Working on an Oil Rig

By George Pettit

As the world searches for new oil fields which will replace those that are beginning to run dry, the number of available jobs on oil rigs are increasing.
As with many professions, you'll find it easier to get work on an oil rig once you have some experience, but getting that first break may take a little time as safety concerns mean many supervisors are reluctant to hire those without prior experience, even for the unskilled positions.

No formal qualifications are usually required to work on an oil rig but candidates with backgrounds in shipbuilding, construction and engineering are generally preferred. It may also be possible to join a rig as an apprentice. Wherever you start, there are many opportunities for advancement as you gain experience and skills.

The most basic, entry level position available on an oil rig is known as a roustabout and involves manual laboring and maintenance tasks. This may include cleaning and painting the area around the drilling platform, moving equipment and supplies and helping to mix the lubricant for the drill bit, a substance known as mud.


The next step up from a roustabout is a roughneck. In this position you would be directly involved in the actual drilling process, helping to maintain the equipment and assisting with the adding of fresh lengths of pipe as the drill moves deeper underground.

The next position is that of the derrickman, an operative who works up on the high mast that rises above the platform and supervises the positioning of the drill, the handling of new pipe sections and flow of lubricant.

The next two positions - assistant driller and driller - are both highly skilled as any mistake in the placement of the drill or the rate of cutting - which varies according to the type of rock at different depths - could lead to a major accident.

As well as being potentially dangerous, work on an oil rig is dirty, physically demanding and means you will be spending weeks at a time away from family and friends. On the positive side, the jobs are well paid and you can expect a high standard of food and accommodation during your time on the rig.

For the sake of efficiency, you will most likely have only limited time off while actually on board, but you will be able to enjoy extended periods of shore leave which ultimately mean you will only end up working around half the months of the year, despite earning a full time salary.

Regardless of where you are in the world, the opportunities, duties and day to day activities on a rig will be roughly the same. It may, of course, be significantly more enjoyable to be on a rig based in the Gulf of Mexico rather than one in the middle of the North Sea, but it's easy enough to adjust to the environment. It's also worth bearing in mind that colder weather jobs tend to offer higher pay and larger bonuses.

Some workers prefer the good weather and travel around the world with the seasons. In order to prevent this, many companies will pay additional bonuses and offer other incentives to workers who remain with them for longer periods of time.



George Pettit is a journalist and marketing specialist from New Caledonia. He is often writing about tchnology, business, oil and gas fields and opportunities of jobs on oil rigs.
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