Anyone ever worked in Nigeria and/or for Addax Petroleum?

Professional Mariner Forum
1

Got a job offer for a 2 year contract job with Addax petroleum in Nigeria. I swore i’d never work there but tough times call for tough measures i guess. The pay is about 25k a year more than i was making before i was furloughed at my previous employer and they say it is “Tax Excluded.” Health benefits, payed travel, 28/28 schedule, quarterly Bonus’s up to 15% of your salary. Its salary pay and they give you your first months pay up-front (before your hitch starts).

It almost sounds too good to be true, im wondering if any of you have any previous experience or dealings with this company and working in Nigeria. Either this is one badass opportunity or its too good to be true and ill be working on some old piece of shit osv made in 1960 getting 2 hours sleep every night and eating mystery meat.

2

28/28 in Nigeria? I’m not saying that can’t be right, that just sounds like a whole hell of a lot of flying every 4 weeks, but if that’s what they told you that must be what it is. But man, talk about jet lag!

3

I have never heard of any supply boats working 28/28. However My father in law has been there for over 15 years on lift boats and they are all equal time. Some 28/28 some 35/35. He and all his friend love it over there been trying to get me to go. May have to take them up on their offer one day. I will ask around if they have heard of that company.

4

Im going with the old adage that if its too good to be true it usually is. I would find out everything you can before signing on.

5

I too am highly skeptical about this offer and remember companies love to lie to you in order to take the job. If anyone here has never been given a line of pure bullshit pre showing up aboard I would love to hear from you. You would be a very rare person in our industry!

also remember that once you arrive in Nigeria you are captive to your bosses. No simply walking off and buying yourself a ticket home. You would be truly fucked in a fucking place where no one can hear your screams!

here’s what I found out on Wikipedia about them…they’re Chinese in case you didn’t know

Addax Petroleum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Addax Petroleum was created in 1994 and since August 2009 has been a subsidiary of the Sinopec Group, one of the largest oil and gas producers in China, the biggest oil refiner in Asia and the third largest worldwide. Addax Petroleum was founded in 1994 upon leading petroleum industry expertise and a deep-rooted understanding and respect for African cultures. Over the years, Addax Petroleum has evolved from a young pioneer into an established international oil and gas, exploration and production company focused on Africa, the Middle East and the North Sea.

History

Addax Petroleum was originally part of the Addax & Oryx Group of Companies (AOG) which was founded in 1987. In 1989 AOG embarked on an ambitious expansion programme with the aim of becoming a vertically integrated oil company focused on the African continent. This led to the creation of Addax Petroleum in 1994. Jean Claude Gandur was the company’s Chairman and CEO until the takeover by the Sinopec Group in August 2009.
Chronology

1994: Addax Petroleum founded
1998: Company average production of 8,800 bopd
1999: First drilling campaign in OML 123, offshore Nigeria
2000: OML 123 Ebuguu Northeast discovery, offshore Nigeria
2001: OML 123 Adanga South discovery, offshore Nigeria
2002: Company average production of 40,000 bopd. Ngosso Concession Agreement signed, offshore Cameroon
2003: OML 123 Oron West & North discoveries, offshore Nigeria. OML 124 drilling campaign, onshore Nigeria
2005: Company average production of 75,000 bopd. First Oil in OPL90 (OML 126) Okwori field, offshore Nigeria. 3 PSCs signed in the Nigeria/São Tomé & Principe Joint Development Zone (JDZ). Farm-in Agreement signed on Taq Taq field, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)
2006: Listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Acquisition of Pan Ocean Energy's assets, onshore and offshore Gabon
2007: Company average production of 126,000 bopd. Addax Petroleum Foundation established. Listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE)
2008: PSC on Iroko licence signed, offshore Cameroon
2009: Acquisition of Addax Petroleum by the Sinopec Group. First exports of crude from Taq Taq field, Iraqi Kurdistan
2011: Company average production of 140,000 bopd. Acquisition of Royal Dutch Shell's upstream assets, offshore Cameroon. Sinopec-Addax Petroleum Foundation established
2012: Creation of Talisman-Sinopec Energy UK Ltd joint venture company. Acquisition of Total S.A.'s interest in OML 138, deep-offshore Nigeria.[7] Opening of Houston office, USA

Continuous production growth

The Company’s average daily oil production for 2011 was 140,000 bbl/d. Year-to-date average daily oil production as of Q3 2012 was 167,000 bbl/d (this figure does not take the Talisman-Sinopec Energy UK nor the OML 138 production figures into account).

As part of its “Vision 500”, Addax Petroleum aims to reach an average daily production of 500,000 barrels of oil by 2015.

Addax Petroleum is currently the 2nd largest oil producer in Cameroon, the 4th largest in Gabon and the 5th largest in Nigeria.

The TTOPCO Joint Venture company (together with Genel Energy) is the largest oil producer in Iraqi Kurdistan, while the newly created Talisman-Sinopec Energy UK Ltd Joint Venture company (in which Addax Petroleum holds 49%) is the 4th largest UK oil producer (2011 figures) with an output of approximately 70,000 bopd.

Asset growth

Addax Petroleum has a high quality asset base consisting of a number of onshore and offshore exploration, development and producing fields in Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as well as the UK North Sea’s Continental Shelf.

