How to Get a Job On A Land or Offshore Oil Drilling Rig

Part One of The Oilfield Employment Series: Oilfield Jobs

The oil and gas industry is in the middle of the biggest boom in it's history and there are many drilling and service companies actively seeking employees with job postings in local newspapers and online sites. There are also scam artists out there who want to take your money. Here is an article I wrote based on my personal experience of gaining employment in the oilfield.

Here Are Some Tips on How to Get a Job in the Oilfield.
Types of Jobs

The many types of jobs that facilitate the drilling and eventual production of an oil or gas well are multi layered and varied. finding a job in the industry depends on your skills, willingness to travel, etc. If you are wondering about how to find employment in the oil and gas industry here are some tips and advice for newcomers.

If you live in an area where oil and gas exploration is taking place then you already have an advantage in your oilfield job search. Otherwise, if you are considering working in the oil and gas industry you will have to relocate to such an area. Some areas that are booming right now are the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi Gulf coasts, the Permian Basin near Midland, Texas, Casper Wyoming, Oklahoma, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, even the Appalachian basin and parts of New York where the Marcellus shale gas formation has been discovered. There is a lot of work overseas in all parts of the world but if you are looking for an entry level job you will need experience first before looking overseas.

One of the first levels, before the well is even a gleam in a geologist's eye, is seismic exploration. Seismic companies, or "doodlebugers", lay out sensitive recording instruments over miles of land, connected by wires, and set off charges or use large machines that thump the earth to send a seismic wave down into the earth. As the waves travel deep through the earth and pass through layers of rock and are reflected back to the surface to the instruments, a picture of what lies below is drawn.

New advances in 3D seismic, which show greater detail mean that large parts of the country are just being explored with new technology. Companies such as Western Geco (the largest) hire hands to string out the miles of cable, cut paths through heavy brush for the lines. It's hard physical labor and you'll spend most of the day on and off and ATV stringing out heavy cables, connecting them, taping them down when they cross roadways, and setting up the equipment that create the seismic waves. If you have an engineering, electronics or technical school degree you can get a job working with the instruments that record the seismic waves being reflected from underground. If you only have a basic education you will start out by stringing lines and cutting right of way, and possibly work your way up the ladder. Salaries start in the $10 per hour range with lots of overtime.

First Stages of a Well

The information provided by the seismograph company is interpreted by a geophysicist working for the oil company. If there is evidence of oil and gas in sufficient quantity the oil company will pay the land owner (or government if public lands) for the rights to drill and produce the oil.
A "land man" or oil company agent, will go and meet with the rancher or farmer and offer them a deal that specifies what percentage of royalty they will receive from the oil and gas found on their land. A landowner may get as much as 1 barrel out of 8 that is produced or 1/8 of the natural gas revenue. The job of land man is complex and usually requires a college degree in real estate and courses in oil and gas leasing.

Roughnecks

The most important work done on the drilling rig is done by hard working men with strong backs know as roughnecks. The are responsible for making the connections of drill pipe as it is drilled down and more needs to be added, tripping (raising or lowering) the drill pipe all the way in or out of the hole when a bit needs to be changed, etc. Tripping takes hours or even days and is nonstop hard physical labor. Roughnecks may do anything from painting to ditch digging on some rigs where there are no "roustabouts" or unskilled laborers to do these jobs.

Roughnecks set up the drilling rig at the start of the well, move the heavy equipment and rig it down at the end of the well. They typically work 12 hour shifts or "tours" which are pronounced "towers". Although it is manual labor is is highly skilled labor and it can take months for a person to work his way up from "worm" or inexperienced employee to "hand". If you have no prior oilfield experience it is easier to get hired as a roustabout doing odd jobs and try and work your way up the ladder.

A roughneck may also perform the job of motorman, keeping the engines and equipment on a smaller rig running while working on the rig floor as well, or on a larger rig they will have a separate position of motorman whose main job is to take care of all equipment. The rig may also have a full time rig electrician who is a licensed electrician. The rig boss is known as a toolpusher. The types of roughneck jobs are, from lowest to highest, derrickman, floor hand, and driller. The derrickman works up high in the derrick, racking the stands of pipe back against the side of the derrick as it is raised out of the hole or helping lower it down into the hole. The floor hands make the connections of pipe using the tongs. It can be dangerous work and requires weeks or months of training to learn. The driller operates the rig controls and is the supervisor of the roughneck or drilling crew, his boss is the toolpusher. The driller has usually worked his way up from the lowest position. The toolpusher may have once been a driller who worked his way up as well.

Service Companies, There Are Many Kinds.

Once a deal has been made the oil company hires an oilfield services company to blade roadways to the site where the rig is to drill, lay down a "pad" or gravel surface a couple hundred yards across where the rig is to set up. They will often contract the services of a "gate guard" company, which hires people to check in vehicles coming into the ranch or farm. Gate guard companies often hire retired couples with their own RV's and pay around $200 a day.
Lease service companies hire people to run dozers, drive gravel trucks, operate backhoes, etc.
Before the rig sets up a company will come and drill a large hole and cement in surface casing for the rig to set up over.
The rig may hire a trucking company to help transport the rig, tanks and other equipment and set it up.

Once the rig has been moved onto the location and set up the rig (which usually has been hired by the oil company) will have to hire a water and septic company to deliver tanks of potable water and portable sewer systems. These companies may also rent mobile homes for the company men and other workers to live in, satellite internet and tv systems, intercoms and more. The workers who do these oilfield jobs do not live or stay on the rig and are among the lowest paid oilfield workers but on the other hand only a few skills are needed, (CDL or commercial drivers license is a must) as well as a clean drug test.

