Brent Crude is a form of crude oil of which there are a number of different types. In the North Sea these include; Brent Crude, Sweet Crude, Brent Light, Ecofisk, Forties, and Oseberg. Brent Crude is the biggest of the family of North Sea crudes and its names originates from the bird the ‘Brent Goose’. In 1971 Shell discovered a huge oil field off the North East of Shetland. Their policy was to name all oil fields after birds. The particular crude that the Brent field produced was therefore named ‘Brent’ Crude.

North Sea Brent Crude is the benchmark crude and is used to price two thirds of the world’s internationally traded oil on the golbal market. The other well known classifications include Dubai Crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) which is a lighter and sweeter form of crude oil. Crude oil is considered to be ‘sweet’ if it contains less 0.5% sulphur compared to the higher level of sulphur found in ‘sour’ crude oil. High quality crude with a low sulphur content is commonly processed into petroleum/gasoline.

The most coveted, highly prized and sought after oil in both the North Sea and around the world is,’ Light-sweet crude,’ as its the easiest to refine into gasoline, kerosene and high quality diesel.

The term “sweet” originated because the low level of sulfur provides the oil with a mildly sweet taste and most pleasing smell. Nineteenth century prospectors that tasted and smelt small quantities of the oil to determine its quality thus named it ‘sweet’, and the term has remained to this day.

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Ask most people when they consider oil to have been discovered in the North Sea, and they would guess within the last 35 years; however the Germans first struck oil ways back in 1859 when drilling for coal. The discovery in the Southern North Sea basin, located above North Germany was the beginning of the German Oil industry, and up until 1890 a further 100 wells were drilled, 60 of which yielded oil. Natural Gas was discovered shortly after in 1910.

Then in August 1959 after five relatively quiet decades, a well drilled by Shell & Esso in Groningen, the Netherlands literally changed the Oil and Gas industry in Europe over night. The immense size of the Groningen field was soon realized. Geologists calculated it to be some twenty miles long with a capacity of 6 billion cubic feet per day, making it one of the largest gas fields in the world. After this huge discovery, commercial exploration in the North Sea truly got started.

Five further major discoveries totaling 20 trillium cubic feet were located in 1965, which was enough to completley saturate the UK market. By 1969 seismic ships were scouring the length and breadth of the North Sea in search of Oil and Gas. Then in the same year the Phillips Petroelum Company found the first billion barrel oil field, ‘Ekofisk Field’, in Norwegian waters.

Many imagine the North Sea to be a deep sea, however in actual fact it is relatively shallow. The North Sea is less than 30 meters in height in the Southern areas and rises to maximum of 200 meters in the Northern regions. The exception to this is the Norwegian trench which cuts through the North Western region, even though it is extremely narrow sometimes just meters wide in parts, it is 700 meters in depth in the region known as the Skagerrak

Current opinion suggests the UK’s share of North Sea oil is now in decline, with present reserves diminishing swiftly from 35 years after the oilfields were first driller. A growing body of opinion suggests that the remaining oil field reserves have been consistently underestimated.

Up to 37 billion barrels of oil have now been extracted from the UK’s continental shelf, with an estimated 25.5 billion barrels remaining. Many Oil experts believe that the remaining reserves exceed current estimate by as much as one fifth. With the advent of new ‘smart-drill’ technology, and the ever spiraling price of oil, it is now economically viable to drill fields, once considered too difficult or too remote.

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Our guide for those interested in working offshore in the UK North Sea.

As there are a wide range of roles to pursue its difficult to know where to begin!

So we’re clear, let’s clarify the phrase we hear all too often;

‘I want to work on the rigs because I’ve heard the money’s good’.

It’s well paid for a reason! The North Sea is a challenging and hostile environment to work in, and the personnel required to operate an oil rig are each highly skilled. Each offshore worker has to pass rigorous training in order to qualify to work, and they are frequently assessed to maintain their certificates. Working offshore is in by no means an easy job, and safety is always a priority. Now we’re clear on that let’s take a look at the essentials.

Two things you need to have before working offshore in any discipline are:

An offshore survival certificate.

An Offshore medical certificate.

OFFSHORE SURVIVAL

The offshore survival certificate for UK waters is referred to as a BOSIET.

(Basic Safety Offshore Induction and Emergency Training).

The B0SIET includes; Survival at Sea, Safety, First Aid and Hypothermia, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Helicopter Safety and Escape.

Courses are very popular and there can be a waiting list of a couple of weeks – though gone are the days of a single provider for the UK. BOSIET course are usually 2 to 3 days and vary in length between providers, some companies now allow the theory parts to be completed via the internet. The BOSIET is commonly known as the ‘Offshore Survival Certificate’ or ‘Survival Ticket’. It is valid for four years, and refresher must be undertaken before your old certificate expires. Failing to do this means the whole 3 day course must be re-taken. There are apparently no exceptions to this rule. Cost of the basic course is around 600 GBP, plus accommodation costs.