Corporate culture

Addax Petroleum’s motto is “Each step makes a difference and difference is our strength”. The company motto reflects the fact that Addax Petroleum puts strong emphasis on cross-cultural management, as the company brings together employees from many different cultural backgrounds under Chinese management.

considering the possible horrors, unless you are broke and about to be thrown onto the street, I wouldn’t risk it

6

I’ve worked for Addax on 2 different occasions in Nigeria, but as a third party contractor. I had no issues with them, but I don’t know what you’d be doing on a boat for them??. The only addax guys I was aware of were company men on the rigs and FPSO’s PM me if you want some more info.

as far as getting out of Nigeria, go online, buy a plane ticket, and arrange transport to the airport through a reputable agent.

[QUOTE=c.captain;152480]I too am highly skeptical about this offer and remember companies love to lie to you in order to take the job. If anyone here has never been given a line of pure bullshit pre showing up aboard I would love to hear from you. You would be a very rare person in our industry!

also remember that once you arrive in Nigeria you are captive to your bosses. No simply walking off and buying yourself a ticket home. You would be truly fucked in a fucking place where no one can hear your screams!

here’s what I found out on Wikipedia about them…they’re Chinese in case you didn’t know

considering the possible horrors, unless you are broke and about to be thrown onto the street, I wouldn’t risk it[/QUOTE]

7

[QUOTE=mhnydn;152483]I’ve worked for Addax on 2 different occasions in Nigeria, but as a third party contractor. I had no issues with them, but I don’t know what you’d be doing on a boat for them??. The only addax guys I was aware of were company men on the rigs and FPSO’s PM me if you want some more info.[/QUOTE]

I would never ever in my life want to work for a Chinese boss

8

Awhile ago, i had a number of contacts from recruiters about jobs with foreign companies working offshore Nigeria. The pay ranged from low to high.

As an American, there is a significant risk of being kidnapped in Nigeria and held for a high ransom. Will a foreign company pay that high ransom? A British or Dutch headhunter company that mostly employes Eastern Europeans? A Chinese company?

I think there are (or were) a lot of good job opportunities in Nigeria because of the piracy, kidnapping, and Ebola problems. Whille I might have taken a job in Nigeria with an American company working for Exxon, Shell, etc., I was otherwise not willing to take the risk.

The Ebola outbreak appears to have run its course. However, low oil prices, Islamic insurgents, piracy, and high crime rates, appear to be driving Nigeria toward an economic meltdown, anarchy, and civil war. The risks of working in Nigeria are increasing. the number of available jobs seems to have dropped way off.

9

[QUOTE=c.captain;152485]I would never ever in my life want to work for a Chinese boss[/QUOTE]Might want to start rethinking. They are the number one economy in the world now.

10

I got an email from the daughter of the now deceased former head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that has millions to give me after I send over some personal information. So things must be looking up there. And I need a new car.

11

[QUOTE=tengineer1;152495]Might want to start rethinking. They are the number one economy in the world now.[/QUOTE]

not me…I will retire and live on the ORCA and fish to eat before answering directly to any Asian boss. The same goes for a Dutchman, a Brazilian or any Nigerian. I would consider a Brit, Scots, Scandinavian, Canadian and even possibly a Mexican. I have worked with all at one time or the other (except Nigerian) and know which I can tolerate and which I can’t. I am an old man now and my mind is as hard as concrete so don’t be thinking I’ll change none!

12

Ching chong ding dong on that one, which I believe is mandarin for, “Your words are wise and I’m inclined to agree with you.”

13 
Yes and that's easier for them to do with the way they compute GDP vs the rest of the world

No doubt they’re growing but there’s a lot more to it when compared to the rest of the world.

14

Actually, I have head that the Chinese National Oil Company pays top money and is good to work for.

I also hear good reports on Singapore companies.

15

[QUOTE=z-drive;152509]Yes and that’s easier for them to do with the way they compute GDP vs the rest of the world

No doubt they’re growing but there’s a lot more to it when compared to the rest of the world.[/QUOTE]

Yes, it is hard to know their exact figures but also hard to know what the USA and EU are up to also as much of what they produce is gambled on by their “too big to fail” banks, CDOs, derivatives etc., in the trillions of dollars that may or may not be worth much more than a fart in a windstorm. I will say this, in my travels to Asia there is a WHOLE lot more being built and infrastructure expenditures than I see in other countries. The new silk road being constructed to Europe is quite an ambitious plan just by itself. They could learn some lessons on emissions control through, respiratory deaths are epidemic. They are going to have to reproduce like rabbits to keep a work force over there.

16

[QUOTE=tengineer1;152562]Yes, it is hard to know their exact figures but also hard to know what the USA and EU are up to also as much of what they produce is gambled on by their “too big to fail” banks, CDOs, derivatives etc., in the trillions of dollars that may or may not be worth much more than a fart in a windstorm. I will say this, in my travels to Asia there is a WHOLE lot more being built and infrastructure expenditures than I see in other countries. The new silk road being constructed to Europe is quite an ambitious plan just by itself. They could learn some lessons on emissions control through, respiratory deaths are epidemic. They are going to have to reproduce like rabbits to keep a work force over there.[/QUOTE]

I must agree entirely. After working in SIngapore for more than a year the construction I witnessed was stunning to behold. If Singapore was doing so well, I can barely imagine what is taking place in China today? The prosperous Asian nations are extremely wealthy these days. A true economic steamroller to behold!

The US is not almost broke and it is the transfer of our wealth to Asia is why. Remember that when you buy all those Chinese made tools at Harbor Freight.