Church of Scotland online editorial features
DECEMBER FEATURE
Across the sea: working with those in the oil and gas industry
Visiting installations offshore
is part of the job for the UK's only oil and gas industry
Chaplain
The next time you feel tempted to complain about traffic on your way to work, you can think about Andrew Jolly
who spends a chunk of his working time flying in a helicopter across the North Sea.
Andrew is the only chaplain to the UK oil and gas industry,
and with help from the chaplaincy administrator, Anne
Fullerton, provides pastoral support to those who work
offshore, onshore and their families.
| Andrew
was originally ordained as a Church of Scotland
minister, and as in other parishes, he offers
support and care for people with personal or family
difficulties. This job however has its own particular
issues. Many workers have short term contracts,
something which can bring its own problems for
families, and working two to three weeks offshore
at a time can lead to feeling isolated from what's
happening at home. Phone calls and emails are
free, but as Andrew says, it is not easy to just
pop home if a problem arises. |
Andrew Jolly meets an offshore worker
|
Onshore, some of the issues are related to ill health
or injury through work. The chaplaincy administers a small
Trust which can provide financial relief to workers and
their dependents where necessary. Everyone who applies
to the Trust for support is visited by the chaplain.
The UK Oil and Gas Industry Chaplaincy was founded
in the late 1980s. It is entirely funded by the industry
itself through its association, Oil and Gas UK, and
its accommodation is provided by the member companies.
Originally, the Church of Scotland's Home Board put
forward the idea that there should some form of support
for those working offshore, and Rev Andrew Wylie volunteered
to set up a pilot scheme funded by the Church to identify
what need there might be.
Stained glass window from the 'Oil Chapel'
|
Thanks to his efforts he built
up considerable trust and confidence in the industry
and a chaplaincy position was at the point of
being established when first the Chinook helicopter
crash in Shetland, then the Piper Alpha tragedy
occurred. These highlighted the need for a dedicated
chaplain to the industry, and the Aberdeen Oil
Industry Chaplaincy Trust was set up.
The industry marked the importance of the chaplaincy
and the twenty fifth anniversary of North Sea
oil in 1990 by creating St John's Aisle, the 'Oil
Chapel', in the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting in
Aberdeen. It is used by the industry and personnel
for special services, such as the annual Service
of Remembrance in October as well as baptisms
and marriages. |
Andrew spends around a third of his time visiting offshore
installations. In nearly two years as chaplain, he has
visited about 45, mostly in the North Sea although he
covers the whole of the UK which includes installations
off Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Morecambe Bay and Liverpool
Bay.
Travelling is usually by industry helicopters on scheduled
flights which replace crews and supplies. He has to
book slots on flights, so can spend a few hours or a
couple of days on installations depending on the timings.
Unusually he has never been stranded due to weather
conditions, only delayed for a few hours, but it happens
to many people. It is well known that holidays should
not be booked for the day after coming onshore, just
in case.
Workers on one of the installations |
Travelling onshore can
also be considerable. Andrew has contact with many
families, and although much is done by email, he
can cover over 150 miles in a day throughout Aberdeenshire
and beyond. He can be out the office for two weeks
at a time. Luckily Anne organises the travel arrangements
and provides administrative support in the chaplaincy
office. |
Andrew also works closely with counterparts who cover
the Norwegian installations. Where he has all of the
UK to cover on his own, there are five chaplains in
Norway who each have their own group of installations.
They came to Scotland earlier this year, and Andrew
will visit them next year to discuss their work and
common issues.
Coming up to Christmas there will be a carol service
in the Oil Chapel on 19 December, at 12.30pm which is
open to everyone.
On
Christmas Day itself, there will be no flights
to and from the offshore installations, and those
working there will make the best of being away
from families. Workers can find themselves working
either Christmas or New Year, or even both. There
will be parties, a Christmas lunch with crackers
and hats, but of course no alcohol.
As a former Army and Royal Air Force chaplain who
served abroad, Andrew can appreciate what it must be
like for those offshore on this day. However, as he
says, " When you switch on your Christmas Tree
lights remember that there are people out there on installations
making it possible 24 hours a day every day of the year.
As a chaplaincy we are ordinary folk concerned with
the extraordinary folk who are engaged in our industry."
Further information
For more information on the what the chaplaincy does,
and how it can provide support for those working in the
oil and gas industry and their dependents, visit the website
www.ukoilandgaschaplaincy.com
or contact:
| The UK Oil & Gas Chaplaincy
c/o Total E&P UK Ltd
Crawpeel Road
Altens
Aberdeen
AB12 3FG
|
|
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