How long sat on the beach..

[Robert Branch]

Think your in the wrong job Sweep,were you the trainee that couldnt do the job offshore but was then promoted to Ops manager??

[James McLauchlan]

Enough of that please or I will be forced to take action other than just warn.

If anyone wants to take a poke at each other do it face to face, pick up the phone or send a PM/email but keep it off this open forum.

[luckyjim37]

So if we are expected in the UK from October to March that is roughly six months. Due to most companies policy you are only supposed to do four week trips. That would mean potentially you can only do three months work a year offshore in the north sea.

And if you do longer trips you would only be seeing off another ROV guy for his days. Seems to be a bit cut throat out there now.

All of this Scab business is a bit off as well. We are not in a strike situation and there is no fixed rates in place so market forces are driving the contractors day rates at the moment.

I do agree that there should be a nice transparent pay system for the whole of the north sea but I hate the thought of having to join a Uni0n to get it.

Oh and to stay with the thread I have done around 4 days offshore and 30ish base days this year.

Had a deliberatly quite year last year and really felt the pinch up to Christmas It has definately been quiter this last few months than the last four winter seasons looking at work offers received over the past couple of months.

[K2]

Believe it or not, there is work out there at the moment albeit not as busy as last year. Thing is, the guys who take the jobs are experienced and know the industry inside out or are useless but are friends of someone in an influencing position. I see both offshore at the moment at all levels.
There are probably a high percentage of workers that fall between these two extremes so here are three things worth thinking about:

1. Income: ideally you’ll be financially savvy, pension flourishing, £20k earning interest in a ready cash or short notice account, £10k slush fund, ISA’s topping up monthly, income rolling in from your rental property, no debt other than mortgage etc. etc. etc. and happy to sit at home but, from the forums it’s clear that not everyone is this fortunate/ wise/ astute with their finances. So, just because you’re not offshore doesn’t mean you can’t get paid. There’s plenty of work out there but it’s not going to come to you. From stock markets and selling stuff on eBay to flipping burgers, it’s all down to you, how motivated and ambitious you are. Or how desperate you are! Sources of income are varied and wide and always available.
Remember though, at the end of each offshore job you should be able to go home and feel financially comfortable if things went quiet for several months. There’s some handy finance advice on the Net but you can use an adviser, get things in order and manage your money, it’ll give you peace of mind until your next offshore gig.

2. Research and marketing: it pays to know the industry. The Net is a mine of information. Find out about companies, ROV systems, projects, oil prices, telecom issues, how things tick and why. There are so many pointers out there to give you a head start. Armed with all this info think of marketing yourself, you need to build up a reputation and your name needs to be floating around key players. You must make a client want you; so assess your skill base and strengthen any weaknesses, beef up that CV and expand your work summary. A few examples:

• There’s work in the North Sea and Norway, yes there is, right now. Alarm bells ring though – tax, offshore certification? Solution: get your Noggie certs, find the companies that cover your tax – yes, this is possible or find the companies not working within 12 miles limits or UK Zones offshore, they are out there!

• Supervisor on eye balls? Get offshore with a plough or work-class sub. You may have to take a pay drop by moving from supv to tech but this will open up another arena for you. Learn about all the different subsea systems and rack up that work summary and CV, you’ll then be able to flit from system to system and company to company. Don’t be a snob – personally I quite enjoy moving between superintendant and tech, although it’s not a regular thing it’s good to be in touch with both ends of the spectrum .

• Drill support tech? As above. Think of the whole industry. Some 80 – 85% of communications passes through F.O. subsea cables. These cables need maintaining and repairing. There are vessels around the world, fully manned, on standby waiting. These jobs aren’t affected by seasonal fluctuations and are ideal training grounds.

• Trencher, always worked cable, never free flown or used TMS? Get out there, get amongst it and learn. It’s not rocket science. Be warned when applying for a job you’re not familiar with – don’t B.S. on your CV, you will be found out (this goes for anyone).

• Sat at home waiting for that next job, electrical bias…..get on a hydraulic course, use your spare time constructively, chase up new technology offshore and learn about it.

