Page 5 - HIWT World of Welding Spring-Summer 2021

Q: Can you get the kitchen to cook your fish for you? their newborn baby for 2-3 weeks at a time. Not being able to see
A: The kitchen crew is willing to cook any fish you catch and want to their first steps, hear the first words and watch them leave for
eat. Although on the shelf sometimes they won’t have a chief cook their first day of school is hard. You miss birthdays, holidays, and
on the crew so people will typically rotate who’s going to cook that other celebrations working in this industry. All the days you would
day and will leave work early to start cooking. In Deepwater there is normally get off and be with family when you are on land are not
always a crew that cooks for the platform. possible in this industry. If you are scheduled to be on the platform
you can’t just say, “Oh it’s Christmas, I want to go home”. The only
Q: What do you do when you aren’t working? time you might be able to leave is if you have a death in the family.
A: On most Deepwater platforms they will have a TV room where
you can watch TV or play game systems. Our platform has a Virtual Q: How do you get to the platform?
Reality set and a PlayStation 4. Our platform has ping pong tables A: We get to the platform by either boat or helicopter. If you are
where workers will get together and have tournaments. Most arriving to a platform on boat you will get to the platform from
Deepwater platforms also have weight rooms and various free one of two ways. The first way will be a rope that you will literally
weights, cable machines, treadmills, bicycles, etc. Most platforms swing across onto the platform from the back of the boat these are
will also have TV’s inside the bunks and headphone plug-ins to only on the shelf platforms (shallow water platforms) When you
listen. There are other activities as well such as bingo, 50/50 swing you might be 4 ft. above the water level. The second way is a
raffles, with prizes such as four wheelers, grills, FR clothes, etc. All personnel basket which is basically a large circle on the bottom and
proceeds made from Bingo and 50/50 raffles go to charity. a smaller circle on the top, several ropes will connect the 2 circles
making a cone shape. You will throw your bags onto the lower circle
Q: How is the food on the platform? inside the rope barrier then you will stand on the outside and hold
A: Typically the food schedule is the same gulf wide. onto the ropes while they use a crane to lift you onto the platform.
Dinner schedule If you are arriving by helicopter you will arrive at the heliport and
Monday - American style food have a debriefing video on the safety precautions. Once the video
Tuesday - steak night is finished you will either walk to the helicopter in a group or will
Wednesday - Chinese be driven to the helicopter in a long golf cart taxi. Once you arrive
Thursday - Mexican to the helicopter they will have you walk inside and take a seat.
Friday - seafood Flights can range from 30 minutes to a few hours. The furthest
Saturday - steak night I’ve ever gone was about 150 miles offshore and it took roughly 1
Sunday - chicken
1/2 - 2 hours. Once the helicopter gets to the platforms you will exit
Deep water platforms will also have unlimited snacks, drinks and and go to the meeting room to sign in and get a briefing of what’s
other foods 24/7. They will also have fountain machines for pop/ happening on the platform while you have been away.
soda, teas, coffee, different types of milks, cereals, lunch meat and Q: How much money do you make?
cheeses for sandwiches, a popcorn machine, Raman noodles, chips,
candy bars, suckers, ice cream, juices, Gatorade. Some platforms A: There are a lot of factors involved with offshore welder pay
have Slushie machines, cookie cabinets, granola bars, oatmeal, scales such as the hours worked, the certifications you have,
soups, popsicles, and many more. It’s basically a free Kroger that’s and the amount of time you have under the hood. Pay can range
open 24/7. anywhere from $1,800-$3,500 per week while hours can range
from 84-120. But there are other skills one can acquire in addition
Q: What’s the worst thing about working offshore? to welding that could potentially increase your pay. For example I
A: I’m still new to offshore. I’ve only been working offshore about am a rope access technician and combination alloy welder so my
1 1/2 years. Listening to people who have been working offshore pay scale will be higher than someone who is only a welder. If you
for more years then I’ve been alive and from my own personal aren’t afraid of heights, rope access technicians can make up to
experiences, I would have to say the worst part of working offshore $7,000 during an 84 hour work week.
is being away from family. I don’t have any children or a wife so for
me it’s easier to leave for work because I’m not leaving individuals
who depend on me. For the others out here it can be hard not seeing

www.welding.org - 5 - 2021 SPRING/SUMMER ISSUE
Return to Table of Contents