offshore ppl ........your views.

[Smeed]

janfar, dems some wise words.

When I started offshore 8 years ago it was an entirely new experience to me....i never knew anyone who worked in the industry before my first offshore job. Off course it was hard at first.... but after all these years I can't see myself coming back to a "normal" 8 - 4 job.

Yes, its a bit hard on family life (especially if you have kids.... i have 2 toddlers), but if you got everything set up its not too bad. What i mean by this is that it helps if your spouse is at home to tend to the kids and if you have a close relative (dad, brother, in laws etc) who are close by and can lend assistance if needed.

Personally, my wife doesn't have much running around to do since almost everything is close to home (within 5 mins drive from the house) - preschool, grocery, doctor, pharmacy, bakery etc. My parents live 10 mins away and my in laws are also very close. Because of this, she manages pretty easily (evidently this will become more complicated as the kids get older).

The best thing about the expat rotation is that on time off you can do whatever de fack you want to..... unlike working locally where you spend a significant time in office, meetings and training on your time off. So even though you lose some travel days, your time off is genuine time off. You cud run Bago or Miami or wherever else without having to lick arse for permission.

As Janfar said it might seem hard to people who don't really know what it entails... but with communications being as easy as it is now... Skype, facetime, internet banking... its really not soo bad. I know for a fact that the time I get with my kids adds up to more than what a normal 8 - 4 worker gets with their kids especially if they work in POS. Couple that with the advantage of flexing your rotation to be at home during the school holidays and its a win - win situation.

[nemesis]

OP... relax yuh skunt and enjoy the scenery... you have plenty time that you could make up... i doing this same thing 4 yrs now and i aint sick of it...

1. You will soon get the opportunity to work in ops land based (im assuming you work in the D&E/MWD)
2. After 30 you can kick back and enjoy your spoils. When plenty people will still be working hard to make ends meet at age 40 and even 50... your friends complaining, you will then realise how much it was worth the sacrfice...


Cheers.

Not disgruntled career expat.

Best advice I read thus far!

This is the best way to look at it.

[TriniVdub]

With lack of experience how does one even get into the industry to gain those valuable skills without having some sort of help? Even with an accredited engineering degree it seems that its not enough, unless you have "a hook up."

Any help or info would be very much appreciated.

[geodude]

no.
it seems that way and i guess it will not hurt your changes to have a link but not everything is cloak and daggers,
I know one guy who got employed as an MWD eng with schlum and he is doing really well, got quite a few promotions and want to know how it happened?
He was walking in the mall, and saw that they had a recruitment drive, he went to the cyber cafe printed his resume and gave it to them, he was doing some diploma in UTT and never even finished, some ppl just lucky, and also persistence pays off,
i got a friend who is now a mud engineer, and everytime he was in trini he would walk into the hallibuton (bariod ) office in trini and sit there and wait to see if he could meet someone, eventually the got to know him by name and a couple months ago Bariod in Trini hired a few ppl, he was one of them and was also able to get jobs for some of his friends also.
I don't know how difficult it is to get an actual job with a rig company but service companies are quite easy to get jobs with, but the oil field is cyclical, there are high and low periods, the example i described happened in 2007 when there was a mad scramble for workers, i know a few ppl that got employed back then ppl with no actual qualification only the promise of completion of their studies, go to rig zone and look at the number of listings that are there, service companies globally are hunting as the oil field is picking up steam right now, and service companies are good entry points into the oil field.
when i was finishing university i was so scared cause i literally knew no one and i was the first person to be hired in my graduating class, i just sent resumes like crazy.
guess what i am saying is that it is not hopeless if you don't have a link. (but most of the upstream companies BP, Bg, Petrotrin, etc well boi i still ent know who ass u have to lick to get ah wok there)

[TriniVdub]

no.
it seems that way and i guess it will not hurt your changes to have a link but not everything is cloak and daggers,
I know one guy who got employed as an MWD eng with schlum and he is doing really well, got quite a few promotions and want to know how it happened?
He was walking in the mall, and saw that they had a recruitment drive, he went to the cyber cafe printed his resume and gave it to them, he was doing some diploma in UTT and never even finished, some ppl just lucky, and also persistence pays off,
i got a friend who is now a mud engineer, and everytime he was in trini he would walk into the hallibuton (bariod ) office in trini and sit there and wait to see if he could meet someone, eventually the got to know him by name and a couple months ago Bariod in Trini hired a few ppl, he was one of them and was also able to get jobs for some of his friends also.
I don't know how difficult it is to get an actual job with a rig company but service companies are quite easy to get jobs with, but the oil field is cyclical, there are high and low periods, the example i described happened in 2007 when there was a mad scramble for workers, i know a few ppl that got employed back then ppl with no actual qualification only the promise of completion of their studies, go to rig zone and look at the number of listings that are there, service companies globally are hunting as the oil field is picking up steam right now, and service companies are good entry points into the oil field.
when i was finishing university i was so scared cause i literally knew no one and i was the first person to be hired in my graduating class, i just sent resumes like crazy.
guess what i am saying is that it is not hopeless if you don't have a link. (but most of the upstream companies BP, Bg, Petrotrin, etc well boi i still ent know who ass u have to lick to get ah wok there)

