When working in a town or city, simple things like easy access to toilets, air-conditioning, a kitchen, and communication services seem like a given. Not so when you’re working on a site in the middle of the Pilbara region, an incredibly remote area of northern Western Australia. 

One of the long-standing issues with working in remote locations, which make up a significant portion of Ventia’s Rig & Well Services operations, is keeping team members comfortable and providing them with the basic necessities those of us working in populated areas take for granted. 

The introduction of Ventia’s Rig Suite – a fully equipped, purpose-built mobile office – at one of our projects in Newman in the Pilbara, is going a long way to changing this.

Providing essential services and connectivity

The mobile office, which is about the size of a large caravan, boasts the same facilities as a regular site office, but with the massive advantage of being portable, meaning it can follow the crew wherever they go.  

Often, when our teams are working on site, they can be located a half-hour drive or more from the nearest site office. The new mobile Rig Suite means the crew now has constant access to bathrooms, shade and shelter from the searing desert heat, a break room, small kitchen facilities, and even Wi-Fi and Starlink connection, thanks to Ventia’s incredibly talented remote comms team. 

Efficient site management and access

Apart from creating a more positive work atmosphere for everyone onsite, the facility acts as a cool refuge from the very hot conditions. Access to an office environment also means the Rig Manager can monitor the drill site with total access to all communications, providing valuable site management capabilities.  

Additionally, it means site supervisors and senior personnel can spend more time out on site, providing hands-on support and mentoring junior crew members. 

Improved working conditions

According to Ventia Executive General Manager Rig & Well Services Kyle Koziol the Rig Suite’s arrival has been a gamechanger for remote crews and are a valuable new addition to the company’s operations. 

“Importantly, as well as improving the comfort and working conditions of our employees working at such remote sites, we expect this new initiative will also help us recruit and diversify our Rig & Wells Services workforce,” Kyle said.  

“This initiative is another way we can continue to improve and uphold this commitment to our employees.” 

Due to the success of this first Rig Suite in the Pilbara, the team has mobilised three additional vans to the mineral resources fleet.