Are you going on your
first summer internship with an offshore company? Are you starting your first
ride as a roustabout? Whatever job on the offshore company you are starting
with, getting used to the life offshore in a production platform or drilling
rig will be a huge adjustment. We recently asked some of the offshore tips on
how to alleviate and ease the change or transition.
Do not
leave the shore without your support network
If you are starting your
first day at work on an offshore company, you need to do it with the full
support of your family, friends or your loved ones. You also need to discuss
your game plan when it comes to dealing with emergencies with them, in case if
it arises while you are away or offshore.
It is imperative that not
only you and your loved ones are comfortable with your decision to work away
from your home (or away from land, in this case), but also, they need to be
able to adjust their lives while you are away. If you have relationship
pressures left at home, you need to consider changing your career.
How oil rigs work? Click here to find
out more.
It is crucial to
acknowledge all the workers can maintain contact with their family, their wife
and children from an offshore facility using satellite phones and the Internet.
Workers need to have a support network to overcome the distance-related issues.
Even if you have a strong
and stable relationship, it is still critical to plan in case of emergency (and
drama) at home while you are offshore, so friends and family can pull
themselves together if they need to do something on your behalf.
Always make sure that your
employer has all your emergency contact information should they need to get
valuable information to you. In case you are the supervisor, you will have
access to a satellite phone at all times, 24 hours a day, seven days a week so
that your loved ones can contact you. But if you are involved in the drilling
operations directly or you are working on the deck, friends and family can’t
contact you directly.
You have
to be prepared to pay your dues
Working in an offshore rig
can take its toll on your body physically. Your time on the clock is not like a
regular 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift if you are a newcomer or at the “bottom of
the barrel.” Make sure you are prepared to work at least 12 hours straight
every day you are on the platform or rig.
The work schedule is very
unrelenting according to people who worked offshore all their life. A lot of
people who are at the bottom of the hierarchy find these long working hours a
significant adjustment. As a person on the bottom of the barrel, you will be guaranteed
of having to work a little harder to gain your colleague’s respect and prove
your worth.
So, expect to work long
and tiring days on the deck as well as spending off-tour time participating in
safety meeting and training. While you will be told by your superiors to work
12-hour shift, in reality, it is more than 12 hours every day with pre-tour
meeting and training, as well as handover time you need to spend with the
co-worker relieving you.
Respect
personal time and personal space
Time and space in an
offshore facility are a precious commodity and there is a good chance that you
will be living with a co-worker in your sleeping quarters. You need to follow
some simple room etiquette that will pay dividends when it comes to can
camaraderie.
It will make a much
happier work relationship if everyone respects each other’s personal space and
time. Always leave the living quarters neat and tidy. Take everything you need
throughout your work shift with you, so you do not have to go back to your room
and disturb your co-worker who is sleeping during their time-off. Suppliers and
designers of offshore accommodations are
trying to make every employee’s time-off as relaxing and peaceful as possible.
For example, offshore
accommodation manufacturers put door windows with magnet curtains to provide a
darker environment that is conducive for sleeping. They also use the noise
cancellation rating of at least 45 dB or decibels to offer a much quieter
environment inside and allows an uninterrupted sleep.
