Working on an oil rig as a roughneck is a demanding yet rewarding job. It involves long hours of intense physical labor, but also offers great pay and opportunities for career advancement.
Landing a roughneck role requires impressing hiring managers with your strength, stamina, mechanical skills, and ability to thrive in challenging conditions. That means nailing the interview questions is crucial.
We’ve put together a list of some of the most common questions you might be asked during a roughneck job interview, along with some good answers.
Master these answers to prove you have what it takes to succeed as a roughneck.
Describing the Role
Interviewers want to hear that you truly understand the nitty-gritty of what the roughneck job involves day-to-day. Be ready to explain the duties and responsibilities in detail.
1. How would you describe what roughnecks do? What are the day-to-day duties of the job?
Stress that roughnecks are in charge of the physical, hands-on work of running the drilling rig. Elaborate that duties can include:
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Power tongs and catwalks are used to move drill pipe and casing in and out of the well bore.
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Monitoring and maintaining the drilling fluid system
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Cleaning and servicing the rig and equipment
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Assisting with assembly and disassembly of the rig when moving between locations
Emphasize your understanding that the role requires getting dirty completing tough manual tasks in all weather conditions.
2. What skills and abilities are most important for success as a roughneck?
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Physical strength and stamina – the ability to lift heavy equipment, work on your feet for prolonged periods, and operate in a harsh environment
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Mechanical aptitude – skill with repairing, maintaining, and operating rig machinery
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Attentiveness – strong situational awareness to perform tasks safely and identify issues
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Team player attitude – cooperating with crewmembers to achieve goals smoothly
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Problem-solving skills – quickly and creatively addressing challenges
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Reliability – getting the job done responsibly despite difficulties
3. What do you enjoy about roughneck work? What are the biggest challenges or disadvantages?
Discuss advantages like:
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Earning a strong salary with minimal experience required
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Gaining hands-on experience with mechanical systems
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Forging bonds with crewmembers through shared challenges
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Getting to work outdoors instead of being stuck in an office
And challenges like:
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Very physically demanding work requiring endurance
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Harsh weather conditions to operate in
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Long shifts with extended time away from home
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High risk environment requiring extensive safety precautions
This shows you’re realistic about what the job entails.
Daily Life on the Rig
Expect questions that probe into your understanding of the nitty gritty of life as a roughneck. Thoroughly explain what a typical workday or hitch rotation looks like.
4. Walk me through what an average shift is like for a roughneck.
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Arrive at rig before designated shift start time for handover from previous shift
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Receive instructions from rig manager on drilling schedule and tasks for the shift
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Get rigged up in PPE – steel-toe boots, flame retardant coveralls, safety goggles and hard hat
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Review safety procedures and hazard monitoring systems like gas detectors
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Begin active drilling operations like feeding drill line in or out of the borehole
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Monitor drilling fluid systems, watching for fluid returns and checking mud levels
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Clean and maintain rig, equipment and tools as needed
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Troubleshoot any emerging issues with machinery or drill operations
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Record operational data like drilling rate, fluids pumped, and drill stool settings
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Prepare rig to be handed over to next shift
5. Walk me through what a typical hitch or rotation is like for a roughneck.
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Arrive at rig site with crew, register in, stow gear in bunkhouse
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Work 12 hour shifts for 14 consecutive days
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7am-7pm for day shift, 7pm-7am for night shift
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With crew, help rig up/rig down drilling systems when moving between wells
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Live onsite in bunkhouse during rotation with time off between shifts
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Bond with crewmembers – share meals and downtime between shifts
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Rotation ends, debrief with supervisors, finalize paperwork, depart rig site
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After week off, report back for next 14 day hitch
This shows you grasp the lengthy rotations and shift structure required.
Career Trajectory
Roughneck experience can lead to advancement, so be ready to discuss your career aspirations in the oil and gas industry.
6. Where do you see your career in oil and gas progressing long term?
Share interests like:
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Advancing to higher skilled rig work like derrickman or driller
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Transitioning into supervision/management role on rig or in office
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Leveraging experience to become expert in technical trade like corrosion control, electronics technician, etc
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Shifting from operations to sales, training, HR, or other corporate roles
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Potentially using experience as a launch pad for engineering or business degree
This demonstrates you’re motivated and have a plan for career growth.
