Chapter 2
Offshore Guides was established in 1978, has been online since 1996, and is one of the better sites concerning employment opportunities in the offshore / oilfield / maritime industry. This site was developed from my own personal experiences. It is not a large corporate venture, it is something I do for a hobby more than anything else. I like to write, I like working with people and this site provides the outlet for me to do so.
I work in the patch and have done so for many years. I've worked on drill ships, semi submersibles, jack ups, platforms, offshore lay barges and supply / crew / utility vessels, both in the United states and overseas. I have an excellent understanding of what this industry is all about and what it takes to get on. I use this site to pass this information on to you.
I work a 7 day on 7 day off rotating schedule out of Port Fourchon, Louisiana, the current hot spot for drilling activity in the Gulf of Mexico. One of the things I like most about my job is the 14 days off I get every month. While I'm at work I talk to a lot of different people; boat captains, engineers, mates, deck hands, dispatchers, managers, welders, truck drivers, crane operators, roustabouts; a lot of people for sure. I ask them about their job, their company, etc., but most importantly I ask them about what the status of the industry is concerning hiring..
What I keep hearing is that companies cannot find enough people. There are plenty of jobs in this industry at this time, both for entry level and experienced personnel. I help everyone I can, in any way I can. However, I'm not a magician. I cannot wave a magic wand and get everyone a job.
The oil industry is a huge industry, employing millions of people. At any given time, some companies will be laying off, while others cannot find enough people. We do not have the time nor resources to track the hiring status of every company. Our total focus is on companies and segments of the industry that are NOW HIRING. Every time I drive to work, which is twice a month, I see these advertisements for workers.
Billboards on the side of the road advertising for offshore / oilfileld / maritime personnel.
Another positive indication of how this industry is doing is in the area of new vessel / rig orders. There is a tremendous amount of work going on in the construction of these vessels. As these vessels are completed, they will need crews. If all of them were finished today, they would just sit at the dock because there would not be enough people to operate them..
This industry is one that has been around and will continue to be around until we run out of fossil fuels, which is not going to happen in our lifetime. This is a viable, vibrant, growing industry that seeks new talent and new people on an hourly basis. We do what we can to put you in touch with the people that make hiring decisions, but, like I said earlier, we are not magicians. We cannot wave a magic wand and get everyone a job. We sincerely wish we could, it would be a wonderful thing indeed, but alas, it is not in our power.
We can point you in the right direction, the rest will be up to you. We have no control whatsoever concerning the hiring decisions of our employer members.
For additional information about where rigs are working on a worldwide basis, click here.
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