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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.
Salary: $45,000 - $85,000
Education: High School plus basic oilfield safety courses
Progression: Derrickhand, Driller, Rig Manager, Consultant
These are typical for a roughneck but will vary from company
to company.
Hi, my name is Shawn and I’m a roughneck on one of Great
Plains Well Servicing service rigs in Brooks Alberta. I work
with a crew of four other guys, the rig manager (tool push),
the rig operator (driller), a derrickman (derrickhand), and
another roughneck.
Unlike a drilling rig a service rig is a small mobile
operation that gets wells ready for production and services
wells that have stopped flowing. We also work with other
crews such as a frac crew, or a perforating unit, to enhance
well production.
I just started working in the oil patch a few months ago and
this has been my only job so far. So far I enjoy my job, I
am making a lot of money, I have fun with my coworkers, I
get to travel a lot, and there is plenty of room for
advancement. Once I get a few more months experience I can
become a derrickhand, and from there a driller, a tool push,
and then a consultant.
My work day typically starts at around 7:00 am and lasts
until around 7:00 pm. When we get to our job location
(lease) we rig up our equipment and if we are already on
location then I start the rigs light plant and head to the
doghouse (the crew quarters). When I get inside the first
thing I do is turn the heat on and make coffee. Once the
coffee is brewing I get changed into my work gear.
Once the entire crew has their work gear on we hold a
general safety meeting. We go over basic things to remind
everyone to do their jobs safely. Once the safety meeting is
over I make sure I am the first person out of the doghouse
and ready to work. I start preparing all of the tools we are
going to need for the day and if the derrickhand needs help
getting his pump lines ready I give him a hand.
Once the rig is ready and all of our tools are prepared we
hold another meeting. At this meeting we discuss what we
will be doing to the well that day and talk to any other
crews that will be on location performing a service.
Depending on what the oil company wants us to do to the well
determines what I will be doing for the day. Sometimes I get
to help run tubing in and out of the well with a large
hydraulic wrench we call “tongs” and sometimes I spend
entire days cleaning and repairing tools and parts.
It is very important to always be doing something, if I
don’t have anything to do I talk to my driller and ask him
if there is anything he wants me to do, if not I ask my
derrickhand. Sometimes I spend all day scrubbing tools and
the trucks.
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