Offshore roustabout
Keep the drilling equipment and area working properly on offshore facilities such as oil and gas rigs and drilling platforms.
Also known as: roustabout, roughneck, lead roustabout
About the job
What it's like
You would keep the drilling equipment and area working properly on offshore facilities such as oil and gas rigs and drilling platforms.
As a roustabout, you would do basic labouring tasks to help keep the drilling area in good working order. A lead roustabout would supervise your work.
You would:
Clean, scrape and paint the deck, equipment and work areas
Offload supplies from boats and move them to storage areas
Move supplies and equipment to the work site
Use lifting gear and winches to load and stack equipment
Help to repair pumping equipment
Mix the 'drilling mud' to lubricate the drill bit
As a roughneck, you would carry out more skilled duties as part of the actual drilling operation.
You would:
Add fresh lengths of drill pipe as the drill moves deeper into rock
Insert and extract the whole drill
Clean, maintain and repair the drilling equipment
Use lifting gear, ropes and winches
You need to be able to work and live as part of a team and be aware of health and safety rules.
Hours
You would typically live and work on a rig or platform for two or three weeks, followed by two or three weeks' rest period onshore. You would work up to 12 hours a day on a 24-hour shift rota.
Environment
You could work on a fixed production platform with up to 100 workers, or on a smaller mobile rig in a team of around 20 people. Facilities can include living accommodation, canteens and recreation areas. Alcohol and smoking are banned. The job can be physically demanding, working in all types of weather conditions and at heights. You would need to wear protective clothing, including a harness, ear defenders and a thermal boiler suit.
Travel
You would typically live and work on a rig or platform for two or three weeks, followed by two or three weeks' rest period onshore.
Explore more information about this job
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Engineering and manufacturing Energy
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- basic offshore safety induction and emergency training (bosiet)
- oracle identity manager
- hydrography
- offshore drilling
- floating production
- hydrogen sulfide (h2s) training
- geomatics
- rotary steerable systems
- directional drilling
- well stimulation
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- making decisions
- time management
- managing resources
- concentrating
- attention to detail
- observation
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Engineering Science
Practical Metalwork
Skills for Work: Engineering Skills
Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role but some employers may ask for qualifications at SCQF level 4/5.
A common route into the industry is through an apprenticeship scheme.
Employers may look for qualifications at SCQF levels 4-6 for entry to an apprenticeship. For entry to an apprenticeship you would normally need to sit an aptitude test.
Qualifications and experience working with shipbuilding, construction or engineering is helpful.
Once in a job you may be able to gain relevant Scottish Vocational Qualifications such as the Offshore Drilling Operations (SVQ levels 1/2/3) developed with Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO) or a qualification through the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) would be useful.
An offshore survival course such as basic offshore safety induction and emergency training certificate (BOSIET)
To pass an offshore medical certificate
To pass colour vision tests
To be aged at least 18 years old for most offshore jobs
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Offshore roustabout'
