Oil rig
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37053
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Topic: Oil rig
Posted By: tictacjunkie
Subject: Oil rig
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 3:38am
| DH has been out on the local rig/platforms a few times & is considering applying for a fulltime job on an offshore rig, most likely just as a roustabout initially. Having him away isn't really an issue as he's away a lot already, I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with partners/friends etc working on the rigs- how reliable is the 2wks on/2wks off? Any problems? Can they skype etc? Any advice/things we should be aware of? Thanks! |
Replies:
Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 6:54am
Hi Tictacjunkie. My DH work offshore Taranaki (this is his first year) and we love it! He has 3 weeks on 3 weeks off and so far we have only had one trip home that was shortened due to the chopper not being able to go out in the weather to bring them home. He does get asked for overtime and has done a few extra weeks. We skype everyday and when he is on nightshift he rings up each night too. Where is your DH thinking of applying? Mine works on the Umuroa for Prosafe and they appear to be pretty great employers. Hope this helps if I can help any further just ask 
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Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 2:47pm
| That's a huge help, thanks. He was going to put his cv in with Offshore Marine Services (for offshore here in Taranaki) & see what came up, I don't think he's fussy about where or what he'd be doing. What does your DH do if you don't mind me asking? I'll ask DH tonight what else he was wanting to know. I'm pleased to hear about the skype, great for the kids. =) |
Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 9:23pm
| He is a Utililities Operator so handles most of the day to day maintenance on board ( I think anyway). |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 11 December 2010 at 1:43am
| I haven't had a partner on the rigs, although the husband of a friend of mine does 2 weeks on 2 weeks off (Fitzroy Engineering) as an industrial sprayer or something. They've been pretty reliable so far. He skypes regularly, and they have an almost 4 year old, with another bub on the way. In saying that, I also worked for a local company who own and operate a couple of the rigs off the Taranaki coast, doing all of the in/off shore flights and accommodation etc, and it was pretty much down to a fine art. OMV was right next door to the office and they followed similar procedures. |
Posted By: millymollymandy
Date Posted: 12 December 2010 at 12:48pm
|
i have a few friends in the oil business. I think they find it quite hard TBH, the contact is OK, but they all say that its quite disruptive for the families routines. That said its only the few days either side that are hard. Often DH's want to wind down, have time out, and Mum's naturally want some time out from being a sole parent, which creates problems.
Those that manage the best talk through all of this beforehand and have strategies in place. On the plus side though, they say once things settle down, the two weeks of two parents at home are great! |
Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 12 December 2010 at 2:22pm
| DH was in army when we met, then milk tanker driver, then line mechanic, currently hv electrician servicing/installing equip in subs throughout the country, so we're used to him being away. It's the irregularity/unpredictability that's hard, e.g he'll be in Hamilton for a fortnight expecting to come home for a weekend before going to Gisborne, but the H job will run over & he'll have to go straight to G without seeing us, that's where the kids & I struggle... |
Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 12 December 2010 at 2:30pm
| ... So having a predictable 2/3wks on/off would be really great, & I'm glad to hear that it seems pretty reliable (weather excluded but you can't change that!). DH just had 4wks off to help me while I had our youngest (c-sect so no driving), & being at home just with the ordinary school/kindy day to day etc stuff made him realise what he's missing out on. He's decided to send out his cv to places after New Years to a few places so I'll update on how that goes, fx'd. =) |
Posted By: maysie
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 12:02pm
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I like it when DH goes offshore but I hate it when he is away for more than 2 weeks. But luckily for us he only ever goes out during the week now, usually just for 3 nights. He works in the office out there so has easy access to email and facebook but we don't skype. He calls every night though and sometimes during the day if he is bored.
