catwalk — Oil & Gas Glossary
A long, rectangular platform about 3 ft [0.9 m] high, usually made of steel and located perpendicular to the vee-door at the bottom of the slide. This platform is used as a staging area for rig and drillstring tools, components that are about to be picked up and run, or components that have been run and are being laid down.
Detailed Explanation
A catwalk is also the functionally similar staging area, especially on offshore drilling rigs, that may not be a separate or raised structure.