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Have you
ever wondered what it would be like to work on a
drilling rig in Alberta? If so, this guide is for
you. We will go over everything you could ever want
to know about drilling rigs such as working
conditions, working locations, safety, and the
makeup of a drilling rig crew.
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.
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