So I was just watching some documentary on dangerous jobs or something.

oil rig.

turns out the labor on those, called roughnecks or some shit like that are unskilled, and make up to $300 a day. They usually spend 14 days on the rig working, and 21 days off the rig doing whatever ( I assume relaxing? after all its a dangerous and tough job, though I dont know if the 21 days OFF the rig are payed.)

How does one go about getting a job like this? Since "roughneck" job is unskilled labor, I assume you dont send a resume or something. You cant just rent a boat, ride it to an oil rig and say you want a job.

The work is skilled; it just doesn't seem that way.

You apply to the organization that runs the rig and they set you up with the training that you need.

I assume that's the people working with the drills? I hear it's a pretty dangerous and physical job. Pay is alright as a roughneck but it gets better if you were to go in trade position.

Good reading:
http://www.articlealley.com/article_11742_36.html
http://www.oil-rig-job.com/

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Love, Swibbles

It isn't easy to get inot oil unless you know someone.

get experience in construction or the trades before you apply. get your cert's up to date.

Man every few weeks I get an email from this company looking to hire engineers to go out on an oil rig.
Ridiculous stuff. They said in the description you work 14 days on then get 7 off, and to expect to work 80 hour weeks for those 2 weeks. In addition to being there working 10-12 hours a day, you're also on call 24/7 for those 2 weeks.
They do pay to relocate you to wherever the rig is, but it just doesn't seem worth it to me.

isnt that like 5 and a half hours a day?

sure its hard work, but still. shorter day than most, good pay, time off. dangerous though

80 hour weeks, not 80 hours over 2 weeks.
With a 7 day week that's 11.4 hours a day.

That's standard for the industry...

they pay is probably somewhere between 150-200k a year.

Yeah the pay is great. Its the dangerous nature of the job, and the time away from families that most people dont like. But yeah the oil companies provide you transportation (or atleast reimbursement) to the port city, as well as transportation to and from the rig.

These rigs are like a hotel. They have everything. beds, tv's, games, food, doctor, internet, helipad, the bigger rigs have their own helicopter, and pilots on the crew (rather than have scheduled pickups-drop offs like the smaller rigs)

I found large number of sites offering you jobs on rigs, however they all want a "membership fee", which screams scam.

I wouldnt mind doing this for a year to save up some money.

i've been a derrick hand for 3 years and been in the patch for 5, i've seen so many guys come and go, some don't even make it a day, most won't hold out through a michigan winter, being soaking wet the whole time. usually only felons or exmilitary. Don't think that they're just gonna hire some worm to go offshore, there's a fucking line to get there (or you gotta know someone as previously stated) I've been trying to get on an offshore rig for 2 years with no luck. the pay on land is still good, but i usually work 7 days on 7 days off. 12-16 hour days. i've seen guys fucked up, fingers lost, legs broke, ribs broke. i myself have been lucky with only a broken collar bone and a couple broken fingers every now and then. the skill involved in my job, is expirience that only comes from being there. and i've been nonstop learning for 5 years and don't even nearly have it mastered. to be a worm, you don't have to be skilled, just stay the fuck outta the way, do what your told, and try not to get fucking killed.