The rig will also hire a vacuum truck company to deliver loads of water used in the drilling process, companies to dispose of the drill bit cuttings, companies to provide and deliver drilling mud, mud engineers to formulate and monitor the mud, mud loggers to set up equipment to analyze the rock cutting for productive zones and more.

Companies such as Newpark Drilling Fluids hire mud engineers who formulate the drilling fluid used to drill the well. Usually prior oilfield experience is a must, as is math and science skills and having attended a "mud school". Applicants with enough education or prior oilfield experience may be sent to "mud school" after they are hired as a trainee. The training phase may last six months or more before the mud engineer can work unsupervised.

Mud loggers, whose job it is to monitor the rock cuttings and gas and oil that come up hole from the drill bit may be hired by small "mom and pop" companies with only basic computer skills and trained over the course of a few months to do the job. They may start out as a "sample catcher" working for the lead logger to collect and clean samples of drill bit cuttings for him to analyze. Larger mud logging companies will only hire college graduates with geology degrees.

Automation

The rig , which itself has often been hired by the oil company drilling the well, will often hire a company that provides rig monitoring equipment, such as Pason Systems, to come and hook up equipment that monitors all aspects of the rig's performance, weight on bit, drill rate, etc, and displays this information on screens in the oil company offices around the world so they can track the well's progress.

These companies that provide these automation services hire persons with electronics skills to wire up the sensors and systems and hook the to a satellite uplink. Salaries start at around $10 per hour and up with lots of overtime. Technicians are often on call at all hours of the day and night.
The oil company will also hire a wireline company such as Scientific Drilling Controls to come and run a "gyro" down the hole at certain points to keep it drilling straight, or orient devices called whipstocks that are used to "kick off" the well in a certain compass heading if it is a directional well.
These employees are often hired with only some college or prior technical and oilfield experience.

Other companies provide safety services. Indian Fire and Safety in the Permian Basin provides H2S or hydrogen sulfide detectors that are placed around the rig location to warn of poison gas as well as providing SCBA air breathing packs and fire extinguishers. Employees need a background in electrical wiring and a number of safety courses.

Companies like Stallion rent mobile homes, satellite dishes and communication equipment. Other companies provide septic and trash hauling services. These service employees are at the lower end of the oilfield pay scale.

Companies like Light Tower Rentals provide generators that they hook up to the mobile homes on location. An employee would be on call at all times and be responsible for repairing and keeping vital generators running and for delivering them to far flung rigs around the country, changing the oil and air filters, etc.

Companies like "Rain for Rent" rent large water storage tanks and spools of water pipe and pumps. A rig may require a large amount of water for drilling fluid, etc and companies like these lay miles of pipe to a nearby reservoir or river and pipe it across country to the oil rig. These companies hire manual laborers and also mechanics and mechanically inclined people to keep the pumping equipment running. A commercial drivers license is a must.

The oil company will also hire "casing crews" that come out at certain points in the well's progress and set heavy pipe or "liners" as the hole is drilled deeper to protect the walls of the drilled hole. For persons with a strong back and muscles, a casing company is a good entry level job to get a foot into the door. Workers typically start out in the $10 dollar per hour range and there is lots of overtime but the work is hard.
As the well is drilled through layers of rock suspected of holding oil and gas, the oil company will hire a logging truck to come out and run and instrument down the hole which checks the rock layers for conductivity, resistivity, gamma rays, etc. Geologists use this information to tell if the layers hold oil or gas or it is a dry hole. Logging companies such as Schlumberger (pronounced slum-ber-jay) hire mostly college graduates with petroleum or geology related degrees but there are occasional exceptions depending on the persons work history and resume.
This is a brief description of service company jobs and is by all means not all inclusive of the jobs that are out there. My apologies for anyone I might have left out.

Getting Started in Your Search

Try the local papers from areas where there is oil and gas drilling and production activity. Often you can find the classified section available online by doing a search like "Tulsa newspaper classifieds". Write down the numbers of all the oilfield related companies including service companies, oilfield rental companies, site preparation and lease service companies, etc. Before calling, find out what the company does. Do an internet search of it's name and learn what kind of employees they hire and if you may qualify for an entry level job. Then start calling and ask the secretary if they are hiring. Be sure and get her name since the secretary is often your best ally in getting a foot in the door. Ask her if there is anyone that you may talk to about a position and tell her how interested you are in working for them and get the address to send your resume to as well as the name of the main boss to put on a cover letter describing why you would be the perfect employee for them. On your resume be sure and highlight any mechanical and blue collar labor experience you have. Military service is a big plus with many companies.

How to Get a Job as a Mud Engineer In the Oil and Gas Drilling Industry

The oil and gas industry is booming and there are job openings for mud engineers who are responsible for formulating and monitoring drilling fluid. If you are detail oriented, have a knack for math and science and don't mind working away from home for long periods this may be the job for you.

Have you ever seen a picture of an oil or gas rig that has experienced a "blowout", where the rig drilled into a pressurized zone and this oil and gas rushed to the surface burning down the rig? Its a dramatic picture when it happens but luckily it happens less often these days due the advances in drilling fluid technology and the mud engineers ability to formulate a drilling fluid that keeps the well balanced as well as drilling properly. Mud engineer or Mud Men are highly paid professionals and right now the oil and gas industry needs more of them. Here is a brief explanation of this job and other related oilfield jobs.

What It's All About:

The mud engineer's job on the oil drilling rig is complex and never ending as the drill bit bores down through layers of rock in the earth in search of petroleum. Drilling fluid is typically a mixture of the minerals barite and bentonite with other components added in. Barite gives the fluid weight and bentonite clay helps build up a "wall cake" that seals the earth as the oil rig's drill bit has bored through it.

