I worked on an oil rig 30 yrs ago -- I'm a woman.
I know this is late. But I am doing a personal narrative paper for a class I am in and I choose to write about my oilrig experience in Wyoming over 30 yrs ago. I have to research the subject, so I did a search for woman on oilrigs. I was surprised to find that not much has changed. I am finding post from women who want to work on oilrigs, but not much about women who actually have.
To answer your question about how it is -- I would say I had a great experience. The previous poster said something about losing fingers; I would say that is true. I wouldn't do it again because I can look back now and see just how dangerous it was. My skills were just fine and I worked right alongside every else and didn't miss a beat. If anything, I did a better job because I had to always prove myself. The oilrig wasn't as hard as men like to make it sound -- I handled the labor just fine. Most of the time we sat in the doghouse waiting for the bit to get through tough ground or rock even; the men usually read porn, while I read a book. Sometimes we played poker (not stripe poker).
I was the one to go out, get the pipe, hook it up to the elevator, and haul it over to add to the pipe in the ground. I never went up to work the derrick that took a skill I didn't want to try.
I almost lost my fingers, but due to there not being proper fitting cloves (or boots) for women at the time -- when my fingers got caught between the pipe, I was able to pull my hand out leaving the fingers of the clove pinched between the pipes.
It can be a boring job, but it sure pays well. We worked in the cold -- often below zero with the wind-chill factor and sometimes we were stuck out in the middle of nowhere because the next crew couldn't get there due to a snowstorm.
I feel that women have good endurance and that is what is takes most of, not strength. Most things are handled by the equipment -- like the elevators, tongs, and chain. (At least when I worked there).
The worst part is working with the guys. Some will want to protect you and watch over you. Others want you to quit and will make it hard. I had a guy that quit because I took over his job. I became the chain hand and he was demoted to worm, he always let the tail loose to fly around and almost hit us. He didn't always throw it right either and miss getting it tight on the upper pipe. I tried and did it perfectly, just the right flick of the wrist. It didn't take strength to do that, just finesse.
Then there is always that guy who thinks you are his personal little girl toy. I had the derrick hand always after me. He followed me down to the lower doghouse when I was to repaint it and he tried very hard to get into my pants, against my will. I got away and tried to stay away from him. He still said nasty things to me. I never told the driller because I didn't want to be a problem on the rig as a girl. Later, after I quit, I told him and he was mad. But the guy was his friend and the only one who would work the derrick because our rig was considered a jinx.
Overall -- I don't know why you would want to work on an oil rig. I read one post where a woman finally admitted that the only reason she wanted to work on the rig was to meet a hunky macho man. Believe me; those men are not someone you necessary want to be around. And if a oil rig guy got together with a woman on the rig, it probably wouldn't last. A man really wants a woman who is feminine, not as strong or macho as them.
Not saying that is what you want. I can understand wanting to work on the rig. You get a lot of money and satisfaction is doing some good hard work. I loved working manual labor and being away from working with other women because women can be so catty and bitchy. Men, at least, tell you how it is.
Let me know if you ever found work on an oilrig.
Val
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