Sunday, January 18, 2009

Types of Offshore Oil Rig Jobs

Many people find that working on an offshore oil rig is an exciting job. There are many positions needed in the petroleum industry, and not all of them require college degrees. If you are interested in engineering jobs, then you will need a Master's or a Ph.D. in order to be hired. Let's say you are in great physical condition and are looking for an exciting job, then you should look into being hired as a roughneck or roustabout position on offshore oil rigs.

The lowest position is that of a Roustabout. As a Roustabout, you will have some drilling activities on the oil rig, but you will also be assigned the job of unloading supplies. It is a dirty job and hard work, but you will be paid approximately $30,000 a year. Once you have experience as a roustabout you can be promoted to a roughneck. As Roughneck, you will report directly to a Driller and you will be instructed by the Driller to carry out the drilling on the oil rig. There is a lot of co-ordination that must go on between the members of the oil rig team and you have to be in excellent physical condition because drilling is hard work. The pay is approximately $38,000 a year.

The position of Driller is a supervisory one. You will supervise the Roughnecks and Roustabouts to ensure the crew is operating efficiently, but you will also operating the drilling and hoisting equipment and monitoring the gauges on the driller's console. This is an important job because understanding the readings on the gauges will allow you to make the necessary changes needed to manage the oil rig production.

As a supervisor it is your responsibility to ensure that the workers are following company and safety procedures. It is imperative that employees wear the appropriate work clothes for their safety. You must meet regularly with the crew to discuss safety issues and conduct safety drills. You will train new recruits and assign them to a seasoned worker for in-depth training.

A Driller is also responsible for checking all of the equipment to ensure it is in good working order. All equipment checks must be logged and filed for safety audits. You will be testing the crew's understanding of all safety guidelines, policies and procedures. This demanding job requires an eye for detail and excellent communication and organizational skills. Starting pay usually begins at $47,000 a year.

Other benefits you typically receive for working on an oil rig is free medical insurance. Your airfare is paid to get you to your offshore oil rig job. Most oil rig jobs will include providing you with living quarters and meals. By no means should you expect luxury accommodations, but you will find it offers you a clean place to eat and sleep. There isn't a whole lot of privacy on oil rigs. The living quarters are similar to living in dorm rooms. The people who sign on for these types of positions are open to the exciting adventure that awaits them.

Robert McEwan is a lifestyle & entertainment journalist who specialises in writing articles, features, reports and reviews in the United States and Europe.

To find out more information about how to find employment in the offshore oil industry please go to :

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