Different weights of mud are needed as the hole in the earth becomes deeper and higher pressures are encountered. The mud engineer will work closely with the geologist, company man, mud logger and driller to determine how heavy (how much barite to add) to make the mud to prevent a blowout. If the mud is out of balance, or too heavy, it will push out into the porous rock formations it encounters and cause a "lost circulation" situation to happen where the mud is no longer making the round trip up to the surface. It the mud is oil based (diesel) thousands of dollars worth of fluid can be lost if this happens.

It is this balancing act, keeping the mud heavy enough but not too heavy, that is a 24-7 job. As layers of earth where oil and gas have previously been extracted are encountered the mud engineer may have to add LCM or lost circulation material to seal up the well bore. This may include chopped up paper or wood fibers, etc. Large companies such as Baroid (Halliburton) and smaller ones such as Newpark Drilling Fluids hire mud engineers to work on offshore and onshore drilling rigs.
The "mud man" or mud engineer may reside in a mobile home or travel trailer at the oil drilling rig's location on land or work out of a portable skid unit (lab) that is transported to an offshore oil rig. His trailer or mobile lab will include shelves for his instruments and a sink to wash test tubes, etc in.

In some cases where the drilling situation does not require as much constant attention to the mud the engineer may work as a "drive By" using portable instruments set up on his pickup tailgate or car trunk as in the photo above.
The mud engineer will get a sample of the mud from the mud tank or "pit" closest to the line returning from the well bore and check it for weight using a portable scale and for it's "funnel viscosity" using a Marsh Funnel. He will use different instruments such as filter paper and a pressurized vessel to strain out liquid and check for salinity and others that will tell him how much wall cake, or coating on the inside of the drilled well bore, is being laid down and yield point, which indicates how much solids the mud can carry up and out of the drilled hole to the surface, and for dissolved solids.

How fast the well is changing due to the different rock formations being drilled and what kind of gas or oil is expected at certain depths will determine how often he has to check the fluid.
His duties may also include checking on the mud shakers and screens (equipment that separates the cuttings from the mud), ordering more sacks of drilling mud components and producing daily mud reports to deliver to the company man and oil company offices.

The engineer will also be responsible, along with help from the rig crew, for checking the level of the mud pits. If a pocket of pressurized gas has been drilled into a "kick" can occur. This can precede a blowout if someone does not notice the level of the mud increasing rapidly in the pits as a gas bubble is displacing fluid and forcing its way to the surface.

The engineer is also responsible for pumping cement or fibers down the well bore as needed to seal off certain formations if a lost circulation situation is occurring. Operations such as these require complex mathematical formulas to determine how many revolutions of the pumps on the surface are needed to "spot" the fluid in the correct place down in the wellbore. A bad calculation can cost the oil company thousands if cement is left to harden inside drill pipe or if costly fluid is pumped to the wrong spot.

If the mud engineer in staying on the oil drilling rig 24-7 then his job hours are the same, napping when he can until the well is done.

Work hours are long, conditions are dirty and at times verystressful and it can be days or weeks before he is home again. Some larger companies rotate engineers after so many days but smaller companies may leave one mud engineer alone at the rig to do the job until the drilling is done.

Taking The Good With The Bad:

Working as a mud engineer can be a rewarding job financially but it has its downsides. If long hours, time away from home and stressful situations are something you can handle in exchange for $100,000 or more a year, then the first step, if you have no prior oilfield experience, is to attend a community college (in an area where there is a lot of oil production) and take courses in oil and gas technology. Another alternative to college would be to first obtain a position working on the rig, as a roughneck or as a mud logger with a small "mom and pop" company to learn the industry and try and make contacts that can recommend you to a mud company to be hired and trained. The oilfield still relies on the "good old boy" network, and it is often who you know so try to make as many friends as possible.

If you don't have a degree in geology it is typically easier to first get on as a mud logger with a very small company (a mudlogger is one who monitors the rock cuttings and gas that are pumped to the surface in the drilling fluid ) than it is to get on as a mud engineer with no experience. See my article on mudlogging. Most large companies such as Sperry Sun, a division of Halliburton require college degrees in geology. This is not to say that the job of mudlogger is an entry level job since many companies only hire petroleum geologists but there are lots of small companies working on land rigs where the drilling is not as technical as it is offshore, that will hire qualified non college graduates and train them.

Although mudlogging as a profession is not considered a high status position on a well site due to the fact that they are not involved in the activities on the rig floor, a good mud logger can save the day if he is well trained by predicting a "kick" or gas bubble that is heading upwards in the drill pipe because the mud weight is not heavy enough. A "kick" can be the prelude to a blowout and many have been prevented by a good mudlogger.

You may want to try working as a roughneck and save some money up and on your own enroll in a school such as Oklahoma Mud School or pay out of pocket for a three month Halliburton Mud School course in Houston at your own expense. It will cost several thousand but you stand a chance of getting a job making many times that. Preferably though the best option would be to get hired by a mud company and then sent, at their expense to mud school.
Once the engineer has worked for a year or more in the industry, usually starting out on the most basic types of onshore oil and gas wells, he has the ability to move up with the company and possibly work offshore and overseas where pay is significantly higher. Companies that hire mud engineers include Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Newpark, Strata and more.

Offshore Oil Rig Jobs: 3 Tips To Get Hired Fast For Rig Work

Offshore oil rig jobs are hot right now, due in part to oil prices shooting up from $80 per barrel to $100 to $130 and above. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is applying for offshore oil rig jobs and competing with you for a job on an oil rig. To beat them out, you need to do everything they do and more. Here are just 3 tips for you to do, above and beyond what everyone else commonly does.

