Now ye're talking - to an off-shore oil rig worker

Fabio wrote: »

@nlrkjos - I can't seem to send you a PM but can you send me one. I'm pretty sure I know who you are and, if I'm thinking of the right person, then it'd be great to be back in touch with a friend .

I sent you one about the CBR a few months back (it calfed after 180,000 miles!) and I just thought that the ignorant little fecker don't want to know me anymore:D:D:D

I'll try again and if it don't work we'll just have to wake up wan them mods!!!!

Cairo Large Gown wrote: »

Something like a death etc would be very difficult alright but overall the two weeks is certainly a nicer pattern than the 3 months on/off scenario though you don’t have the tax free benefits.

Overall though very interesting reading and thanks for taking the time to answer.

I wasn't trying to be smart with my answer but some authority has to control HSE, otherwise it would be a free for all, and with the safety record in our sector, we'er inclined to believe and trust them. Also I think you missed the point about cameras, some equipment on different rigs are "flash sensitive".

As for deaths, a few months back over Christmas, a colleague of mine got news that his wife had taken her own life...he was stuck on board for 2 days before it was safe to evac him to land, then he had another 9 hours to get himself home, the company did send a "medic" with him! It kinda put all the money/conditions/free time into perspective for all of us that week.

wow 30,000 tonnes that really is something else. Thanks again for all your responses, it is a really interesting AMA.

Very interesting, thanks for giving your time!

I knew a guy in Canada who worked on oil rigs there, back in 2015 he was out of a job for a good few months when the oil price dropped. He had to move home and get a temporary job while he waited to see what would happen with the market.

Is your job sensitive to gas prices? Or is there always enough demand to keep you going?

https://twitter.com/equinor/status/1022834226566254593

thats the yoke I'm on now, that lift was some experience, just to see it all happen and see 3 years work put in place in 4 days was amazing.

stop animal cruelty wrote: »

Roughly how far down is the sea bed? I find it kind of unbelievable something like oil rigs exist and function in the middle of the ocean. It's incredible.

water depth is 120m jacket is 30 m above that, so 150m or 490 ft in old money :eek:

Spencer Winterbotham wrote: »

Do you encounter much situational homosexual activity? Like the lads in prison. Straight on the outside but turn to their fellow man on the inside for "comfort"?

Have you every dabbled yourself?

I think you're on the wrong website, try XXXsadexistance. help

Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you were a goner?

Do you have colleagues who have survived several ‘**** me’ moments?

Are there superstitions aboard the rig?

circadian wrote: »

Is car insurance still mental for rig workers?

Never drove a car in my life, dangerous fecken yokes !!!!! my motorbike insurance is OK, just the same as me brother and he works as a gardener ! so I would presume car would be similar.

Can you give me a bit of actual workers thoughts on the EC225 helicopter?
I know the north sea unions wont allow their workers to be transferred on them, but are the workers as adamant?



Elaborate a wee bit. We hate these yokes not just because of safety issues. the seating arrangement is cramped, some guys are facing the "wrong way" which can be disorientating, they rattle like fck, and the actual hover before landing can shake your fillings loose ! in general they are just not comfortable to ride in. I was "shuttling" for a full rotation every day from one rig to another in the 225, and never once felt safe or comfortable.The S92 for whatever reason just feels good, especially when its an hour out and in. Hope this answer your Q?

grounderfill wrote: »

Have you ever watched the movie Deep Water Horizon? Do you believe that risks, such as the lack of pressure tests on the well of the deepwater horizon not carried out properly, or the lack of for that matter, is something that you believe still occurs, thereby putting you and those on the ground at risk of death just for the sake of profit?
Have you ever come across where short cuts have been made for the sake of money (on the rig obviouly - plenty off the rig inland)?
Is there a culture of not squealing if someone sees staff making safety breaches?

America is a whole different world when it comes to oil/gas, typical U.S, the mighty dollar! No offence to any US citizens on here, but they are full of sh1t.

No, safety breaches, even minor are reported, and it's never even thought of as "squealing", some people even report their own breaches, if it can be a lesson learned.. accidents hurt, safety don't!

stop animal cruelty wrote: »

Roughly how far down is the sea bed? I find it kind of unbelievable something like oil rigs exist and function in the middle of the ocean. It's incredible.