Thanks a lot for this info, and as nervous as I am about cold calling I'm going to have to try it as well as pay the service companies a visit. I've sent out resumes to a large number of well known companies, perhaps I'll start to try with the lesser known companies as well. Really hoping to hear back from the NGC graduate training program even though I know its a long shot.

[nemesis]

Right now it seems many companies worldwide are hiring. Things are picking back up. Service companies are a good way to go. Don't know why people think that only the big operators are the only way to go.
If you have the time do yourself a favor and don't send your resume. Hand deliver them. Dress properly when you go, and ask if you can meet someone relevant to give them to rather than just give the receptionist. That way you can show them you have real interest and when they are going through the resumes they may actually remember you rather than just read about you. Trust me, on paper many, many people will be exactly the same.

[redman2k8]

WTK:

For someone to risk their personal life for money... What's the range of the salary for offshore workers?

[crazybalhead]

A guy came in January by me for an interview in a polo, jeans and sneakers. Was not impressed at all.

[Rory Phoulorie]

A guy came in January by me for an interview in a polo, jeans and sneakers. Was not impressed at all.

Sorry dey uncle. I tawt casual Friday did apply tuh interviewees also.

[zoom rader]

A guy came in January by me for an interview in a polo, jeans and sneakers. Was not impressed at all.

Dude I went to an interview in an overalls and still got the jobs. I Explained to them that I had an emergency at my present job so I had no time to dress. In the end I got the job

[crazybalhead]

A guy came in January by me for an interview in a polo, jeans and sneakers. Was not impressed at all.

Dude I went to an interview in an overalls and still got the jobs. I Explained to them that I had an emergency at my present job so I had no time to dress. In the end I got the job

That is different. If the guy came in coveralls, I would have understood. Man didn't even make an effort. Lemme elaborate, called me to tell me he was running late, OK, called me the wrong name, OK...reach and in polo, jeans and sneakers, OK, still willing to listen. Talks all about his "outside" jobs. God stuff man. Doh let the door hit yuh on the way out.

It's the mentality I talking about there. Not just the dress.

[janfar]

A guy came in January by me for an interview in a polo, jeans and sneakers. Was not impressed at all.

Dude I went to an interview in an overalls and still got the jobs. I Explained to them that I had an emergency at my present job so I had no time to dress. In the end I got the job

That is different. If the guy came in coveralls, I would have understood. Man didn't even make an effort. Lemme elaborate, called me to tell me he was running late, OK, called me the wrong name, OK...reach and in polo, jeans and sneakers, OK, still willing to listen. Talks all about his "outside" jobs. God stuff man. Doh let the door hit yuh on the way out.

It's the mentality I talking about there. Not just the dress.

eh... ah doubt is who ah think yuh talking bout!!!

[13''strong]

I consider this to be the hardest thing i ever tried to accomplish , i finished my course with 9 other students 2 got through with jobs and 5 decided to give up because they over heard others saying that you don't get alot of time out there so they fear that they will be back home in a while hunting for jobs all over again ... I look at it as i'll use the time wisely and gain experience so by the time i get back i'll have new experiences to attach to my resume ,i'm also a struggling job seeker but i'm not giving up .....any help will be greatly appreciated ....@geodude hope u did"nt forget me pal any help possible ....

[Mudboy]

I consider this to be the hardest thing i ever tried to accomplish , i finished my course with 9 other students 2 got through with jobs and 5 decided to give up because they over heard others saying that you don't get alot of time out there so they fear that they will be back home in a while hunting for jobs all over again ... I look at it as i'll use the time wisely and gain experience so by the time i get back i'll have new experiences to attach to my resume ,i'm also a struggling job seeker but i'm not giving up .....any help will be greatly appreciated ....@geodude hope u did"nt forget me pal any help possible ....

Explain.....

