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Roustabouts are general hands working on offshore oil and gas drilling rigs. In Western Australia, most of these are located around the North West Shelf. Roustabouts play a crucial role throughout the drilling process from offloading equipment through to the ongoing maintenance of the drilling rig, but their main duty is to perform general maintenance activities on board the oil rig and the drilling platform.
Having What It Takes
A roustabout's work is physically demanding and involves a wide range of manual tasks. They lay out heavy drill piping, move equipment in and out of stores, and offload supplies onto a rig. They also clean drill pipes, remove waste materials and mop the deck. You can be assured a physical workout in this job without joining a gym or paying an expensive membership fee.
''You have to be fit, enthusiastic and prepared to do the demanding manual and physical work,'' says Tony, who has been a roustabout for the past 8 years, and is currently working on the Ocean Bounty Rig.
Salt water and fresh air are the perfect combination for the rapid development of rust, and these conditions go hand in hand with oil rigs. Rust can cause sections of the rig to become brittle, and if left unattended, to erode. A roustabout must remove any rust and repaint the area immediately, to prevent any more developing. They prepare the paint, and clean any used brushes or tools. Roustabouts also assist with the landing and refuelling of helicopters, which drop off supplies and fly workers on and off oil rigs.
Trained To Handle Dangerous Accidents
Emergencies such as fires or oil spills do occur on rigs. It's important therefore, that roustabouts be trained to deal with any such emergency. Roustabouts undergo rigorous training as part of a firefighting team. In the interests of occupational safety and health, it's to a roustabout's advantage to be aware of the possible work hazards they face.
Career Pathway
After some experience filling in for workers on the drill floor, a roustabout may be promoted to a roughneck, who manually operates the drill on the drill floor.
Roughnecks thread the drill pieces together, sometimes more than 400 pieces and unthread them once drilling is complete. A roughneck must ensure that the drill pipe is always ready for drilling. Mistakes can be costly and can set the drilling progress back.
From a roughneck, you can become a derrick hand who raises and lowers the drill pipe. They are harnessed into a 'monkey board' attached to the top of the derrick, usually the highest point on the rig, approximately 60-80 feet above the ground. A fall could be lethal. Derrick hands handle the top section of the drill pipe when it's entering or exiting the drill hole. Stacking is a very dangerous job, not only because of the heights, but because the racks into which drill pipes are stacked, can become unstable, letting the pipes move around.
What's In Store
Be prepared for the working conditions on an offshore rig. The deck floor is usually dirty, wet and noisy, and it's where you'll spend 12 hours a day, hard at work. On the North West Shelf, temperatures get up to the high 30s or 40s, with 60 to 100 percent humidity.
''During the dry season the weather is normally good but it can vary between Arctic and tropical conditions,'' says Tony.
''Twelve hours on, 12 hours off, may seem too much for some, but the two week break is worth it,'' he says.
If you're thinking about becoming a roustabout, you'll also have to consider being away from friends and loved ones. You could be away from them for up to a month at a time.
Roustabouts work as part of a team. Good communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team will really help you reach your potential in this line of work. Once again, in the interests of occupational safety and health, it's important that roustabouts have a good command of the english language.
While employment opportunities are determined by the amount of exploration and production work in the oil and gas industry, numbers in this occupation are usually quite low.
Competition for the small number of positions each year is fierce. Job advertisements are rare, as people tend to approach companies associated with the industry. Many positions are also filled through networking and by word of mouth.
There are some opportunities for onshore drilling of oil and gas, however most drilling opportunities in Western Australia occurs offshore.
The average salary base for roustabouts in the oil and gas industry is around $55,000 per annum rising to $70,000 or higher.
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