Oil Rig Electrical Work ......

[matt.leung]

Has anyone here ever worked on the rigs as an elecrician, as i was told yesturday thay the pay is

really good and the work that is carried out is minimual.

just want to kind out some more info from other sparks that have first hand experiance......

 

[revjames]

There are certain qualifications you need to work offshore. Not sure how easy they would be to obtain. You would need excellent industrial experience with things like 3 phase motors, inverters PLCs etc. Minimal work means you know what you are doing and its all running smoothly and the moment it stops you know exactly what to do to get it going again. I guess there would pe planned preventive servicing work to do as well.

 

[sellers]

A lot of people around here work on the rigs, I think theres about 11 or 12 around here.

The pay is pretty good, its 2 weeks on 2 weeks off doing 12 hour shifts.  Some may differ from that.  I know a couple of sparks on them.  You share your bedroom with another sparks who is on the other 12 hours.  Things are typically slow, probably doing about 3 hours productive work in your 12 hour shift.  A lot of waiting around.

This is only what I've been told, it would drive me insane!  It's hard to get onto them aswell.

 

[boltonsparky]

It's something I looked into working on with rope access too. Off the top of my head you need off shore survival, helicopter evacuation, Compex and if you're doing the rope access side too your IRATA level 1 (minimum).

You'd be looking at a good few grand to get them and I've heard many people say it's difficult to get into.

The above is what I've been told so I'm sure the people with first hand experience will correct me if it's wrong.

 

[steptoe]

its really hard to get into without contacts,

I looked into re-doing my compex a couple of years ago [was going to go back to the fields]

but it was going to run into 5 figures and I just didnt have anywhere near that sort of cash. 

have you looked into doing dry dock work on them? can be decent money without a lot of the risk.

anyway, try a google for  'north sea tigers '

 

[matt.leung]

i was told that the training costs about 5k, and that you get the work through a contractor rather than applying to the rig companies direct... dry dock work sounds like a good idea.. less danager and i guess the training costs a lot less....

 

[steptoe]

yer, you dont work for the rigs direct, thats why I suggested 'north sea tigers'

have you done much research on this?

basically what happens is,

you get put on a list, everyone else that has been out before goes above you,

then it goes round robin, as guys come off the rigs they go back on the list, still above you,

so, if you havent been out before you stay bottom of the list almost constant, unless, you have the right contacts and they ask for you on their placement.

then you get in, its either that, or have something they need, ie, a specific skill set, which is very slim that you have something that someone that has been doing it for 20+years wont have.

it really depends on the level of compex that you do, and the offshore survival that you need, the more you spend the higher level you get,

remember that you not only need the electrical compex quals, you need others as well.