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Offshore drilling worker

Offshore drilling workers drill for undersea oil and gas on offshore rigs.

Annual Salary

£20,000 to £60,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

53 to 55 variable

You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on shifts

5.8%
Future employment

There will be 5.8% fewer Offshore drilling worker jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a derrickhand, you could:

  • handle and stack sections of the drill pipe
  • maintain the derrick
  • operate the lifting and hoisting machinery to position the drill
  • control and maintain mud pumps, and supervise mud pump operators

As a driller, you could:

  • supervise the drilling team and control the rate of drilling
  • control operations on the drill floor
  • oversee assembly of the drilling tools and connect sections of the drill pipe
  • operate the drill control machinery
  • keep records of the drilling process
  • make sure the team follows health and safety rules

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work on a rig.

Your working environment may be cramped, physically demanding, at height, outdoors in all weathers and you may spend nights away from home.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly
College

An engineering related course like a Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Engineering may help you to get started in this role.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national certificate or higher national diploma
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • funding advice for higher education courses in college|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship

You may be able to do an engineering operative intermediate apprenticeship before applying to work on offshore rigs.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Work

You could start as a roustabout on a rig and learn on the job before moving into drilling work.

Direct application

You can apply directly to offshore oil and gas companies if you've got experience in an industry like engineering or construction.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

More information

Further information

You can find out more about careers in the energy industry from My Energy Future.

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You could work for operating companies with their own exploration and production licences, or for drilling and maintenance contracting companies.

With experience, you could be promoted from driller to toolpusher or rig manager.

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Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • observation and recording skills
  • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
My top 5 skills
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