Air Diving—Offshore Construction

Minimum ADAS qualification required

• Part 3:SSBA Diver to 50m
  
  

Overview

Offshore diving is the most well known branch of commercial diving, with divers working in support of the exploration and production sector of the oil and gas industry from one end of the world to the other in places such as the North West Shelf, Timor Sea and Bass Strait in Australia, the Gulf of Mexico in the United States, the North Sea in the United Kingdom and Norway and pretty much everywhere else from Kazakhstan to New Zealand.  The work in this area of the industry typically revolves around the maintenance of oil platforms and the building of underwater structures used in the production process.Offshore air divers are employed to undertake construction, maintenance and inspection tasks on production platforms, subsea pipelines

Tasks performed on the job

Offshore construction work is commissioned in project stages including exploration, installation and demobilization. Job tasks preformed include; inspection of seabed before placing structures, grout bag filling for jacket leveling, positioning pin pile in conductor for jacket positioning, connecting tie back cables, launching pigs, stinger inspection, touchdown inspection, cutting buckled pipelines, metrology of spools, installation of riser clamps & risers, spool installation and free span grout bag installation.

Responsibilities and challenges

Divers have a duty of care to abide by legislation and guidelines set out by governments and relevant industry bodies, as well as to comply with company safe work practice policies. Particular responsibilities will differ with each job task and the person’s position within the team. Job Hazard Analysis and risk assessments should be understood before the commencement any work undertaken.

Working in remote and often harsh or extreme environments can be physiologically and mentally demanding. Dive teams are required to achieve objectives safely with budget, and time restrictions. Work can be technically challenging, as can functioning as a link in a team. Considerable time away from as person’s home base must be considered when entering into this career path.

Highlights and rewards 

Commercial offshore air diving is an exciting and rewarding career. Many of the challenges of this job, when achieved successfully deliver a high level of job satisfaction. This can improve of ones lifelong learning; skilling divers to become better problem solvers, leaders and work place team members. These are transferable skills that open up a wider range of career options and further, develop managerial skills. Travelling to many different locations, with an ever changing and international work force gives divers an opportunity to expand their cultural awareness.

Wages in industry vary in accordance with the position and qualifications of the diver, the job type, the location of the project and the client or company contracting the work. In Australia wages are governed by negotiations with the Maritime Union of Australia and individual incomes are based on industry standards. On average wages are around US$600.00 or AU$1350.00 per day.

How to become an Air Diver 

Training programs closely simulate real work place experiences, whilst considering the safety of students. Students are introduced to the expected Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) standards of the Offshore Oil & Gas industry, general seamanship skills and best diving practices. 

Students Re trained in the topics defined by ADAS standards. Time is given to both learn and practice skills including the use of tools and surface supplied diving equipment. Across all subject areas students learn about personal and team safety during diving operations and have the opportunity to gain nationally accredited certification in Apply First Aid and Advanced Resuscitation Techniques.  

For a diver looking to start a commercial diving career in this area, the course program takes 12 week of training (broken down into three separate courses that can be done either consecutively or four week blocks), to become ADAS Part 3:SSBA to 50 meters qualified.

ADAS Accredited Training Establishments providing air diving training:

• The Underwater Centre Fremantle (TUCF)
• The Underwater Centre Tasmania (TUCT)
• Underwater Training Centre South Australia (UTCSA)
• Descend Underwater Training Centre NSW
• Royal Australian Navy (available only to persons within the RAN)
• Royal New Zealand Navy (available only to persons within the RNZN and NZ government personnel)
  

   

Career pathways
To further their career, offshore air divers can move into saturation diving and mixed gas diving.  However ,becoming a diver and attaining experience in the offshore industry expands a diver’s potential beyond the job range for which training is specifically intended. The actual possibilities are dependent , though, on the background oand capapbiltiies of the particular diver.

Due to the nature of the work, those with trade or scientific backgrounds will be advantaged in this industry. However  a variety of factors will influence where a career in diving can take a person. All career divers must accept that they are committing themselves to a life time of continuous improvement -  training to upgrade and improve your skills base is a feature of life for the ambitious diver.  Senior positions as offshore project managers, line managers, and engineering managers are possible as well as other positions on offshore vessels, supervisory roles and becoming a trainer.

Also see:

• Bell Diving Offshore Construction
• Diving Careers

Thanks to Ian Milliner of The Underwater Centre Fremantle (TUCF) for contributing to this web page.