Types of Jobs in an Oil Rig : How to get one?

Oil rigs provide many job opportunities for people that allow them to work with their hands in unique environments, including rigs in other countries and on oceans. These diverse jobs provide experience that can prepare you for other related careers in the field. Understanding more about these opportunities will help you determine which one is the best fit for you. In this article, we define the benefits of working on an oil rig, highlight 14 different career options you might enjoy, and discuss some tips for pursuing these careers.

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14 Types of Oil Rig Jobs

An oil rig career involves a variety of operations, including drilling, equipment maintenance, and personnel management.

1. Pumper

National Average Salary: 38 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Pumpers operate oil pumps and keep them running properly. They control the flow of oil into storage tanks and improve shipping efficiency by fixing leaks or other problems. The pumps also adjust the pumping rate to meet the delivery schedule and minimize wear and tear on the pump. They may also perform maintenance on oil gauges and gauges, unload and install piping, connect pumps and hoses to the wellhead, maintain wellhead safety, and monitor the overall condition of the pumps. Some pumpers may perform maintenance on pumping equipment, including removing pump motors and replacing them with new ones.

2. Pump technician

National Average Salary: 39 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: A pump technician oversees pump operation and ensures safety. They check chilled and hot water systems, expansion vessels, heat exchangers, steam equipment, throttle valves and pump gauges to keep them running. For example, they can increase water flow in cooled drilling systems to minimize bit wear. Pump technicians also improve efficiency by monitoring pump operation and recording operational problems. They can also control pump valves to direct the flow of oil and ensure even filling of storage tanks.

3. Oil rig mechanic

National Average Salary: 49 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Oil Rig Mechanics may perform overhauls on multiple rig machines and vehicles. For example, a pump mechanic can improve operations by installing a new pump, repairing common pump problems, lubricating pump parts to minimize frictional heat, performing routine maintenance on all pumping equipment, and installing brand new equipment when needed. Other oil rig mechanics may work specifically with oil rig vehicles. Their duties may include repairing oil tankers, inspecting helicopters before takeoff, repairing rig lifts and changing fluids for these equipment.

4. Crew chief

National Average Salary: 49 lakhs per year. Main Job Responsibilities: The Oil Rig Crew Chief supervises the team’s shifts around the clock. For example, a weekend crew leader may work with specialized weekend employees to perform general and off-duty rig maintenance. Day shift crew leaders may oversee the operation of the facility during daylight hours and coordinate with night shift leaders to cover all work responsibilities. Their duties may include scheduling shifts, conducting crew evaluations, collecting critical drilling data, generating reports for rig owners and managers, inspecting rig equipment, and assisting personnel with important tasks during the shift.

5. Drill operator

National Average Salary: 50 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Drill operators manage drilling rigs and plan daily operations. Their duties may include surveying well sites, calculating potential oil production, evaluating current drilling operations, maintaining oil equipment between drilling operations, transporting drilling equipment, setting up daily drilling, monitoring the process, adjusting steps, regulating tool pressure, and stopping drilling upon detection. enough oil for the day. Operators can operate the drill themselves or ask assistants to follow their daily instructions.

6. Driller

National Average Salary: 50 lakhs per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Drillers perform many operations on oil rigs. They may add and remove drill rods and augers, install other critical equipment, clean rigs, transport drilling equipment, perform pre-start inspections, perform routine rig maintenance, follow drill operator instructions, monitor drilling progress, measure drilling success after completion, and run drills during shifts. Drillers can also drive and maintain drilling vehicles as needed, including filling their propulsion equipment with gas or changing oil.

7. Chef

National Average Salary:51 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Oil rig cooks prepare meals, snacks and beverages for all rig employees. They can cook breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the day, create healthy snacks for employees to eat while at work, make coffee and other hot drinks, clean the kitchen, maintain kitchen equipment, wash dishes, plan daily meal plans, order new food deliveries and ensure food safety. Chefs may employ more staff to help with daily food preparation, such as assistants or night shift cooks.

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8. Floorhand

National Average Salary:  52 lakhs rupees per year. Primary Responsibilities: Oil rig floormen assist with the setup and teardown of oil rig equipment and ensure it is running properly. Their duties include gathering tools, sorting the right pipes, hauling heavy equipment, following detailed assembly instructions, handling pipes on the job, laying hoses, installing new casing and tearing down equipment after the gig.

9. Derrickhand

National Average Salary: 54 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: A derrickhand performs many important tasks on an oil rig. They secure tubing during well insertion, help drillers maintain well operations, train new drill team members, unload critical drilling items, drive hauling equipment, connect rigs to rigs, lubricate engine parts during operation, and ensure all engines are running properly. Derrickhands can work in more hands-on duties, including pulling pipe over rigs.

10. Motorman

National Average Salary: 55 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: A motorist performs many duties on ocean-facing oil rigs. They help repair and maintain the engine room, clean and paint the rig, solve mechanical problems and repairs with the mechanic, check deck loads, calculate safe cargo weights, order new rig equipment, supervise new personnel, lubricate and refuel, provide general engine maintenance and ensure the platform motor is working properly. The motorist can also prepare operational reports for the motorist on the next shift, detailing information such as operational behavior and potential weather changes.

11. Rig manager

National Average Salary: 62 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Rig managers oversee general oil production operations and manage many factors of rigs. For example, they help assemble rigs, coordinate rig crews, manage day-to-day drilling activities, ensure all operations follow state and federal guidelines, supervise crew members on the job, evaluate rig performance, prepare rigs for dismantling, set work schedules, and keep important safety meetings. Managers can also investigate incidents, conduct daily work meetings, hire new employees and oversee training.

