Industry Spotlight Canada

Rig Technician

What does a Rig Technician do?

Rig Technicians operate oil and gas drilling rigs. These rigs drill the holes for oil and gas wells.

- They regularly maintain drilling rig engines, transmissions, heating systems and other mechanical equipment.
- They maintain equipment logs and maintenance records
- They monitor inventories of fuels, lube oils and greases
- They supervise, train and work with floorhands and labourers.
- They participate in rig mobilization and de-mobilization

There are 3 certifications of Rig Technicians in Alberta: Rig Technician 1, Rig Technician 2 and Rig Technician 3.

What kind of person makes a good Rig Technician?

Millwright might be the job for you if you:

- Get along well with others
- Have physical strength and stamina
- Are able to judge distances and spatial relationships
- Have mechanical aptitude.

How do I become a Rig Technician?

1. Find a company willing to take you as an apprentice
2. Register with AAIT (Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training)
3. Apprentice for 3 years (includes Rig Technician levels 1,2, and 3), which includes 1500 hours of on the job training and 4 weeks of technical training at school each year.
4. Take the interprovincial Red Seal exam to become a registered Rig Technician 3.
5. Now you can work almost anywhere in Canada!

Where does a Rig Technician work?

Rig Technicians are employed by contractors who own and operate oil and gas well drilling rigs and contract with oil producers to drill wells.

How much does a Rig Technician make?

On average, Rig Technicians in Alberta make $30.51 an hour.
That’s about $65,550 a year.

Rig Technician Case Studies

These don't exist yet!