Offshore and Underwater Welding Jobs

There are two job main job classifications for offshore welding jobs, namely, rig welders, and underwater welders. Rig welding jobs are available for trained and AWS certified welders with land-based experience, while underwater welding jobs apply to certified divers who have also become certified in underwater welding, or to welders who have also become certified divers.

Offshore Oil Rig Welders

Rig welders are responsible for carrying out repairs and modifications in accordance with the Maintenance Supervisor’s instructions. Duties include maintenance and service of all welding equipment. AWS Certified is required for this position. Offshore platform welders fall into two categories.

First are the rig welders. They are permanently on one rig and carry out all day to day repairs and building of new metalwork. They are always busy. Then there are the roving welders. When there is a big project often a squad of roving welders are hired to finish the job quickly. These guys move from rig to rig wherever their company has a contract.

If you are an experienced and certified welder, you should have no problem landing a welding job on an offshore rig. Many contractors are currently posting on the job boards, and wages are very decent - you will make around $5500.00 for two weeks of 7-twelves, and that is the low end. 66k starting is pretty fair for 6 months of work a year.

You can learn where and how to apply here for offshore welding jobs.

Underwater Welders

Starting a career as an underwater welder is a completely different animal. You not only need to be a certified welder, but be a certified diver as well. Most underwater welders are certified divers who have added welding to their skill sets, but their are many welders who acquired diver training and certification to start one of the best paying careers available offshore.

Underwater welding jobs can start around $80,000; experienced underwater welders can pull down up to $200,000.00 a year, and day rates of $1000 are quite common. Most divers do it because they love it, so getting paid well to do something you love is a real bonus.

There is a lot of underwater welding work available, and more coming on line in the very near future. A great deal of work in the Gulf of Mexico has opened up, as well as in the projects off the Canadian Newfoundland coast, on the Atlantic Seaboard.

Additionally, there is going to be a lot of work in the North Sea. The North Sea is a mature oil field, and many rigs and other structures will be decommissioned starting now, and going on until 2015. Much of the work will be performed by underwater welders.

You can learn where and how to apply here for underwater welding jobs.

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