What is the life on offshore drilling rig like?

Most people get confused while looking for high-paid oil rig jobs, because they are not familiar with the life conditions and the type of work on the offshore oil rig platforms, on the whole. Be sure that your life is completely going to change, as soon as you get an offshore oil rig job. 

However, you must pay attention that a starting salary for oil rig jobs are quite similar to middle management onshore jobs, and you will have the advantage to be in your place, not being surrounded by sea, without any sight of land around.

Living conditions on oil rig platforms

There will be comments and questions like "I bet the food's good out there isn't it?"..... "Is it really like the Roughnecks program on the TV?"....... "Why aren't you driving a brand new car?"...... from your family, friends and relatives.

As the gas and oil industry is a difficult working area, the threshold of oil rig workers is above the average levels. However, don't get it wrong, the oil rig jobs are not that tough and daunting as some people think it is supposed to be. Work conditions on oil rigs have improved significantly and are continuing to do so. The offshore oil rig workers are the same people that work in any of sphere of the heavy industry. They wouldn't be there if they didn't enjoy the oil rig jobs in any degree.

However, most of the newly oil rig workers can not resist more than 3 trips offshore, statistics shows. It's a huge mistake that most people make, because they need much time to get used to the oil rig jobs responsibilities and obligations offshore. Having said that, some of the people aren't just suited to the environment on the oil rigs.

You will be provided with safety boots, safety glasses, hard hat and coveralls on arrival at the offshore oil rig platform. You will also be given a guided tour of the entire oil rig platform, and you will be also explained anything about drills, alarms and muster points.

You'd better be with a positive attitude on the oil rig, which is going to make your life offshore more enjoyable and may even give you a chance of promotion (get it as a recommendation). You just need to be focused on why exactly you are on the oil rig and the plus points of the oil rig job. Only the positive thoughts will keep you up.

The standard work time at the offshore oil rigs is 12-hour shifts with a short break in the morning, lunchtime and afternoon. There are also "Smoko Shacks" or "Tea Shacks" at several places on the oil rig at predefined times filled cakes or rolls provided.

The food on the oil rig is at a very good "level," with a wide variety of meals everyday. For the lunch, you are going to take off work and go into the galley. Depending on the company policy, some catering crews organise special theme nights with Mexican or Chinese food on the oil rig, striving to ingratiate the oil rig workers.

Offshore oil rig platforms are structures operating 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, therefore you will be able to have night shifts, depending on what your oil rig job is. You will usually start your "trip" offshore, on day shifts, and then move to night shift half way, but it depends on the oil company policies ( e.g. if you do 2-weeks on and then 2-weeks off, you can do a week of days and a week of nights).

There have only been just a packet of playing cards and couple of dog-eared novels on the offshore oil rigs in past, as rig leisure equipment. Nowadays, most of the oil rigs have a large-screen cinema, satellite TV and even personal TVs in every room of the oil rig workers. Many of the oil platforms even have modern sauna and gym equipments. Others have computers with internet, tennis, computer consoles etc.