Just like my "Working in Kuwait" story, here's another interesting work experience. It started with some meetings in Campeche State (200 miles east of Mexico City). I was to assist a couple Mexican guys in observing what goes on at an off-shore oil platform and, then, suggest ways to improve their business and safety practices.
The work location was well out into the Gulf of Mexico near a beautiful key (see above picture) that was declared a national wildlife preserve. Although the birds don't seem to mind, this poor shrimp boat got hung up in a hurricane some time ago, so there it sits. Late one afternoon, there was one heck of a ruckus going on in the water out there - the barracuda were chasing the pompano and robalo and the sharks were chasing everything! We frequently saw large fish and turtles swimming by on their way to the food store.
With beautiful weather overhead, the helicopter flight to the platform took us over numerous oil platforms. Finally, we got a glimpse from the air of our new home for a week. It had two helipads, living quarters on the right, offices in the middle, process facilities on the left, and a communications tower in the left background. It was situated in about 100 ft of clear, blue, cruise-ship water and was normally rock solid except when the big cranes torqued it around.
One of the early things we learned was where our emergency escape boat was located. It held 50 people and could take high fires and high seas.
After we settled in and started to work, interesting views from other vantage points became available. Looking at the platform from down below decks near the water, we got a view of just how big these platforms structures are. How do they prevent the whole thing from rusting into the sea? How do they fix it?
The wide variety of life in the water made me forget my work real quickly and put me into another world. Here's where the fish are, folks! All kinds, sizes, and colors - what a feast for my eyes. When the cantina crew cleans up the tables after a meal, this place down here is bedlam!
Looking at the platform from a boat in the water made me feel so small and insignificant. How do the workers do their jobs when the weather is bad? How do they work on submerged equipment or any equipment for that matter? If the weather is too bad, do they just call off the work? How bad is too bad?
Another activity had us go to an ocean-going tanker to see their operations and challenges. This new work boat handled our transportation to the big tanker in the background just fine. One night, the captain turned off the running lights so we could just see the stars and our platform lights. What a memorable experience.
If you want a job that pays three times the same job on shore, can work real hard and up close with people, keep yourself under control in a confined environment for two-week periods, then, this is the job for you! And, don't forget the added bonus of beautiful sunsets and full moons out in the wide, open water.
God bless all the sailors and platform workers in the world for they have a hard job. Did I mention that they have to brave some pretty bad weather, though (see picture below)?
