Is working on an oil rig dangerous for someone without prior experience or knowledge in this field?

Is flying a 747 airliner flown by a persson who has never been inside the cockpit dangerous? Think about the environment on a drilling or producing rig. They are as complicated and more dangerous than any airliner.

You are working in a location that has just enough room to get around safely and subject to the weather and other environmental factors. One mistake can be catastrophic, such as not knowing what to do when something goes wrong. Drilling into a formation that is under pressure, one we had contracted, had a bottom hole pressure of close to 35 mpa, or around 5000 psi. Can you imagine what a blowout at that pressure would do to the rig and anyone on or near it? Many of the formations on the leases contained H2S, some up to 29%, all it takes is 800 ppm to kill you. A piping leak will produce clouds of very flammable hydrocarbons, just looking for an ignition source. Then there is all the activity during drilling and producing; definitely not the place for an untrained worker.

Bottom line, EVERY person on a rig is highly trained in operation and emergency response. They must take courses on every aspect of the drilling safety, and production procedures, and then go through a hands on demonstration of their abilities on a practice rig. Once the trainer is satisfied of the person’s competency, they will be partnered with a trained worker who will evaluate the newby’s skills, and once satisfied, that person will be allowed to work with a crew on a smaller, but similar rig until they are deemed ready for the BIG one.

Hope this enlightens you to some of what is required to get on a rig.