1) Look for vacancies where most of your rivals fail to see. This is what most job seekers do: They look at the web-sites of the major oil companies, search on the online job boards like Monster and they look at national and local newspaper advertisements. However, a slowly growing number of job seekers are also looking for jobs through the internet. They are patiently searching Google, Yahoo and MSN - using phrases like "oil rig jobs" and "oil drilling companies". These canny job hunters are looking for job openings which have not been publicly advertised yet. Jobs which have just become available but are still slowly making their labyrinthine way through the depths of Human Resources. However, the internet is not the only place you can find oil company information. Why not look at the stock market? The Wilshire index lists the 5000 largest US companies. Some of them are certainly oil companies.
2) Do some detective work - find another way past HR. Do not immediately and blindly send out your job application. Do what the best salesmen and stock brokers do to scout out their best deals: Find the address of the oil company and stake it out. Where do their employees eat? Make friends with them. Find out how things really are in the company. Who are the decision makers? What are they like? You do not need to stalk the boss of the company, but maybe you can make some useful contacts who would be willing to recommend you, letting you bypass some of the bureaucratic bullshit. They do you a favour, you do them a favour. After all, it is common practice for many companies in hot sectors give their employees headhunting bonuses for finding new employees.

3) Get all your paperwork done ahead of time. Offshore oil rigs are covered under maritime law. Make sure you have some basic understanding of how this affects you. Additionally, there are often a number of certifications required before you are allowed to work. Depending on where the rig is, you may need some specialized first aid certifications (for example, Canada has state-specific first aid licenses you need to pass). Some jobs also need you to have an Offshore Survival Certificate and probably a Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) Certificate along with it. And do not forget your vaccinations. Some sites make this a requirement. Basically, find out if you need to meet all these extra requirements. Try to achieve them before you send off your job application. Or at the very least, get started on any required courses, and clearly mention that in your job application (as well as both your cover letter and resume).

Getting hired for offshore oil rig jobs is all about speed. How quickly can you short-circuit the usual job hunting and recruitment process? That is how quickly you will get yourself on board an oil rig.

Offshore Oil Rig Jobs Can be Tough, But Very Rewarding

Working on an offshore oil rig is a tough job, but employees may find themselves living in accommodation wings that meet 4 or 5 star hotel standards - despite the fact that you a living in the middle of the ocean.

While many of the offshore oil rig jobs are physical in nature, many of the rig companies go out of their way to make sure your time spent onboard is an enjoyable one. For instance employees may find themselves living in accommodation wings that meet 4 or 5 star hotel standards - despite the fact that you a living in the middle of the ocean. While you are on board the company will usually meet all food, board and laundry expenses, along with travel and transfer costs.

There are a large number of offshore oil rig jobs that are available. The range of employment opportunities include:

Driller, Derrickman, Shakerhand or Mudman, Toolpusher, Floormen or Roughnecks, Motorman, Assistant Driller, Crane Operator, Roustabouts, Cleaner/Painter, Storekeeper, Mechanic/Electrician, Sub Sea Engineer, Rig Mechanic, Rig Electrician, Rig Welder, Barge Engineer, Ballast Controlman or Watchstander, Captain and Chief Engineer, Rig Medic and Safety Man.

Most offshore oil rig jobs call for a 14/21 day rotation that means you work for 14 days and have 21 off. This equates to you having approximately 3/5 of the year off on holiday.

In the offshore oil rig industry, there are opportunities for drilling employment and travel to countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the United States, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Norway, China, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Typically salaries for roustabouts and roughnecks (drill deck workers) are approximately US $300 per day. Annual salaries work out to be approximately US $47,000.

More specialized jobs such as that of Driller is likely to make around $56,000 per annum, which Toolpushers, Drill Leaders and Supervisors are likely to earn around the US $75,000 - $100,000 mark per year.

Entry level positions typically make between US $50,000 - US $80,000 per annum. Trades, technical and professional positions will likely earn between US $70,000 - US $220,000 per annum. The website at http://www.oil-rig-job.com features more information on getting jobs in this industry.

Life Offshore:

• You will be issued with safety boots hard hat safety glasses and coveralls.
• Keep a good attitude and be focused on why you wanted to work offshore.
• There are smoking rooms at various places on a rig where safety matches will be supplied.
• For meals you take off your work gear and eat in the galley.
• You may have to work a night shift or two as an oil rig is a 24 hour operation.
• Don't upset the radio operator, medic or chef. Helicopters, medical attention and food are most important.

Aboard an oil rig every piece of lifting equipment has a color code on it - this is an indication that it was tested as safe to use on the last lifting equipment check. Only items with the current color code on them should be used.

When working in the petroleum industry, don't bring alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons (of any description) including knives, flammable items, lighters and matches (safety matches will be provided in the smokers room) when working on energy jobs.

If working aboard an offshore rig, remove batteries from electrical equipment before checking in you luggage. If you are to be transported by helicopter your mobile phone may be taken from you before you board the helicopter.

A number of people working aboard oil rigs work are in support roles such as catering crew and doctors, etc. The following is an outline of what may be expected for doctors or medics. Because of the physical size of rigs, many of these types of roles are sole charged and one must be able to make do with the facilities and resources at end. In the case of doctors or medics based aboard oil rigs, it may be necessary to treat patients suffering from a huge variety of ailments and illnesses. Issues can arise as a lot of the workers aboard oil rig installations may speak foreign languages, so it is critical for the medical personnel to be able to quickly and effectively diagnose the problem. Generally medical staff will work one of two shifts, either day or night. Their role can often also include checking and maintianing stocks of emergency supplies, testing and verifying drinking water supplies are clean, as well as inspecting both raw and cooked foods from the kitchen. They are also often responsible for conducting weekly first aid seminars for all workers aboard the oil rig.

Oilfield Terms and Oil Field Slang

The origin of some oilfield terms is unclear but this colorful industry has it's own colorful language that can be confusing to an outsider.

Here are a few of them from the drilling and production side of the industry. This is by no means an all inclusive list of oil well drilling terms, just some of the most colorful.

