The changing environment for offshore employees

As the oil and gas industry moves into ultra deepwater, operators need to be prepared to overcome specific challenges inherent in this environment. Advanced technology created from the minds of innovative engineers is certainly a key to success. The immediate future calls for the industry to push itself to think bigger in order to go deeper.

The industry has experienced an expansion of the highly technical “next generation” drillships. These new generation drillships require a work force that is up to the challenge. This work force must be highly competent, highly motivated, and highly skilled both technologically and managerially.

We also expect to see heightened involvement from governmental and class agencies. These ships operate with greater environmental scrutiny and with higher expectations of crew competency and safety. The high cost of operating the ships necessitates the need for not only skilled marine crews, maintenance crews, and rig operators, but also key employees with an understanding of asset management and business skills.

With the high cost of new technology also comes a greater demand from clients. Key employees are expected to balance client demands with safe, cost-efficient operations.

Additionally, we ask our key employees to bridge the knowledge gaps of our lower level employees we recruit from a very competitive job market. In short, we ask our key employees to take on the role of business managers.

Pride International is rolling out four new drillships that incorporate the leading-edge technology required for deepwater drilling. Until recently, Pride’s owned assets in the Gulf of Mexico consisted only of shallow water drilling rigs. The first two new Pride drillships,Deep Ocean Ascension and Deep Ocean Clarion, will operate in the deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico. Staffing these ships for a deepwater environment requires a different recruiting strategy. We follow an intense screening process followed by face–to-face interviews.

For us, the ideal candidate is not one who simply has strong technical skills. We equally consider “soft skills” such as leadership and management ability. We screen resumes for the type of vessels, the age of the technology, time in position, and time with current and former employers. During our interviews, we ask questions to help us determine a candidate’s commitment to safety, core values, accountability, motivation, honesty, loyalty, teamwork, willingness to learn, and passion for success. As recruiters, our personal commitment is not to just fill positions but to staff our openings with highly qualified individuals as described above including ones with high potential to advance to positions of increased responsibility on the rig or onshore. Our ultimate goal is to build a highly competent deepwater organization.

In some ways, little has changed in recruiting offshore employees. It is still about a can-do attitude, strong work ethic, and personal commitment. On the other hand, many things have changed. No longer is it only about the maintenance department, the marine department, and operations. Today it is also about teamwork, mutual respect, motivation, ethics, integrity, and accountability. We have one team striving to get one result.

In summary, it’s all about the people.

Mike Southworth
Operations Manager, Gulf of Mexico
Pride International

Bryce McCormick
HR Manager, Gulf of Mexico
Pride International

This page reflects viewpoints on the political, economic, cultural, technological, and environmental issues that shape the future of the petroleum industry. Offshore Magazine invites you to share your thoughts. Email your Beyond the Horizon manuscript to Eldon Ball at[email protected].