The oil and gas sector is often described as having a ‘transient workforce’, but one man, Michael Gillespie, has remained with the same vessel since its sailaway in 1996.
Gillespie, fondly referred to as Mick by his crewmates, has spent thirty years onboard the Anasuria FPSO in the North Sea, having joined construction as the vessel’s topsides were being installed.
He has witnessed the vessel change hands from Shell to its current operator, the Anasuria Operating Company (AOC), as industry and societal perceptions of oil and gas have shifted.
Gillespie was employed by Stork as a scaffolder onboard the vessel and in 2021, the firm’s core team received acknowledgment at the Annual Safer Together Awards for being finalists in the We Care category.
© Supplied by AOCGillespie went on to again be shortlisted in 2023 under the We Protect category and ultimately emerged as a winner at Stork’s Annual Safer Together Awards.
This achievement acknowledged his outstanding safety performance and proactive approach to incident prevention and enhancement.
According to AOC, he is regarded as a leader among peers and has shown a continuous commitment to safety.
Where are you from, and how long have you been in the industry?
I am originally from Glasgow and moved to Livingston in 1990. I am married with a grown-up daughter and son; I also have four grandchildren.
I have worked in the offshore industry for 42 years. My background is in scaffolding and I am part of a small, multi-disciplined services team onboard the Anasuria FPSO.
© Supplied by AOCAs the Anasuria FPSO has changed hands over the years, what has kept you there?
I joined the project and worked alongside most of the crew when the topsides were being installed.
The time spent in the yard proved to be invaluable to everyone, as it gave them the chance to get to know each other.
Most evenings, we would be socialising with each other away from the work environment; this helped to create a strong team culture before it came on location in the central field.
How did things on the vessel change as operatorship moved from Shell to Petrofac, running things for Anasuria in 2016, to AOC taking charge in 2022?
We were excited at the prospect of a new owner who was willing to invest in the asset to extend the field life and guarantee future employment for the team.
For me, the one thing that never changed was the company that I worked for: Stork.
Stork is the only company left to be contracted by the operators since the project started in 1996.
© Supplied by AOCIs there anything specific about the vessel that appeals to you?
Working with a great bunch of lads who have created a good place to work. Even though nearly all the lads have moved on to other jobs, their replacements have adopted the same attitudes as the people that moved on.
This has helped to ensure that the strong team culture has remained on the Anasuria over the years.
How will you be celebrating 30 years on the vessel?
I haven’t given it much thought, to be honest.
© Supplied by AOCWhat attracted you to a life in the energy sector?
Ever since the mid-seventies I always wanted to work in the offshore industry, as the money that could be earned then would allow us to purchase our first house.
The scaffold company I worked for at the time refused to let me go offshore. Their reason for this was that almost everyone that went to work offshore for them never return to work onshore again.
The result of this led me to leave the company I worked for in 1983 to start my offshore career.
© Supplied by AOCWhat has been the most eventful day on the FPSO that you can remember?
There have been many eventful days on Anasuria, however my most eventful memory lies with a team-building event that was organised on Anasuria.
A group of guys decided to do the National Three Peaks Challenge, which involved climbing Ben Nevis (Scotland), Scafell Pike (England) and Snowdon (Wales) with the added challenge of completing in 24 hours.
This was just one of many team-building events on Anasuria, which helped create the great bond within the crew.
How have things changed in the 30 years you’ve spent onboard?
When we arrived on station in 1996, the vessel was all new and gleaming and required very little maintenance after the initial commissioning of the plant and equipment.
Working for AOC as the operator has been a breath of fresh air – working for an operating company who really value and appreciate their workforce.
Because it’s a smaller operator the visibility of senior management offshore is more than I have ever experienced, which helps to build relationships between the offshore workforce and the onshore support.
© Supplied by AOCIs there anyone else still onboard who was there when the Anasuria had its sailaway in 1995?
We only have one other person left from the original crew, Stuart Masson, who is our operations supervisor.
Stuart joined at roughly the same time as me, but went onshore for a spell to work in the office supporting Anasuria from 2012 to 2014. Then he returned to work offshore again on Anasuria.
Recently, we’ve seen reports that the industry is struggling to attract young talent. Do you have anything to say to young people who are deciding what to do after school, college or university that will help them decide if oil and gas is the industry for them?
The oil and gas industry is a great industry to get into, and although it’s struggling to attract young talent, I feel there is still a bright future in the industry.
A good apprenticeship in the offshore industry would serve a young person well, whether their future lies offshore or in another industry moving forward.
Energy Vocations is sponsored by the award-winning team at the ASET International Energy Training Academy.
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