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consist of four drilling crews – four drillers and derrickmen, and eight or 12 rotary helpers. Three
drilling crews split three 8-hour tours per day. The fourth crew is off. Later, they relieve one of the
working crews. One rig superintendent, or toolpusher, is on the site all the time. He or she may
work 7 days, for example, and then be relieved by the other superintendent for 7 days.
If the crews work 12 -hour tours on land, then the contractor may hire two drilling crews and
two superintendents for each rig. One superintendent, two drillers, two assistant drillers (if the rig
requires them), two derrickmen, and four or six rotary helpers – two full drilling crews – split two
tours per 24-hour day.
Offshore, crews also usually work 12-hour tours, but the contractor hires four drilling crews.
Two crews may work 14 days and then take off 14 days when the second crews come on board to
relieve them. Some contractors based in the U.S. have rigs working abroad, such as in the North Sea
or in Southeast Asia. In such cases, the contractor often employs a 28-and-28 schedule. Two crews
are home for 28 days while the other two work 12-hour tours for 28 days.

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