Life on a Service Rig Part 1

Life on a Service Rig Part 1

An introduction to my adventures as a service rigger.

Everyone has heard about individuals going out to seek their fortunes in the oil industry, whether it be the ‘oil patch,’ ‘rigs’ or ‘pipelines.’

After university I immediately sought out the highest paying profession that I could, and landed in an office in Red Deer, Alberta. Within 30 minutes I was being shipped to Swift Current, Saskatchewan, a stones throw from North Dakota.

Swift Current

I had entered the world of the service rigs. Every day was an adventure with interesting and, contrary to public opinion, very educated and environmentally conscious people. I went into this world with a false sense of how we treat the environment in the Canadian oil industry, and was quickly chastised and shown the correct way after getting caught covering up a little bit of oil with the convenient Saskatchewan dusts.

I was very fortunate to have entered when I did, I got to experience two very different crews at once and quickly moved up the ranks. I rented a house in the nearby city, borrowed a vehicle and moved out of the hotel where I had been living. It was a short walk to the grocery store, movie theatre, church and several bars. I will have to have a post about living in Swift Current later.

A work related highlight was being oriented on the first day by the other roughneck and having him point to a ‘wellhead flange’ with 24 nuts and bolts and him asking me to break them before coming in for lunch. I broke it with great difficulty, having experienced tight nuts on previous jobs (pipefitting). The ‘toolpush’ came out and got very angry since this flange was never meant to be broken after installation, and that the roughneck had thought it impossible to break, so it would be funny to have me attempt and fail.

The weather in Saskatchewan was something quite like any other, with winds up to 50 mph with dust and thunder storms.
My time in the Saskatchewan oilfield had many highlights and lowlights, but it was a worthwhile endeavor. From 18 hour days to gopher and badger hunting after work, it was a blast. Interestingly enough, even though I had the most workplace injuries I’ve ever experienced, but I’ve also had some of the most fun at work that I’ve ever had.

The next part of this oilfield adventure takes me into the derrick with my first promotion!