What is Life Actually Like on an Off-Shore Installation or Rig?

Drilling for oil has long been a contentious enterprise. Oil, or petroleum, exists deep beneath the surface of the Earth in huge pools surrounded by solid rock. Petroleum is formed by decaying plant matter, compressed over millions of years by intense pressure into a chemical format known as a hydrocarbon. Oil is the best energy source the world has yet found. Drilling a well and pumping the oil to the surface is expensive and dangerous. Technology invented by petroleum geology companies during the 1960s and 1970s allowed drilling to move offshore. Giant floating drilling rigs search for oil thousands of feet below sea level.

An oil rig is a miniature city floating on the waves. It is a costly, noisy machine capable of bringing millions of barrels of oil to the surface. An oil rig is structured like a ship, with a captain, first mate and other maritime titles and ranks. Working on an oil rig is an intense endeavor. The dangers of working in stressful conditions, under constant threat of storms and mechanical difficulties, makes this career very challenging. Oil rigs are designed to bring modern comforts to the workers at sea as compensation for this rough life.

Safety procedures are very strict on an offshore drilling rig, due to the multiple dangers and potential dangers that present themselves. The captain of the rig is in charge, served by his second-in-command, the chief mate. The chief mate is in charge of safety procedures and both the fire and emergency teams. The chief mate is also responsible for keeping the rig centered directly above the well on the ocean floor. Every crew member participates in safety drills on a regular basis. The drills are designed to help prevent complacency. The complexity of the rig machinery presents ample opportunities for mistakes and errors of judgment.

Workers on the rig work in shifts of up to 12 hours. These shifts take place day and night. The onboard view is nothing but ocean in all directions. Most of the rig is taken up by industrial areas full of pumps, pipes and compressors. A strong smell of oil and gas hangs on the air if the winds do not blow it away. Each shift is punctuated with breaks to keep the workers from fatigue and the deleterious effects of exposure to heavy noise. Workers are often given access to the Internet and satellite television. Their bedrooms are like those on a ship, compact and built for functionality.

The workers also have access to the mainland through telephones. They are used most often to contact spouses and children. Personal hygiene is provided through shower facilities. Four meals a day are served onboard the rig, and the cooking staff works very hard to provide tasty and nutritious dishes. Supplies are shipped to the rig via helicopter, which also ferries workers to and from the mainland when they are on leave. A typical schedule is one to two weeks on land, followed by one to two weeks on the rig.

On the rig, workers are exposed to the dangers of weather. Far out on the open sea, there is no protection from the elements. Storms represent terrifying encounters with nature. A bad storm such as a hurricane can literally tear the rig from its moorings and even sink it. The crew must work quickly to secure the rig and keep it afloat.

Life on an oil rig can be exhilarating. Many workers who experience it say they have no regrets and love the life it offers them. The danger and the profit combine to make a rig an exciting place.