12. Drilling engineer

National Average Salary:65 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: The Driller handles complex drilling operations and administration. For example, they survey well sites, analyze their suitability, oversee the installation of equipment, coordinate activities between contractors, select drilling equipment for events, and manage drilling throughout the process. They can also evaluate drilling designs and suggest improvements. This helps increase operational safety, minimize costs and improve drilling efficiency.

13. Tooling engineer

National Average Salary: 75 lakhs rupees per year. Main Job Responsibilities: Tool Engineers examine drilling equipment and improve its operation. For example, they may review rig plans, discuss potential upgrades, suggest improvements to drill crews, install new equipment, provide technical support during and after installation, maintain tool operations, and provide detailed design documents for drill crews. Tool engineers can work with computer-aided drafting software to design new drilling equipment and even plan new rigs, depending on the scope of their work.

14. Safety engineer

National average salary: 80 lakhs rupees per year. Primary job duties: Safety engineers inspect oil rigs and analyze workplace safety systems. During these inspections, they identify potential devices and guidelines that may improve workplace safety. To do this, they may install better smoke alarms to alert rig staff during a fire. They may also install safer stairs and drilling equipment to keep staff safe. Safety engineers may also train and educate oil rig staff on workplace safety. During this training, they may highlight new safety devices and procedures and help staff better understand how they work.

Consider these tips when applying for oil rig positions:

Improve your physical fitness

Improve your overall physical health while working on an oil rig, as these companies may be looking for candidates who can handle heavy equipment. This equipment includes pump hoses and other kit components that can be large and heavy. You can practice carrying similar objects and perform conditioning exercises to improve your strength.

Perform relevant work

Find jobs related to the positions you could do on the oil rigs. For example, auto mechanic jobs can teach you many skills related to oil pumping equipment maintenance. Likewise, a career in food preparation can make finding an oil rig chef job easier. Improve your career chances by taking trade school courses in oil rig careers, including safety engineering courses.

Be ready to travel

After finding a job on an oil rig, you can move to many places. Some oil companies may prefer candidates who are willing to relocate with minimal notice, including single people without children. Telling a potential employer about your willingness to travel can help demonstrate your ability to succeed in the role.

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How to get a job on an oil rig

If you are interested in getting an oil rig job with little or no experience, consider the following steps:

1. Meet the basic requirements

Oil rig companies usually have basic requirements for their team members, but these may vary depending on your location and employer. Consider checking the guidelines in your area to make sure you meet all the qualifications. Here are some common requirements for working on an oil rig:

• Age: Applicants must generally be over 18 years of age.
• Physical endurance: Oil rig team members may be required to pass a physical exam to demonstrate that they are in good health and able to lift at least 50 pounds.
• Willingness to travel: Most oil rig positions require traveling to the drilling site and potentially living there for weeks or months at a time.
• Willingness to work long shifts: Oil rig professionals often work shifts that can last up to 12 hours at a time.

2. Explore entry-level positions

If you meet the basic requirements, you can start exploring entry-level positions. Consider your previous education, training and skills when researching roles. Also consider your career goals and interests. If you have a high school diploma and no previous professional training, you can apply for floorhand, derrickman, driller or roustabout positions. These positions can hire professionals without experience and provide on-the-job training. If you have specialized vocational training, you can apply for a skilled trades role such as welding. If you haven’t finished high school, you can find a position as an assistant, steward or boatman.

3. Consider a training program

Consider taking an oil and gas training program to help you find a position on the oil rig. Some schools offer professional oilfield courses where you can learn more about the oil industry. If you are interested in a skilled role such as becoming a mechanic, consider doing a vocational program or apprenticeship to help you develop your trade. For example, you can become an electrician first on an apprenticeship before applying for a role as a fitter electrician.

4. Earn a safety certificate

Depending on your career goals, a certificate may be optional, but it can help you land an advanced or competitive position. If you plan to work on an offshore platform, you can complete the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) certificate, which trains offshore drilling safety professionals. Safety certificate guidelines may vary depending on your location, so consider checking your state’s regulations to make sure you’re in compliance. Another common certificate is the International Technical Certificate in Oil and Gas Operational Safety, which trains safety professionals in the oil industry. This can help you launch a career in both offshore and onshore oil rigs.

5. Gather your application materials

Before applying for positions, consider gathering relevant job application materials. This may vary depending on the company you are applying to, but may include a CV, cover letter, personal statement and letters of recommendation. When writing your resume with no previous experience, consider focusing on transferable skills to showcase your work ethic. For example, you may have strong communication, teamwork, or attention-to-detail skills that can help you on the oil rig. Also consider showing other experiences such as your education, part-time roles and volunteer work. You can use them to demonstrate your work ethic and interpersonal skills.

6. Find openings and apply

You can search for vacancies online, at local job fairs and through your professional network. Some oil rig companies hire professionals directly, others use firms or agencies. For example, some agencies hire mechanics who can rotate at different drilling locations. Because oil rig jobs often involve extensive travel, many employers provide accommodation while you work. You may consider exploring roles in different locations. If you are interested in working on an offshore rig, consider applying to onshore oil rigs first. Offshore positions often require more advanced training and safety protocols. You can develop your skills and technical knowledge while working onshore.

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