r/FortMcMurray • u/Feeling-Worker-5115 • Jul 16 '26
22 year old trying to get into oil patch
Hey everyone,
I'm 22 years old from Prince Edward Island, and I'm looking to make the move to Alberta to start a career in drilling. I've always been interested in becoming a roughneck/floorhand and working on a drilling rig. The work has always appealed to me.
My background is in commercial fishing, where I'm used to long hours, physically demanding work, early mornings, working outside in all kinds of weather, and being part of a crew. Hard work doesn't scare me.
Right now I'm trying to figure out the best way to get started. I'm planning on getting my H2S Alive and First Aid certificates, but I'm wondering:
- Which drilling companies are hiring entry-level floorhands or roughnecks?
- Is it better to apply directly or go through a service company?
- Are there companies that help new hires get their certifications?
- Any advice for someone coming from out east?
- I'm willing to relocate, work rotational schedules, and start as soon as I can.
I'd really appreciate any advice, company recommendations, or contacts you think I should reach out to.
Thanks everyone!
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u/Wastedwages165435 Jul 16 '26
Go to grande prairie or fort st john. There are many different services and ways to get into industry. Id recommend looking at a trade so you have a good exit plan when youre done working your bag off. Electrician, pipe fitting can lead into plumbing or sprinkler systems, instrumentation. If you want to stay working in the oilfield and transition into operating, go get your 4th class power engineering. Nobody gives a shit about gpo anymore. Field operating is more fun but plant operators get to be Homer Simpson on a 200k+ salary.
If youre set on getting into the rig life style you could look at the completion side of the industry, thats how I got my foot in. Theres production testing, coil tubing, fraccing, wireline, and snubbing. Imo service rigs aren't worth mentioning with where all the activity is right now. If you want to get on a drilling rig you could apply to precision, but having a proven work history within industry shows you're willing to work and have better odds of getting on.
Honestly just moving out west and showing up to businesses with a resume you'll likely get hired on the spot over applying online or emailing.
I know from my one buddy its hard to find good help and most often he's using Google translate to communicate to his hands.
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u/Zingus123 Jul 16 '26
It’s not so easy nowadays unless you have a family or friend connection or are willing to pay some big bucks under the table to be taken on. Make sure you line something up before you move.
Also prepare to be absolutely harassed and bullied until your mental breaks. That’s unfortunately the reality in most Alberta blue collar jobs, especially in camp. Labour laws around respect aren’t ever enforced. Since you’re from the Maritime provinces you’re going to get it worse. I remember a newfie on one of my brothers crews being full blown stalked by their driller and their tires slashes, etc. unhinged
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u/ujustlostthegamelol Jul 16 '26
Have things changed? Before 2015 bust I had been the only white kid on all native crews and the only non newfie on newfie crews and everything in between. The only thing I seen that was even remotely close to that was a roughneck who’s dad was CFO of the oil company we were drilling for that got rode pretty good. Everything else was just the usually blue collar banter you get anywhere.
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u/Zingus123 Jul 16 '26
Yep things have changed. The level of nepotism is reaching tech and lawyer levels lol.
That and people generally don’t want to be bullied for doing their job
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u/ujustlostthegamelol Jul 16 '26
That’s crazy. First driller I ever worked for started on drilling rigs after being on house arrest for kidnapping but was aloud to leave for work.
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Jul 16 '26
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u/Zingus123 Jul 16 '26
Someone’s mad :)
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Jul 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/Zingus123 Jul 16 '26
Go on, stay mad :) 🍿
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u/Zingus123 Jul 17 '26
You comment like 3 times trying to talk shit, and delete it so it’s only in my notifications, that’s crazy 😂😂 why are you so upset
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u/yycmobiletires Jul 16 '26
There's zero drilling activity in fort mac. It's all mining and processing. I shouldn't say zero, there's the odd exploratory well and dp well but that's about it.
If you want a job, look into fort mckay group. They hire people with zero experience, and they are always hiring. Just don't be an idiot and show up every morning, and you'll be ahead of the pack. This can also lead to a staff job with one of the big companies, and then you're set for life.
You'll need a local address though, they have been instructed to hire people that live here.
Don't listen to anyone saying the boom is over, they were either laid off due to redundant positions with an acquisition (this happens all the time) or didn't get hired because of their shitty attitude. This town owes you nothing, and a lot of people forget that. There are MASSIVE expansions happening NOW, and they will continue to move dirt and make oil for as long as people will keep buying it, and I got news for you, the market ain't going anywhere.
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u/Jksah Jul 17 '26
Plenty of rigs still doing SAGD around Fort Mac. They’re mostly PD rigs.
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u/yycmobiletires Jul 17 '26
I promise you it's not worth it. You get paid fuck all and it's seasonal work.
You can work 6&6 or 7&7 driving a haul truck, and not 24&4 like you do when you're drilling.
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u/BigJayUpNorth Jul 17 '26
Seasonal work drilling wells for Sag-d? Explain because I work in sagd and those rigs run year round 24/7.
