Offshore - looking for reality! Options

[quirkybe]

Hi All,

I'm a coded welder and want to know what the reality is with offshore work - there seem to be so many websites that want to sell you a guide to working offshore, but I'm struggling to find any independent legitimate information....

I'd like to know:

1. Is there plenty of work?

2. How do you go about getting in to the industry - agency or direct through a company?

3. How much could I expect to earn as a coded welder?

Any hard facts and personal experiences would be very much appreciated.....

Quirkybe

[Boilerbuster]

The answer to the first question is NO!
If the answer to the first question is no , then you can expect the answer to the second question is VERY DIFFICULT!
With the first two answers not being in your favor I would guess that the answer to your third question doesn't really matter.
Wages offshore arn't what they used to be but better than the rock n roll thats for sure, thats IF you can get a start. Their are a lot of good welders with offshore expierience looking for a start and you would end up at the back of the que. No harm in trying though, you never know your luck.

[fastex]

Quirkybe you could try Lobec in Gt.Yarmouth,just tell them you,ve done it before may get a shout if not this time maybe next.must have the offshore ticket.

[Captain]

Quirkybe,
this subject comes up time & time again mate.
Firstly, the offshore welder can be sorted into two different catagories - Construction and Drilling.
The Construction welders would be employed by the likes of Wood Group, Amec, P.S.N. etc and the Drilling guys by the likes of drilling companies such as K.C.A. Deutag, Transocean,Stena, Maersk and also through agencies the likes of R.B.G.,Global, Lobec etc.
Construction work would take in the likes of Hook-ups, shut-downs and various other projects, the Drilling work involves keeping a drilling rig up & running, repairing broken bits of kit, modification work etc.
The Construction welder would be coded to A.S.M.E. 9 6G on stick, & T.I.G. in various metals.He would weld up pipe & plate, having been prepared for him by the pipefitters & platers.
Historically the "Rig Welder" would be coded on the stick and maybe on T.I.G. but would be expected to be a one man band, fabricating his own pipe & platework on the rig.
I've been offshore 27 years now and have seen both sides of the coin, I am currently a rig welder with Stena Drilling, and I much prefer doing the "Rig Welder" job as opposed to Construction work. Mainly because of there is a much more interesting and variety of work to do, more importantly to me, is that on the drilling side you don't get "know -it alls" trying to tell you how to do your job, drilling just let you get on with your work. Well that's what I've always found!!
So to answer your questions.
There is always plenty of work for Construction in the summer "shutdown" season which will run from April to September, after that, then the work always slows down. The old style Hook-ups which lasted for months & months are now a thing of the past, you'll get a couple to three weeks if you're lucky.
On the drilling side, then there's always work about when the oil price is up. This goes in peaks & troughs over the years. It is steady right now, and drilling companies are busy.
As for getting a start, get your c.v. off to the main employing companies as I mentioned before along with the agencies. It is jut being in the right place at the right time whether you get a start.
Money-wise is another interesting point. Construction day-rate in the North Sea is around the £250 mark per day, and some companies pay the O.C.A. hourly rate, which along with all of it's add-ons gives around the same.
Drilling work is historically paid less than Construction, but a day rate of around the £230 per day mark won't be far away for agency work. If you're with a drilling company, then you will earn a lot more. £50k plus per annum for a "Rig Welder" is not uncommon.
So the world is your lobster mate.
The offshore game is a fickle one, but a one I've enjoyed making a living out of over the years. The best bit is the time off.
Please feel free to e-mail me if you want to know any more.

Captain

[rodofgod]

Hi All!

Captain, usual excellent and informative reply!

Very interesting to hear how our off-shore brothers work!

Regards

[quirkybe]

Hi Guys,

Wanted to thank you for taking the time to reply - I really appreciate it. Captain your reply was exhaustive and has given me a lot more to think about - really do appreciate you taking the trouble....

Thanks again,

Quirkybe