spacedcowboy Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Hi has anyone here got into offshore/onshore oil drilling rigs as a complete novice in the last year. Just wanted to know if there is still a demand as I would consider undertaking re-training if I still know its still possible to find work at the novice level. I also wanted to know is it cheaper to undertake the various training Mist Survival courses overseas or in the UK where I am currently based? I've been quoted £2000 to get the courses allowing me to be considered. Cheers in advance of any replies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThailandBert Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Not a hope in hell. If you are a complete novice you will never get into the game here. Even back home you would struggle to get your foot on the first rung of the ladder. Time for a re think my friend. Don't waste your money on the survival course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedcowboy Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Not a hope in hell. If you are a complete novice you will never get into the game here. Even back home you would struggle to get your foot on the first rung of the ladder. Time for a re think my friend. Don't waste your money on the survival course. I guessed as much ThailandBert it all seemed to good to be true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 If your thinking about Thai O&G...easy answer...not a hope in hell...if you really want to try an get in the game, it seems you are UK based then the North Sea is your first stop before getting into the international game, if you cant get a foot in the North Sea for a few year experience dont hold your breath anywhere else As regards youer offshore training, at this point in time seeing as you have nothing lined up...dont waste your money, you can say you have it on your CV, and if any thing comes up, just tell its just expired and go and do it quickly, having the courses under your belt will not make it any easier to get a foot in the door contray to what the training schools tell you, for the most part in the UK they are a revenue generating racket and I am sure they will tell you "do our courses and you will get a job easy"....BS You would be better spending the 2000 quid on training which will make you marketable to the industry which may help you get a foot in the door, and you need to build your contacts of people working in the game as this is generally what will get you in...ie not what you know, but who you know... There are jobs going for people with the right skills and experience, but it aint easy getting in 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedcowboy Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) If your thinking about Thai O&G...easy answer...not a hope in hell...if you really want to try an get in the game, it seems you are UK based then the North Sea is your first stop before getting into the international game, if you cant get a foot in the North Sea for a few year experience dont hold your breath anywhere else As regards youer offshore training, at this point in time seeing as you have nothing lined up...dont waste your money, you can say you have it on your CV, and if any thing comes up, just tell its just expired and go and do it quickly, having the courses under your belt will not make it any easier to get a foot in the door contray to what the training schools tell you, for the most part in the UK they are a revenue generating racket and I am sure they will tell you "do our courses and you will get a job easy"....BS You would be better spending the 2000 quid on training which will make you marketable to the industry which may help you get a foot in the door, and you need to build your contacts of people working in the game as this is generally what will get you in...ie not what you know, but who you know... There are jobs going for people with the right skills and experience, but it aint easy getting in Many thanks SoutPeel I don't have either skills or experience, so its a no go for me, I was just curious in what initially appears to be a lucrative career on the surface. Like you've mentioned the sheer amount of training certification schools made me inquire but somewhat cynical. thanks again Edited November 7, 2012 by spacedcowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I was just curious in what initially appears to be a lucrative career on the surface. Like you've mentioned the sheer amount of training certification schools made me inquire but somewhat cynical. thanks again If you can get in and stay in, O&G is a lucrative career, I have been in the game over 25 years and done alright out if it, however there is price to pay, you will find the divorce rate among offshore guys is very high, you are away from home 6 months of the year (assuming your working 28 swings) and the offshore life, 7 days a week, minimum 12 hour days can be tough. I have known many guys over the years who really wanted to work offshore, finally got their wish and couldnt hack it, did one trip and never came back, so it not for everyone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Every offshore worker starts off somewhere. They aren't born or hatched into it. There is a demand. If there weren't, I wouldn't be in Thailand. Thailand, however, is a popular destination and a lot of well experienced folks are in line in front of you. I'd suggest cutting your teeth closer to home, prove yourself, then look for an assignment where you want to go. You may even start off on land. But like Southpeel says, it isn't for everyone. They ride you hard, put you up wet and pay you only what they have to pay to keep their attrition level where they want it. Fortunately, right now, they want their good people to stay so pay and treatment is pretty good. 20 years ago, their "acceptable attrition level" was pretty high, they paid and treated people accordingly and a lot of folks got out of the business and many never looked back. So they have a lost generation of experience and they're struggling as the holdovers are retiring in droves. Next year, who knows? I think offshore work in some craphole, alternating with 28 days off sunning in the tropics would be just as good as 28 days on a Thai offshore platform. Once you're offshore, it don't matter how nice it is back in the local town... