The Adaptation of Rural Residents to the Offshore Oil and Gas (Exploration Phase) Labour Force, Newfoundland and Labrador, 1981

Abstract

In response to interest and concerns about the effect which oil industry development would have in the province of Newfoundland, a number of studies were initiated, including attempts to assess the impacts on rural residents. An analysis of the offshore labour force indicated that Newfoundland residents represented 60% of the offshore force; however, their participation was predominantly in the junior drilling, junior marine and junior service positions. The provincial workers differed from the non-resident workers on a number of factors. Also of interest, the 35% of the Newfoundland workers interviewed had come from water transport occupations and were attracted by the perceived advantages of work in the oil industry, while the 34% who had come from the fishing industry, cited financial insecurity and poor working conditions of the fishery as their reasons for changing jobs.