r/oilandgasworkers

I’m 17 and I’m going into my last year of high school. I’ve been considering working offshore on a rig lately, but I’m trying to get more info. When I look at national avg salaries of jobs, they don’t seem like they’re too crazy and definitely don’t seem to be what I’ve heard from actual workers. I understand it’s just an average, but what pay could I expect starting out and then as I continue?

Also, what types of jobs are there on a rig? I saw one video that said there’s even a job where you rappel all over the rig and work on it (however I think you need a cert for it).

Which leads me to my next thing: what training/certifications will I need to get started?

I don’t mind physical labor, but how grueling actually is it? I’m sure it depends on the job, but what should I be expecting?

I’m probably forgetting a ton of questions and I’m sure I’ll ask more, but any answers and information would be greatly appreciated!

I work as a Business Analyst in IT at an oil and gas refinery in India. I have a BTech in Computer Science, but I want to transition into crude/process engineering roles. Could you suggest how I can make this move, what courses I should pursue, how to build a strong profile for such roles, and whether there are similar roles I could target that don't strictly require a core engineering degree? Here no one's there to guide

I applied to Deep Well Services for an Entry-Level Green Hat position almost two weeks ago and haven’t heard back yet. I’m just curious what the usual timeline is for getting contacted by a recruiter or hiring manager after applying.
If there are any current or former DWS employees here, especially anyone who came in as a Green Hat, how long did it take before you first heard from them? Any insight on the hiring process would be appreciated.

Throwaway-ish vent, but I’d take real advice too.
Background: BSc in Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering (Istanbul Technical University, 2024), MSc in Industrial Engineering & Innovation Management (Vilnius, 2026). Field exposure is a Sperry Drilling MWD/LWD internship, plus a supply chain internship at a refinery and customer ops work in Lithuania. Azerbaijani, based in Baku, five languages, decent MSc record.
The problem: no full-time drilling job on the CV. I graduated into a market where nobody was hiring greenfield MWD trainees, applied across Norway, UK and Poland, and mostly got silence. Now I’m inside the conscription window at home, so military service is coming regardless of how my applications land. That’s 12 to 18 months completely out of the industry, at exactly the age when everyone else is stacking rig days.
So by the time I’m out I’ll be pushing 27 with a PetE degree that’s three years stale, an MSc that points at supply chain and innovation rather than reservoir or drilling, and a gap that recruiters will read as “he couldn’t get hired.”
Questions for people who’ve been through something like this:

1. Does a service gap actually kill you in oilfield services hiring, or do they mostly care that you can pass the aptitude tests and go offshore?
2. Is it worth trying to re-enter as an MWD/LWD trainee at 27, or should I lean into the industrial engineering side and go operations/supply chain in energy instead?
3. Anyone rebuilt into the industry after a forced multi-year break? What actually worked?
   Feeling pretty cooked. Tell me if I’m overreacting.

Hey guys

I’m 19, originally from Lithuania, currently working as a scaffolder in the Netherlands. I’ve already got all the required training and safety certificates, I’m in good health, don’t drink, don’t do drugs i only smoke, and I’m not scared of heights.

I’m fine with being away from home for weeks/months at a time and I’m not afraid of hard physical work.

Is it actually realistic for someone in my situation to get into offshore (oil & gas or wind)?
What would be the best first steps entry-level positions I should look for?
Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated. Thanks!

I just finished my piss and fit test with them 2 weeks ago. How long till they send you out? Recruiter/HR said a coordinator will reach out but I’m still waiting. Any similar experiences?

I have been in the Oilfeild for 3 months , I am currently a sand operator for fracs I have 3 months of experience ,I want to see if this is a good job to have to gain experience to get me on a frac crew or other opportunities such as flowback , floorhand , wireline .
Let me know thanks.
ETC

Hey guys, I really need some career advice before I do something I might regret.
I’m 20, currently working as a Warehouse Tech up north in Alberta at a remote camp. Making $30/hr on a 14/14 rotation doing 12 hour days. The company is pretty solid, they actually care about safety and the people are good. But honestly, the pay is pretty meh for being stuck in a camp. I’m on an averaging agreement so I don't even get OT—it's all straight time.
My biggest problem is I just hate camp life. I'm missing out on my friends, watching them hangout without me, and I miss being close to family. Im just not sure if being isolated like this is worth it for the pay I have right now. I will say if this job was nearby home I would actually stay. It’s the life I’m missing when away that I hate.
I’ve been weighing a few options and need some outside perspective.
Option 1: Go local with ATCO A buddy of mine just started a temp construction labourer job for ATCO on a 5 month contract. He’s making $28.45/hr (but with vacation pay payed out it’s basically $30/hr). Schedule is M-F, 8 hour days. His dad works their so he’s trying to get a permanent spot that starts at $35/hr (no schooling needed). If I did this, I'd get my social life back instantly.
Option 2: Jump to the rigs My uncle works on a Savanna rig and said he could get me in as a floorhand. Starting pay is $40.60/hr PLUS crazy OT on a 14/7 schedule. If I’m already sick of camp life, I know I wouldnt survive out their very long, specially with how physically draining it is. But I was thinking maybe I work the ATCO job for a bit, then do a quick 2-3 hitches on the rigs as a massive cash grab before finding something permenant?
The big dilemma: Do I stay for my 3rd set at camp? Right now I already have my CSTS, WHMIS, TDG, Electric Pallet Jack, and some internal Cyber Security / info management certiciate from this job.
But I’m currently halfway through my Counterbalance Forklift and Reach Truck training. If I just stay for one more 14-day hitch (my 3rd set), I'll officially get both of those signed off. The training is legit (theory, writen test, practical, and 15-20 supervised lifts). The only catch is the actual operator cards are site/employer specific.
My main question: Is it worth suffering through another 14 days just to get the physical Forklift and Reach truck tickets on paper? Or is just putting "experience operating reach trucks and forklifts" on my resume enough to get hired at a local warehouse back home?
Option 3: Your job recommendation for me

