Underwater structures, from oil rigs to hotels, all require some intense investigation into the ocean and the ocean floor. If you plan on constructing anything underwater as part of a new business venture, you should make sure that such structures will stand where you intend to build them. To do that, you will need the help of all of the following unique professionals:

Geophysicists

​​Geophysicists have studied geophysics, a type of earth science that looks at movement, the earth's makeup in parts and as a whole, and how physics applies to these areas. You will need a geophysicist to take a mini-submarine down to the ocean floor to see if the floor is stable enough to construct the supports that will be necessary for the structure you intend to build. The geophysicist will visually examine what is there, take a few samples of the soil on the ocean floor, and then slowly return to the surface to avoid decompression sickness. Companies like Initial Exploration Services can offer more information about this process.

Oceanographers

An oceanographer is needed for this project so that any ocean life that is disturbed by the project will not cause the creatures harm or prevent them from reproducing. The oceanographer will most likely ride along or pilot the mini-sub to the ocean floor with the geophysicist. The oceanographer will study and take pictures of all of the creatures that float or swim by. When the oceanographer ascertains that most of the life in the intended construction zone is typical and none of it should be particularly bothered by your construction, you can continue as planned. 

Structural Engineers

Gravity is an entirely different beast underwater. The structure you build on land you already know will be fine as it is. Under the ocean's depths, with millions of tons of water pressure per square inch, your structure needs to be built in a very different way. A structural engineer is called upon to take the facts and figures provided by the oceanographer and the geophysicist into the CAD design. From there, he/she can design the type of structure you want that will easily withstand all of the pressure that water generally tends to apply. Without the structural engineer, the pressure from the ocean's depths would crush or buckle your project.

Underwater Welders

​No structure could ever come together underwater without the help of skilled and licensed underwater welders. These people are both licensed welders and licensed divers. They know how to get welding equipment to do its job, even when they are several hundred feet below the surface of the ocean.