From No Plan to Platform: My Journey to the Oil Rig

David is a Control Room Operator currently based on the Piper B platform based in the North Sea. 🌊

Like many people, he left school unsure of what direction to take.

After exploring different opportunities, and gaining experience with large corporations, David eventually found his calling working offshore on oil rigs.🛢️

Read our interview with David to find out how he made the leap and whether the rig life could be for you.

What attracted you to the degree apprenticeship route rather than university?

So for me everything happened slightly differently.

After school I didn’t really want to go to college and to be honest I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I toyed with the idea of going into the RAF ✈️ or becoming a firefighter 🚒.

It was my mam who persuaded me to go to college and do my A-Levels.

I didn’t want to go to University as a wanted to earn money as quickly as possible, and if I’m honest the more the better. 💰

After college I was thinking about travelling with my mates but I wasn’t sure, so I was applying for jobs at the same time.

I got offered a job with ICI, which I couldn’t turn down.

The job was to be a process operator, and I didn’t really know what it entailed. I just seen it as a job with one of the biggest, most recognised companies in the world at that time.

It could have potentially gone 2 ways. I could have hated it or loved it, thankfully it was the latter. 😃

After 5 years I was asked to move into the Engineering department to work under the Senior Mechanical Engineer.

The company then offered me the opportunity to get my HNC & then my degree in Mechanical Engineering through a day release programme.

For me this was a great opportunity to get a qualification, which the company fully paid for, whilst earning decent money at the same time. 💵

I also think by this point I had matured. When I was 17/18 all I wanted to do was enjoy life and I didn’t know what career path I really wanted.

How did you first hear about opportunities in offshore work and what was your first role in this industry?

I first heard about the offshore industry through a friend that I had previously helped get an interview with ICI.

With my job at ICI I was used to working away but there was no set rotation to this. I could be asked to go away at short notice.

I didn’t mind this at the time as I was young. However, the older I got I wanted more of a set pattern and I thought that if I am going to be away from home I might as well earn good money which offshore provided. 🌊

In addition to this, the industry on Teesside was slowly deteriorating.

I tried for approximately 4 years to get offshore.

I could have took contract jobs, as most people that I knew that did this got a full time staff job after, but I didn’t dare take the risk.

Eventually, I got a full time staff job as a Process Operator on the Piper B platform, which is quite ironic as when the accommodation module was getting built on Teesside when I was a kid, my best mates dad who was working on it took us around the areas before it was taken offshore to be attached to the platform. 🛢️

After 3 years as a Process Operator I got the opportunity to go into the Control Room. A role I have done ever since.

What does a typical day look like for a Control Room Operator (CRO) on an offshore rig?

A typical shift is 12 hours and I do one trip of days and one trip of nights.

Once I start my shift (05:30 on days, 17:30 on nights) the first thing that takes place is a detailed handover with the off going CRO. 📄

After this I then have a reading sheet to fill out of process parameters. During the filling out of this, it allows me to go through various screens checking trends (trends are your friends). Any anomalies can quickly become apparent from the trends to identify any potential issues early, identifying these will protect the process from shutting down. 📈

At 6am the heads of departments and Offshore Installation Manager have a meeting in the control room to discuss safety, process issues, previous shift events and plan for the up and coming shift. It is an open room where any concerns/questions can be raised.

After this meeting, the Operations department have a 6:30am meeting to discuss the plans for the day.

The outside operators attend this and the Operations Supervisor gives out the planned jobs for the day. ✅

If the plant remains steady the plant jobs will be progressed with, but if we have a plant trip or a process upset that takes priority.

As a CRO the job is feast or famine. If the process remains steady, it is my role to continuously monitor process parameters and address any process alarms or fire & gas alarms. Fire & gas alarms being the priority.

If the process trips, my job as a CRO becomes manic.

If it’s a fire & gas trip (GPA - General Platform Alarm) I make the first tannoys to get everyone to their muster stations and explain in a calm controlled manner what has initiated the GPA.

I then liaise with the incident management team any further issues, what is happening with the plant etc. 🚨

If it’s just a normal process trip I have to identify with the Maintenance department what caused the plant upset and once the problem is rectified it is my job to start the plant back up, which can be quite stressful at times but very rewarding at the same time.

What skills are most important for someone in your position?

You have got to be calm in an emergency and a good communicator.

You also need to be a good manager of people and speak to them how you expect people to speak to you. 🗣️

In my eyes everyone’s job is just as important as the other persons.

It is also a massive advantage if you have worked your way up, as you need to know the process and where things are outside on the plant.

What certifications or qualifications did you need to work offshore?

You need to have a trade whether that’s process, mechanical, instrumentation, electrical.

Out with these jobs people are unaware of other roles such as scaffolders, rope access, painters & grit blasters, insulators, deck crew, medic, catering crew etc. 🧑‍🏭🧑‍🔧👷🧑‍🍳

The very minimum certs required are BOSIET offshore survival, Medical & MIST. 🦺

How important are soft skills like teamwork and communication in your role?

Absolutely essential.

It is a very close knit environment and the lads you work with closely become your 2nd family. You share your problems and give advice etc. 🤝

Because of this you can’t afford to fall out with people and fly off the handle at things.

You need to understand everyone is different, respect people’s views on different things even though you may not always agree (not work related).

As mentioned before everyone’s job is as important as the next person.

It is one big team offshore and no matter what job you do everyone needs to do their bit to make the plant operate in a safe efficient manner. 🙏

What is it like living and working on an offshore rig for extended periods?

It's certainly not for everyone.

You miss birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, New Years etc. If there are issues at home, you need to accept that you can't always be there to help. In serious issues at home the company will get you off at the earliest opportunity but in certain events this could be too late.

Time does also seem to go very quickly when you work offshore.

The years fly in. 🗓️

Out with this, on most platforms you are well looked after. The food is generally good, rooms are decent with wifi and Sky TV in your room.

If you work shifts you will always be in a cabin on your own (you do share a cabin but the other person will be on shift, and there is 2 beds in the cabin so you're not in the same bed😂😂).

There is a cinema room, shop, games room (snooker table, pool table, table tennis, darts, gaming room, library) and the welfare committee onboard organise games nights such as bingo, carpet bowls, quiz nights, etc. 🎱🏓🎯🕹️📚🧐🎳

There is lots going on to keep you occupied and the offshore camaraderie and banter is brilliant.

What advice would you give to someone considering offshore work but is unsure about the lifestyle?

Do your homework and don't just look at the income benefits.

Ask yourself the questions: can I handle being away from home for long periods, missing birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Can I handle working in such a close environment: do I have the right personality to deal with different people and in some cases bizarre people 😂😂.

I have witnessed it myself over the years where lads have seen the lifestyle offshore working can give you, and though yes I will do that. They end up hating it, but get so used to the money that they can't give it up. They end up being miserable which can have a negetive effect on the whole shift. 👎

Are there any misconceptions about offshore work you'd like to clear up?

It's not as easy as everyone thinks it is.

You definitely need the right mindset to be able to work offshore.

What would you say to someone in sixth form considering a career in offshore work?

If you are seriously thinking about considering it, and you feel you have the right attributes.

Do your homework first! 📚🗣️

Ask family and friends who might work offshore or away, because if everything fits it is a great life and gives you a really good lifestyle for you and your family.

David - Control Room Operator