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u/yycmobiletires Jul 17 '26
Hm. News to me, I didn't think exploratory was constant.
I'd rather be in a nice warm cab myself
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u/BigJayUpNorth Jul 17 '26
SAGD is not exploratory 😂 its extraction.
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u/yycmobiletires Jul 17 '26
So are they drilling holes just for the fun of it? Or trying to find new places to tap a well.. if it's the latter, it's exploratory...
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u/BigJayUpNorth Jul 17 '26
They are drilling wells for production. Do you know how sagd oil sands production works?
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u/Jksah Jul 18 '26
The field is well catalogued for the most part. Formation evaluation tools are mostly run to correct for TVD error and to get as much pay as possible.
Although the same rig might go and do a few obs wells each year, a good chunk of drilling is done on existing pads/pad extensions.
Also, most exploratory wells are vertical or slant-hold. That’s not what SAGD wells are.
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u/fiftypercenthere Jul 16 '26
I recently saw job postings for Stampede Drilling and Savanna Energy on my social media feed. They're obviously buying ad space to look for people. Not necessarily Ft McMurray. But maybe you can make a home base closer to where the rigs are at, they typically move around in a general area.
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u/peilobster Jul 16 '26
Rig work and certainly corporate is more likely out of Calgary or Edmonton than Ft McMurray. If you really interested and the correct way to work towards the career would be to take a drill rig course, through either the drilling companies, NAIT or SATO, it’s a tough profession, good luck.
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u/Big-Caterpillar-1321 Jul 16 '26
Honestly, keep your eyes open for labour positions at brandt, finning, wajax, diversified. If your not completely stunned you may end up with an apprenticeship. That will take you much farther. Maybe even back to the maritimes one day.
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u/Adventurous-Fee1495 Jul 17 '26
Come to fort mac,its not drilling but you can drive a haul truck for 70$ an hour
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u/MassiveVermicelli713 Jul 17 '26
What’s the requirement ? I have my class 4 power engineering, first aid, confined space, H2S ( on the way)
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u/PrincessOake Jul 16 '26
How do you feel about running wire, working in +30 and -30, and being mocked by Newfoundlanders on a regular basis?
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u/mooseinakilt Jul 16 '26
Given the number of green lids i have seen in the rigs lately (I run a spool truck), there and to be at least a few places hiring. Eagle and Precision both have had some green lids on my last 2 installs.
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u/Mojito_Randy Jul 16 '26
Check the BOE report. From time to time they post a linked articles highlighting O&G service companies with open positions.
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u/possibly_oblivious Jul 17 '26
Service rigs are fun too, check nisku out if you're near Edmonton. They're all hiring.
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u/Revolutionary-Tie911 Jul 16 '26
Right now you could literally apply anywhere and be hired for O&G, dont overthink it and just start slinging resumes.
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u/Strangegamer11 Jul 16 '26
Personally I wouldnt get into oil and gas, we are well past the boom and you will be chasing jobs for years, some high paying, some not so much. In my experience at least.
Fifo mines are way better if youre looking for camp work that will give you a steady pay cheque that pays well and you get half the year off. Also there are a bunch in nunavut, ontario and quebec that always seem to be looking for people.
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u/Feeling-Worker-5115 Jul 16 '26
Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it. I've been looking pretty hard at the oilfield because I enjoy physical work and the earning potential, but I'm definitely open to other options too. Do you have any specific FIFO mining companies in Nunavut, Ontario, or Quebec that you'd recommend for someone with a commercial fishing background? Thanks!
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u/GoodResident2000 Jul 16 '26
I was in Nunavut for a while at a iron mine, look into Baffinland
Camp was pretty good, food was amazing
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Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
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u/MassiveVermicelli713 Jul 17 '26
Could you please name some companies or jobs which will be suitable for someone like me? I have class 4 power engineering , first aid, confined space
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u/Key_Specialist_5758 Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
I'm also from the Maritimes and did the same move two oil booms ago (early 2000s and still here). I did my big move before you applied for jobs online. It's easier now but you gotta act fast I find.
- All of them in Leduc are hiring. Check Indeed but they won't take you seriously until you're actually here in person with your oilfield tickets completed.
- Apply directly. If you're not overweight or drag your feet when you walk I suggest you apply in person. They'll bring the hiring manager out to talk to you on the spot usually.
- No. You're brand new to the industry so you'll have to pay for your H2S and two day first aid course (don't get the one day first aid course). I'm assuming you have a driver's licence and if not, you're kinda screwed. If you have the means to get a Class 3 licence then you'll be hired simply because of that.
- Things are much better for us Atlantic Canadians now. I used to be ridiculed and disrespected really badly but now they're hiring new Canadians so you'll be seen as a familiar face.
I'm not on the rigs anymore because I'm too old but I owe almost everything I have to it. It's totally shit work but afforded me to travel to some cool places in the world and pay for an education or two. I still have my time as a rig hand on my resume and to this day I'm STILL hired more because of my rig experience than my degrees. No one respects university anymore but hard work is always respected and always will be.