[crazybalhead]

A guy came in January by me for an interview in a polo, jeans and sneakers. Was not impressed at all.

Dude I went to an interview in an overalls and still got the jobs. I Explained to them that I had an emergency at my present job so I had no time to dress. In the end I got the job

That is different. If the guy came in coveralls, I would have understood. Man didn't even make an effort. Lemme elaborate, called me to tell me he was running late, OK, called me the wrong name, OK...reach and in polo, jeans and sneakers, OK, still willing to listen. Talks all about his "outside" jobs. God stuff man. Doh let the door hit yuh on the way out.

It's the mentality I talking about there. Not just the dress.

eh... ah doubt is who ah think yuh talking bout!!!

Nah, although he also had on a polo and jeans, I had another reason for not choosing the recommended.

[13''strong]

meaning you get very short contracts and my friends feared that they wud be in this very same position as they were before ....i'm not to worried i jus wanna get "1 foot inside" and try do sumn with my life ..........by the way what are some of the service companies you guys will recommend i apply too ..........??

[Mudboy]

meaning you get very short contracts and my friends feared that they wud be in this very same position as they were before ....i'm not to worried i jus wanna get "1 foot inside" and try do sumn with my life ..........by the way what are some of the service companies you guys will recommend i apply too ..........??

So what you want, a big job with big money and no experience?....they not paying you for you time away from home.....they paying for you to do a job. I worked contract in the refinery for 40TT a day as an apprentice after MET 15 years ago....you think you have it bad?

But with years and some more qualifications....it gets easier....so hold strain for a few years.....you sound like you have the patience.

Have a plan....set a goal.....and the older you get the easier it gets.....you will have ups and downs.....but you will always have a person with more issues....more problems than you.

[geodude]

WTK:

For someone to risk their personal life for money... What's the range of the salary for offshore workers?

dude u full ah sheit, so stfu

its not about risking your life for money,
i suppose u drive to work daily, dude u must be crazy, you mean you proberly waste 2 hrs of your life per day going from point a to point b in a country where statically an accident occurs every 15 mins, so since you risk your life everyday for money i wonder how how u earn?
And to answer you question typically an indiviaual with a degree employed with a service company with 2 years experience earnes approx 6k US but this is not the rule salaries vary greatly with global location, expertise and indiviaul abilities.

[Rooki3]

WTK:

For someone to risk their personal life for money... What's the range of the salary for offshore workers?

dude u full ah sheit, so stfu

its not about risking your life for money,
i suppose u drive to work daily, dude u must be crazy, you mean you proberly waste 2 hrs of your life per day going from point a to point b in a country where statically an accident occurs every 15 mins, so since you risk your life everyday for money i wonder how how u earn?
And to answer you question typically an indiviaual with a degree employed with a service company with 2 years experience earnes approx 6k US but this is not the rule salaries vary greatly with global location, expertise and indiviaul abilities.

dais good $$$$

[Mudboy]

WTK:

For someone to risk their personal life for money... What's the range of the salary for offshore workers?

dude u full ah sheit, so stfu

its not about risking your life for money,
i suppose u drive to work daily, dude u must be crazy, you mean you proberly waste 2 hrs of your life per day going from point a to point b in a country where statically an accident occurs every 15 mins, so since you risk your life everyday for money i wonder how how u earn?
And to answer you question typically an indiviaual with a degree employed with a service company with 2 years experience earnes approx 6k US but this is not the rule salaries vary greatly with global location, expertise and indiviaul abilities.

dais good $$$$

6k dude?.......I in the wrong wuk.......

[crazybalhead]

Geodude, that's your salary??? O_o

[geodude]

was after 2 years,
and i always thought that MWD and Mud dudes get more

[Mudboy]

Geodude, that's your salary, dais overtime for me??? O_o

whut?

[crazybalhead]

WOW, you making real paper dan.

[janfar]

fack sake... ***types up resignation letter***

[Mudboy]

fack sake... ***types up resignation letter***

Jan...time to start logging some of them deep holes.

[janfar]

fack loggin... time to call my illegitimate Father, Sheik Khalifa... (not to be mistaken for his distant cousin Wiz)

[tr1ad]

ollur mekin real morney dan... i wuh wuk in d industry too

[nemesis]

was after 2 years,
and i always thought that MWD and Mud dudes get more

Out of curiosity, what do you do in which country/company?
I assume since you talking salary the job info is no problem.

And there are many divisions of the oilfield that make more money than MWD and Mud Eng.

[AllTrac]

6k usd with just a degree and 2 years service dan? de fcuk i wasting meh life here for dred