with dynamic positioning equipment to maintain its position over the well. Image File history File links Dsp. ... Scientific drilling is a way to probe down into the Earth, allowing scientists and students to obtain samples of sediments, crust, and upper mantle. ... Tanker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Dynamic positioning (DP) is a method of maintaining a ship in a fixed position by using her own propellers and thrusters. ...