Australian Offshore Platform Electricians Earn Good Money

ELECTRICIANS working on Bass Strait oil and gas platforms are earning up to $260,000 a year, with unions declaring them the nation's best paid tradies.

Although West Australian resource sector workers are perceived as the best remunerated tradesmen, they are well behind the elite class of offshore sparkies, The Australian reports.

Employed on fly-in-fly-out rosters, they work seven consecutive 12-hour shifts, living on the platforms before they return to the mainland for a week off.

As well as an attractive hourly rate, they employees receive a raft of allowances for shift work, rotating between day and night rosters, and weekend penalties.

And with overtime, their total annual remuneration package can range between $250,000 and $260,000.National secretary of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union's construction division Dave Noonan said they were working in tough conditions, clocking up to 80 hours a week on fly-in-fly-out rosters.

"Temperatures are frequently in excess of 45 degrees and the work is very highly skilled," he said.

Critical to their high pay is that they hold dual trades in electrical and instrumentation, to perform crucial maintenance work on the rigs.

Victorian secretary of the Electrical Trades Union Dean Mighell said the workers earned their money.

"You have got highly skilled workers with two full-trade qualifications working in remote offshore locations for long periods of time," he said.

As well as dual trades, the tradesmen had obtained significant post-trade qualifications.

"It's probably the equivalent of about 10 years' full-time training," Mr Mighell said.

According to industry and union estimates, tradespeople working on onshore projects are capable of earning more than $150,000 a year, provided they work long hours and get paid overtime.

Construction workers on the Gorgon LNG project stand to earn about $150,000 a year, while qualified tradesmen could get at least $160,000 annually.

Read more about working on oil and gas platforms in The Australian.