Service Rig Work
After a drilling rig drills the initial hole for a well, a service rig is brought on site.
Service rigs have equipment to work "downhole" to prepare the well for production. They also are needed when wellsites require maintenance or modifications. While drilling rigs only are required to start a well, service rigs will return to a wellsite again and again over a well's production life.
The biggest difference between service rig work and drilling rig work has to do with travel. Drilling rigs work anywhere across the western provinces. These crews are expected to follow their rig. Because the crews often travel great distances to their worksite, these employees work 14 day 'hitches' followed by 7 days off.
|
Service rigs look after wells within a set area. The service rig crew travels to the well, puts in a day's work and returns home at night. To learn more about this highly-specialized occupation, see the brochure here: A Career in the Service Rig Industry. |
