85111 – Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
Lead statement
Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers carry out a variety of general labouring duties and operate equipment to assist in the drilling and servicing of oil and gas wells. This unit group also includes labourers who assist in geophysical prospecting for oil and gas.
Main duties
- Manipulate sections of pipe or drill stem at the rig floor during drilling and during the removal and replacement of strings of pipe or drill stem and drill bit
- Maintain drilling equipment on the drill floor
- Handle, sort and move drill tools, pipe, cement and other materials
- Clean up rig areas
- Assist in setting up, taking down and transporting drilling and service rigs and service equipment
- May drive trucks to transport materials and well service equipment.
Employment requirements
- Completion of introductory college or petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required.
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- Certificates in hydrogen sulphide awareness, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) or transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) may be required.
Example job titles
oil well cementer helper · floorman/woman - oil and gas drilling · floorman/woman - offshore drilling rig · tubing helper - oil field services · wireline helper · wireline helper - oil field services · oil field labourer · leasehand - oil and gas drilling · leasehand · observer helper - gravity prospecting · gravity prospecting observer helper · seismic prospecting observer helper · observer helper - seismic prospecting · perforator helper - oil field services · perforator loader helper - oil field services · roughneck - oil and gas drilling · roughneck · roughneck - offshore drilling rig · service rig roughneck - oil field services · roustabout · roustabout - oil and gas drilling · roustabout - offshore drilling rig · service rig helper · service rig operator helper · service rig helper - oil field services · shakerhand · shakerhand - oil and gas drilling · shooter helper - seismic prospecting · shooter - seismograph · vibrator operator - seismic prospecting · well puller helper - oil field services · well treatment helper · well treatment helper - oil field services · reeled tubing helper - oil field services · floorhand - service rig · floorhand - offshore drilling rig · floorhand - oil and gas drilling · swamper - oil field services · swamper - oil and gas · slasher - oil and gas
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $21.52 | $31.00 | $39.50 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $20.00 | $28.00 | $40.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $22.00 | $33.00 | $41.00 |
| New Brunswick | $19.00 | $25.00 | $38.00 |
| Quebec | $18.00 | $23.00 | $31.50 |
| Ontario | $20.50 | $34.00 | $40.60 |
| Manitoba | $26.50 | $38.00 | $40.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $24.00 | $34.00 | $40.00 |
| Alberta | $23.00 | $31.86 | $39.50 |
| British Columbia | $25.00 | $32.00 | $40.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.