A day in the life

The Reverend Michael J Mair, chaplain to the UK Oil and Gas industry, offers an insight into a typical day.

MY alarm will usually go off about 4.30 or 5am if I am on the first flight of the day.

Thankfully, the heliport is a short drive from home and on arrival I check in my two bags – one personal and one filled with the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is mandatory when visiting offshore installations. This consists of steel-toe capped ankle length boots, flame retardant coveralls, impact protection gloves, safety goggles, and a hard hat with chinstrap and attached ear protection. The bags are searched and taken from me and I am sent to the waiting room until called through to security. I might have enough time for a coffee and to look around to see if I recognise anyone, but usually it is a brief wait until the flight is called and I go through the metal detector, am patted down and enter the briefing room. Here everyone on that flight will watch a safety video on how to safely escape should the helicopter experience difficulties and then we suit up.

When flying on helicopters, everyone wears a survival suit – this is brightly coloured, waterproof and is what would protect you from the cold of the North or Atlantic Sea should the very worst happen. Additionally, you are given a life jacket with a small cannister of breathable air and when you have been checked over the heliport staff will escort you to the waiting helicopter for departure.

I have now been in post for 18 months, and have flown approximately 50 times by helicopter; there is no other way to reach the far-flung outposts which are offshore installations, and where those I have the privilege to minister to reside.

While oil and gas continues to attract controversy, I hope that my role – to offer presence and ministry to those who are isolated from their families, friends and normal communities for weeks at a time – will not. Chaplaincy holds a place of privilege – companies will invite me to visit their assets for a few days, and to listen to their people. To live alongside them, experience the same living conditions, share in the camaraderie, dangers and expectations and try to understand the underlying concerns, issues, and successes. Life offshore is hard. People work long hours, in difficult circumstances. There is a high potential for danger, which has to be managed safely and appropriately – and this requires a high degree of skill from those who will be undertaking these roles.

There is limited privacy, with most people sharing rooms with strangers. The future of the industry is uncertain, and this leads to stress and anxiety about if there will be jobs in the coming years.

My visits are to be available to talk to offshore workers about how they are coping with this – and be someone entirely independent and outwith their organisation to offload to. Once they understand I have not come to conduct baptisms into the North Sea, they are usually fairly receptive. As the locations are remote, I will be there for several days – until the helicopter bringing others can take me off. Alongside briefings on the chaplaincy, mental health training and wellbeing, I spend most of my time getting to know those I am with.

In 2024, there were 31 visits scheduled, this year there are 28. It will be busy, but very rewarding to offer this ministry in the name of the Church.