Terms Commonly Used In Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Production

Bell Nipple. An enlarged pipe at the top of a casing string that serves as a funnel to guide drilling tools into the top of a well.

Blowout. An uncontrolled release of underground pressure which can cost loss of life and property. A "wild well" is a blowout that is ablaze and has not been extinguished.

Cat Line. A smaller cable used with other equipment to move tools and drillstring components and to provide tension on the tongs or tightening or loosening connections.

Catwalk. Platform below the vee door and slide that are used to stage pipe and tools to be lifted to the rig floor.

Doodlebugger. A seismic company employee conducting seismic surveys in the field.

Doghouse. Enclosure, usually on the rig floor where the crew can shelter from the weather.

Elevator. A hinged mechanism that may be closed around the drill pipe or other drillstring components to facilitate lowering them into the wellbore or lifting them out of the wellbore.

Frac Job. Operation that involves large pumps that force water or other fluids down the casing and out into the formation, fracturing it, so oil or gas can be released.

Fish. Any object that has been dropped or lost down the hole.

Flare. Device located away from the drilling rig used to burn off gas that has been encountered and is flowing up the well bore, also the act of burning this gas.

Fishing. The act of using specialized tools lowered downhole on the drillstring to retrieve a fish.

Gas Buster. A separator vessel used to remove free or entrained gas from fluids circulated in the wellbore, such as drilling mud used during drilling operations.

Hand. A rig worker or service hand that has passed the "worm" stage and can work unsupervised.

Intelligent Well. An oil or gas well equipped with monitoring equipment and completion components that can be adjusted to optimize production, either automatically or with some human intervention.

Jackup Rig. A self-contained combination drilling rig and floating barge, fitted with long support legs that can be raised or lowered independently of each other.

Joint. A length of drill pipe.

Kick. An intrusion of pressurized gas into the wellbore that causes drilling fluid to be displaced. Can be the prelude to a blowout.

Kill. To stop a well from flowing or having the ability to flow into the wellbore. Kill procedures typically involve circulating fluids out of the wellbore or pumping heavier mud into the wellbore, or both.

Knowledge Box. Metal box in the doghouse containing the drilling report, pipe tally and other important papers.

Liner. A casing string that does not extend to the top of the wellbore, but is anchored or suspended from inside the bottom of the previous casing string.

Monkeyboard. A Platform about midway up the derrick where the derrick man works and racks pipe.

Mud. Drilling Fluid

Mud Man. A drilling fluids technician responsible for formulating drilling mud or fluid.

Mud Logger. A service hand working for a Mud Logging company, often a geologist, that checks the cuttings from the drill bit for type of rock and traces of oil or gas and checks for concentrations of hydrocarbons in the drilling mud and notes these on a log, which is like a foot by foot road map of the drilled well.

Nipple Up. To put together, connect parts and plumbing, or otherwise make ready for use. This term is usually reserved for the installation of a BOP or blowout preventer stack.

Overshot. A downhole tool used in fishing operations to engage the outside surface of a pipe or tool. A grapple or similar mechanism, on the overshot grips the fish, allowing application of tensile force and jarring action. If the fish cannot be removed, a release system within the overshot allows the overshot to be disengaged and retrieved.

Pig. A device with blades or brushes inserted into a pipeline or cleaning purposes. The pressure f the oil or gas behind pushes the pig along to clean out rust, wax, scale and debris.

Packer. A device used to seal off a certain part of the casing or well bore in order to pump cement, etc into a certain zone.

Pill. Often a concoction of fibers and special chemicals and polymers that is pumped downhole to stop drilling fluid from leaking into the formation being drilled.

Possum Belly. Mud tank or pit closest to the return line where drilling fluid is returned from downhole.

Pusher. See Tool Pusher

POOH. Abbreviation for "pull out of hole" or to trip out.

Roustabout. Any unskilled manual laborer on the rigsite. A roustabout may be part of the drilling contractor's employee workforce, or may be on location temporarily for special operations. Roustabouts are commonly hired to ensure that rig crew can continue to work on task of drilling the well instead of hauling objects or digging trenches.

Short Trip. An abbreviated retrieval of pipe out of, and then the replacement of same back into the wellbore. May involve pulling ten or more stands but not all of the pipe that extends to the bottom of the hole.

Show. The presence of oil or gas at a certain depth as indicated by gas or fluid coming up with the mud. Can indicate the well is productive.

Trip. Pulling all the drill pipe out of the hole or running pipe into the hole. Done when bits are changed, mud motors, etc are changed, casing liners are added, or when the well is done or needs to be logged with a wireline unit.

Underbalanced. Situation where the drilling "mud" or fluid is not sufficient to hold back underground pressures that may be encountered.

Vee Door. The upside down V-shaped opening in one side of the derrick that enables long pipes and tools to be lifted up onto the rig floor This opening is aligned with the slide and catwalk of the rig.

Weight Up. To add weight, typically by adding barite to the drilling mud.

Worm. An inexperienced oilfield worker that is not yet a "hand". Worm's may be required to wear orange hard hats or stickers that say "new on job".

Zip Collars. Drill collars (usually straight drill collars) that have been machined with a reduced diameter at the box (up) end so that they may be more easily handled with open-and-close elevators.

How to Know What To Take, Offshore Oil Rig Jobs

For your offshore oil rig job that you have just been hired for you will need to have all of the safety equipment that you will be wearing offshore. Your employer may give you a voucher to buy steel toe boots paid for by them. They will usually provide you with a hard hat, gloves and safety glasses and ear plugs.

