|
All about
Drilling Rigs
Although
there are drilling rigs all over Canada, most of the
country’s drilling is done in Alberta, followed by
Saskatchewan and then British Columbia. When working with a
particular drilling company you will probably be assigned to
one rig and when the rig moves you follow it.
Drilling rigs are commonly found throughout all of Alberta
so when you work on a drilling rig there is a good chance
that you will be able to see the entire province while
working. When lodging is not available the company that has
contracted the rig will provide the crew with a camp to stay
in, which usually includes sleeping quarters, a kitchen,
dining facilities, laundry room, and sometimes there is even
a recreational room available.
Transportation to and from the work location is typically
supplied by your employer but in some cases is not, before
accepting a job on a drilling rig make sure you ask your
potential employer if transportation will be provided.
Working on drilling rigs is a physically demanding job, with
long hours, hard work, extreme weather conditions, and
uncommon shifts. Drilling rigs normally run twenty four
hours a day until the well is finished. The crews that run
the rigs usually work twelve hour shifts.
Time off varies from company to company and from rig to rig
but a typical work schedule that you may expect is twelve
hours on and twelve off for fourteen days straight and then
seven days off. This is the typical schedule but remember it
will vary depending on what company you work for, what rig
you are working on, and what kind of job you are doing.
Working on a drilling rig means working in all types of
weather conditions, it can get extremely hot in Alberta and
it will also get extremely cold. Drilling rigs typically
have their busy season during the winter when the ground is
frozen, so expect to do a lot of work in the winter.
The oil field in Alberta has changed quite a bit since the
early oil boom days. Safety is now everyone’s main concern,
the safety of the drilling rigs crew as well as the safety
of the public and the environment. Accidents and spills in
the workplace can be very costly to an oil company as well
as the drilling company therefore everyone’s main goal is to
complete a job in a safe manner.
Accidents still occur due to human carelessness therefore
the oil companies strive to provide all employees with
proper and up to date safety training.
Drilling rigs are operated by units of people called
“drilling crews.” A drilling crew is usually made up of four
to five people and there are typically three to four crews
per rig. Crews generally are made up of a driller, a derrick
hand, a motor hand, a floorhand (head roughneck), and a
leasehand (roughneck). Each crew member has their own
responsibilities and work as a team to complete a job
successfully.
There is plenty of room for advancement on a drilling rig
and the drilling company will help you advance your career
if you are a hard worker. If you work hard you can go from a
roughneck to the rig manager in about eight years.
Alberta’s drilling industry is still in its formative years
and will have much to offer in the coming years. Many hard
working people have already made fabulous careers in the
drilling industry and as the industry advances there will be
plenty of room for many more career opportunities to the
right candidates.
Other
Alberta Oil Jobs Free Articles
The Alberta Oil Industry
In this guide we discuss The Alberta Oil Industry and
its two main sectors; conventional oil production and the
Oil Sands project.
The Drilling Industry
In this
guide we will discuss the drilling industry in Alberta, what
it is, employment opportunities, and everything else you may
want to know about Alberta’s drilling rigs.
Basic Requirements for a Job
in Alberta’s Oil Field
This
guide outlines the basic requirements you should have before
looking for work in the Alberta oil field and what employers
are looking for when hiring new employees.
Alberta’s Oil Field Safety
Courses
In this
guide we will introduce you to several safety courses that
will help you get a job in Alberta’s oil field.
A Day in the life of a
Service Rig Roughneck
In this
guide we talk about the life of a roughneck on a service
rig, what your life will be like, the pay, your job duties,
and what to expect while working in the Alberta oil fields.
Job Profile: Well Tester
In this
guide we look at the job of a well tester, what well testers
do, their salary, and what you need in order to become a
well tester.
Job Profile: Service Rig
Roughneck
In this
guide we meet Shawn, a roughneck on a service rig operated
by Great Plains Well Servicing in Brooks Alberta and learn
first hand about what a roughneck’s life and job are like.
Job Profile: Drilling Rig Leasehand
In this
Job Profile we look at job of a drilling rig leasehand, what
their job entails, a leasehand’s salary expectations, and
everything you may want to know about being a leasehand on a
drilling rig. |
