It typically consists of wood, steel or rubber and is used both to protect the Earth and to allow workers to perform in a variety of conditions. For example, a rig mat used at an on-land oil rig might allow users to draw oil throughout wet or rainy seasons when the ground would otherwise be too unstable to support the necessary equipment and personnel.Though rig mats are commonly associated with oil drilling, they also can be used in other industrial applications. They can be used to provide safe, stable work surfaces on ice or wetlands for those in the mining industry. Rig mats also might be used by contractors or other work crews as solid bases for equipment or materials that must be stored. These mats can be used as temporary roads for vehicles traversing dangerous terrain or might even serve as helicopter landing pads in remote locations Types of Materials Used to Make Rig MatsThe most basic rig mats feature a steel frame with wooden sections used to create the work platform. Although steel and wood mats can serve as effective options for basic projects, they tend to be very heavy and can be expensive more... See more text