Offshore - Oil Rig Roustabout

Become: Offshore - Oil Rig Roustabout

To become a Roughneck you will first need to apply for a position as a Roustabout and work your way up. Roustabouts are the able seamen of the oil rig world. Show a keen interest in the sector and take any opportunity you can to show your determination.

Oil rig work is definitely not for everyone. It is one of the few jobs that does not always require a high school education, but the work is hard and potentially dangerous. Offshore oil rig workers are away from home and their families for weeks at a time, they work long hours.

About: Offshore - Oil Rig Roustabout

Oil rig workers, whether at sea or on land, begin at the rank of roustabout and move up from there. Roustabouts clean, inspect and maintain the equipment such as mud pumps, pipes and cranes. Oil riggers on land move up from roustabout to derrick operator to service unit operator to driller. On an offshore oil rig, the term roustabout is used for all lower-ranked positions on board, and the rank directly above roustabout is roughneck, or driller. Drillers operate the rotary drill rig and keep an eye on the pressure gauges to make sure everything is operating properly.

Offshore oil rig workers usually work 12-hour rotating shifts. For instance, half the crew may work from noon to midnight while the other half works from midnight to noon. The company provides all meals for free, and the quality and variety of the food is high. When the shift is over, workers can go on the Internet, watch movies, play video games or work out at the on-board gym. Many oil rig workers work for two weeks at sea and then return home for two weeks, with all travel expenses paid by the company.

Source: http://work.chron.com/