About This Career
Drilling and Service Rig Labourers assist operators on drilling rigs and service rigs with duties that generally require less skill, such as cleaning equipment to ensure it is properly functioning. This occupation is considered entry-level. The type of equipment and time spent on site are the key differences between the two roles.
Work on a land-based drilling rig is seasonal with the vast majority of the work occurring during the fall and winter months. Offshore drilling, meanwhile, is carried out by drill ships or platform drill rigs known as “jackup rigs.” Both onshore and offshore drilling rigs operate 24-hours a day and can take several weeks to drill a single well. Onshore service rigs are mobile and Service Rig Labourers are responsible for getting the rig and supporting equipment from one well site to the next. An offshore service ship is a floating version of a service rig and crews stay aboard for as long as it takes to service the well.
The typical roles on a drilling rig include:
- Floorhands assist in placing pipe into wells, collecting samples of drill debris for analysis, mixing mud and chemicals, and cleaning and maintaining equipment.
- Leasehands typically perform general labour and maintenance tasks around the rig site including loading and unloading trucks, clearing debris from walkways, cleaning tools and putting items away.
The typical roles on a service rig include:
- Floorhands assist with moving a rig and equipment from one site to another and can also help move tubing in and out of the wellbore. They also keep a rig, equipment and site tidy.
Education: High school graduation is not required for this occupation but preferred by some employers. Experience as a labourer, working around heavy machinery and mechanical aptitude are assets.
Employment: This occupation is found in both onshore and offshore environments and is typically employed in the oil and gas services sector of the oil and gas industry.
Example titles: Leasehand, Floorhand, Roughneck, Roustabout, Labourer
- Drilling Rig: Motorhands (Rig Technician 1 ), Derrickhands (Rig Technician 2 ), Driller (Rig Technician 3), Rig Manager
- Other well services operators
- Service Rig: Derrickhand, Operator/Driller, Rig Manager
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Driving Required -
Remote Locations -
Active Machinery -
Shift Work -
Heavy Lifting -
Physically Demanding -
Working from Heights -
Variable weather -
Hazardous Conditions -
Some Overtime Required
Careers also exist in the following industries:
- Construction of buildings
- Forestry and logging
- Heavy and civil engineering construction
- Mining and quarrying
- Utilities, including renewable energy
Job Category
Field Workers
Sector
Oil and gas services
NOC
8615
Education:
- Grade 10
Certifications:
- Standard and emergency first aid
- H2S Alive
Licensing:
- Drilling Rig Operators require a Class 5 driver’s licence and a clean driving record
- A Class 5 or 3 driver's licence (with air brake endorsement) is an asset for Service Rig Operators
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to pass a pre-employment physical assessment and drug test