Step 1
In some cases you may get a heavy offshore duffel bag for your gear, in other cases you will have to buy one. Choose a duffel bag that is approximately three feet long by two feet high. Any longer and it may not fit on the storage space of the crew boat or helicopter. It should be made of heavy rubberized vinyl to prevent contents from getting wet. Weather on offshore oil rigs can be highly variable so bring cold and hot weather gear, heavy socks, etc.

Step 2
If you are taking prescription medications you will want to bring them in their original bottles. All medicines must be within their expiration dates with your name on it. Otherwise it will be destroyed or you may be fired for bringing illegal drugs aboard. If you are going to be gone for more than the length of your prescription supply you will need to tell your doctor before you leave and request a larger supply so that you do not run out while on the offshore rig. This is especially important for life saving medicines such as for asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes. Offshore drilling rigs may be located days from land and getting replacement medicine may be impossible.

Step3
You will want to take along some things to entertain yourself during your off time on an an offshore drilling rig. This may include a deck of cards, an MP3 player, video game, DVD's to share with your co workers, magazines and books.
If you are a smoker there is no place to buy cigarettes on an offshore rig so bring a two weeks supply.
In some cases cell phones will work offshore although you may pay a high rate. Bring all the chargers you may need for personal electronics and shavers. If you use disposable razors bring a two week supply plus other toiletries.
Bring some spare cash for things you may need to buy from coworkers or poker night and a debit or prepaid Visa or Mastercard in case you need to use the offshore rig's pay phone.

Jobs On Offshore Oil Rigs

To be successful in seeking offshore employment, you must be willing to do what average and ordinary people are not willing to do. First of all, there’s likely to be travel involved with your job. Ron Edwards, for example, has been at it since 1972 and has worked alongside Americans, Spaniards, Brazilians, Norwegians, Dutchmen, Mexicans, Englishmen, Philippines and Australians. He says he’s seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, but he’s made a lot of friends, as well as a few acquaintances that were not quite so friendly. His only regret is he didn’t get started sooner. Do not be misled by any rumors you might hear about the kind of people who work offshore.

The oil field is composed of people like yourself, people who are looking for the same things in life you are: job security, an interesting career, an opportunity to better themselves.

They come from all walks of life: farmers, lawyers, preachers, musicians, bankers, businessmen, laborers, college graduates, high school dropouts, medical personnel, retired military personnel, male and female alike. You will find one of every kind in the oil field.

Also, do not be discouraged by any stories you might have heard about how hard working offshore is, or that they will work you to death. To be sure, the work is hard, but if you are in good physical shape and are willing to work, you shouldn't have any trouble adjusting to the increased work load.

Finally, remember offshore work is not for everyone. It requires that you be away from home, sometimes for weeks at a time. More often than not, the drilling vessel you are on will not even be in sight of land. It involves long and hard hours, working in all kinds of weather and conditions as well as in some dangerous situations. Being 100 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico in the middle of a hurricane is a frightening experience for sure!

On the plus side it is very rewarding and exciting. The food is good, the quarters are clean and well kept, and the benefits and opportunities for advancement are excellent. It is not uncommon for a person starting at the bottom with no previous oil field experience to be making $40,000 to $60,000 a year, and that is for working only six months out of the year!

Entry-level positions start at $700 to $1,000 per week. Dishwashers and BR hands (who wash dishes, sweep and mop floors, put up inventory and do general house-cleaning in the living quarters) earn $700 per week.

Roustabouts (general laborers) earn $900 to $1100 per week. Other entry level positions are deckhands, oilers, welder helpers, cleaner painters and so on; and there are currently plenty of openings.

Here’s some helpful information you might like to know to help you decide if working offshore is for you.

Health Requirements

The first and foremost requirement for working offshore is that you be in sound physical condition. You will be required to pass a thorough physical examination, including a spinal X- ray, before you can be employed. Answer all questions truthfully. You will also be given a drug screening.

Age

In most cases, you must be at least 18 to work offshore for a drilling contractor. You need only be 16 to sit for Coast Guard endorsements. The average age for offshore workers is 27.

Experience

The better your experience in your particular field or profession, the closer prospective employers will look you at. If you do not currently have any skill or experience that relates to the offshore industry, it does not mean you will not be hired.

There are many entry level positions available which require no previous offshore experience, these can be quickly learned. The most important thing is honesty. Do not misrepresent yourself, your experience, or your skills. For example, do not claim to be a pipe welder if you've only had experience on plate. Or, do not claim to be a diesel mechanic if the only experience you have is doing minor tune-ups in a garage.

Education

The majority of entry level rig jobs do not require a formal education as the employer is more interested in your ability to do your job well and learn quickly than in how many years you went to school. Some jobs, such as a ballast controlman, mud engineer, etc., require at least a high school education. Other positions, as they get more complex, will naturally require higher levels of education.

Dependability

One of the foremost concerns of offshore employers is dependability. Regardless of how good a hand is, he isn't much good if he isn't there! One of the quickest ways to lose your job is not to show up for crew change. When you hire on with a company, you become part of a team, and it is difficult to operate when any member of the team is not present.

Interest/Ambition

Your interest and ambition will play a very important part in your getting and keeping a job, whether it be offshore or anywhere else.

Offshore work is an immensely interesting field, and interest in learning your job and others, as well, sparks ambition. Once you get in and get some basic experience you can move into many different areas involved in all phases of the industry.

Benefits

Benefits of companies involved in the oil and gas industry range from virtually nonexistent to excellent. The better companies will provide major medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, 401 K, programs, and profit sharing.

Advancement and Training

Advancement offshore will depend primarily on the company you work for and your particular abilities. All companies want you to advance. They want you to become better trained so you can take a more responsible position. Some companies have excellent training programs to help you move up the ladder with trainee slots for most positions. Other companies have only marginally efficient training programs, or none whatsoever.

More and more offshore positions now require certification by a Coast Guard approved certification agency. In order to get these certifications, you will have to go to a specialty school.

