Anyone Working in Oil & Gas?

[MrPlum]

One of my sons has asked me if I know anyone in the Oil & Gas industry who can help him in finding work. He's a qualified electrician, has worked in the Navy in Communications, seems well-suited with his training but doesn't have the contacts you need.

I know Thailand is a base for many working in this field. Can anyone help, even if it is only with advice?

Thanks.

[dozer]

I am frequently asked the question as to how to get into the Oil & Gas industry. There is no easy way in, you have to knock on many doors and get your resume out there.
I have worked in the Oil & Gas industries in the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) field since 1980 and have worked out of my companies Bangkok office since 1987. My company employs experienced engineers or young graduates to train and here in Thailand almost exclusively Thai nationals. As for millwrights, machinists, electricians, instrument techs, etc they are hired through our sub-contractors or agencies. Therefore, I would recommend your son get his resume out to as many agencies as possible. You can find these agencies on the various Oil & Gas employment websites.

[Frank La Rue]

What passport does your son hold? I work in Oil and Gaz - no operations in Thailand, we are in S'pore and Malaysia.
I think dozer has a point about subcontractors

[jamborab]

For an electrician to work in Oil & Gas he will almost certainly need a CompEx certificate. This is for working in hazardous areas. Also if he is wanting to work offshore it would be advantageous to go on a rope access course. I am an electrician who has worked in S.E. Asia for a few years off and on but am based in Scotland. If he has Petro/chem experience and he wants to go offshore he will need the courses I have mentioned.

[Nereus]

You first need to qualify just what you mean by "Oil & Gas".
Upstream, downstream, exploration, production, refinery etc., etc. And then "qualified electrician". Military training can be good, but tends to produce people specialized in one narrow area. Then age, nationality, etc. Endless alternatives.

[MrPlum]

Thanks for the responses so far. I have sent him a link to this forum and will let him respond. Also had a useful pm which he will follow up on.

He has a UK passport.

[Grunter]

Yeah i have been in the Offshore Oil & Gas industry for the past 24 years. My current position is a DSL (Drilling Section Leader) or also know as a Rig Superintendant on a 6th Generation hi-tech Drillship drilling in Angola.
I am currently at work for the next 3 1/2 weeks before i return home to Hua Hin. But if you could send through his CV or contact details via a PM on here i can have a look as my company are in demand of qualified tradies.
FYI or anyone else who is interested my rigs name is "West Gemini" & my company is Seadrill, Norway owned company but soley based out of our head office in Dubai

Cheers,
Grunter

[Rob W]

I guessing you mean offshore, First thing I would recommend he gets some experance in hazardous areas not just a CompEx course but actually working in the field, Its a long time since I worked in the Uk but James Scott / NG Bailys used to be big players in electricians for refinarys / chemical plants etc. Working in these areas is a lot different to working on board a ship. Offshore is more like working in a refinary than working on a ship even though a lot of rigs are now ships ( Im on one typing this).
When he has some experance he then will have to do his compEx and survival ( all though the navy will probably pay for him to do these if he is still serving).
Depending where his is based it would be a good idea to get into a fabrication yard to get experaince the companies above used to supply most of the electricians years ago so they would be a good idea to apply too and they will say what training / experance they need.
My nephew was in the same posistion years ago and did his ROV pilots course but never managed to find a slot but ended up with a small outfit who were looking out for some one with electrical and hydraulic experance which he had, he picked up a short term job refurbishing equipment , he is now the service engineer for them on cable laying ships. So other things about other than oil and gas offshore.
Good luck to him and hope he manages to find something.

[Grunter]

Here are some other options as well to looking for a job.

www.rigzone.com
www.oilcareers.com
www.linkedin.com
www.worldoil.com

That is just a few
Here is the company i work for
www.seadrill.com

[Takiap]

Helped a mate of mine get a job in this field a few years back. He sat his trade test and served his apprenticeship in South Africa and then decided to travel to the UK. Ended up working as a sparky on the London Underground but wanted to get offshore. I recommended that he get in touch with Centralift, not a part of Baker Hughes. He was soon employed by them and has never looked back. Asked to be transferred to Asia since he is married to a Thai lady. Was transferred and now works mostly in China. He had a great opportunity to move into a senior office job in Bangkok but despite a big difference in pay, he turned it down. His worked off shore in Thailand before on a few occasions and he reckons the Thais are the worst people he's ever had to try and manage. Anyway, give Baker Hughes a try since they are a massive player offshore.


Not sure why someone mentioned a rope access course. I've spent most of my life on rigs and well servicing vessels and I've never yet see a sparky working aloft, and certainly not the ones that work alongside drill crews.

He will need his medical and his survival course. Sometimes the company will pay if they really want to hire you, but sometimes not until you're actually employed by them.

If your son in in the UK, tell him to send a CV to Mc Gregors (spelling?) in Aberdeen as well. They're an agency but once you've done a few trips offshore you can usually get a permanent contract with one of the companies. They are basically the top agency in Aberdeen so well worth a try.


PS: Tell him the routine survival course are a total pain in the butt, as are the medicals once you reach 40 years of age (pun intended). Thankfully I dodged that bullet since I was already in crazyland by then.

I do miss the life sometimes, especially the last seven years which I spent on board a ship doing well intervention work. Miss sleeping on a ship that's being tossed about like a cork in the North Sea. Nothing beats it.

[MrPlum]

He's completed the medical and survival course. I am sure he will be delighted with the advice he's received on here.

Much appreciated.

[Ginjaninja]

Worthwhile trying the big names in the oilfield services sector:

https://careers.slb.com/
http://www.halliburton.com/en-US/career ... d=hgbr8q6n
http://www.bakerhughes.com/careers
http://www.weatherford.com/AboutWeather ... n/Careers/

Plenty more can be found through Grunters links.


GN.

Edit: 600th post

[Rob W]

Not sure why someone mentioned a rope access course. I've spent most of my life on rigs and well servicing vessels and I've never yet see a sparky working aloft, and certainly not the ones that work alongside drill crews.

I guess the guy mentioning rope access works the same as I do in production , not drilling. We have a few people doing rope access ( dopes on ropes) doing various tasks about the FPSO as I type. Saves on large scaffolding jobs. depends on what part of offshore he want to get into I guess.

[Ginjaninja]

Helped a mate of mine get a job in this field a few years back. He sat his trade test and served his apprenticeship in South Africa and then decided to travel to the UK. Ended up working as a sparky on the London Underground but wanted to get offshore. I recommended that he get in touch with Centralift, not a part of Baker Hughes. He was soon employed by them and has never looked back. Asked to be transferred to Asia since he is married to a Thai lady. Was transferred and now works mostly in China. He had a great opportunity to move into a senior office job in Bangkok but despite a big difference in pay, he turned it down. His worked off shore in Thailand before on a few occasions and he reckons the Thais are the worst people he's ever had to try and manage. Anyway, give Baker Hughes a try since they are a massive player offshore.

Just read your post properly Takiap and I know Mr. I.O. well. Worked with him twice since I've been with B.H.I., once in the North Sea many years back and the 2nd time in Japan last year.


GN.

[seamus72]

I work on a semi-sub here in SE Asia and deal with a lot of the training for the crew.
Electricians on board here have to complete a number of courses over a period of time when on board or before they join, so if you have any of these under your belt that could be an advantage.

BOSIET
Electrical Trade Certificate
Hazardous Area Electrical Cert
Elevated Work Platform
First Aid
Isolation's and lock out tag out
Ross Hill SCR Controls ( advanced / intermediate / General Control & PLC )
Tesco Top Drive maintenance
Refrigeration certification