When they work 2on/2off or similiar it's like millymollymandy said - the build up and arrive home few days can be tough. You also need to make a few rules like ensure you each have hobbies/friends to occupy your alone/home time and be aware of this for each other - especially as the one left at home you need to make sure your life carries on when they aren't there. Not to mention the consistency with the kids and discipline/routines etc. You will end up dealing with a lot of things yourself. And be aware that they get fed so well and looked after out there so don't be surprised if there is a bit of sulking because you're not making fresh scones every day (!!!!) and they like to remind you that when they walk into the dining room in the morning it's "1 egg or 2? Poached or fried?", hehe. But that's all fun. It makes for a great family lifestyle but is hard work for them. Because of the money it can also be hard to leave the industry but there is a lot of work still out there (onshore and offshore) so it's worth it if you want to get ahead financially. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 12:38pm
| Yes I've heard all about the wonderful food offshore, =). We already have a "don't complain about my cooking or I'll throw something at you" rule. Is there an age bracket on the rigs does anyone know? DH is 32 & very fit/healthy so not worried about that, just curious really. & what's the best approach to applying? He was told to try offshore marine services but there are others aren't there? Send cv to one company & wait or try a couple at the same time? |
Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 12:44pm
| I hear ya on the food! DH just facebooked me and asked if I wanted him to bring some baking home tomorrow? I don't know about the age thing but DH started at 32 so yeah. If yours is keen to get in and there are no jobs advertised I would send CV to a few different companies. I know that if wage negotiations go the way DH wants at the mo his company will have a couple of jobs advertised. |
Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 12:54pm
| Is that union things again? I know a "friend of a friend" got locked offshore last year(?) because of pay negotiations or something. DH's the sort that just turns up & does the job, doesn't get involved with that sort of thing, i.e. wouldn't be ballsy enough to ask for a payrise etc. I think he had the "do as you're told when you're told" drilled into him in the army & has never gotten over it, lol. Hmm- would that be a problem with him getting a good contract do you think? |
Posted By: maysie
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 2:34pm
|
I'm not too sure about the drilling side (you mentioned he was keen to be a roustabout?) but that is physical work so I imagine it's really up to the person if they are capable. DH used to be a fitter but now is in planning and projects so doesn't have to do any physical stuff (i.e. doesn't get dirty!!) and I think that was the original plan for him in the long run. It can be project based though, like, your DH may have work for 6 months but then have to look for more when that finishes but like I said earlier, there are a lot of onshore rigs too. Heaps of companies (for Taranaki and Australia) service the rigs but I don't know much about the actual drilling crew stuff, sorry. He would probably be best to contact the people he worked with previously and find out who is hiring, sometimes a lot of it is who you know in order to get a foot in the door. But definitely present himself to more than 1 company. darecontract.co.nz are often advertising, prosafe, parker drilling, oms and websites like taranakijobsnz.com, stafflink and adecco sometimes have ads for it too. There is also the taranaki drilling school but I don't know much about them.
Oh, and DH has only been stuck out there once in 6 years and that was recently and because of really bad weather so the helicopter couldn't land. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 3:06pm
| It is union Tictac. It is encouraged in his company as it makes their lives easier as all contracts are the same. |
Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 5:02pm
| Cool thank you both very very much. I think union contracts are pretty good for people like DH, his current workplace it's all individual contracts & it's very much the squeaky wheels that get the oil. |
Posted By: blondie
Date Posted: 14 December 2010 at 2:47pm
|
HI there I have a friend whos hubby is on on offshore oil rig he does 4 weeks on 4 off. I'll phone her later and get more info for you. One thing I will say that he is not here for xmas (which i think must be hard for the kiddies) ------------- 
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Posted By: tictacjunkie
Date Posted: 14 December 2010 at 9:38pm
| Ooh thanks, =). Being away for christmas would be a bit hard on the kids, but I guess we'd do what we do with birthdays & just celebrate it before/after. (They tell their friends about having two birthdays so maybe two christmas's would have boasting rights too?) The four weeks is a long time though, not sure how that'd go. |
Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 15 December 2010 at 7:47am
| In our first year of DH being out there he has missed every important date except his birthday. It wasn't actually that bad. Christmas was easy cos there wasn't so much rushing around to please both families I just did what I wanted to, which ended up being both anyway. Mind you Alex is young so doesn't understand yet but we will always just do things around DH's shifts which is always how you end up doing things anyway this way we have a man at home who doesn't have to worry about anything but us when he is here. |
Posted By: jjands
Date Posted: 15 December 2010 at 9:19am
| How do you get onto the rigs? I hear it's all if you know someone...? DH is very keen but hasn't any experience |
Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 15 December 2010 at 12:52pm
| DH got in off applying for a job. He didn't know anyone just had what they wanted. |