I'm feel the same, oil rigs and the construction of them out in rough seas that are constantly changing is an amazing engineering feat, its absolutely fascinating.

The gas "flare" is also burning off toxic gases that come up with the oil or gas and cannot be shipped inland for domestic uses. The flare stack, apart from being on a long boom, is also fenced off at deck level, monitored by CCTV and has several water cannons pointed at it. That area of the deck is also off limits to routine access, it's by permit or special permission only. In the case of all other work, on any deck, no-one goes anywhere or starts any kind of job unless they have a permit issued by their office (welding or electrical work especially) and notified to the deck operator (a person who is the manager of each deck). All the different trades must know who's doing what, so that, for example, if you need a motor or a pump shut off for maintenance, the electricians must know which control box or control panel has to be shut down and padlocked off and it is then not reactivated until all parties are made aware and agree to it. Also, in the case of very large rigs, each person entering a deck had to log in with the operator and then log out as you went off the deck. As an aside, one rig that I was on, all of the deck operators were Pakistani and most of the mechs were Indian, so they wouldnt talk to each other. Several times, I had to intervene to get things done as they were at a standstill, verbally refighting the 1971 war. Ultimately, management shifted people aroudn to get around this but Paks and Indians always stayed apart. as for living together in close proximity, it was an unwritten rule that people made a special effort to get on, because you knew that you could end up in an emergency situation where your life depended on strangers. If there were fights, the parties involved were usually immediately lifted off, at their companies' expense.

Stovepipe wrote: »

The gas "flare" is also burning off toxic gases that come up with the oil or gas and cannot be shipped inland for domestic uses. The flare stack, apart from being on a long boom, is also fenced off at deck level, monitored by CCTV and has several water cannons pointed at it. That area of the deck is also off limits to routine access, it's by permit or special permission only. In the case of all other work, on any deck, no-one goes anywhere or starts any kind of job unless they have a permit issued by their office (welding or electrical work especially) and notified to the deck operator (a person who is the manager of each deck). All the different trades must know who's doing what, so that, for example, if you need a motor or a pump shut off for maintenance, the electricians must know which control box or control panel has to be shut down and padlocked off and it is then not reactivated until all parties are made aware and agree to it. Also, in the case of very large rigs, each person entering a deck had to log in with the operator and then log out as you went off the deck. As an aside, one rig that I was on, all of the deck operators were Pakistani and most of the mechs were Indian, so they wouldnt talk to each other. Several times, I had to intervene to get things done as they were at a standstill, verbally refighting the 1971 war. Ultimately, management shifted people aroudn to get around this but Paks and Indians always stayed apart. as for living together in close proximity, it was an unwritten rule that people made a special effort to get on, because you knew that you could end up in an emergency situation where your life depended on strangers. If there were fights, the parties involved were usually immediately lifted off, at their companies' expense.

That's a good one with the Indians/Pakistanis, I never had to deal with that crap, bad enough between Swedes and Danes!!!! PTW system we also use but as its construction it would never be as tightly controlled as a production platform. On the flare gas, I see now where some scientists are discovering new forms of life in crude and gas deposits. We could have a "jurassic park" in real life if these buckos have their way !!

On the dying question...if you were stacking shelves in a supermarket, you could be killed by a falling can of beans, all jobs have their own risks and they are all relative to what you do, and what you are trained to do.

Stovepipe wrote: »

Never had a problem with Scandies but did encounter a few Union Jack wavers who disliked "Paddies". Had no grief with Norn Iron people and they were easier to get on with than the Little Englanders. Our worst ganger was a Swiss guy who appeared to hate everyone who wasn't Swiss and especially hated Germans, of which we had a few on one site, until one of the Germans grabbed him by the scruff and threatened to throw him off the top of the platform, if he didnt calm down. Things got quieter after that. I always reckoned that a year out on rigs and sites was equivalent to about 2 years worth of work at home.

Yeah, met a few of them "squaddies" over the years, hunt in packs, quiet boys on their own...or when you tell them you know where they live !!! It takes it's toll offshore alright, folk at home think you have a great life with four weeks free....they don't see the two weeks on board

Are hookers brought to the rig on boats that have casinos on them?