Field Helpers

Operator jobs typically involve the specialized operation of control systems and equipment related to plant and facilities, heavy equipment, rigs, wells and pipelines.

The implementation of technology, such as automation and digitization, could decrease the workforce requirements for this job category. Labor shortages are already being reported by oil and gas service companies particularly for drillers, truck drivers, fracturing and cementing operators.

Cementing Operator

As a member of the oilfield services team, Cementing Operators operate the equipment used to pump cement into an oil or gas well that secures the steel pipe or casing and provides structural integrity to the wellbore. The cement also prevents the transfer of liquids from the wellbore into groundwater.

Cement Operators perform calculations to determine the amount of cement mix and additives required, using the depth, pressure, volume of cement required and specific purpose in their calculations.

They must be able to transport equipment to and from the well location, safely rig in and operate the equipment, perform day-to-day inspections, servicing and maintenance of equipment, and complete all required paperwork accurately and on-time.

Coiled Tubing Operator

As a member of the oilfield services team, Coiled Tubing Operators drive and operate vehicles equipped with coiled tubing, essentially a long pipe spooled on a large reel. Coiled tubing is used to perform tasks within a well, such as pumping fluids to stimulate the flow of oil or natural gas, removing obstructions, and deploying materials and tools that can be used for measuring well conditions. Coiled tubing is used during the drilling, completion, maintenance and abandonment or remediation of oil or gas wells.

Coiled Tubing Operators must be able to transport equipment to and from the well location, safely rig in and operate the equipment, perform day-to-day inspections, servicing and maintenance of equipment, and complete all required paperwork accurately and on-time.

Education: High school diploma.

Downhole Tool Specialists

Downhole Tool Specialists are responsible for ensuring that the necessary tools for use in oil or gas activity are included in the bottom hole assembly (BHA), equipment at the end of a drill string on a drilling rig. The types of tools selected are based on the oil and gas reservoir formation. They are used during well drilling, evaluation, intervention, completion and production. Once the tools are in position, Downhole Tool Specialists operate and monitor the tool to ensure the work is successfully completed.

Once the BHA is withdrawn from the wellbore, Downhole Tool Specialists perform maintenance and/or repairs on the tools to ready them for future use.

Education: Post-secondary diploma in a mechanical, electrical, electronics, instrumentation, petroleum engineering technology, or related engineering.

Drilling Fluids Representative

Drilling Fluids Representatives work alongside the drilling crew to ensure that the drilling fluid used on an oil or gas well site meets required specifications for the type of well in development and is compatible with the oil or gas formations being drilled. They also provide guidance in the event of any issues.

Drilling Fluids Representatives ensure that the proper materials are supplied as needed. They may be required to undertake the activities of an on-site Drilling Fluids Specialist, which requires strong knowledge of drilling fluids and their properties. This occupation is commonly referred to as the Mud Man.

Drilling Fluids Representatives test fluids throughout an operation to ensure compliance with specifications, and maintain and calibrate the necessary test equipment. They advise crews on the safe handling and use of drilling fluids, and provide expert advice on the proper disposal of waste fluids. They may also coordinate with Solids Control Technicians to ensure that drilling fluids are being properly cleaned for re-use.

Education: Post-secondary degree in a science or engineering or less formal education with 8-10 years of drilling experience.

Drilling and Service Rig Operator

Drilling and Service Rig Operators operate and maintain drilling equipment at a well site. The type of equipment and the time spent at the site are the primary differences between the two occupations.

Drilling rigs and service rigs each have a distinct function in the oil and gas industry. A drilling rig is used in exploration to determine the feasibility of a formation to produce oil or gas. A service rig is brought to a site after a drilling rig’s work is complete to support the well’s ongoing production. Service rigs are also used to shut in a well, repair a well or do maintenance to enhance the well’s production. A Drilling Rig Operator can spend weeks or month at a wellsite and once completed, may never return to the site. A Service Rig Operator, meanwhile, may be at a wellsite for days or weeks, returning for ongoing maintenance or to shut-in production.

