£65,000 a year, for working only six months of the year! 
Your Job on an Offshore Oil Rig
The Complete Offshore Rig Employment Handbook

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The Complete Offshore Rig Employment Handbook was produced from on-location reviews and live interviews with actual crew members and their employers to provide you with information and guidance you need to help you find an job in this highly paid industry.

Twenty years on Rigs, veteran Ron Edwards, known to his pals as "The Captain",  told us that to be successful in securing employment offshore, you must be willing to do what other people are not willing to do.

 Ron Edwards has worked alongside Americans, Spaniards, Brazilians, Norwegians, Dutchmen, Mexicans, Englishmen, Filipinos and Australians. He told us that he’s seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, but has made a lot of friends, as well as a few acquaintances that were not quite so friendly. His only regret is he didn’t get started sooner. Do not be misled by rumours you might hear about the kind of people who work offshore. 

The oil field is composed of people like yourself, people who are looking for the same things in life you are: job security, an interesting career, an opportunity to better themselves. 

They come from all walks of life: farmers, lawyers, preachers, musicians, bankers, businessmen, labourers, university graduates, medical personnel, time-served military personnel, male and female alike. You will find one of every kind in the oil field.

Also, do not be discouraged by any stories you might have heard about how hard working offshore is, or that they will work you to death. Naturally the work is hard, but if you are in good physical condition and are willing to work, you shouldn't have any trouble adjusting to the increased work load.

Bear in mind offshore work is not for everyone. It requires that you be away from home, sometimes for weeks at a time. More often than not, the drilling vessel you are on will not even be in sight of land. It involves long and hard hours, working in all kinds of weather and conditions as well as in some dangerous situations. Working in a gale in the North Sea or 100 miles out in the Caribbean sea in the middle of a hurricane can be a frightening experience! 

On the plus side it is very rewarding and exciting. The food is good, the quarters are clean and well kept. Most rigs have crew recreational facilities such as films, canteen facilities, snooker and pool, etc.  Also,the benefits and opportunities for advancement are excellent. It is not uncommon for a person starting at the bottom with no previous oil field experience to be making  £65,000 a year, and that is for working only six months out of the year, usually by 2 weeks onboard and 2 weeks off.  

Who do you know that gets 2 weeks holiday every month?

Entry-level positions start at £500 to £800 per week. Dishwashers and BR hands (who wash dishes, sweep and mop floors, put up inventory and do general house-cleaning in the living quarters) earn £600 per week.

Roustabouts (general labourers) earn £700 to £1,000 per week. Other entry level positions are deckhands, oilers, welder helpers, cleaner painters and so on; and there are currently plenty of openings. 

Here’s some helpful information you might like to know to help you decide if working offshore is for you. 

Health Requirements. The first and foremost requirement for working offshore is that you be in sound physical condition. You will be required to pass a thorough physical examination.

Age. In most cases, you must be at least 18 to work offshore for a drilling contractor. The average age for offshore workers is 27.

Experience. The better your experience in your particular field or profession, the closer prospective employers will look you at. If you do not currently have any skill or experience that relates to the offshore industry, it does not mean you will not be offered employment.. 

Entry Level Jobs. There are many entry level positions available which require no previous offshore experience, these can be quickly learned. The most important thing is honesty. Do not misrepresent yourself, your experience, or your skills. For example, do not claim to be a pipe welder if you've only had experience on plate. Or, do not claim to be a diesel mechanic if the only experience you have is doing minor tune-ups in a garage. However, that experience will stand you in good stead with extra training.

Education. The majority of entry level rig jobs do not require a formal education as the employer is more interested in your ability to do your job well and learn quickly than in how many years you went to school. Some jobs, such as a ballast controlman, mud engineer, etc., require at least a secondary level school education. Other positions, as they get more complex, will naturally require higher levels of education. 

Dependability. One of the foremost concerns of offshore employers is dependability. Regardless of how good a hand is, he  isn't much good if he isn't there! One of the quickest ways to lose your job is not to show up for crew change. When you sign on with a company, you become part of a team, and it is difficult to operate when any member of the team is not present.

Interest/Ambition. Your interest and ambition will play a very important part in your getting and keeping a job, whether it be offshore or anywhere else.

Experience. Offshore work is an immensely interesting field, and interest in learning your job and others, as well, sparks ambition. Once you get in and get some basic experience you can move into many different areas involved in all phases of the industry.

Benefits. Benefits of companies involved in the oil and gas industry range from virtually nonexistent to excellent. The better companies will provide major medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, and profit sharing.

Advancement and Training. Advancement offshore will depend primarily on the company you work for and your particular abilities. All companies want you to advance. They want you to become better trained so you can take a more responsible position. Some companies have excellent training programs to help you move up the ladder with trainee slots for most positions. Other companies have only marginally efficient training programs, or none whatsoever. 

Outside courses include Sea Survival Training, First Aid, Offshore Drilling Units, Marine Firefighting,  and the list goes on and on. The more courses you complete, the more credentials you have when you apply for another job. What this means is the company you're working for is financing your future. Thank them for it!

Available Positions. There are many good positions available in offshore drilling.  The list is very long, and many positions are available at entry level as well as for professionals seeking a new career orientation. Because the list is so long, we suggest you order the complete handbook without delay while the going is still very good.

So, how does one apply for employment on an off-shore drilling rig?  There are ways to secure offshore employment. The personal physical search is the least effective, and any success is usually attributed to near luck. 

The most effective way is to make contact with known named contacts within the industry. A priceless source would be an in-house confidential directory of contact names, addresses, emails, telephone and fax numbers of rig employers  -  That's precisely what we have available - a confidential directory of every offshore rig employer in the world. by contact name, address, phone, fax and more. Don't be fooled by others - no one else has this information - but we do, and for YOUR benefit,

You will be provided with the essential listings from that source directory sufficient for you to secure a Rig Job with our help.

Now you can buy the Offshore Rig Employment Handbook and get yourself an offshore job - or you pay us nothing.

For YOUR benefit we know the employers, and the crews. We have travelled extensively to thoroughly research opportunities within the Offshore industry worldwide for YOU  - who else do YOU know online with such commitment and credentials?

Copyright 2004-2009 with annual revisions by Beaufort Offshore Projects UK. All Rights Reserved. 

Published exclusively in the UK by Beauforts Offshore Projects UK
Online since 1998.. 
UK Address for correspondence: BCM Tanah Merah, London. WC1.
Non-executive locations offshore in British Virgin Islands and Malaysia

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The Rig Platform

Offshore Oil and Gas UK an opportunity for a highly paid career in the oil and gas industry operating in the UK continental shelf and worldwide..

Members of 
Rig F-175 in the Turkmenoy Field

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West Sirius March31

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Rig Crew 
off Argentine Coast

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