Roustabout jobs North Sea

Job Profile Image Roustabouts are crew members on offshore oil or gas rigs. They do basic general labouring work, mostly on the drilling operation. They are also called offshore or drilling rig leasehands.

The Work

You could be:

keeping work areas and decks clean and tidy, scraping and painting them when necessary
making basic repairs to equipment
offloading supplies from boats and moving them into storage areas
loading and stacking equipment and setting up machinery, sometimes helping to use lifting gear
doing general work in the pump room, for example helping to repair mud pumps
assisting with the mixing of chemicals.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual salaries may vary, depending on:

where you work
the size of the company or organisation you work for
the demand for the job.

The starting salary for roustabouts is normally in the range of £18, 000 to £22, 000 per year. (In addition, employers provide accommodation and food, as well as warm and waterproof clothing). With experience, this can rise to around £30, 000 a year.

Conditions

You would work on an oil or gas rig. You work outdoors in conditions that can be very cold, wet, windy, noisy and dangerous.
There are risks of injury from accidents, especially if you are working at heights.
You would normally work offshore for 2 or 3 weeks, followed by a 2 or 3 weeks’ rest period onshore. This will mean spending long periods away from your home and family.
There is often no mobile phone signal, but there are pay phones and usually broadband internet access.
Alcohol is banned on rigs, and there is random alcohol and drug testing.
When offshore, you would normally work a 12-hour shift, including rest and meal breaks, with 12 hours off duty.
Employers provide free accommodation and meals, and there are usually good recreational facilities. You would usually share a cabin with a colleague.
You would wear protective and waterproof clothing. Employers provide all necessary safety equipment, such as thermal suits, gloves, boots and helmet.
You have to fly by helicopter (usually a large 18-seater) to and from the rig or platform, in Scotland from Aberdeen.

Getting In

You do not normally need formal qualifications for entry, but it can be useful to have some subjects at Standard grade or National 4 or 5.
Experience of any type of manual labour can be useful.
You must be at least 18 years of age to work offshore.
To work offshore, you must have an offshore survival certificate, such as the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training Certificate (BOSIET). Many people do the course at their own expense before looking for work. In other cases, some companies sponsor new employees through the course.
You may also have to undertake the Minimum Industry Safety Training (MIST) course.
Normally, you need previous work experience in a manual or active job. For example, some entrants have experience of work in the construction industry or the armed forces.
A forklift truck licence could be useful.
You should be fit, as this job involves climbing, lifting and using heavy equipment. Your colour vision may also be tested.
You would have to pass a medical examination every 2 years which may include testing for substance abuse.

The UK oil and gas industry is located mainly off the east coast of Scotland and England. But there are also fields west of Shetland and in the Irish Sea. The employers in the industry include operating companies (usually oil companies) that hold exploration and production licences, drilling companies with contracts to do drilling work and a wide range of other major contractors and companies offering specialist technical services. The main recruitment contacts in Scotland are in the Aberdeen area.