Life and work conditions on the board of offshore oil rigs are heavy and strict. Everyone who wants to apply for a job on oil rig wonders how must be like to live in such environment. Indeed, the extreme isolation of so specific a place, the presence of such hostile surroundings as it is the open ocean and the cold or very hot weather leave nobody passionless. It should be carefully considered that conditions vary according to the distinct posts of oil rig jobs.
Offshore Life Conditions
Drilling, construction or metallurgical workers on offshore oil rigs and their respective assistants work outdoors in rough weather conditions. Other oil jobs, such as geologists and engineers divide their tasks among offices, inside the oil rig platform, and deck zones, outside, enjoying an intermediate conditions and managers, executive and administrative staff work in the offices, in the most comfortable situation.
Living conditions on the oil rigs have improved significantly and many offshore rigs meet hotel standards. On arrival, new oil rig workers are secured with all they need to guarantee a safe and comfortable working environment. Everybody is secured with overall, safety boots and glasses, hard hat and they are all shown the whole installation.
Economically, working offshore an oil rig or platform is quite profitable. Income and benefits in this sort of oil jobs are significantly higher than any similar land-based positions. All potential expenditures, like food, accommodation and travel when going to and leaving from the workplace, are being reimbursed by oil rig company and you may bank everything, you have earned.
Working in a foreign country is financially more attractive. Most of the oil rig companies and in the gas industry are based on areas as Texas, Alberta, Louisiana, Dakota, Australia, Venezuela, Middle East, Brazil, North Sea or Scandinavian coast. This means that the oil rig workers should fly long distances to reach their respective oil rig workplaces or to meet family and friends. All this is at the company’s expenditure.
Work time on Oil Rig Platforms
Timetables and shifts are another very important subject when it comes to oil rig jobs. They vary, depending on the company and the type of position. A very general type of timetable is consisted in fourteen days on, followed by twenty-one days off.
Another schedule systems for oil rig vacancies is based on working for one or two weeks, rotating off the oil rig platform for the same period or one month on and one month off and sometimes, due to the specialty of the service, you are going to have to work until the rig job is accomplished.
Hourly schedules timetables for oil rig jobs vary from 80 to 100 hours/week and this may seem like a very long and tiring working week on oil rig platform. But, it should be considered that offshore workers are in the workplace 24 hours per day. This avoids the issues like inherent in land-based jobs, like getting up hurriedly to drive to the job site, having meals or snacks hastily, etc.
On the other hand, time off on oil rig jobs is one of the attractive side of this sort of posts. Few positions on offshore jobs offer the workers so much time to carry out their private and familiar activities or to devote to another job or business.
While on board of rigs, oil rig workers may spend their time off in a wide diversity of amenities and amusements, because modern offshore installations offer an interesting range of leisure activities, made to ensure a comfortable rest of the employees. There are really modern satellite TV and phones, updated selection of videos, gym, sauna, video games, connection to Internet, etc., all for the comfort of the people.
Their well-being is vital to evade stress and ensure the quality of work on oil rigs. Eventually, the best oil and gas companies offer special services to their employees at little cost or even for free. Some companies secure ideal medical insurance, life and disability insurance, sick leave and, in some certain cases, profit sharing by taking a percentage of your wage and putting it in a profitable savings account. Actually, offshore drilling jobs are very hard and demanding activities, but really well-paid and free of any sort of expenditure, with good life conditions while your are off. This may compensate you for the harsh conditions while working. The sort of oil rig work, which gives the opportunity to travel for free to far and exotic places and meet people from all around the world.
All people thinking over offshore rig jobs need to check these important things to keep in mind:
- Workers are going to be provided with safety boots hard hat, safety glasses for work and coveralls.
- All the people need to keep a good relation and must be focused on why they wanted to work offshore.
- For the smokers there are special smoking rooms at different places on the oil rig platform.
- About the food, people take off their work gear and eat in the galley.
- People would probably should work a night shift or 2 as an oil rig is a 24 hour operation.You do not have to upset the radio operator, medic or chef. Helicopters, medical attention and food are really the most important on the oil rig platform.
Benefits of Working on Oil Rig
Salaries on offshore oil rigs jobs depend on company and 
location, but the minimum day-wage is $300. Add to this that you won’t pay any money for food, lodging clothing, laundry, and the company generally covers the airfare, even from distant regions. This is good money and most of the oil rig workers save a lot of it in a few years to serve them as a ground base for other careers or even private businesses.
The offshore oil rig job vacancies are a perfect option for you to explore a new level of experiences – the tough work brings both excitement and rewards, and the risk and danger are only for the best of men.
Living Requirements for Rig Workers
While you work on the offshore oil rig platform, your living requirements such as accommodation, food and laundry are going to be catered for. The food, which is provided to rig workers is usually of high quality and is available at number of different times during the day and night. The oil rig platforms also provide other facilities to their oil rig employees, such as satellite telephones to keep in contact with their families.
During their time on rig platforms, most of the workers are required to work twelve hour shifts. Most workers are also required to work both day and night shifts so you need to be able to work night shifts, as well. Once when the oil workers have finished their shifts, they could be classed as on-call and must go to the rig floor if there services are required. Once a worker has finished their roster, they are then flown from the offshore platform by helicopter.
If you feel that this is the industry for you, it is important to obtain the right advice to ensure that you meet all the requirements for gaining employment on an offshore oil rig. It is also important to obtain good and honest career advice about working in the oil industry that is specific to you.