Another side to the Offshore world story.
Many years ago I was working for a Manchester based Employment Agency generally in Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield as a structural designer.
My first taste of the Oil and gas business was to accept a contract based at an office in Easington, east of Hull, a small helicopter base utilised for the Southern North Sea platforms.
My task was to audit the required safety equipment installed on the platforms. Such as these types of items, mark their locations, if not at the locations indicated on the existing drawings or tick if they were, and photograph them.
After a few weeks of getting a handle on the types of items and their appearances, the platform locations and helicopter availability a platform visit schedule was confirmed. Work packages were created and packs assembled. The day before the first flight I was taken to meet the Police officer and informed i would need my passport to travel. It seemed the helicopter visited the Norwegian sector platforms as well. A quick drive back to Leeds to collect it and all was set. My bags were searched, all lighters and cigarettes removed a life west donned and that was that.
No survival drill or pool tests in those days, the helicopter crew described the arrival procedure and took me to the platform staircase upon arrival, showing me where to wait when the helicopter returned for me and flew on.
The southern platforms were generally quite small compared to the northern ones, some barely large enough for a helipad:
others more substantial:
I mostly flew to one platform a day, depending on the size and number of equipment checks and returning back to land in the evening. Sometimes from one platform to another on the list. Some were permanently manned and on those I was assigned a "helper" who explained the safety and emergency abandon platform procedures - where the lifeboats were, fitted me out with the regulation clothing and guided me around. Others were automatically controlled from a land office and were devoid of any workers.
On these the first task was to find the "safety Portakabin" and report my arrival, so they knew I was there! After completing the audit I confirmed with the land office I had finished and they informed me of the time for the helicopter to return, I awaited the helicopter to return was boarded by the flight crew and we departed. As it was a summertime contract the weather was good and I never was forced to stay aboard the platform unless I hadn't finished my audit. The food was good the cabin OK All the guys I met offshore were very helpful and friendly.
Upon returning back to Easington the documents and photos were packaged and sent back to the client. A well paid and uneventful summer.