Tough times down in the oil patch so far.

[studbuzzar]

Figured I might as well give a realistic series of post for those who may be thinking about coming down here to the bayou country looking for work. After 3 days of hitting boat companies in the Raceland - Larose - Galliano - Golden Meadow area, I am finding the job market very tight.

A lot of the local boys have been out of work for quite awhile. When a spot becomes available, it probably won’t be the guy living 3 states away that gets the call! They like to keep it in the family around here! What strikes me the most is the lack of trucks hauling oil field equipment back and forth to Port Fouchon and the lack of out of state license plates! That is a sobering observation!


The only chance of getting aboard a vessel is going to be with the bigger companies working the big boats out in deep water. A few more of those companies to check out tomorrow and Friday along Bayou Lafourche. Then it will be time to move west into the Houma - Morgan City - New Iberia - Lafayette area. Some of the commercial diver companies like Cal Dive and Epic are rumored to be hiring for their dive vessels along with cementing companies like Halliburton and BJ Hughes. I have seen some really cool and fascinating vessels owned by these companies!


The Days Inn were I am staying has been almost full every night with men heading offshore to work. It is a nice clean hotel to set up base camp at $89 per night. It is a far cry from my days back in the 70’s at Gaspy Cherrie’s Boarding House in Berwick! Man do I love this Cajun food!...

peaCe

[Capt. Nemo]

Thanks for the post Buzz. It sounds like times are tight down on the bayou.

I'm headed back down Sunday afternoon to try everyplace I can find.

Good luck to you. You'll find something eventually.

Nemo

[seadawg]

studbuzzar,

wondered what was up with you..at this time am back in La..PM me your phone# if you think I might assist in your quest??

GOOD LUCK!!

[bob]

Good luck and keep us posted. I always enjoy a success story!

Humm, dive boats.... Im sitting on one of those 4 point boats now. It aint for the squimish. Great place to learn the trade. Besides, if you drip some paint it aint no big deal unless its on a dive hose :/ if you can read between the lines.
Bob

[c.captain]

Just think of how many Norwegians, Canadians, Brits and Phillipinos are working offshore in our Gulf taking those jobs which the law says belong to Americans and those vessel owners say that they can't find US mariners to man their boats. We all know who they are but just as a reminder:

CalDive
Veolia
Epic
Helix

Then there's all the Norwegian vessels on charter to the US companies but they are getting away with their foreign crews under a different loophole.

If this burns you up like it does me, contact Steve Gordon who is planning to take legal action against these companies. He needs help from mariners who are losing work to this scam!

cheers

[Azimuth]

Just think of how many Norwegians, Canadians, Brits and Phillipinos are working offshore in our Gulf taking those jobs which the law says belong to Americans and those vessel owners say that they can't find US mariners to man their boats. We all know who they are but just as a reminder:

CalDive
Veolia
Epic
Helix

Then there's all the Norwegian vessels on charter to the US companies but they are getting away with their foreign crews under a different loophole.

If this burns you up like it does me, contact Steve Gordon who is planning to take legal action against these companies. He needs help from mariners who are losing work to this scam!

cheers

I know a gentleman that talked to Cal Dive several weeks ago. They bought the company back from Helix and are supposedly in the process of replacing all foreign crew with US sailors for their vessels.

[c.captain]

I know that CalDive has put a few American mariners on their vessels so I am hopeful, but I still know that they have many foreigners on their ships in the GoM so until they have replaced all of them with Americans, I keep CalDive on my list.

Good on them for making the effort though!

[water]

I talked to an HR guy yesterday in Morgan City. He had to let another 29 people go last week. They are down to four operational vessels out of 18.

The local community colleges with marine (USCG) classes are keeping busy with all the unemployed mariners.

[Luck.Runs.Out]

What about the laws that are supposed to protect the american flag mariners?

[c.captain]

What about the laws that are supposed to protect the american flag mariners?

The whole saga can be read in painful detail at this thread:

fighting back against foreign mariners in GoM

Sad, sadder, saddest...

Post back here after your read through it!

[james757]

Yeah its rough again and I just got this job out there through agnecy cost me like $1860 first hitch without having to pay them. Supposed return work on Tuesday got the call last night I was let go kind figured was going happen we have 90 % of boats at dock in MC

[Luck.Runs.Out]

The whole saga can be read in painful detail at this thread:

fighting back against foreign mariners in GoM

Sad, sadder, saddest...

Post back here after your read through it!

now that i readed this i can understand why we don't have the jobs Sad but True

[Ventijack]

Take heart my salty brothers. There are new winds blowing, US Customs and Border patrol of all people have decided to enforce jones act rulings of cargo moving from US to US shelf and deepwater. What that means is these foreign flag vessels will have to have the pipes and well heads brought to them. By US flagged vessels. They will not be able to load up in Fourchon or Mobile. They can install the equipment but cannot carry it. This should help get more vessels back on charter. And more US sailors on ships. Also with 3-5 drill ships coming to the Gulf starting early next year, a lot of companies are going to be crewing with US because of the great regulations on movment of crews to and from the US. IE TWIC cards ar going to be enforced, hard. Customs is already positioning with more agents. I have been met coming and going the last three hitches by US Customs uniformed officers checking my ID at the Helo port. It should be getting better soon, if you have time on your hands, consider writing your congressman about the foriegn ships. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[NAUTICART]

Take heart my salty brothers. There are new winds blowing, US Customs and Border patrol of all people have decided to enforce jones act rulings of cargo moving from US to US shelf and deepwater.

I think this is "Jones Act" last post on this ?

[studbuzzar]

Well here I am back home! Made it safe and sound outside of a traffic ticket for speeding 81mph in a 70mph zone on the interstate I-10. Work was impossible! I have 30 plus companies I filled out applications with. Another 10-15 that were not accepting applications. None of them offered me an interview except the first one EC. I have worked down here 3 times in my life and the patch has always been a place to go for work no matter what if you are willing. This time was different. I heard several comments about a Carbon tax proposal by Obama of 50% on oil (70bbl = Obama gets 35 for his spending habits) and coal produces? Havn't done much research on it yet but it is supposedly a big reason the oil companies have stopped drilling. It is more profitable to produce oil overseas if this becomes a reality. Oil companies are multi national and don't really care about were they have to go or how they get profits, they just go to were the oil can be produced with a profit. No one seems to think it will become law, but until it goes away or gets modified. It is just one more thing to bring down work oppurtunities for us who make a living upon the waters of this great big blue world.

On a good note, you can buy huge shrimp off the shrimp boats in Biloxi behind the Hard Rock casino! I bought 150 lbs for 2-3 a pound. Hauled ass back here to south florida and sold them for 5-6 to my friends who were elated. Covered a small portion of my gas expenses at least. And I am still eating jumbo shrimp! Have actually thought about going back up there to stay with my family and see if I can't get a couple months on the shrimp boats, just to get some seatime! Season runs through November. Maybe Colonel Danz has an spot available. I make a kick ass cup of joe and don't mind working all night!

[CaptAndrew]

I am glad to read about your experience. I was getting ready to do the same run myself and now I won't bother. At least for now. There was someone hiring for shrimp boats up around the FL panhandle just this week.

[injunear]

If you think the oilfield is tough, try working on a shrimpboat for shares @ $2 or less a pound. The local shrimpers and oystermen here are more than happy to "pay in catch" for splicing wire, engine or reefer repair. I don't mind eating seafood 5 or 6 times a week for an couple of hours work.