Thread: Working on Barrow Island

Worked there about 25 years ago and the living conditions were great! Not sure about now but would be surprised if they were less than adequate! Is the company you are working for the operating company or a service company?

I have not worked on Barrow but was involved in the Gorgon Project and doing FIFO all over WA, PNG and currently QLD. Barrow is very restricted with rules regarding camp, living and OHS. If you have no problem living with those then it is a good life......and $.But the rate of people quitting is higher than usual IMO, despite the money.
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Ha ha I'm in the barrow is hele transfer right now
Just off a rig
Barrow used to be great surfing and fishing off tour. Now with 5000 people on the gorgon development no such fun

Did a couple of swings recently on Barrow and the culture that filtered down from above really stinks. There seemed to be an ethos that workers need to have their spirit broken to deliver productivity in a safe manner. I just shut my mouth and kept to myself... I hate working like that though - work shouldn't have to be a miserable experience. Luckily it was a only job to tie me over until the next offshore project came up.

Any ideas on why people are leaving barrow Island?

dose it make a difference if you work for the operating company or a service company??

Why the high turnover? Terrible rostering, unfriendly and unhelpful working culture, overly pedantic and bureaucratic project management, personal isolation, and an inability for some to adapt to camp life. Don't get me wrong - the facilities on Barrow are as good as you'll find, but they manage the workplace based on figures, statistics and KPI's - little effort is made integrating new workers or positively developing the workplace culture.

I think the regular Barrow roster is 26 on/9 off - OK if you're young and single and money hungry, but if you've got a family somewhere it's no way to live.

I agree with the 26/9 roster, the roster that has been proposed is 2/2 with 4 weeks annual leave.

I'm flying in there next week as a visitor again.
The culture of regulation is alive a well there and you are fairly restricted on what you can do.

The 26/9 swing is the killer for most, they are climbing up the wall there by the end. The message I get it that the regulations and restrictions they can live with, its the swing that makes it hard.

I'm lucky, only there for a few days at a time on an irregular basis.
I don't get Barrow money though