Abstract: A mobile jack-up drilling rig for offshore use is uniquely designed to greatly reduce the weight of the entire assembly by using a light, openwork body or superstructure thereby eliminating the requirement that the rig be seaworthy and either partially or totally eliminating the requirement that the rig be buoyant. The jack-up rig requires assistance to be carried to the drill site. The system includes a truss design with little or no hull, using structural shapes for a superstructure whose sizes are dependent on weights and spans. The superstructure is supported by cylindrical, trussed, or other suitably shaped legs. Preload pods, which may be of any shape such as round, may be provided at each of the legs to attach to the superstructure. The preload pods, preferably, support the jacks used to raise and lower the legs.