My past experience if it matters:
Parts Tech (10 months): Worked at a family owned tractor dealership making $18.50-$20.50/hr. Handled inventory, POS, built hydrolic hoses (JIC, PIPE, FFS, ORB), and got my Propane Filling Ticket. It was chill but the phones made me nervous at first lol.
Construction Labourer: Poured concrete, ran skid steers, hauled gooseneck trailers. Made $21.50-$26.50/hr with OT and travel pay. Money was good but I hated it. The work was super repetitive and the safety culture was garbage (bottom of the barrel crew).
Any advice from you guys on what route you'd take, or if staying that extra hitch for the tickets is actually worth it? Feel pretty stuck right now.

I'm looking to make a switch. I'm interested in wireline. I like boreal and the guys they got working there, I'm just worried about the 15/6 schedule. I want to make money but I honestly really don't want to live just to work. I've heard liberty is 14/14. Is the pay that much worse than Boreal and other Eline companies? Any current liberty guys here with some insight? Realistically can I clear 100k my first year with them? Been on fracs for 4 years.

I am 22 years old, got two degrees in chem and math. I have around 4+ years of laboratory experience (research assistant, lab tech, lead lab tech etc.) I was wondering what the barrier for entry into chemistry related roles offshore or 2/2 rotation onshore are? And if there are any good options for someone like me onshore or offshore, like as a laboratory technician or a mudloggers. I was also wondering what certifications I should look into.

Interviewed with ET for pipeline tech in North Dakota months ago and was told the OT isn’t baked in like a hitch schedule it’s just on call rotation.

Thought midstream had hitches like upstream or is this more common in West Texas?

I'm not even kidding I'm literally a nuckle dragging simian, I have a low as fuck IQ

Now I work at a landscaping company but my bro said he knows someone and I could get a job there

Can I be if I'm not smart, but I won't be a danger of course XD

21/m

I’ve been asked to buy some comms equipment and would really appreciate hearing what you guys are using to communicate in the field. If you can share the brand or model you use, that would be great.

I imagine the equipment may be different for onshore and offshore work, so please mention which one you work in.

Thanks!

Ive been doing night shifts for 6 years as a wellsite geo. The work is interesting. 12hr shifts from 6pm to 6am for 7-14 days depending on the project. Lately night shifts have been getting to me. I fkn hate it and im a Jr member in my company so no option to switch to days.

If you do nights how do you cope on either on or off the job? Any advice for switching roles or careers that maybe doesnt have a 12 hr night shift? Literally anything im feeling desperate at this point and out of ideas.

In canada btw.

I watched a video on oil refining. I understand that crude oil is heated and the resulting liquid/vapor is transported into a distillation tower. I know the heavier fluids that have higher boiling points sit at the bottom; fluids with lower boiling points move upwards and sit on the next layer, while fluids with even lower boiling points move upwards even more. I know the distillation towers have several different layers that collect different fluids that have different boiling points.

What I don't get is how each fluid is removed from the tower. For example, the fluid for gasoline doesn't sit at the bottom layer, nor the top layer. I would expect each layer to have a pipe coming out of the side of the tower where the fluid can escape and get transported to a tank. So if a tower had 12 layers then I imagine it would have 12 different pipes coming out of the side, one for each layer. But in the diagrams it never really shows that, and in real images I've searched I don't see that either. There's a pipe at the top that I suppose transports the petroleum gas somewhere; and I've seen some pictures of a pipe at the very bottom; some have a pipe in the middle of the tower.

Are there distillation towers that have multiple outflow pipes, like up to 12? Am I just missing those?

I live in Michigan and have no problem traveling. I’m trying to get into doing turnaround loops (optimistically working from September to November) working 6 or 7 12s.

Do I have a chance with no experience in this field? I have experience with manual labor jobs and am not afraid of hard work and long hours. If there is a chance, what companies do I contact or recruiters do I reach out to?

I’m 41, reasonably fit and not scared of hard work. Has the ship sailed for me? Should I stick to cooking for the boys or could I join them?

EDIT: I am a US Citizen, so I don't think I can work for any Australian companies until I have at least a year of experience. That really is my dream to work for an Australian company in about a year as it seems they

I have received most all of my information thus far from Claude and ChatGPT.

It seems Transocean is the best company to work for and I had applied to them hoping to get hired in January. But I haven't received any word from them yet. Application just sits as "Application In-Progress"

What other companies are good companies that will take on a green worker looking for a roustabout position? I'm looking to work in the Gulf of Mexico or near Asia as I want to try living in South America or parts of Asia in my off-time to save money for retirement.
- Valaris
- Noble Corporation
- Helmerich & Payne

Edit: Transocean does indeed match 401k contribution 200% up to 5% of your paycheck. Amazing!

Thanks for any help. pay more and I would be able to live in Vietnam.

I don’t want to speak for anyone else but shit is kicking off in the Delaware Basin right now. If you’re trying to get in, now might the chance you need

Title.

She might have a similar schedule to some of us, (im rotating 5 to 5s) but on the eighth day, our Lord and Savior bestowed Borderline Personality Disorder on nurses of this caliber.

End