Of course, there’s many examples but if you learn about the industry and how/ why it works, get on jobs with various clients and systems it will make you far more marketable via an agency or direct to a company. You should find with this kind of experience you shouldn’t be out of work unless you want to be 

3. Communication. Talk to each other via this site or emails. Build up a network so you can pass around info and build pictures of companies and the industry. It all helps.

These are just a few pointers. I’m sure there are loads of others. Maybe readers would like to add. Those vultures waiting to swoop, slate and scorn can stay where you are, this is a post about helping fellow workers so negativity isn’t required.

Stay Safe

😉

ps days offshore – enough for my requirements 😉

[Ray Shields]

Damn I knew my rest would be disturbed, may be heading for GSF Monarch on Friday to mob a Falcon, how dare they disturb my weekend 😀

[Paul Bond]

Mobbing a Falcon……. mmmmmm……you will be back for Sunday lunch lol

[Ray Shields]

Mobbing a Falcon……. mmmmmm……you will be back for Sunday lunch lol

I bet we arrive Friday and the equipment Monday, and then they expect us to actually USE the thing. Now, where was that On switch again?

Never mind, I might reach 90 days before the end of the year at end of month 🙂

[me]

51 days so far and onboard now, North Sea jobs, not enough time off 😆
Thats work 51 days this year……

[Wade Berglund]

To K2

Very good post and well thought out.

I had a job off Oz early January…it was supposed to last for a few months but finished in 16 days.

Now I am off shore on an oil rig off of Venezuela, doing a 6 week hitch. So there is work out there. I was just told to be ready to go to Korea for a mob about 3 weeks after my Venezuela gig.

So I am being optimistic and I think that it will be a good year. Good luck guys.

[matthew wilson]

59 days in 2009 when i started in the ROV sector as a junior pilot tech, 6 days in 2010, considering my options let me just say…………………………

[Anonymous]

K2. Sound advise from some one who is financially sound by the tone of your posts…well done to you others should take note & in reality as a contractor you are in fact your on little business.

Its great to see some one who is prepared to take a drop in wages & work as a simple tech to keep the cash flow.Out of interest what to you find the drop in wages between super & tech 😆

I took a 20 GBP hit first job this year but its paid off in the long run. Now out with the same agency with an increase of 60 GBP for the same position. It’s a shame some in here don’t have the foresight of others like yourself. 😛

[Robert Branch]

So does that mean you are now on 300 pounds per day??
Whooptee doo..
I was earning 350 pounds per day with the agencies 7 years ago,and guess what they are still paying 350 pounds per day today…and in 7 years time they will still be paying 350 pounds per day,but by that time the pound will be worthless..

[K2]

Stallion

As mentioned, it’s not a regular thing but imagine your name is around and someone would like you to go out for them on a system you’ve not been on before, would you go as supt or supv on a system you’re not familiar with? Personally I can’t see how you can do the job without knowing the system. If I fancy adding this new system to my CV and feel financially sound then I negotiate a rate for a lower position, key word – negotiate, I never take the going rate for tech/ sub eng but be sure not to mention this to guys around you onboard who have accepted this rate 😉 Depending on the company and your negotiation skills it’s possible to find yourself on or very close to the rate for the next position up 😉 So, you can see why I didn’t mention anything about a ‘drop in rate’ in my previous post?! Should the company not flex on their rate then they don’t need my assistance. Simple.

Stay Safe

[Archibald Carruthers]

Hi Surf91,

Yeah I am in a similar situation to you. Trouble is what other industry can you have a laugh, meet some great people (and a lot of dickheads) and still get half the year off. I have considered being a politician but could not stand having to lie and cheat all the time. I also looked at banking, accountancy and solicitors but then thats got the same downsides as the politicians.

Maybe we should start a body shop and undercut all the other bastards?

[me]

Guys
I start getting mails every week about work now, so work is there, my company is asking our agency for people right now, before i was working for body shops but now i work direct, and yes more money for me 😀

[Author]

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