Drilling Rig Versus Service Rig

[phaedrus16]

I've been very fortunate to receive offers for a position on a drilling rig, and one on a service rig. However, I don't know much about either, and I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of both. I have my reservations about working on a service rig. I've heard that the work is tougher than on a drilling rig. Secondly, service rigs don't have scheduled days off, or a rotational schedule, which is mandatory for drilling rigs. Is this information accurate? I spoke with a guy who said he worked 90 days straight on a service rig, and while I'm motivated to work hard, I don't know if I could last that long. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[snoop101]

I have not worked on a service rig, but do a lot of technical work for them. Seems as if they only work daytimes. start at 5-6am and end late afternoon. As a Drilling rig works 24-7 with either 2 or 3 shifts rotating.

[Maybelater]

This is second hand knowledge, but the people I know who have worked in this industry say that service rigs are where all the sketchy people end up. Also from what I have seen out in the field is that service rigs don't have dog houses, so you'll be outside for the entire shift.

Only benefit I can think of on a service rig is that the chances of getting laid off when break up happens is likely lower. I'm assuming this because you're servicing already drilled wells opposed to creating new ones.

I'd take the drilling rig.

[SKR]

Service rigs would likely be steadier work, just because you can go back to the same holes over and over, and you're not waiting on licenses or construction or budget. The work probably is "harder" because you're always going to be tripping tubing or tools in or out of the hole. The reason I put that in quotation marks is because I think service rig guys only know tripping and dogfucking, and since drilling rigs don't trip, they must fuck the dog the rest of the time. Which isn't true, but there is more slow time on drilling rigs.

Service rigs must get goddamn cold in the winter because I've never seen one with prefabs to keep you out of the wind. And they're dirty because nobody seems to give two fucks about keeping things clean. In southwest Saskatchewan they only work daylights and rarely weekends. I don't think I've ever seen anyone working Sundays unless there's a big time fuck up. I know that's different in other places though.

People talk about service rig hands, but if you're working in the Hat, the drilling hands are dodgy as all hell there too. I've never met so many goofy hailed out fuckin weirdos as I have on those rigs there.

I'd rather work drilling rigs if I had to pick. You know your shift is 12 hours, it pays better, you're not covered in oil and you have a little variation from day to day.

[chathamf]

Go with the drilling rig it's better money and it's real rigging. You'll get better experience out of it and you will know when your shift ends. Both are crappy jobs, real hard work and real dirty. Deadly money though.

[ExtraSlow]

Drilling rig is better.
- Steady 12 hour shifts, for a max of 24 days in a row (usually a 14-7 or 20-10 shift).
- Drilling rigs often have more protection from the wind and cold, but it's still outdoor work.
- Drilling rigs are more likely to bring thier own camp with them, so you aren't eitehr a) driving 2 hours on each side of your shift or b) staying in some terrible open camp with a bunch of loggers and service rig hands.

[CompletelyNumb]

Drilling rigs have more opportunity for advancement and the experience can transfer over to more higher up jobs than service rigs. But service rigs will teach you way more about what goes on downhole after they drill it. Drilling hands are usually pretty ignorant about completions/etc... and vice versa I suppose.

I've worked both, so this is first hand knowledge.

Service rigs is harder work. Both physically and mentally.
Service rigs work more hours per day than drilling rigs
Service rigs dont have scheduled time off. When you get time off, it can be as little as one day.
Service rigs get you dirtier, colder, wetter.
Both are full of douchebags, assholes, sketchy people, etc. Neither one has a benefit here. People from all walks of life love the promise of free food and board on a drilling rig. lol

I personally enjoyed my time on the service rigs better, but I had an awesome crew and we worked together for years. Stayed busy, made money.

And thats the other thing, there is no guarantee of work with either.

[Aerobat]

Never work on a rig with a license plate..

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by Aerobat
Never work on a rig with a license plate..

That's funny. I had a wellsite supervisor, who was used to drilling deep foothills wells, absoloutly throw a shit-fit when I sent him to work on a super-single. He even used that line about a license plate. He warmed up to the rig when he figured out how capable it was, and in that case, how good the crew was.

I do understand though, most rigs with plates on them are service rigs, and there is a prejudice against them.

[themack89]

This is going to be different advice... But I think you deserve to have some insight on this.

I am an academic, non-rig type who was fortunate to experience working on a rig as a leasehand. I am assuming you are similar to myself judging by your grammar, spelling and punctuation, also since your user name is a Platonic dialogue.

Pieces of advice I could give you from that angle that I wish someone had given me:

1) Use common sense, its the field not the classroom.
2) The crew is your most valuable asset, get to know them, go party and bullshit at every opportunity even if you'll regret it during your next shift.
3) Do NOT try and show up ANYBODY with how smart you are, unless its solving a problem related to the rig. If you want a reason to stick out, show them how hard you are willing to bust your ass.
4) If you don't know, ask. As many times as necessary.
5) There is ALWAYS something to be worked on.
6) Never complain. Ever.
7) Carry a piece of food in your pocket.
8) Sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you.

Good luck.

[CompletelyNumb]

^ well said

[woodywoodford]

Originally posted by themack89
4) If you don't know, ask. As many times as necessary.

I would question this one... I too am an academic type that gets to go fracking for full sets every so often, and the last time I was out there was a new guy who questioned absolutely everything. The crew hated him by the end of his first day. Question what you need to know, but mostly just do what they tell you and ask how to do it if you don't know, don't start asking about downhole mechanics and what the cementers or wireliners are doing - you don't need to know that right away, and by the time you do you'll have figured it out.

[themack89]

Originally posted by woodywoodford


I would question this one... I too am an academic type that gets to go fracking for full sets every so often, and the last time I was out there was a new guy who questioned absolutely everything. The crew hated him by the end of his first day. Question what you need to know, but mostly just do what they tell you and ask how to do it if you don't know, don't start asking about downhole mechanics and what the cementers or wireliners are doing - you don't need to know that right away, and by the time you do you'll have figured it out.

Yeah. Tis what I meant.

Quite possibly one of the worst things you can do is not understand how to do something and pretend that you do. A guy I know did this and ended up almost killing the derrick hand.