Working on an Oil Rig
A job on an oil rig can be very tough. It is physically and mentally demanding and workers often have to put up with extreme conditions because of the nature of the job. The type of jobs available on an oil rig would include subsea engineering, drilling, scaffolding or painting for example. Workers on an oil rig can expect to earn quite a good salary coupled with living quarters of the highest standard. Most oil companies will also pay the travel expenses of their workers. If you want to get a job on an oil rig, then you will be pleased to know that there are many entry level positions available as well as a number of senior positions. Most people in senior positions on an oil rig have worked their way up from the bottom.
Because oil rigs are offshore, it is necessary for workers to stay on the rig for periods of time. Shifts can be about twelve hours but workers will work for about two weeks on with three weeks off. There are some positions on the rig which would not get so much time off but in general, most jobs will allow for around half of the year off.
A lot of people will get a job on an oil rig at entry level and this means they will not need any previous experience on the rigs. Types of jobs that are available at entry level include painters, roustabouts, medics, scaffolders or materials men and women. You could also look for a position as part of the catering or cleaning crew or as a radio controller.
Some jobs on the oil rigs will require you to have certain skills or experience such as subsea engineering, drilling or being part of the deck crew. However once you have a foot in the door on an oil rig, it is possible for you to move up through the ranks.
The payment for someone starting out as a roustabout on an oil rig will be approximately £200 per day and while this is not huge when you consider the amount of work it involves, it is still a good salary for an entry level position. With the possibility of advancement and so much leave available, it is very attractive for a lot of people. If you were to work your way up and become a driller then you could expect to be earning up to about £60,000 per year. Senior positions pay up to about £150,000 per annum.