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The length of time it takes to complete one of these schools ranges anywhere from a few days to several weeks. If you attend any of these schools in your off-time, you will usually be paid your normal wages (eight hours a day if you are an hourly employee). Salaried people normally don't receive compensation for special schools as their attendance is part of their job requirement. Room and board are provided for both salaried and hourly workers, and compensation is often given for mileage traveled.

Outside schools include Able Seaman, Life Boatman, Master, Offshore Drilling Units, Marine Firefighting, EMD Maintenance and Operation (representing the Electric Motor Division of General Motors), BOP schools, and the list goes on and on. The more schools you complete, the more credentials you have when you shop for another job. What this means is the company you're working for is financing your future. Thank them!

Available Positions

There are many good positions available in offshore drilling. The list very long, and many positions are available at entry level as well as for professionals seeking a new career orientation. Because the list is long, we suggest you go directly to Ron Edwards’ book located at his website and check out each position personally.

Oil Rig Jobs

Are you in great physical condition, looking for an adventure, and for a job where earnings potential is high? There are more than a few people in the world seeking a job that combines all of those elements. But interestingly, the number of people seeking oil production jobs -- particularly on onshore and offshore oil rigs -- is not enough to fill demand.

The majority of entry-level jobs in the petroleum industry are in the ‘oil production’ sector. Generally, oil production is the process of drilling and extracting oil from underground (or underwater) reservoirs. The world’s oil production takes place both onshore and offshore. There's a good chance you've noticed oil rigs off the coast of California or in the Gulf of Mexico — or elsewhere in the world.

In U.S. controlled waters, thousands of oil platforms are either floating or attached to the ocean floor off the shores of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Many of these platforms are huge structures that house multiple drilling rigs and also house workers. Though some of the platforms can be moved, they are, for the most part, like self-sustaining steel islands, complete with helicopters pads. Once drilled, oil and gas are transported from the platforms through sub-sea pipelines to refineries located in the gulf states, especially in Texas and Louisiana.

The oil production portion of OilJobFinder includes a lengthy Question and Answer section. It provides excellent background information for those possessing little or no prior knowledge of offshore oil exploration and production (E&P), including types of jobs that require no college education, the industry’s search for younger people to replace its aging work force, and more. Do you know the answers to the following questions?

• How do companies know where to look for oil and gas?
• How does the exploratory drilling process work?
• Once oil and/or gas are found, how are they produced?
• How does drilling equipment work?
• What kinds of jobs exist on rigs exist for people without college degrees?
• What are working conditions like on an onshore rig?
• What are working conditions like on an offshore rig?
• How good are opportunities for younger, inexperienced workers?
• What’s the best way to get started searching for an E&P position?
• What is being done to protect the safety of rigs and rig workers?
• What is being done to protect the environment from oil spills from offshore rigs and other pollution associated with oil and gas production?

We provide detailed answers to all of those questions and carefully detail the types of jobs found on most oil rigs: roustabouts, roughnecks, motorhands, derrickhands, rotary drill operators, and rig managers.

Offshore Oil Jobs: Do You Have What It Takes?

Offshore oil jobs are going to be hot for the coming decade. Why? With oil prices passing $100 and expected to hit $200 due to a variety of uncertainties in the supply, companies are eagerly coughing up the multi-million and billion dollars needed to build the oil rigs and pipelines needed to get more oil. Those oil rigs are not going to run themselves. They need to hire people to run those oil rigs. Which means plenty of jobs all around... If you have what it takes.

There is a reason why offshore oil jobs pay so well. The terms danger pay and hardship pay comes to mind. It doesn't mean you need to have the stamina to run a marathon, because oil rigs do have admin staff, but the isolation can easily get to you. You'll be out in the middle of the ocean for anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks, seeing the same faces over and over, day and night. There is no escape to the mall, there is no escape to the bar for a drink, there is no such thing as getting away for the evening. If you've ever worked in cubicle land, imagine doing this for 14 to 42 days straight, without a weekend.

It can get creepy out there in the middle of nowhere. Who knows when you may need to stand watch with no one else nearby? Have you ever seen those horror movies? There are two times when you tend to feel most scared and alone - when you are in the middle of a storm, and when the sea is dead calm without even a breeze in the air or a ripple in the ocean. It is easy to say you don't scare easy now, but wait until you are standing watch alone on the rig, and the night is so quiet you could hear a pin drop and the sea is dead calm.

So you think that you'll be hired to work on a spanking new oil rig and nothing can go wrong? You obviously have never done any work for a dot com. In boom times, everyone cuts corners. Murphy's Law is your constant shadow. Your brand new oil rig is probably using some new technologies. There's no telling what will go wrong. As opposed to an older oil rig, where the things that will go wrong are mostly known. What am I getting at? Old rig or new rig, things can go wrong. And some of those problems can be pretty hair-raising.

You ain't no wimp. You can handle anything? Maybe. Let's try this: have you ever flown on an airliner caught in a storm, and heard the wings creaking away? Or caught in the toilet in a high-rise apartment in the middle of an earthquake? Being stuck in the middle of a storm on an oil rig can be much worse.

Basically, to survive offshore oil jobs, you need plenty of guts and you need to be mentally tough. You also need to be strongly motivated, otherwise it is too easy to hide under your blanket in the morning and say you don't want to get up. To do well, you also need to learn fast, and work hard. These are the qualities you will need to work and prosper in the offshore oil industry.