The typical roles in the drilling crew include:

• Motorhands maintain drilling rig engines, transmissions, heating systems, diesel/electric generators, motors, hydraulic systems and other mechanical equipment.
• Derrickhands operate and maintain drilling fluid systems and pumps during the drilling process.
• Drillers supervise a drilling crew and operate the drill line reels, rotary equipment and pumps.

The typical roles in the service crew include:

• Derrickhands set up and dismantle the derrick, pumps and tanks and service, operate, inspect and monitor the pumps and engines at the well site.
• Operator/Drillers operate hoisting equipment control panels, monitor the progress of operations and supervise the on-site service crew and all operations of the rig.

Heavy Equipment Operator

Heavy Equipment Operators operate heavy equipment to excavate, grade and landscape earth or move materials and equipment. In the oil and gas industry, heavy equipment is used to build and maintain oilfield roads, wellpads and pipeline right-of-ways, as well as assist in oil sands mining and reclamation.

Some Heavy Equipment Operators work with several types of equipment while others may choose to specialize. The typical roles in this occupation include:

• Bulldozer Operators operate crawler-tractors equipped with large front blades to move obstacles and with back rippers to tear up terrain. They clear and level dirt, sand, rock and gravel on construction and mining sites, as well as push other equipment.
• Backhoe Operators or Excavators use rubber-tired or track equipment to dig holes, trenches and ditches. They load, scoop and dump heavy materials, vibrate and break rock, back-fill excavations and level slopes.
• Front-end Loader or Power Shovel Operators operate rubber-tired or tracked equipment with movable arms and tilting buckets. They pick up heavy loads of earth, rock, sand, gravel, ore or snow, and dump material into piles, excavations or trucks.
• Grader Operators control the height and angle of grader blades to spread and level earth, sand, gravel, rock and snow. They carve ditches and slopes.
• Heavy Haul Truckers operate electric and diesel trucks on oil sands mining sites in order to transport bitumen.
• Motor Scraper or Buggy Operators operate the fastest shovel on wheels to scrape, load, dump and spread earth. They level work areas, haul soil for roads and right-of-ways and haul ore at surface mining sites.

Heavy Equipment Operators are also typically responsible for cleaning and lubricating equipment, refilling fluids and conducting pre-operational checks on equipment. They also perform minor repairs to equipment.

Education: High school diploma.

Measurement While Drilling (MWD) Specialist

Measurement While Drilling (MWD) Specialists collect and interpret data that measures the trajectory of a horizontal oil or gas well as it is being drilled. Information provided by MWD Specialists provides decision-making support and allows Directional Drillers to steer the drilling operation and conform to a drilling plan.

MWD Specialists must be able to lift the MWD tool, safely rig in and operate the equipment, perform day-to-day inspections, servicing and maintenance of equipment, and complete all required paperwork accurately and on-time.

Education: Post-secondary diploma in an applied science, engineering, geology, petroleum or related discipline and computer literacy.

• Providing resolution to drilling problems of moderately complex scope at the well site where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors.
• Exercising judgment to determine the appropriate action at the well site when performing well site surveys and monitoring well sensors.
• Recognizing the operational status of field equipment at the well site and maintaining it when appropriate.

Power Tong Operator

Power Tong Operators control the equipment that threads sections of drill casing into the wellbore.  As a member of the oilfield well services team, they are responsible for operating power tongs, torque measuring equipment and tube/casing handling equipment at the well site. Casing is required to maintain an oil or gas well’s structural integrity, prevent the cross-contamination of water with other fluids and control well pressure during the drilling, production and maintenance of the well.

Power Tong Operators must be able to transport equipment to and from the well location, safely rig in and operate the equipment, perform day-to-day inspections, servicing and maintenance of equipment, and complete all required paperwork accurately and on-time.

Rig Manager

Rig Managers are responsible for every aspect of rig operations including set up, take down and rig moves, as well as managing personnel and the financial, technical and performance aspects of a drilling rig. The Rig Manager is typically the point of contact for the operator and provides input during rig marketing and contracting activities.

