Career Change?

[Buffalo77]

Hi,

i'm living in Thailand for almost 3 years and i work in Bangkok since December 2012. Actually i've got no experiance in the Oil&Gas industry but last week i had a job offer from Oil Jobs Ltd. They are hiring Chief Engineers for a Accomodation Barge in Myanmar, 28/28 rotation. Until now i didn't manage to get in touch with the recruter.

Can somebody explain me the main tasks and responsibilities of a Chief engineer working on a Accomodation Barge? And sorry for this stupid question but what exactly is a Accomodation Barge? Somebody knows this Company or has experiance with them? I googled already but i can't find a lot of information... Scam?

Regards from Bangkok

buffalo77

[Soutpeel]

let me ask you this question are you a chief engineer by profession ? the reason I ask, you are asking about what the job is and what an accomadation barge is...

If you never applied for this job, then be very wary

One suspects this is a scam and they will be asking for an admin fee to process a visa or something, if you proceed with this, pay cash over, typically in the region of US$ 1000 and it will be the last you will ever hear...

[Buffalo77]

no, right now i'm working as a Production Supervisor for a german machine manufacturer based in Bangkok, before i worked as Maintenance Supervisor for process equipment in the chemical industry and as mechanical field service engineer region asia-pacific...actually i'm quite interested to work on a rig or barge, but as everybody knows, its not that easy to get in there..i mean without experiance...but i know exactly how it is to work almost 2month,12-14hrs, 7 Days week followed by 1week rest...

I really dont remember if i ever applied there, sure not this year, but one year ago, i was looking for a job, so i sent around 150 applications to companies all over the globe, so maybe this was one of them...

Do you think its possible with my backround to get a job on a rig or barge?

[stoneyboy]

Sailing as chief engineer is an immense undertaking of great responsibility.

Seeing as you know nothing about the position and don't hold the relevant tickets I suspect,I would maybe give it a miss.

Although I can't fault you on trying to better your pay and position.

Just that maybe you should do a little more research and understanding before you aim that little bit higher.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Buffalo77]

thanks for your advice,

do you work offshore? If yes, how did you get into all this?Connections? All i found out the last two years was scams and companies which didnt even reply e-mails, applications, etc...

Is it requiered to be born on a rig to get a offshore job or what?)...just kidding...

[IrishIvan]

Chief Engineer will take at least a decade to achieve on commercial vessels. After that you might have a look in

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Soutpeel]

Is it requiered to be born on a rig to get a offshore job or what?)...just kidding...

No ....in a lot of cases the key is contacts who can get you your first foot in the door.

Most of the CE I have ever come across have come from the Navy/Mechant navy, I even worked one time with a CE who had come off the nuclear subs (the russian ones... )

As other have said, you typically need all the tickets and years in to get a CE job.

But to answer you question what an accomadation barge is...its exactly that, in essesnce its a floating "hotel"...as most guys who work offshore will tell you there is never enough bed space to accomadate people, so what happens is a dumb barge (ie no engines) is brought offshore for people to live on and is moored up on say an 8 point mooring system.

Therefore the CE has to able to keep all the infrastructure working, ie generators, compressors, sewage systems, power plants etc and on bigger more complicated vessels eg DP vessels will have a team of mechanic's/ electricans etc working for him as well

normally offshore you could get, accomadation barges, construction barges, ie DLB's doing pipeline and platfrom installation/ hook up work, and tender barges, ie drilling rigs (which are cheaper to operate than jacket up's)

On the scam front, yes plenty doing their rounds in the O&G business ans some are very convincing, unless your in the business, then you pick up on certain bits of info in what they are telling you that dont make sense...General rule is...if any agency of company starts asking for up front fees then be very wary..typically its a scam, the business doesnt operate that way..

[Buffalo77]

thanks, now after i asked a few specific questions about the job, the Guy doesnt even answer emails or on skype etc...so...probably scam, i dont really care...

Back to topic...i never focused on the job as Chief engineer, just looking for a way into the business, two years ago a german manufacturer for heavy rotating equipment(o&g business) wantet to hire me, but i refused cause they required a relocation to germany( i am german, by the way...) Maybe this would have been the first step, but i dont want to give up everything here, even ive got a s++t salary but in the end, its a good base to look for better jobs...

[Buffalo77]

...without starting a hole new life...

[Soutpeel]

thanks, now after i asked a few specific questions about the job, the Guy doesnt even answer emails or on skype etc...so...probably scam, i dont really care...

Back to topic...i never focused on the job as Chief engineer, just looking for a way into the business, two years ago a german manufacturer for heavy rotating equipment(o&g business) wantet to hire me, but i refused cause they required a relocation to germany( i am german, by the way...) Maybe this would have been the first step, but i dont want to give up everything here, even ive got a s++t salary but in the end, its a good base to look for better jobs...

I would give you this bit of advice, if you have a background in the maintenance/operation of big gas compressors/ turbines etc, one suspects you would walk into a job quite easy, people with this sort of background seem to get jobs pretty easy offshore, irrespective of whether they have offshore experience or not, certainly in fields were the primary production is natural gas, I know a couple of EX-Rolls Royce guys and they were getting job offers from all over the world on top end money.

The other thing to consider with the offshore game is that it can play havoc with your private life/marriage's/ relationships, on paper a 28/28 sounds good, but your will find most guys in the business for decent amount of time are on their 2nd, 3rd,4th wives..I know one guy who is trying with wife number 6....LOL, so its not for everyone, in this respect I am still a "baby" in the divorce states, I am only on wife number 2 after 20 years plus in the game