| Roughnecks made it to fame when the film | | | | Earning 55,000 dollars a year, roughnecks are the |
| Armageddon came out starring Bruce Willis and | | | | ones who mostly operate drilling equipment with |
| Ben Afleck. Basically the story is about how a | | | | the drillers. They have a whole lot of other |
| handful of skilled oil and gas workers save the | | | | functions too when required, like driving a truck of |
| world from a falling asteroid. Roughnecks is a | | | | heavy equipment for example. Roughnecks also |
| generic term for someone who works in the oil | | | | serve long shifts on the field. |
| industry. There are different kinds of jobs in the | | | | The second most important person in the drill |
| industry and these are referred to as roughneck | | | | crew is the derrickman who literally hangs out at |
| jobs. | | | | the top of the derrick servicing the drill pipes and |
| Definitely the first question that pops into the | | | | works closely with the driller. He makes around |
| mind is how much do roughnecks and oil workers | | | | 62,000 dollars a year. The one in charge of the |
| make in a year in terms of salaries? As with any | | | | entire drill crew is the driller who makes sure |
| industry there are different levels of salaries | | | | working conditions are optimal and safe. The driller |
| depending on job function and the like. Different | | | | takes home around 85,000 dollars a year and is |
| levels of difficulty will have different corresponding | | | | one of the most important people on the field. |
| salary adjustments and pay scales. We can | | | | The onsite supervisor of the location or an oil |
| discuss the oil industry jobs and see the different | | | | contractor supervisor is called the toolpusher. |
| kinds of jobs and earnings they have. | | | | Mainly an administrative job that makes sure that |
| The least paid in the oil industry are galley hands | | | | logistic requirements are all met. The job nets |
| and cooks. Cooks have the function of making | | | | around 115,000 dollars a year. Its his job to make |
| sure everyone is fed on the many shifts that | | | | sure that if something is needed by say the drill |
| rotate in a day. They make around 35,000 to | | | | team, then it is his job to get whatever they |
| 42,000 dollars per year. The trainees, or galley | | | | have requested. |
| hands as they are called, do a lot of general jobs | | | | The one who is almost in complete control of the |
| and assisting workers. They too get around the | | | | field and all its operations is the supervisor. Its his |
| same salary as the cook at 35,000 to 42,000 | | | | job to make sure production quotas are met and |
| dollars per year. | | | | that everything flows smoothly from extraction |
| More specialized than the galley hands are the | | | | to delivery. This hard job gives the supervisor |
| roustabouts, who make around 45,000 dollars per | | | | around 200,000 to 300,000 per year. A lot of |
| year. They are in charge of assembling and | | | | other jobs also exist in the oil industry, but judging |
| repairing oil field equipment using power and hand | | | | from the numbers they should also be well paying. |
| tools. They also do other tasks as needed. | | | | |