Work condition and life in an oil rig are harsh, strict, but very enjoyable. If you are planning to apply for an oil rig job and you want to know how it feels like to live in an offshore environment. People living in an isolated place, with a hostile surrounding, in an area with too cold or too hot weather will leave them passionless. You should consider that the conditions in the job depend on the distinct posts in the oil rig.
Offshore Life Conditions
Construction workers, drillers or metallurgical workers in the oil rig, together with their assistants are working outdoors with harsh weather condition. Other jobs in the oil rig like geologists and engineers work either in the office, in the oil rig deck or in the deck zone. They sometimes enjoy the weather outside, enjoying the intermediate conditions. Managers, executive officers as well as admin staff, work in the office, or in the most comfortable areas in the oil rig.
But because of the advancement in the technology as well as the architecture in the oil rig, life offshore has improved significantly, and some oil rig has hotel-like offshore accommodations. Companies give their new worker safety and comfortable working conditions. Companies make sure that their workers are well compensated and have all the safety gears like safety boots, hard hat, and safety goggles. Not only that, new oil rig workers receive proper training and safety seminars to make sure that everyone knew what they are doing and to avoid unnecessary accidents.
Financially, working in the oil rig is quite profitable. It offers a higher income and benefits compared to similar land-based positions. The company will cover all potential expenditures, like accommodation, food, and travel going to the oil rig and leaving from the workplace.
And of course, living and working out of the country is very attractive, financially. Most big oil rig companies are based on areas like Texas, Dakota, Alberta, Louisiana, Australia, Middle East, North Sea, Brazil or Scandinavia cost. It means that working in this area will need workers to fly a long distance to reach the oil rig or go back to their homes and meet their family and friends. The oil rig company covers all these.
Work time on Oil Rig Platforms
Oil rig timetable, work time and the shifts are another vital subject people want to work in the oil rig should know. Every shift varies, depending on the position and the company. The most common timetable consists of a fourteen-day shift and followed by twenty-days off. Another schedule shift for oil rigs is based on working for fourteen days straight shifts, rotating with another co-worker and one month off. Sometimes, because of the specialty of the job, most workers have to work for full six months without a week off or until the rig job is finished.
(To know more about oil rigs or oil platforms, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_platform.)
Hourly schedule in the oil rig varies from 80 to 100 hours per week. It may seem like tiring and long working hours, but trust me, if you are in the oil rig, all you want to do is work to make the time go faster. But since all workers are in the oil rig, in the middle of the ocean, all workers are considered in the workplace 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Because of this, it avoids the issue that most land-based jobs experienced like getting up early and drive to the job site, eating meals hastily, etc. On the other hand, the time off workers get in the oil rig is one of the attractive sides of working offshore. Few positions on the oil rig offer the worker time to carry out their private affairs and familiar activities like playing card games, watching movies, or playing video games (most oil rig companies provide their worker’s entertainment like video games, DVD players, television, etc.)
While offshore, oil rig workers can spend their time off in different facilities and amusements provided by the company. Most modern offshore accommodations offer a wide range of leisure activities to make sure every workeris comfortable while they are living in the oil rig, and also avoid homesickness. Companies provide modern satellite television, satellite phones so workers can call their loved ones, updated selection of movies and videos, sauna, gym, video game rooms, Internet connection, etc. It is to ensure everyone in the rig is living comfortably while working offshore.