Working on an offshore oil rig can be an exciting career as well as lucrative. There are many entry-level positions that an individual can start out at, such as Roustabout jobs or a Crane Operator. Both of these are exciting oil rig jobs that offer the chance to get started in the oil work industry. Roustabout jobs are one of the most common positions in which individuals who start working on an offshore oil rig are placed, but some others include the Painter, Maintenance Foreman, and Control Room Operator. All of the different kinds of oil work have different responsibilities, and each has their own rewards to go with it.
What is a Roustabout?
Obtaining one of the Roustabout jobs means that your career will involve most of the action when it comes to working on an offshore oil rig. For example, some of your major responsibilities will be the oil rig drilling, keeping the rig floor supplied with the necessary equipment, as well as keeping the main deck clean. Roustabout jobs could also include the guidance of the crane as supplies are being moved. For this entry level oil work in the industry, Roustabout jobs are compensated anywhere between $27,000 on the low end and $40,000 on the higher end.
Crane Operators and Assistants
As individuals who work in Roustabout jobs are able to move up in their offshore oil rig jobs, Crane Operators and Assistant Crane Operators are both possible career positions that can follow. A Crane Operator is in charge of supervising the Roustabouts as well as the Crane Operator Assistant. The Crane Operator will be responsible for lifting and moving supplies with the crane from the boats to the oil rig. Since this is a position that does need several years of mechanical experience in other work or from working in the Roustabout jobs, the compensation is higher and usually averages about $65,000.
Control Room Operator and Barge Engineer
These are a couple other oil rig jobs and oil work careers that are important to operations in the offshore oil industry. The Control Room Operator is essentially the assistant to the Barge Engineer, and the Barge Engineer is responsible for duties such as anchor handling and rig stability. Compared with Roustabout jobs, these two oil rig jobs may be more demanding and also require some experience. A Control Room Operator usually has a salary of about $45,000 while a Barge Engineer of about $70,000.
Other Entry Level Positions
Just as Roustabout jobs are a great entry level position to start off with in oil rig jobs and oil work careers, there are several others as well. For example, take a look at some of these exciting offshore oil rig positions and salaries:
Ordinary Seaman – This is an entry-level position that usually requires no previous experience, and some of the duties include general maintenance and cleaning responsibilities. The salary for this position averages $25,000 to $30,000 per year.
Boiler Operator – This individual is responsible for basic operations in the boiler room, such as gauging the temperature and recording data. Boiler Operators average $27,000 annually.
Storekeeper – A storekeeper is responsible for being in charge of the stock room and organizing any supplies of which they are put in charge. A Storekeeper makes around $35,000 on average each year.
As you can see, there are plenty of oil rig jobs and oil work careers to be had in the offshore oil industry. Roustabout jobs are some of the most popular because it is a step towards higher positions after you have gained experience. All in all, the offshore industry is one of the most rewarding career paths with many options.
