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Arrival in the Far North Sea

Few moments in my HSE career felt as surreal as standing at the edge of the runway at Sumburgh Airport, on the main island of Shetland.

I’d just flown in from Aberdeen on a small twin-prop plane — feeling slightly vulnerable against the cold wind and mountainous Shetland landscape.

Sikorsky helicopters thundered in from the offshore rigs, undeterred by the weather — lifting crews beyond the horizon, into the grey, unforgiving North Sea.

The air vibrated with the constant chorus of propellers and rotors.

Winter was setting in. I zipped my jacket up high and leaned into the wind and rain — a constant fixture in these parts.

Indeed, this little Australian is not in Kansas anymore.

On the Ground at SGP

The SGP is a COMAH-class Major Hazard Facility. Brownfield scopes in operational zones come with layered, highly regulated requirements.

For contractors bidding for work on these types of projects — calculate your inefficiencies carefully. Things are not rushed here, and they are done to the letter and by the book.

Systems, Standards and Discipline

Even before a spanner is lifted, random drug and alcohol tests, bag checks, and daily security gate screenings are the norm. This was familiar from Australian sites — but across much of Europe, it’s far from standard.

Permit processes here are more diligent than I’ve seen on many Tier One projects.

Nothing starts until the client, EPCM, and contractor physically attend and review every task, work front, and supporting HSE documentation. This might be written into many systems — but here, it’s actually followed.

PPE That’s Built for Survival

PPE is not just PPE here — it is a life-saving defence against often unforgiving weather extremes. Thermal underwear, balaclavas and winter jackets are all standard issue above the usual gear.

Life at the Sella Ness Camp

Staying at the nearby Sella Ness Contractor camp had a distinct similarity to the remote mining camps of Western Australia, just in a very different setting.

Fully catered for with a bar, mess, and other amenities I had come to expect.

For the first time, it was really noticeable how much energy the body uses trying to keep warm in freezing conditions. Meals are provided and large servings are a must to stave off the cold — expect to bring some extra weight home (and I don’t mean your baggage).

When the Site Fell Silent

Despite all the experiences, it was a tragedy that has stuck with me the most from my time at Shetland.

We would lose a colleague — a friend to many — from a sudden onset of illness.

Although I have sadly experienced this before, I cannot recall a time when a project has pulled together so closely in support of one another. Clients and contractors alike shared in the grief of losing someone in this remote corner of the world.

As the project came to a stop, I remember the silence as a solemn tribute was played over the loudspeakers at the plant. The name of that song escapes me, but I will never forget the moment.

It brought to mind the many lives that are lost through work or illness — those adventuring away from family and home, to distant corners of the globe just to make a living.

Final Reflections

As cold as these rugged little outposts are out in the North Sea — there is warmth. Warmth in the people and workers who live and work here.

A place of hearty meals and hearty people, where the landscape is as hard as it is beautiful.

If you ever get the chance — go. Cross the sea.

Zip your jacket up high, and lean into the wind.

You won’t forget it in a hurry.

I certainly haven’t.