7. How will being a roughneck prepare you for your future career goals in oil and gas?
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Gain fundamental mechanical and technical experience with drilling operations
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Build knowledge of drilling systems, processes and safety protocols
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Develop troubleshooting skills under challenging rig conditions
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Strengthen work ethic and resilience through grueling schedule and tasks
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Forge connections with crewmembers, many of whom advance into other roles
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Exposure to diverse wellsites provides wide understanding of the industry
Getting Your Start
Be ready to recap how you became interested in roughneck work and prepared for the role. This demonstrates commitment to the field.
8. How did you first get interested in becoming a roughneck?
Share your personal story. Emphasize preparation like:
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Learning about the career from family/friends in the industry
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Taking vocational courses in high school on fabrication, mechanics, etc
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Working construction or other manual labor jobs to build strength
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Connecting with roughnecks to understand on-the-job realities
9. What training or certifications do you have that prepared you to be a roughneck?
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OSHA 10 Hour Construction Industry Card
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First Aid/CPR Training Certification
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Rig Pass Certification like SafeLand USA, SafeGulf, etc
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Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
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Certificates for vocational courses like welding, electrical, mechanical
Discuss a proactive approach to getting the required credentials to stand out.
Motivations and Values
Hiring managers look for roughnecks genuinely motivated by the nature of the work itself. Share what appeals to you specifically about rig life.
10. What aspects of being a roughneck are you most passionate about or excited for?
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Opportunity to build mechanical skills by working with state-of-the-art rig machinery
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Taking pride in completing tough manual labor jobs the right way
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Thrill of troubleshooting complex issues under pressure
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Camaraderie and team spirit among the crew
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Excitement of travelling to new drilling sites in different regions
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Fulfillment of developing expertise in an in-demand field
Convey genuine enthusiasm for the essential duties of the job. This helps prove you’re a motivated candidate.
With these expert tips, you’ll be ready to demonstrate you have the strength, skills, and spirit needed to take on the rewarding role of roughneck. Use the strategies above to craft winning responses that will set you apart from the competition and land your dream job on the rig.
Roustabout Interview Questions & Answers
What is the role of a Roustabout ?
Roustabouts serve as members of oil drilling crews. Their primary duties involve assembling, disassembling, monitoring and repairing piping . To keep the drilling area in good working order. Usually spends two or three weeks on a drilling rig or platform and then two or three weeks off on land.
What are the duties of a Roustabout ?
- Cleans, scrapes and paints the drilling deck and equipment.
- Off loads supplies and moves them to storage areas.
- Moves supplies and equipment to the work site.
- Uses lifting equipment to load and stack equipment.
- Helps to repair equipment.
- Assists with the mixing of chemicals.
What are the Primary responsibilities of Roustabout ?
Roustabouts generally work for oil companies. According to the U. S. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roustabouts clean drills, pumps, and other machinery and tools, as well as keep work areas clean and in order. Roustabouts also use motorized lifts and truck winches to get rid of loose pipe and other junk and to load, unload, and stack materials and equipment. They also bring supplies and tools to the job site and put together, service, fix, and take apart machinery and equipment like pipes, boilers, and engine parts.
What are the Secondary Tasks ?
Other tasks required of roustabouts include working with crane and gin-pole truck operators. Roustabouts guide the operators and attach lifting slings to the loads. They also mix drilling mud, which is used to lubricate the drill bit that bores into the ground. When they work on offshore oil rigs, routabouts have to keep the ship in good shape by painting, scraping, and cleaning the deck, equipment, and work areas.
What are the Tools used for a Roustabouts ?
Roustabouts wear hard hats and protective gloves, goggles, earmuffs and boots. As reported by O-Net Online, they use safety hooks, power wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, electric sanders, saws, safety harnesses and belts, power grinders, safety hoists, and other hand and power tools to do their jobs. They also require the use of computer software for managing projects, writing reports and logging maintenance work.
