Getting a job on an oil rig starts with landing an entry-level position, usually as a roustabout or floorhand, which requires no prior drilling experience. From there, you work your way up through progressively skilled roles. The path involves passing a medical exam, completing mandatory safety training, and often going through a specialized recruitment agency. Here’s what each step looks like in practice.
Entry-Level Roles and What They Involve
Almost everyone starts at the bottom of the rig hierarchy. The two most common starting positions are roustabout and floorhand. Both are physically demanding, hands-on jobs that exist specifically to train new workers while keeping the rig running.
A roustabout handles general labor: cleaning the deck, painting, moving equipment and supplies, and assisting skilled workers with whatever they need. It’s essentially a maintenance and support role. A floorhand works closer to the drilling operation itself, handling pipe, operating basic equipment under supervision, and learning the mechanics of the drill floor. Some companies use the terms interchangeably, others draw a clear distinction. Either way, the job is hard physical work in a challenging environment, and it’s designed to teach you the fundamentals.
With experience, roustabouts move up to roughneck, then to positions like motorman (responsible for engines and pumps) and derrickman (who works high on the derrick managing drilling fluid). Beyond that, the path leads to driller and eventually toolpusher, which is a supervisory role overseeing the entire drilling crew.
Education, Age, and Basic Eligibility
You don’t need a college degree for entry-level rig work. Most companies require a high school diploma or equivalent, and for non-skilled roles that’s typically enough. A degree becomes relevant if you want to pursue engineering or management positions later in your career.
The minimum age is 18 in most jurisdictions. Beyond that, the real barrier is physical fitness rather than formal qualifications. Mechanical aptitude, comfort working at heights, and the ability to handle repetitive heavy lifting in all weather conditions matter far more than your academic record.
Passing the Offshore Medical
Before you set foot on a rig, you need to pass a comprehensive medical examination. This isn’t a routine physical. It covers cardiovascular fitness, lung function (measured by spirometry), hearing at specific frequencies, visual acuity, color vision, depth perception, and a full blood panel. You’ll also get an electrocardiogram, a chest X-ray, and a TB skin test.
The exam pays special attention to overall physical fitness, your cardiovascular system, and neurological function. Certain conditions can disqualify you outright, particularly psychiatric conditions including panic disorder, claustrophobia, and acrophobia (fear of heights). This makes sense when you consider you’ll be living on a small platform surrounded by ocean, sleeping in shared quarters, and occasionally working at significant heights. Conditions like uncontrolled epilepsy, severe heart disease, or anything that could cause sudden incapacitation are also disqualifying.
The medical needs to be renewed periodically, typically every two years, though requirements vary by company and region.
Mandatory Safety Certifications
Safety training is non-negotiable. The industry standard for new offshore workers is the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training, known as BOSIET. This course covers the essentials of surviving emergencies at sea: helicopter underwater escape (you’ll practice escaping a submerged, inverted helicopter simulator), sea survival techniques, firefighting, and self-rescue in low-visibility conditions like smoke-filled rooms. The course also includes training with compressed air emergency breathing systems.
OPITO, the global skills organization for the energy industry, sets the standards for these courses and approves training centers worldwide. When choosing a training provider, verify they’re OPITO-approved. OPITO maintains a certification validation tool on their website that lets employers (and you) confirm that your credentials are legitimate and current.
BOSIET certification typically lasts four years before you need a refresher. The course itself runs about three to four days and costs roughly $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the training center and location.
The TWIC Card for US Workers
If you’re working on rigs in US waters, you’ll need a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or TWIC card. This is a federal security clearance issued by the TSA that grants access to secure maritime facilities, including offshore platforms.
A new TWIC card costs $124 (or $93 at a reduced rate for certain applicants) and is valid for five years. You must be a US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or have another qualifying immigration status to apply. Certain criminal convictions can make you ineligible. The application process involves a background check, fingerprinting, and an in-person visit to an enrollment center.
How to Actually Get Hired
Most offshore positions are filled through specialized recruitment agencies rather than direct applications to oil companies. Agencies like Airswift, NES Fircroft, and others focus specifically on placing workers in oil and gas roles across upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. These firms handle both contract and permanent placements and have established relationships with the major operators.
The practical approach looks like this: register with several offshore recruitment agencies, get your medical and BOSIET sorted, and make yourself available. Having your certifications already in hand signals commitment and removes a hiring barrier that many candidates haven’t cleared. Some companies will sponsor your training, but walking in already certified gives you a significant edge.
Networking matters in this industry. If you know anyone already working offshore, their referral can move your application to the top of the pile. Oil and gas job boards on sites like Rigzone and industry-specific listings on general platforms are also worth monitoring. Many entry-level positions fill quickly, so check listings frequently and be ready to mobilize on short notice.
What the Schedule Looks Like
Offshore work follows a rotation pattern: a set number of days on the rig followed by the same number of days off onshore. The most common rotation is two weeks on, two weeks off (often written as 2/2 or 14/14). During your two weeks on, you work 12-hour shifts, either days or nights, with rapid changeovers between day and night schedules being a standard feature of rig life.
A UK Supreme Court ruling in 2011 confirmed that these 2-on/2-off rotations satisfy working time regulations without requiring additional leave, though many companies offer more generous schedules. Some operations, particularly in remote locations, run 3-on/3-off (21/21) or even 4-on/4-off rotations to account for longer travel times.
The upside is that your time off is genuinely free. No commuting, no weekend work. You get solid blocks of time at home, which is one of the main draws of offshore work for many people.
Daily Life on the Platform
Living conditions on modern rigs are more comfortable than most people expect. You’ll share a cabin with one or more other workers, each with a bed, a washbasin, and usually a television. Showers and toilets are shared between a couple of cabins. Some newer or larger platforms offer private rooms, particularly for senior crew.
Food is provided around the clock by dedicated kitchen staff. Fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables are shipped in regularly, and the canteen operates on a self-service basis to accommodate different shift patterns. You won’t be cooking or cleaning for yourself. Most workers say the food is one of the better parts of rig life, and meals become a social anchor point in the day.
Communication has improved dramatically. Where workers in the 1970s were limited to a single six-minute phone call per week, modern rigs offer Wi-Fi connections that support video calls and messaging apps. Signal quality varies by platform and location, but staying in regular contact with family is now standard rather than exceptional.
Recreation facilities typically include a gym, TV rooms, and common areas. Alcohol and drugs are strictly prohibited on every rig. Most workers settle into a rhythm of work, eat, exercise, sleep, and repeat for the duration of their hitch.
What Entry-Level Pay Looks Like
Starting salaries for roustabouts in the US range from about $25,000 at the low end to around $39,000 at the higher end, depending on the company, location, and whether you’re working onshore or offshore. Offshore positions typically pay more to compensate for the isolation and demanding conditions. Keep in mind that your accommodation and food costs are zero while you’re on the rig, which effectively stretches your take-home pay further than an equivalent onshore salary.
Pay rises meaningfully as you gain experience and move up. Roughnecks, drillers, and specialized roles like derrickmen command significantly higher wages. Workers with technical certifications or those willing to take assignments in remote or less desirable locations can also negotiate premium rates. Over a five-to-ten-year career, experienced rig workers can earn well above the national median income.