Keeley Bell - Five Years Sober, One Mission: Changing Offshore Culture

What happens when an offshore driller hits rock bottom and decides to rebuild his life from the ground up?

In this episode, I sit down with Keeley Bell, founder of Silverback GRIT, to discuss offshore life, addiction, mental health, leadership, fitness, and why the energy industry needs to start taking care of its people as seriously as it takes care of its equipment.

Keeley shares his journey from the drilling rigs of the Gulf of Mexico to becoming a passionate advocate for mental resilience and personal transformation. From battling alcoholism and surviving a heart attack to building a company focused on improving the wellbeing of offshore workers, this is an honest conversation about the realities many people face but few talk about openly.

The discussion covers offshore culture, isolation, leadership, fitness, sleep, nutrition, mental health, family life, and what companies can do to better support their workforce.

Most importantly, it is a reminder that no matter how difficult things get, there is always another day to keep moving forward.

00:00 Introduction 00:48 Life as an offshore driller in the Gulf of Mexico 02:25 Offshore rotations and the drinking culture 05:30 The story behind Silverback GRIT 09:13 Bringing mental health conversations offshore 12:32 Hidden pressures of offshore life 13:52 Why being open about your struggles matters 17:03 Is there a mental health crisis in the industry? 18:36 Breaking the culture of bottling things up 21:01 Hydration, sleep and physical wellbeing offshore 23:53 Isolation and building support systems 29:06 Offshore vs onshore culture challenges 31:47 Is the industry finally changing? 34:03 Leadership, generations and culture shifts 37:02 Fitness, longevity and staying physically capable 39:16 Offshore weight limits and workforce health 43:56 Why people are the most important safety barrier 46:40 Advice for younger workers entering the industry 48:28 The future of Silverback GRIT 50:10 Advice for anyone currently struggling 53:10 Keeley's proudest moment 54:56 Final thoughts and closing remarks