From geologists to cooks, oil rigs have careers for everyone

The stereotypical figure that comes to mind when thinking about a worker on an oil rig is a grouchy, grizzled loner. This couldn't be further from the truth. Offshore drilling requires everyone from geologists with advanced degrees to highly skilled drillers to cooks and cleaners.

From excellent salaries to meeting a significant other, working on an oil rig can lead to some great perks. If you can undergo intense training, work away, and get along with a small crew, offshore work might be for you!

Mandatory safety training and fitness

All workers on an offshore rig need to be 18+ and must have completed basic offshore induction and emergency training. As you'll be working outdoors in all weathers, stamina and fitness are also a must.

Start your drilling career as a roustabout

If you want to be a skilled driller one day, you can start as a roustabout. A roustabout could be doing anything from mopping to lifting supplies with a winch. You don't need any special qualifications, but shipbuilding, construction and engineering experience can help.

Roustabouts often train to become roughnecks, who do the insertion, extraction and cleaning of drills. They also add new sections of pipe, and clean, maintain and repair drilling equipment. Derrickman and driller are roles needing experience, responsible for the rate of drilling and overall operations on the drill floor. Discipline, leadership skills and the ability to interpret technical plans and information are also essential.

Engineers and geologists on oil rigs

The wellsite geologist examines the rock cuttings from the drill and determines when to start and stop drilling. An experienced professional, they analyse data from mud, rock cuttings, gas, and many other sources. They're figuring out where the hydrocarbons are, and optimising the plans for the drill to get at them. They're liaising with a team of geologists onshore and they're keeping precise records of their work.

Rigs also need mechanical engineers, drilling engineers, and structural engineers. They do everything from monitoring safety to deploying complex and costly equipment. If you fancy working offshore, take a look at our VERCIDA jobs database.