Roustabouts

Career summary

#No alternate titles

Roustabouts cut down trees and brush to make clearings at drill sites and to create road and reduce fire hazards.

Roustabouts dig trenches for foundations. They use backhoes for most digging, but may use shovels to dig small holes. They erect forms into these foundations, mix concrete, and pour it into forms.

Roustabouts construct the framework for derricks. Derricks are machines that help workers move heavy equipment. They unload the framework and other materials from boats or trucks by hand or with motorized lifts.

Roustabouts connect piping to create pipelines between holding tanks and loading areas. They walk along pipelines to locate leaks. They clean up spilled oil by bailing it into containers.

Roustabouts help maintain boilers, steam engines, and other equipment. They do basic maintenance such as cleaning and oiling parts. They may repair or replace broken parts. They may take boilers or engines apart to fix them.

Related careers

This career is part of the Architecture and Construction cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Construction and Well Drillers
• Construction Helpers
• Farm and Ranch Workers
• Forklift Operators
• Gas and Oil Drillers
• General Construction Workers
• Loggers
• Mining Machine Operators
• Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators
• Paving Equipment Operators
• Roof Bolters

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to roustabouts.

• Walk flow lines to spot leaks. Clean up spilled oil by bailing it into containers.
• Keep deck areas clean.
• Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and other drilling equipment.
• Bolt together pump and engine parts.
• Load and unload pipe and other materials.
• Assemble or take apart boilers and steam engine parts.
• Dig drainage ditches around wells and storage tanks.
• Guide cranes moving loads.
• Supply equipment to rig floors, and assist roughnecks.
• Dig holes, set forms, and pour concrete into forms to make foundations for derricks.
• Cut down trees to make way for roads and to clear drilling sites.
• Bolt or nail together wood or steel frameworks to erect derricks.

Common work activities

Roustabouts perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Handle and move objects
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Get information needed to do the job
• Control machines and processes
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Operate vehicles or mechanized equipment
• Evaluate information against standards
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Process information

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, roustabouts:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a medium level of social contact.
• Are responsible for coworkers' health and safety.
• Are responsible for work outcomes and results of other workers.
• Communicate with coworkers daily in person.
• Often communicate with coworkers by telephone.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.
• May on occasion be placed in conflict situations.

Physical work conditions

• Always wear protective attire such as hardhats, work boots, and gloves.
• Almost always work outdoors.
• Are exposed to very hot or cold temperatures on a daily basis.
• Are exposed to contaminants daily, such as crude oil.
• Are exposed to hazardous conditions on a daily basis.
• Are exposed to hazardous equipment daily.
• Are exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting and uncomfortable on a daily basis.
• Are often exposed to high places.
• Are often exposed to hazardous situations that may produce cuts or minor burns.
• Often work in cramped work spaces that require getting into awkward positions.
• Are occasionally exposed to extremely bright or dim lighting conditions.
• Work in both open and enclosed equipment.
• Work very near coworkers. They often work within inches of other people.
• Are occasionally exposed to whole body vibration.

Work performance

• Must be exact in their work. Errors can cost companies money.
• Often make decisions that affect coworkers and companies. They are able to make some decisions without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set some tasks and goals for the day without talking to a supervisor.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a weekly basis.
• Often must match the pace of work to the speed of equipment.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week. Most workers work 40 hours a week.
• May travel to remote work sites and be away from home for several weeks.
• May work seven days a week, if working at a remote site or on a derrick in the ocean. After seven days on, they may get seven days off. Sometimes they work 14 days in a row followed by 14 days off.

Physical demands

Roustabouts frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Stand for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.
• Repeat the same movements.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Kneel, stoop, crouch, or crawl.
• Keep or regain their balance.

It is important for roustabouts to be able to:

• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Understand the speech of another person.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for roustabouts to be able to:

• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Determine from which direction a sound came.
• See objects in very bright or glaring light.
• See objects in very low light.
• While looking forward, see objects or movements that are off to the side.

Skills and abilities

Roustabouts need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with things

• Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.
• Determine the causes of technical problems and find solutions for them.
• Watch gauges, dials, and output to make sure a machine is working properly.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Construction Trades
• Heavy Equipment Operations
• Petroleum Technology

Training

To work as a roustabout, you typically need to:

• complete moderate-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Roustabout jobs tend to be entry-level jobs that require little or no previous work experience. However, many employers prefer that you have a high school diploma or equivalent.

On-the-job training

Most roustabouts learn their skills informally on the job from an experienced worker. You begin as a helper and clear away brush and clean up. As you gain experience, you learn to build the framework for derricks. Training can last up to one year. The length of time varies by employer.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Carpentry
• Construction
• Industrial Arts
• Physical Education

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers usually require roustabouts to have a high school diploma or equivalent. They look for applicants who are physically fit and can pass a physical exam. Some companies give aptitude tests or screen applicants for drug use. Most employers prefer applicants who have previous work experience in construction. Most employers also require applicants to have a driver's license.

Unlike many other industries, the gas and oil extraction industry hires very few people under the age of 25. More than 80 percent of the workers in this field are between the ages of 25 and 54.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Roustabouts, Oil and Gas 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The roustabout's skill and level of responsibility also affect wages. In general, roustabouts who belong to a union earn higher wages.

Roustabouts who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Some employers also provide a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Work for roustabouts is limited to the states that have oil. Most jobs are found in Texas, California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Wyoming, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Major employers:

• Gas and oil extraction companies

National outlook

Demand for roustabouts is expected to grow much faster than average. The demand for gas and oil in the US is expected to remain strong. As the US continues to look for ways to decrease dependence on foreign oil, drilling for shale gas has increased. This has produced many jobs.

There is fairly high turnover for roustabouts. Most job openings will result from the need to replace those who leave the occupation.

Other resources

References

Career cluster

• Architecture and Construction

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Roustabouts, Oil and Gas (47-5071.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 1 - Little or no preparation needed. No previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

DOT occupation

• Roustabout (869.684-046) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Realistic/Conventional/Enterprising
• Realistic/Conventional/Investigative

COPSystem

• Technology Skilled