Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Roustabout
What roustabouts actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Meet the crew at the yard for a safety meeting. From there, the day usually includes assemble and repair oilfield equipment, lay and repair pipelines, and dig and backfill trenches. Shifts can be long, sometimes in rotations such as two weeks on and one week off.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a roustabout working full time.
- Meet the crew at the yard for a safety meeting.
- Drive to a well site.
- Replace a section of flowline.
- Dig a trench for a new line.
- Lunch at the truck.
- Paint and clean a tank battery.
- Load tools and head back to the yard.
Where roustabouts work
Roustabouts work outdoors at well sites, tank batteries and yards, often in remote areas and harsh weather.
Hours and schedule
Shifts can be long, sometimes in rotations such as two weeks on and one week off.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Assemble and repair oilfield equipment
- Lay and repair pipelines
- Dig and backfill trenches
- Clean tanks and equipment
- Load and unload materials
- Operate forklifts and trucks
- Help drilling and production crews
Tools you’ll use every day
- Pipe wrenches
- Power tools
- Forklifts
- Backhoes
- Welding support equipment
- Gas monitors
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- No experience needed
- Overtime pay
- Entry to oil and gas careers
- Rotation schedules give time off
What’s hard
- Hard physical labor
- Remote locations
- Boom-and-bust industry cycles
- Weather and hazards
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want to start without experience
- I don’t mind hard physical work
- I like working outdoors
- I can handle remote rotations
- I want overtime pay
- I want to build an oilfield career
Not sure? Take the free Roustabout fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Wear H2S monitors and know escape routes
- Use stop work authority when unsafe
- Follow lifting and rigging rules
- Wear PPE including hard hat, FR clothing and steel toes