How does one get hired on them?

What sort of skill/trade is highly in demand?

What is life like?

What is the pay like?

Two weeks on/two off still a thing?

Can you spearfish from the rig or is that frowned upon?

Industry future within the next 4-8 total shit or is there hope?

Production or drilling?

drilling rigs drill the wells. Production platforms produce the oil. They need mechanics, operators, electricians and so on. I wouldn't think it's impossible to get on if you have one of those skills.

No, you can't spearfish. I work for an oil company and worked on a platform for 12 years.

two week rotations are common. Life is ok and you get used to it. Be prepared to miss everything at home. Also, be prepared prepared for every home emergency to happen the day you leave.

you can make 100k pretty easy with the right skills. I interviewed a 27 year old electrician that worked on a drill ship 15 years ago. He asked about the salary. He said he made 172k a year and he was wondering how it matched up. So yea, you can make good money.

I expect the industry will still be fine in 4-8 years. I sure hope so because I retire in 6.

Spearfishing?

Might want to look into well operating/well tending/pumping.

Lot of good folks and info here: https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/A-boom-once-fueled-an-oil-field-talent-search-Now-we-worry-about-a-bust-DEFACTO-OILFIELD-FORUM-/5-1255400/?page=91

I'm glad I'm not in it anymore as the boom and bust nature gets old and idiots like the current one in the White House make it even worse but I did enjoy it and found the work/industry interesting.

Theres seven new rigs up and running along I-20 in midland, between both the east and west loop.

Plus several more out in the county.

Sea based rigs? In the country?

Outside lowest paying anything is 60k.  You can pm me your  number and I can tell you a little bit about how it works. I work inside the rig as a ut hand cleaning rooms. After 13 years of low pay I am going to work on a deck on a boat.

I work the rigs from three to midnight, on the Corpus Christi Bay. . . .

Guy I know works on a drill ship in the Gulf and he is an assistant driller. He works three weeks on and 3 weeks off. He makes plenty of money because he is always buying high priced shit.

That's 90k a year but takes a while to get

In for info.

I’m waiting on word about a career change that’s close to home, which I’m not holding my breath for but it would be awesome. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll probably try to get on a rig in like 6 months if that doesn’t work out, chasing a paycheck in my chosen career. Have a lead on rig work from a former coworker.

Attached File

There was a scuba book or spear fishing book I read and a lot of it was about spear fishing below the platforms in the gulf.  Might have been in the 70s or 80s though.  Maybe The Helldiver’s Rodeo or Texas Gulf Rig Divers.