Offshore packing list

What should you take for your next offshore trip? Here is some advice from offshore pros.

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Seasick tablets, shower gel, toothpaste, etc., might be worth taking your own duvet cover and sheets.

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Take a couple of half-decent size gym bags, use one for your PPE and one for your clothes don’t take any suitcases no matter how small, choppers don’t like them & no bags with wheels either.

You will get your clothes washed every night in the laundry, however, always take spares as they do go missing sometimes.

So at least 4 days of underwear, a few t-shirts, a few pairs of tracksuits, and if you plan on using the gym, then take gym gear and I would take a spare pair of trainers for it.

Flip flops are normally banned on all rigs now unless you’re in the sauna.

Taking your iPad, phone laptop is fine just declare it at check-in and when offshore it will need to be tested prior to being plugged in for charging and of course it’s not allowed outside on the plant.

Declare any meds you take with you at check-in even if it vitamins or bodybuilding powder etc.

Take some cash with you as there is a bond (shop) on board that sells sweets, crisps, juice, fags, deodorant, shaving foam, razors, perfume, t-shirts, socks, etc.

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The barge will have medical facilities but it can be useful to have a small stash of electrolyte drinks or Baroccas etc., just for when you wake up feeling a bit bad/dehydrated. If you’re spending a lot of time outside you’ll probably find yourself wanting sun cream, skin, and hand moisturizer at some point.

Buy your own higher quality items if you think it’s going to get on your nerves – Boots, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection.

Again they’ll probably provide you one or stash one in the cabin but a flashlight can be indispensable.

Good pair of earphones, plenty of TV shows/films/music/literature on your tablet or laptop.

Aside from all the practical things, I’d say that you should take some personal effects including a full address book with telephone numbers and addresses. Things happen to mobiles. Might be nice to have some pictures of the people and things you care about, even if it’s just an ice breaker for non-English speakers you might work with.

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Bring basic hygiene stuff – some units have them, some don’t. Comfy pajamas, indoor shoes, music and headphones, film library if you think you’ll have time / for the journey, book for the trip to the vessel, charger + converters, gym gear. Food should be fine, and the coffee is usually good.

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Add a light jacket/sweater for when you are in the living quarters because it can get cold. Every rig is different, but don’t be surprised if the temp. in some rooms is low.

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If you’re really sensitive to motion sickness, get sick in buses or cars, I’d advise taking some anti-nausea drug 6h prior to the trip and staying on it for a couple of days. Although keep in mind drillships barely move.

I’d also take podcasts, especially if you find yourself getting sick, reading a book won’t do any good. And remember, the Internet is not always the best, so download it all beforehand.

Other than that be safe out there, watch out for anything that looks remotely unsafe and ask a lot of quests. Should be fun.

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Bring out extra medicine if you take any, many 7 day jobs can turn into a month. Shower shoes are a must. I carry a towel just in case, I once used a fitted sheet for 2 weeks as a towel because none were provided. Advil pm or something else that can help you get to sleep or ease a bad caffeine headache. Bring a pair of sweats if your cold natured. Bring some snacks nothing chocolate it melts.

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My Offshore Supplies Checklist

Bags  Large duffle bag  Laptop bag/backpack

Documents  TWIC card  Safe Gulf or License to Go Offshore (LTGO) card  HUET/Water Survival training card  Medical Certificate of Fitness for Offshore Work (if required on the vessel)  Passport  Driver’s license  Cash (especially for tipping)  AmEx corporate credit card  Personal credit card

Clothes  Socks  Underwear  Pajamas  T-shirts  Blue jeans  Casual shirts, e.g. short-sleeved polo  Workout shorts/pants  Tennis shoes  Casual shoes, e.g. boat shoes  Belt

PPE  Hard hat  Safety glasses: tinted, clear, and a prescription if applicable  Hearing protection  Gloves  Steel-toed boots  FRC coveralls (reflectors on the arms, legs, and shoulders are required)

Toiletries  Toothbrush  Toothpaste  Retainer  Body wash  Shampoo  Conditioner  Shaving cream  Razors  Body lotion  Washcloth/loofah  Shower shoes, e.g. Crocs  Face wash  Face lotions  Contacts  Contact solution  Contact case  Q-tips  Floss picks  Brush/comb  Deodorant  Medicines/vitamins  Reading glasses

Work Hardware  Laptop  Laptop charger  External hard drive  Cell phone  Cell phone charger  USB to wall outlet adapter  European to U.S. adaptor plugs  Camera  Camera charger  Flash drive  Wireless mouse (with spare batteries)

Recreational  Kindle  Kindle charger  Books/magazines  TV shows/movies (on the external hard drive)  iPod  USB charger  Headphones  Snacks

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2 pairs of underwear, 2 t-shirts, 2 pairs of socks, 2 lightweight wind pants/jogging pants, and 1 hoddie. This should give you 3 of everything (including what you wear out) in case you have a crap laundry crew who loses things. That way if they lose something you still have two, one to have been washed, and one to wear. Any more than this and you’re wasting space IMO.

Get yourself some 9 EUR slip-on shoes and 1 EUR pair of rubber flip-flops that have in those cheapo bins. Slip-on shoes will be your inside shoes and the flip flops will be shower shoes. Trust me you don’t want to be showering barefoot on some rigs.

Ethernet cable, USB cable, phone charging cable, and a regular extension cord. Some rigs have power sockets in useful locations but some don’t have any near the bed, especially if you are in a top bunk. Ethernet cable so you can plugin.

Protip: If you have any IP phones on the rig you’ll have an extra Ethernet port on the back that you can plug into and often get the unfiltered rig network. This is easier than hunting down the Wifi password if they are stingy about giving it to temporary hands.

4. A personal 1l water bottle or canteen is nice. Keeps me from having to hunt down or stash individual water bottles all the time and there is no confusion as to who’s water bottle is who’s.

5. Gum, lots and lots of gum.

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