There are “extras” that you can request, and pay for, when doing your survival, e.g. a little extra helicopter escape training bolted on to the BOSIET counts as “Additional Safety Training” for the Norwegian sector.

Different countries across the world have differing requirements, some more stringent than the UK requirements described above, whereas others are frighteningly inadequate. For example a BOSIET course is not sufficient for working in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) course, is a 5 day affair and a lot more demanding than that required in the UK. Most offshore training companies in the UK run courses allowing you to work in other sectors. These are often run as additions to the BOSIET course.

THE OFFSHORE MEDICAL

Every offshore worker must undergo and pass a medical examination which classifies them as medically fit to work in the offshore environment.

Different offshore authorities have different requirements. For UK waters only physicians who are approved by the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) Health Advisory Committee should carry out the examination and issue certificates.

The offshore medical certificate, as it is commonly known, is only valid for a limited time, and you need to renew it to continue working offshore. The frequency for renewal depends on the authority controlling the asset you are visiting and your age.

All assets in UK waters are controlled by UKOOA and renewals are required every 2 years, irrespective of the age of the offshore person, this rule has been effective from the 1st of January 2007.

The typical medical examination will entail a physical examination and you will be required to complete an extensive form on your medical history and lifestyle, e.g. exercise and alcohol consumption.

- Urine check (for protein and sugar)

- Height, weight and resultant Body Mass Index calculation

- Blood pressure and pulse

- Basic eye sight test including colour vision

-A Check on your lung capacity

-Test on Hearing

-The physical examination by a qualified doctor. Checking stature, breathing, reflexes, etc.

- The doctor will also discuss the form you filled in, and carry out any additional checks they think necessary.

If your employer is paying for the examination they may ask for additional checks, e.g. drug test, to be carried out.

The Next Step

It’s no use rushing out and getting your offshore survival and medical straight away however. These two pre-requisites alone will not guarantee you employment. You now have to research the various career paths on the rig. What is it you see yourself doing offshore? Do you have skills you could develop which could then be utilized? Perhaps your already qualified in a trade such as a cook or electrician, you could simply take the additional training and do this job offshore. There are a wide range of roles to investigate further. Do some research find out what skills are currently in demand, and the training involved in becoming qualified. Find out the cost involved, who runs the course, the body who oversees it. Below is a short list of the many job categories to research further.

Engineering

Drilling

Piping

Marine/Diving/ROV

Technicians

N.D.T. & Rope access personnel

Specialized trades & Riggers

Health & Safety

Geologists & Geosciences

Working Offshore

Working offshore is obviously different from working in an office onshore. The long working day (12 hours), the harsh weather conditions, especially in the North Sea, the remoteness, and the reliance on helicopter travel do not suit everyone. Others find it a challenging but refreshing environment, quite different from the nine-to-five routine and the rush-hour commute.

What To Expect

A lot depends on the installation. Whether it is a drilling rig, a production platform, or an FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel) they all differ. Some are large, some huge, others small. As a result, the facilities they offer all vary. However, a typical North Sea production platform will boast a core crew of 50-100 men and women. Living quarters are compact but comfortable, usually en-suite, with 2 or more to a cabin. Food is good and plentiful, although do not expect a beer with your meals – alcohol is strictly prohibited offshore.

Offshore crew work 12 hours a day, including rest and meal breaks, and have 12 hours off. Off-shift, workers can choose to work out in the gym, watch a video or DVD or satellite TV, play snooker, play PC games, read or just hang out with their colleagues. Offshore crew usually work on a production platform for a period of two weeks before having a rest period onshore for two weeks – 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, though 2 weeks on and 3 weeks off is becoming increasingly common. Those in drilling and exploration can spend longer offshore.

Downsides

It does have downsides. Living with work colleagues, means that an offshore worker has to be able to co-operate in a group. You have to get on with your cabin mates. Work disagreements need to be patched up quickly. Being away from home can also be a problem. Missing out on the kids’ birthdays may be the least of your concerns; unfortunately prolonged absence from home can be a catalyst for divorce and family break up.

Restrictions

Some other restrictions, in addition to the medical and survival;

The minimum age for working offshore in the UK sector is 18.

It is not unknown for people to be denied travel offshore because their breath smells of alcohol. Additionally, some operators have provision for carrying out random drugs tests on potential travelers. – You are not allowed to travel offshore under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. This is strictly enforced at the heliport departure desk.

- There is a limit to how long you can spend offshore in any one trip. Most operators have a 21 day limit on this. After 21 days you must be onshore for 7 days before travelling offshore again.

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