The oil companies provide them to meet their legal safety case obligations to enable a timely rescue. A radio beacon is a lot more effective as a search and locate tool than a dye pack, christmas tree light bulb and whistle, especially at night (which is when Bristow's last GOM death occurred 3 years ago).
Nice to see PHI and Bristow are really pushing the IHST agenda on this - NOT:
2theadvocate.com | News | State officials delay enforcing ?Jacob?s Law? — Baton Rouge, LA
So they have cheerfully managed to delay the enforcement of state law to require equipment that at least one of them is using elsewhere in the world.
I wonder what the supposed FAA initiative is?
For more on the RLC accident 2 years ago see:
Inadvertent Encounter | Flight Safety Foundation