Survey shows majority of offshore workers proud of industry, would recommend to friend
Despite soaring oil costs, the one-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and political unrest in the headlines, a clear majority of offshore oil and gas workers say they are proud to work in the industry and would recommend it to a friend, according to a new survey conducted by engineering consulting firm NES Global.
89% of those surveyed are proud to work in the oil and gas sector, with 65% stating they would recommend the job to a friend. This is despite 54% recognizing that offshore work will become more challenging due to recent world events, the firm said.
The survey was completed by 300 oil and gas engineers working in the offshore industry across 39 countries. The respondents had 20 or more years of industry experience with a variety of positions from project managers to process engineers.
“There is a general misunderstanding among many outside the industry about what working life is really like offshore, “ said Neil Tregarthen, NES Global CEO. “We found our workers are satisfied with their lifestyle and working conditions. As increasingly more people around the world are desperate to find work, it is important they understand that a career offshore can be hugely rewarding.”
Respondents noted various reasons why they enjoy working in the offshore oil and gas industry, ranging from a good salary, free time on leave, and time away from nagging spouses. Other pluses included quality of offshore accommodations and food and entertainment.
The majority of workers said their least favourite aspect was missing family and loved ones as well as the helicopter ride to the installation. However, many noted positively on the ‘camaraderie’ they felt towards their co-workers while being offshore.
Mr. Tregarthen said that the survey was commissioned so NES Global could “delve deeper into the way offshore engineers feel about their work; to understand their motivations and to find out their views on the future of the oil and gas industry.”
Offshore work slightly edged out onshore as a preferred deployment, with Asia as the most appealing destination to work offshore.
The complete survey can be found here.
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