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnhancePlus Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Not a hope in hell. If you are a complete novice you will never get into the game here. Even back home you would struggle to get your foot on the first rung of the ladder. Time for a re think my friend. Don't waste your money on the survival course. Very inspiring thoughts I believe if you set your mind to something with the right attitude and commitment you can achieve your goals 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neeranam Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 A company called Schlumberger paid for my survival course but this was in 1990. I quit after 1 year. Never looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Not a hope in hell. If you are a complete novice you will never get into the game here. Even back home you would struggle to get your foot on the first rung of the ladder. Time for a re think my friend. Don't waste your money on the survival course. Very inspiring thoughts I believe if you set your mind to something with the right attitude and commitment you can achieve your goals Nothing wrong with what "Thailandbert" wrote, he is giving the OP the reality....Thai O&G forget it as an expat unless you have any years of experience, the skill set their looking for and a whole lot of luck, further by my estimation, the few expats that are left working the Gulf of Thailand have around 3-5 years left and they will be nationalised, I am not talking about expats who do a one off job, but the guys who are currently working a regular rotation and there are not many left I can assure you.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedcowboy Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 (edited) I'd rather have the truth, than hear a load of drunken bar talk about the Industry from people who are only able to offer hearsay on the subject. It's all good to hear, doesn't effect my decision making in the slightest, Forums are great aren't they. Edited November 8, 2012 by spacedcowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 I'd rather have the truth, than hear a load of drunken bar talk about the Industry from people who are only able to offer hearsay on the subject. It's all good to hear, doesn't effect my decision making in the slightest, Forums are great aren't they. The good thing about TV there are guys on here who actually work the industry, they may not all work Thai O&G, but they do work the game somewhere and they will tell you the truth, it aint easy to get a foot in the door, once you do get in and have some decent experience under belt getting jobs becomes a whole lot easier but this is generally because of the contacts you have built up as most of the jobs are not even advertised and if they are, somebody has already been lined up for the position, even though the industry is global, somebody knows somesbody they have worked with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancealot Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Sout, are there alternative jobs in this direction for spacedcowboy? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Sout, are there alternative jobs in this direction for spacedcowboy? +1 The question has my interest also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diggerdo Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 (edited) Unfortunately I have to agree with the guys above about there not being a chance in hell at the moment, even in the UK sector, all the operators are looking for some sort of previous experience and unfortunately a lot of the operators who are working globally are taking on cheaper crews like philippinas and eastern europeans at ground level so as if and when their vessel travels to a new location, if local laws require they can just lay off the crews and take on local labour. If you know someone that may help, but as previously suggested I would spend my money on something like an IT course or rope access course and then try and get in through one of the many service companies. I recently tried to get the 24 year old son of a friend a job, he had all his survival / offshore courses, was a quallified ET and worked in heavy industry shore based, he had what I thought was a strong and impressive CV, no one would look at him. I was amazed at the negative response he was getting even from my own company, they were/are so shortsighted that they almost have a blanket ban on new starts ! To be fair he has managed (after a year and a half of trying) to get a job with an ROV company on a smaller survey vessel, so I guess there is always the slimmest of chances......right time / right place etc etc. Good luck with what ever you decide. Edited November 9, 2012 by diggerdo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Sout, are there alternative jobs in this direction for spacedcowboy? He would need to give his current background/experience and I may be able to advise better, also read what "diggerdo" has written Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedcowboy Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Cheers fellas, great posts very helpful. I don't have any experience in this field at all. I've been a long distance lorry driver C+E for longer than I care to remember 15+years. I've been made redundant so looking to try my hand at something else, somewhere else other than the UK whilst I'm still able to (no wife kids or ties currently) I deal time to look at other options the job market in the UK is really limited at the moment. Like I said previously, I know my chances are really remote getting into this industry so I don't have any expectations. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeeya Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Pitty you don't live in australia. Truck licence and a beating heart is all you need for entry level land rig job right now. And I've seen some douch bags come and go! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancealot Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Sout, are there alternative jobs in this direction for spacedcowboy? He would need to give his current background/experience and I may be able to advise better, also read what "diggerdo" has written lI was not talking about spacedcowboy alone.... Which info do you need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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