Perhaps the greatest drawback of working offshore is the time away from home. At minimum you can expect to be away for 2 weeks at a stretch and in some overseas rigs, it can continue for a month. You can’t leave early to have dinner with your wife, transport to and from the rig is astronomically high. However considering that you usually get as much time off as you work, your annual salary remunerates you for 6 months of work.

Another challenge is the working hours. Most shifts are 12 hours long and some extend to 18 hours putting tremendous strain on your physical self. The work itself is physical and manual in nature, not suited for a people preferring a sedentary lifestyle. There is no privacy as people on a rig share everything with each other and it can get tiresome to see the same faces at all times. Finally while room, board and food is provided, the quarters are cramped and the food can get monotonous.