Precision Drilling Physical Fitness Test

[thesundering]

Has anyone here had to do the physical fitness test from any of the big drilling companies to become a leasehand/roughneck?

I was just wondering what is involved. I'm not really out of shape too much, just not "in shape". I was wondering what activities they make you do and how strenuous it is?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Kakato]

Just a test from the doctor no?

Conoco philips used to make us do jumping jacks every morning.

 

[TenPenny]

I thought you had to do 3 lines of coke, suck back a 40 of rum, and see how fast you can drive from Edmonton to Fort McMoney.

 

[Kakato]

You have to have a big 4x4 with mudders,a set of those nuts hanging off the rear bumper and be able to drive the backroads at 100 kph while pounding back budwiesers and shooting gophers in the fields.

 

[Kakato]

and dont forget the hard hat thats shaped like a cowboy hat,thats mandatory on the rigs.

 

[TenPenny]

You have to have a big 4x4 with mudders,a set of those nuts hanging off the rear bumper and be able to drive the backroads at 100 kph while pounding back budwiesers and shooting gophers in the fields.

You're right - I wasn't thinking of the roughneck test, I was thinking of the millwright's test.

 

[Kakato]

wash down the mud tanks,gen shacks,derrick,etc with small brush,rinse,repeat,must be able to walk with ten pounds of clay permanently attached to each boot for 12 hours a day.

 

[karrie]

Has anyone here had to do the physical fitness test from any of the big drilling companies to become a leasehand/roughneck?

I was just wondering what is involved. I'm not really out of shape too much, just not "in shape". I was wondering what activities they make you do and how strenuous it is?

Thanks a lot.

I think they make you touch your toes, then turn your head and cough. It's routine.

 

[karrie]

You have to have a big 4x4 with mudders,a set of those nuts hanging off the rear bumper and be able to drive the backroads at 100 kph while pounding back budwiesers and shooting gophers in the fields.

Oh, and if those roads are on reservation land, you have to show that you can call the native cop that pulls you over for speeding a 'squaw'. They love that.

 

[karrie]

Oh, and duh... nearly forgot. You WILL have to piss in a cup. And no, no matter what your buddy says, you can't flush your system in time. If you can't pass a piss test before starting, seriously, this is going to sound funny, but TELL the manager hiring you that you need to wait 3 weeks to hire on. Most of them will simply file the paperwork and hire you in 3 weeks when you're clean enough to pass.

 

[thesundering]

I was reading from Are you a Toughneck? which is from Precision Drilling, and it says they require "an intense physical fitness test" during the pre-employment orientation. I also read on a different post on this site that someone had to take a physical fitness test from ensign.

Also from reading apparently it's hard to become a leasehand now? Are the oilfields still booming or dried up?

 

[Kakato]

Dried up,rigs are sitting and exploration budgets are slashed in Alberta as natural gas is at a 7 year low.
I will ask my nieghbour though if he ever awakes from his 4 day bender as hes a driller for presicion.
Saskatchewan is where all the energy industry work is right now.

 

[karrie]

" Are the oilfields still booming or dried up? "

Well sundering, last August there were 417 rigs drilling in Alberta, This August there were 168, and as of this week drilling rig count is sitting at 102. Things are definitely slow. But, we're about to head into the winter, and any reputable drilling rig company knows that the hundred days of hell gets crazy FAST, and it's better to have hands trained ahead of time, rather than training on the fly. You may have a chance to get on.

 

[thesundering]

I'm assuming the minimum requirements to get onto a rig is that you have to get your H2S, First Aid and CSTS certificates by yourself and then will that make it easier to get a job without any other related experience?

 

[karrie]

I'm assuming the minimum requirements to get onto a rig is that you have to get your H2S, First Aid and CSTS certificates by yourself and then will that make it easier to get a job without any other related experience?

Most guys just let the drilling company eat that cost. It's part of their budget, they won't blink to pay it and the courses are fast.

 

[thesundering]

Thanks Karrie, so do you think the best way to get into the field is just to apply to as many places as possible hoping they take me on?

 

[karrie]

Thanks Karrie, so do you think the best way to get into the field is just to apply to as many places as possible hoping they take me on?

I think the best way to get into the field is to go to NAIT or SAIT and take your petroleum engineering tech, or your power engineering tech. Otherwise you're getting into the side of the industry that relies almost entirely on you being very able bodied, and willing to be used up and spit out. It's physically punishing (although not as bad with modern rigs), and your room for advancement, and employability outside the field, are very limited.

It's a great cash grab during the booms, but there are a lot of downsides.

edited to add.... 'petroleum engineering technology' at NAIT is a program from which my husband was recruited, and now RECRUITS new hires. A two year investment, and it pays off in spades when the job fairs start, begging you to go work for an assortment of companies, rather than you running around begging for a job.

 

[Kakato]

You might want to take the PITS training course,thats petroleum institute training system,if your on EI they will pay for the courses which last up two weeks,they cover every ticket you need to work on the rigs or in a plant where sour gas is processed.You can do a lot of your courses online also except confined spaces,h2s and a few others.
I'm not a rig pig myself but work for about a dozen energy companies here and there.
I was in the field at cold lake this spring when things came to a halt,even the Encanna guys were surprised how fast wells were getting scrubbed,pipelines that were welded and ready to go in the ground in other places was being cut up and hauled away.They have a few wells being drilled but just to keep some guys and gals busy.
As a juinor pipeline inspector I was one of the first to be let go this spring and have seen nothing but guys sitting or going to Sask to work.

As for work in the patch,about 90% or more of the jobs are had by word of mouth,when the big outfits are hiring they will advertise on the HRDC site or calgary and Edmonton sun.

Once you get into the industry for a few years you build up a good group of contacts and things get easier as you go.
I dont expect things to pick up much untill next year,I hope i'm wrong.

 

[Trex]

I did a little consulting for Precision years and years ago.
It's probably just like Karrie said, a routine medical and drug screen.
Lowers PD's chances of getting stuck with Workman's Comp claims right off the get go.

You probably will require H2S, First Aid, WHMS and whatever other courses are the flavor of the week.

Burn and Drown and more thorough fitness and medical evaluations are generally required for some offshore certifications.

Krakato is right about the drilling budgets.
Probably going to be a very slow winter in the patch this year.
I would imagine most of the racked rigs have lots of experienced hands lined up and waiting for a chance at work.

Thesundering if you are green you should check into Roughneck school at PITS up in Edmonton.
I doubt the contractors will hire any green hands without it .

Trex

 

[Kakato]

There is a few ads in the sun and hrdc for pipeline labourers,even if its just water or sewer and not gas it's still a good door into the pipeline part of the industry.
You make about $20.00 hour and the works not hard,become a hoe operators swamper and you will maybe become a hoe operator years down the road.

Now one part of the industry that is still not bad is the safety aspect of it,safety officers are needed in most plant upgrades,United safety was hiring and training them not too long ago,most places that offer PITS courses usually have the contacts for those jobs.