Rig Managers are responsible for daily paperwork pertaining to rig production and costs. The Rig Manager also ensures that health and safety guidelines are communicated and followed, and that rig operations comply with environmental and governmental regulations. They interact with all drilling rig personnel in addition to well services providers and management. Members of the drilling crew look to their Rig Manager for leadership, safety training, dispute resolution and support to solve personnel and operational issues.

SCADA / DCS Control Room Operator

Control Room Operators are responsible for the safe and reliable operation of oil and gas processing plants and pipelines. In a processing plant, Control Centre Operators monitor and control the operation of its processing units using a distributive control system (DCS) typically located within the plant. They are experienced operators, making key decisions on adjustments to processing units, as well as overseeing other operators within the facility. Control Centre Operators also provide the initial response to an emergency situation or evacuation, and oversee the start-up or shut down of a plant or one of its units.

In the pipeline sector of the oil and gas industry, Control Centre Operators control pipeline activity from a centralized control room. They must have a solid understanding of the integrated processes and systems required for the transportation of oil and gas products, as well as the product’s inherent characteristics and customer specification. Control Centre Operators often are the first to detect any potential operational issues and work closely with operations and maintenance staff to avert any problems or issues.

 

Slickline Operator

Slickline Operators raise and lower downhole tools (e.g. bailers, pulling tools, stems and running tools) with a wire cable which is used to test and maintain oil and gas wells.  They retrieve and/or install valves, plugs and pressure regulators. They lower and raise downhole tools and plugs to proper depth and direct the fishing tools used to retrieve broken or lost wire or equipment.

This occupation is divided into several levels from Assistant Operator to Level 3 Operator. Each level involves more responsibility and more complex tasks. Level 1 activities involve all the basic operations such as raising and lowering tools, maintaining the rig and assisting with the planning and implementation of the job. Level 2 and 3 have an added supervisory element.  Further skill, Level 3 is involved in other types of activities such as perforating.

Snubbing Operator

Snubbing Operators use snubbing equipment to insert drill pipe, tubing and specialized equipment into, or remove from, pressurized oil and gas wells.  These wells are closed using blowout preventers which contains well pressure.  This occupation is one of the most safety sensitive roles during drilling operations due to the potential for explosions and blow-outs.

Snubbers are highly specialized; responsibilities progressively increase from that of an Assistant Operator through to Snubbing Supervisor, for example:

• Assistant Snubbing Operators are primarily responsible for providing support with pre- and post-snubbing operations.
• Class 1 Snubbing Operators work in wells where the pressure is less than 10 mega pascal (MPA) and there is no presence of poisonous gas (10 MPA pressure is about the same pressure as water spray from a pressure washer). They work within a single zone of the wellbore.
• Class 2 and 3 Snubbing Operators work in progressively more complex medium and high-pressure environments.  They may work in the presence of sweet or sour gases.
• Class 1 Supervisors are responsible for overseeing activities in a wellbore with pressures less than 21 MPA (21 MPA is equivalent to the ballistic pressure exerted as a bullet strikes a solid object).
• Class 2 Supervisors are responsible for wells with pressure greater than 21 MPA.

Well Testing Operator

Well Testing Operators use various surface and subsurface tools to evaluate the characteristics of the formations within a wellbore to determine economic viability.  They test for pressure, salinity, flow rate and other production factors. These operators interact with members of the drilling crew and supervisors to improve job performance.

Responsible for supporting the day to day Well Intervention Operations and planning routine Well Test Programs in line with company, safety and industry standards.

• Ensures data is collected accurately and presented professionally to achieve a high quality report for the client.
• Liaises with Operations Supervisor (Onshore) to ensure they are fully aware of offshore/onshore operations.
• Compiles end of job report to required standard in a timely and efficient manner.

Wireline Operator

Wireline Operators raise and lower special downhole instruments and tools into oil and gas wells to collect and process data. In general wireline crews lower, operate or direct the operations of wireline instruments, tools and equipment. These can range from electrical well logging equipment (e-line), to perforating guns which are used to perforate well casing and permit oil and gas to flow into the well, to downhole plugs and fishing tools used to retrieve broken or lost wire or equipment. Wireline Operators also drive wireline trucks to and from drilling sites. Wireline Operators can specialize in cased-hole or open-hole conditions.