Preparing For Your Offshore Oil Jobs Interview

What Happens On Oil Rigs? Offshore Oil Jobs Interview Preparation

So, you want to get hired for jobs on oil rigs? Then you had better find out what happens on an oil rig, hadn't you? First off, you could say that an oil rig's life can be divided into 4 different phases:

• Drilling - a hole (5 inches to 36 inches) is drilled into the earth. During this process, drilling fluid (also known as mud) is pumped in to help cool down the drill bit and remove the rock cuttings. After this, steel tubes are inserted into the hole to provide structural integrity. These pipes are 30 feet long, and also help to isolate potentially dangerous high pressure zones from each other and from the surface.


• Completion - this is just a fancy name for getting the oil rig ready to pump oil. The deepest sections of steel tubes are perforated so that oil can flow from the reservoir. An additional set of tubes is added to provide redundancy, allowing oil to flow from the reservoir to the surface for collection. In older oil fields, there may not be enough pressure underground to pipe the oil to the surface. In this case, additional pumps are installed. Using these pumps is called "secondary recovery".


• Production - this is what you have been waiting for. The well is connected by the pipeline to the refinery, and the oil is finally allowed to flow. Sometimes, additional systems called "tertiary recovery" are installed to get more oil out of the ground. Maintenance is also performed on the oil well, including replacing the steel tubes and pumps where necessary.


• Abandonment - the rig no longer produces enough oil to make a profit. Cement is pumped into the hole, and then capped and buried.

When you are new and inexperienced, you will probably only be involved in the production phase. You are unlikely to be called on to work in the drilling and completion phases.

Most wells are dug to produce oil. However, many oil rigs also produce gas as a byproduct. In the past, this gas is usually just burned off. Nowadays, oil companies are more ingenious in dealing with this gas. In the US, this gas is often piped to end-users. If there is no market for natural gas near the oil rigs, the gas may be collected and converted to synthetic gasoline, diesel or jet fuel . This natural gas could also be injected back into the reservoir, to extend the life of the oil well.

Both onshore and offshore oil rigs share the same life cycle. The difference is that offshore rigs have to be more robust, and have to be built on water. This results in more complicated logistics and a higher cost. Many offshore oil rigs are still relatively near land, and rig crew are commonly transported by helicopter, e.g. oil rigs around the US Gulf coast. For oil rigs in the deep ocean, the rig crew have to be transported by ship. Ship journeys take longer, so workers on offshore oil rig rigs have to work for longer stretches, maybe 4 or 6 weeks instead of 2 weeks.

Offshore Oil Jobs

While many of the offshore oil jobs are physical in nature, many of the rig companies go out of their way to make sure your time spent onboard is an enjoyable one. For instance employees may find themselves living in accommodation wings that meet 4 or 5 star hotel standards - despite the fact that you a living in the middle of the ocean. While you are on board the company will usually meet all food, board and laundry expenses, along with travel and transfer costs.

There are a large number of offshore oil rig jobs that are available. The range of employment opportunities include:

Driller, Derrickman, Shakerhand or Mudman, Toolpusher, Floormen or Roughnecks, Motorman, Assistant Driller, Crane Operator, Roustabouts, Cleaner/Painter, Storekeeper, Mechanic/Electrician, Sub Sea Engineer, Rig Mechanic, Rig Electrician, Rig Welder, Barge Engineer, Ballast Controlman or Watchstander, Captain and Chief Engineer, Rig Medic and Safety Man.

Most offshore oil rig jobs call for a 14/21 day rotation that means you work for 14 days and have 21 off. This equates to you having approximately 3/5 of the year off on holiday.

In the offshore oil rig industry, there are opportunities for drilling employment and travel to countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the United States, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Norway, China, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Typically salaries for roustabouts and roughnecks (drill deck workers) are approximately US $300 per day. Annual salaries work out to be approximately US $47,000.

More specialized jobs such as that of Driller is likely to make around $56,000 per annum, which Toolpushers, Drill Leaders and Supervisors are likely to earn around the US $75,000 - $100,000 mark per year.

Entry level positions typically make between US $50,000 - US $80,000 per annum. Trades, technical and professional positions will likely earn between US $70,000 - US $220,000 per annum. The website at http://www.oil-rig-job.com features more information on getting jobs in this industry.

Life Offshore

- You will be issued with safety boots hard hat safety glasses and coveralls.

- Keep a good attitude and be focused on why you wanted to work offshore.

- There are smoking rooms at various places on a rig where safety matches will be supplied.

- For meals you take off your work gear and eat in the galley.

- You may have to work a night shift or two as an oil rig is a 24 hour operation.

- Don't upset the radio operator, medic or chef. Helicopters, medical attention and food are most important.

Aboard an oil rig every piece of lifting equipment has a color code on it - this is an indication that it was tested as safe to use on the last lifting equipment check. Only items with the current color code on them should be used.

When working in the petroleum industry, don't bring alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons (of any description) including knives, flammable items, lighters and matches (safety matches will be provided in the smokers room) when working on energy jobs.

If working aboard an offshore rig, remove batteries from electrical equipment before checking in you luggage. If you are to be transported by helicopter your mobile phone may be taken from you before you board the helicopter.

A number of people working aboard oil rigs work are in support roles such as catering crew and doctors, etc. The following is an outline of what may be expected for doctors or medics. Because of the physical size of rigs, many of these types of roles are sole charged and one must be able to make do with the facilities and resources at end. In the case of doctors or medics based aboard oil rigs, it may be necessary to treat patients suffering from a huge variety of ailments and illnesses. Issues can arise as a lot of the workers aboard oil rig installations may speak foreign languages, so it is critical for the medical personnel to be able to quickly and effectively diagnose the problem. Generally medical staff will work one of two shifts, either day or night. Their role can often also include checking and maintianing stocks of emergency supplies, testing and verifying drinking water supplies are clean, as well as inspecting both raw and cooked foods from the kitchen. They are also often responsible for conducting weekly first aid seminars for all workers aboard the oil rig.

Offshore Jobs

Offshore Jobs