Oil field workers drill for oil and natural gas, maintain the equipment that keeps wells running, and handle the heavy labor of moving materials across remote job sites. The work is physically demanding, runs 12 to 14 hours per shift, and follows rotational schedules that keep crews on site for weeks at a time. What you actually do day to day depends on where you fall in the crew hierarchy.
The Crew Hierarchy, From Entry Level to Driller
A drilling rig operates with a structured crew, and each position comes with distinct responsibilities. The most common roles, from bottom to top:
- Roustabout: The entry-level position. Roustabouts are general laborers who unload and haul supplies, clean the rig site, dig drainage ditches, clear brush, clean up oil spills by bailing them into barrels, and keep roads passable. Think of it as the job that keeps everything around the rig functioning so the drilling crew can focus on the well. Some companies offer these positions as summer internships for engineering students.
- Roughneck: The experienced crew members who work directly on the rig floor or up on the derrick. Roughnecks tend to engines and pumps, connect and disconnect sections of drill pipe as they go into or come out of the well, and rack pipe for storage. On the floor, they set and pull slips (clamps that hold the pipe in place), guide pipe sections into alignment, apply thread compound to connections, and operate power tongs or automated tools to tighten or break apart joints.
- Derrickhand: Typically second in command on the drill crew, just below the driller. Historically, the derrickhand worked at the very top of the derrick, manually handling drill pipe in one of the most physically dangerous spots on the rig. Most modern rigs now use automated pipe-handling equipment, which has made the role safer, though it still requires close oversight of that machinery.
- Driller: The person who actually controls the drilling operation, managing the speed and pressure of the drill from a control console. The driller reports to the tool pusher, the supervisor who oversees the entire rig.
Movement up this ladder is common. Many drillers started as roustabouts and worked their way up over several years by learning each position firsthand.
What a Typical Day Looks Like
Most oil field workers pull 12- to 14-hour shifts, either days or nights, with the rig operating around the clock. A roughneck’s shift might start with a safety briefing, then move straight to rig floor operations. If the crew is “tripping” pipe (pulling it out of the well or running it back in), the work is constant and physical: guiding heavy steel sections, latching elevators, and ensuring every connection is properly made up. If drilling is underway, the roughneck monitors pumps and engines, watches for problems, and stays ready to respond.
Roustabouts often start their day moving pipe from trucks using winches and motorized lifts, restocking the rig floor with whatever the roughnecks need, or dismantling and repairing machinery with hand tools and power tools. When there’s nothing urgent to move or fix, the job shifts to maintenance: cleaning vehicles, clearing debris, mowing, or digging ditches around wells and storage tanks to manage runoff.
The work is repetitive but not predictable. Conditions change quickly. A routine drilling day can turn into a full-crew effort if equipment fails or the well behaves unexpectedly.
Tools and Equipment
Oil field workers use a wide range of tools, from basic hand wrenches to massive industrial systems. On the rig floor, the key equipment includes power tongs (hydraulic wrenches that tighten and loosen pipe connections), slips that clamp the pipe in place, and elevators that lift and lower pipe sections. The iron roughneck, despite its name, is actually an automated machine that handles pipe connections, reducing the manual labor and injury risk that used to define the job.
The rig itself is built around a few critical systems: the drill bit at the bottom of the hole, a blowout preventer (a massive safety valve that seals the well if pressure surges), mud pumps that circulate heavy fluid to cool the drill and carry rock cuttings to the surface, and a hoisting system that raises and lowers thousands of feet of steel pipe. Workers don’t need to understand every engineering detail of these systems on day one, but they learn them quickly through hands-on exposure.
Safety on the Job
Oil field work involves serious hazards: heavy equipment under high pressure, toxic gases, explosive atmospheres, and heights. At a minimum, workers wear hard hats, steel-toed boots, and heavy-duty gloves. Depending on conditions, fire-resistant clothing, personal flotation devices (on offshore rigs), and respiratory protection may be required.
Hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas that smells like rotten eggs at low concentrations and becomes odorless at dangerous levels, is one of the most significant chemical hazards. Workers are trained to recognize warning signs and evacuate if monitoring equipment detects levels above safe thresholds. Benzene exposure is another concern around crude oil. Air monitoring is routine on many sites, and crews are trained to escalate their protective equipment based on what sensors detect.
Safety briefings happen at the start of every shift. Blowout prevention drills are practiced regularly so the crew can react quickly if well pressure becomes uncontrolled.
Schedules and Time Away From Home
Oil field work follows rotational schedules. The most common pattern is 14 days on, 14 days off. Some operations run 21 on and 21 off, while shorter rotations exist depending on the company and location. During the “on” period, you live at or near the job site and work every day. During the “off” period, you’re completely free.
This schedule means extended time away from family and normal life, followed by blocks of uninterrupted time at home. For some workers, this is the biggest draw. For others, it’s the hardest part of the job.
Life in the Work Camps
Many oil field jobs are in remote locations, far from any town. Workers live in crew camps (sometimes called “man camps”) that range from basic bunkhouses to surprisingly comfortable setups with private rooms. Larger camps include commercial kitchens serving full meals, laundry facilities, fitness centers, game rooms, media rooms, and even small convenience stores stocked like a gas station mini-mart. Some camps have on-site health clinics for minor medical issues.
The quality varies significantly. A large operation run by a major company might house workers in efficiency suites with private bathrooms. A smaller or more remote site might mean shared bunkhouses with communal showers. Either way, meals are provided, and the camps are designed to give workers a place to recover during the 10 to 12 hours between shifts.
What It Pays
Entry-level oil field workers earn an average of about $59,000 per year, which works out to roughly $28 an hour. The range is wide: the bottom quarter of earners make around $38,000, while the top 10% bring in over $90,000. Pay varies by location, company, and how much overtime you work, and overtime is common given the long shifts.
As you move up the crew hierarchy from roustabout to roughneck to derrickhand to driller, pay increases substantially. Experienced drillers and supervisors can earn well into six figures. The combination of long hours, hazardous conditions, remote locations, and rotational schedules is reflected in the compensation, especially for workers willing to go where the work is.