Offshore service technicians work for the oil and gas industry, installing, testing and maintaining a variety of equipment. They are also known as process operation technicians or maintenance technicians.

The Work

Offshore technicians work in the following areas:

• electrical maintenance – repairing and maintaining equipment such as power distribution systems, motors and control systems
• instrument and control maintenance – repairing and maintaining process control and safety systems
• mechanical maintenance – repairing and maintaining equipment such as pumps, engines and turbines
• process operations – maintaining the safe operations of oil and gas production.

You could be:

• working offshore, installing new equipment and testing it afterwards
• fault-finding and carrying out routine repairs
• maintaining and modifying existing equipment
• interpreting and working from technical drawings
• working with mechanical and hydraulic equipment such as high pressure pumps, hand tools and specialised mechanical tooling
• taking part in risk assessments
• occasionally working onshore in the company workshop
• completing technical reports with details of work carried out
• when onshore, being on call to go out at short notice to carry out a repair job on a rig, platform or drill ship.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the size of the company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

For those on the APTUS Apprenticeship salaries are as follows:

• Year 1 - £11,648 a year
• Year 2 - £15,652 a year
• Year 3 - £21,840 a year
• Year 4 - £24,340 a year. 

As a qualified offshore technician, you are paid a basic 'on call' salary plus a bonus for every day you have to spend offshore. The salary may start at around £18,000 to £25,000, rising to £35,000 a year. Salary increases with the amount of time spent offshore, with average salaries in the region of £40,000 to £50,000 a year.

There may also be additional benefits such as private healthcare and a pension.

Conditions

• You are based onshore in an office or workshop and offshore on an oil or gas platform or oil rig.
• You are on call much of the time and so your actual working shifts are irregular – you might be offshore for 10 days, then home for 5, and then offshore again for another 8 days.
• Onshore, you work regular hours Monday to Friday. Offshore you may have to work irregular hours, including weekends.
• Offshore you work outdoors on the rig where it can be noisy, stormy, cold and dirty. You would travel there by helicopter.
• There is often no mobile phone signal, but there are pay phones and usually broadband internet access.
• Alcohol is banned on rigs, and there is random alcohol and drug testing.
• When offshore you would wear protective clothing and safety equipment such as gloves, boots and a hard hat. You would live in shared accommodation.
• Onshore you spend most of your time sitting at a computer in a clean, comfortable office.
• You may do a lot of travelling all over the world, as you have to go where the project is. Companies often operate at a global level.

Useful Subjects

• Chemistry
• Computing Science
• Design and Manufacture
• Engineering (SCQF Level 6)
• Engineering Science
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Practical Electronics
• SfW Energy
• SfW Engineering Skills

Getting In

• The main entry route is the APTUS Apprenticeship which has four disciplines: Electrical maintenance; Instrument and control maintenance; Mechanical maintenance and Process operations. Entry requirements are a minimum of 4 subjects at National 5 including English and Maths. Chemistry, Engineering Science or Physics preferred.
• You first complete an online application. If successful, you are invited to do an aptitude test, which covers numerical reasoning and a situational judgement assessment. If you pass, then you attend a formal interview.
• To work offshore you must pass a medical examination every 2 years.
• You must also pass an offshore survival course such as the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training Certificate (BOSIET). Contact Cogent for more details.
• You may also have to undertake the Minimum Industry Safety Training (MIST) course.

What Does it Take?

You should have:

• excellent communication skills
• good practical skills
• problem solving skills
• self-confidence and good judgement
• a responsible approach to health and safety.

You should be able to:

• understand technical drawings
• work under pressure and meet deadlines
• work within a project budget
• work well in a team.

Training

• The APTUS Apprentice Programme is up to 48 months. You would attend college (in Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Falkirk depending on the specialism) for the first 21 months, followed by 2 years of on the job training with a sponsoring company. You would be working under the supervision of experienced staff.
• During the programme, you complete an SVQ in the relevant discipline at SCQF Level 7.
• After your apprenticeship or course, and further training with your employer, you can work towards registering as Engineering Technician (EngTech) with the Engineering Council.
• There are relevant postgraduate qualifications available at Certificate, Diploma or MSc level (SCQF Level 11).
• You need to keep up to date with new developments throughout your working life.

Getting On

• You could move on to be the manager of a section or a department.
• There may be opportunities to work abroad.

More Information

Find out more about the APTUS Energy Technician Apprenticeship on the APTUS website.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.