Small and Large Oil Rig: Loot, Puzzles, and Risk
Both Oil Rigs sit out at sea and reward players willing to solve their puzzle rooms and fight through scientist defenses.
The Small and Large Oil Rigs are offshore monuments reachable by boat, each with their own scientist defenders, puzzle rooms, and valuable loot — among the better risk/reward monuments once you're geared enough to attempt them.
Small Oil Rig
A more accessible version with a shorter, simpler puzzle sequence and lighter NPC resistance, making it a reasonable stepping stone before attempting the Large Oil Rig. Loot is solid but generally a tier below its bigger counterpart.
Large Oil Rig
Larger, with a more involved puzzle sequence, tougher scientist defenders, and better loot at the end — including a chance at higher-tier blueprints. It also periodically hosts a "Hackable Crate" event exclusive to Large Oil Rig, drawing extra player attention when it's active.
Puzzle Rooms and Keycards
Both rigs use keycard-gated puzzle rooms that require solving a sequence of steps (often involving multiple keycard tiers and switches) to reach the best loot. You'll need to find or bring the right tier of keycard to access these — coming without one means missing out on the top-tier rooms entirely.
Risk Considerations
Being offshore doesn't make these monuments safe — other players run boats out to them too, especially when a Hackable Crate is active, so expect potential PvP layered on top of the NPC defenders and puzzle mechanics.
Which oil rig should a less-geared player attempt first?
The Small Oil Rig — its puzzle and defenses are both lighter, making it a reasonable first attempt before moving to the Large Oil Rig once you're better equipped.
Do I need a keycard to get anything at all from an oil rig?
You can find some loot without one, but the best rooms are keycard-gated — bringing the right tier keycard (or finding one on-site) is necessary to access the top loot.
What's the Hackable Crate event?
A periodic event at the Large Oil Rig where a special crate becomes available to hack for excellent loot — it draws significant player attention while active, so expect more competition during that window.
Is it safe to run an oil rig solo?
It's possible but riskier — between scientist NPCs and potential other players (especially during a Hackable Crate event), going with at least one teammate is generally safer.