Did you know that there are approximately 1.470 oil rigs across the globe? From this figure, it's comprehensible that oil rig jobs can take you anywhere - from the Gulf of Mexico, the Middle East, Australia, and Mittelplate in the German North Sea to Brent Bravo in Scotland or Ekofisk in Norway! This, may award you the opportunity to travel to several remote places on the earth, where not everyone can reach which is why it is one of the most rewarding international jobs.
What do oil rig jobs involve?
On an oil rig, many different tasks need to be performed to keep the drilling platform running.These drilling platforms, in actuality, are isolated microcosms. To reach these self-sufficient mini-cities, you need to pass through various safety checks and training courses successfully. Moreover, you can reach these drilling platforms only by ship or helicopter.
Oil rig job opportunities are not only for engineers, but they're also open for electricians, drilling technicians, or necessary pantry staff members. Apart from drilling operations and maintenance, maintaining the infrastructure is also a part of the job.
What does a person associated with oil rig job do?
There are a plethora of job roles that offshore oil rig work offers. They are detailed as follows:
Drilling Engineers/Assistant Drillers: Suppose you've completed your studies with a technical/mechanical degree, and you hold hands-on experience in handling mechanical systems, drilling fluids, and hydraulic equipment. In that case, you may be the perfect fit for the job role of drilling engineer/assistant driller. As an assistant driller, you'll need to supervise the drilling workers like derrickman and pumpman and organize their to-do list. Additionally, your job will also involve drilling equipment, monitoring and controlling indicators, and gauging temperature, pressure, condition of the systems, and so on. Simply put, drilling engineers on oil rigs are responsible for exploring and extracting oil from wells and taking care of the drilling and other necessary tools used in the extraction process.
Drillers: The driller is the person who supervises the assembly of the drilling tools and is in charge of the drilling operations on the installation. Besides, he or she is also responsible for running safety meetings and drills designated to avoid any possible problem or accident on board.
Ballast Control Operator: As a Ballast Control Operator (BCO), you'll be responsible for controlling the vessel's stability. Since an oil rig is a floating structure, it contains a ballast tank like a ship. It holds water and is used as ballast to provide stability for a vessel.
When you're working as a ballast control operator in an oil rig, you need to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the rig's position, keeping an eye on the ballast controls, and preparing reports of the rig's stability.
Derrickman: A derrickhand or derrickman is the individual who sits atop the derrick on an oil rig. The duties of a derrickman vary from one rig to another. The common responsibility areas include but are not limited to operating and servicing oil and gas wells, transporting drilling and service rigs, and laying out tubing. The derrickman directly reports to the driller.
Offshore Installation Managers: The Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) is one of the primary members of the offshore leadership team. He is the one who acts as a manager for all related offshore activities on a rig. From conducting maintenance and training sessions to ensuring perfect adherence to the procedures, everything comes under the job role of an OIM.
Other Associated offshore/Oil Rig Jobs: Apart from the ones stated above, there are a few more associated oil rig jobs. They look like the following:
• Electrician
• Offshore Piping Designer
• Production Technician
• Geologist
• Pump Operator
• Automation Systems Specialist
• Helicopter Pilot
• Welder
• Cooking Staff
• Well Services Supervisor
How much is the earning potential if you have an Oil Rig Job?
As said before, oil rig jobs can allow you to build a lucrative career. The salary offered for most of the related job roles are above the national averages, and if you are working as a specialist, you can expect an income that can award you with a luxurious life ahead.
While the entry-level jobs pay you anything between $50,000 to $80,000 annually, the executive roles may pay you up to $100,000 a year.
For example, if you are working as a driller, there are possibilities to make approximately $65,000 a year. Over time, when you gain experience and become a specialist in a specific job role and promoted to an executive position like drilling consultant, earning up to $305,000 a year is attainable.
When you occupy a senior position like offshore installation manager, you can expect an annual salary of $247,000. The other associated oil rig job roles like rig electrician offer a yearly salary of $70,000 to $100,000.
How's Life on Rigs?
Typically, a single rig works as a home to more than a hundred offshore workers. The inside looks like a peculiar blend of a hotel and an office. There are shared cabins for staff accommodation with shared bathrooms. Cooking and cleaning services are available, and there are canteens providing meals and snacks. Most of the modern rigs offer leisure facilities like gyms, cinemas, and game rooms.
It may look like quite a challenging job when it comes to contacting home because of the unstable phone signal. However, except for the duty hours, you are always able to access social media and calling/video calling applications like skype and more.
How to begin an oil rig job?
Usually, entering the offshore industry and starting a career as a rig worker requires completing an engineering apprenticeship. If you have already managed to acquire some experience in construction or engineering, you can apply for an oil rig job directly. However, you will need to show your transferable skills.
The minimum age limit for becoming an oil rig worker is 18. In addition, carrying an offshore medical certificate and emergency response training is mandatory. When you receive the offer of joining a position offshore, undergoing Basic Offshore Induction and Emergency Training is inevitable.
When it comes to applying for an engineering apprenticeship, a general certificate of secondary education is required. Remember, you need to study physics, chemistry, mathematics, and English to apply for studying engineering.
On the other hand, you always have the option to step into the oil rig industry as a roughneck or a roustabout who undertakes a wide range of tasks and learns on the job. This training helps to earn the qualification required for working as a specialist on an oil rig.
Holding excellent attention to detail is necessary to start your career as an oil rig worker. Additionally, it's worth remembering that some offshore work may look dangerous, which demands a thorough approach and the ability to adhere to safety and health guidelines. Apart from that, you need to be a team player, and you should have satisfactory reporting and observation skills.
The oil rig jobs are physically demanding and mentally challenging. So, if you have made up your mind to develop a career as an oil rig worker, make sure you are physically fit, and you have the ability to stay calm even in stressful scenarios. When you apply for senior positions, you will have to demonstrate robust leadership skills and performance observation expertise.
The statistics say that the overall revenues of the gas and oil industries touched the mark of $3.5 trillion. The figure says a lot about the vast and progressive career opportunities in the sector. Even if you start as an entry-level employee, it won't be impossible to get promoted to a specialized role once you acquire enough experience.
In case you want to step out from the job and start a business in the future, the option of working as a contractor can help you to earn much higher.
Finding offshore work
Finding the perfect oil rig job without being directly involved in the industry may look a bit challenging. To help you with this, here at Brunel, we have been serving you for over 50 years. By pairing skillful professionals with the giants of the oil and gas industries, we allow people to lead their offshore dreams.
We are well connected with the top industry leaders and an array of other operators, services companies, and EPCS. When you choose Brunel to make your way in the oil and gas industry, we do everything in our power to help you pursue your dream career in your preferred location. From taking care of all logistics in contractual work or relocating with your family to a new country, we are always there to assist you.
The exceptional quality of services we render to our contractors and clients makes us stand out from the rest. Our recruitment program involves all three industry sectors - downstream, midstream, and upstream.
In addition, our network is ornamented with a vast range of companies searching for adept workers like you. It doesn't matter what level of experience you are carrying or what your level of expertise is; we would love to be your pathfinder on the voyage of success.
When you visit our one-of-a-kind job platform, you get access to innumerable up-to-date opportunities. To make your job easier, we facilitate you with the option of narrowing down your search results by applying filters like education, experience, expertise, and profession. Hold our trusted hands and let us be a part of your prestigious journey towards a golden future.