*Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories. Cancel anytime. The robot on an oil drillship in the Gulf of Mexico made it easier for Mark Rodgers to do his job stringing together heavy, dirty ...

WILLISTON, N.D. - Kalem Johnston makes $25 an hour as an oil field roughneck, working 12-hour shifts for a week straight followed by a week off. "I like it," Johnston said. "It's hard, dirty work, but ...

Picture an oilfield. Chances are you see a greasy drilling rig surrounded by a group of equally greased-up and grizzled oilmen, moving heavy equipment in a dangerous and labor-intensive environment.

If you're searching for the stereotypical picture of the oil-field roughneck, the crewmen from Nabors Drilling Rig 314 might disappoint you. Sure they get wet, oily and exhausted after a 12-hour shift ...

At-a-Glance: Offshore floorman (floorhand/roughneck) is the entry drilling-crew role responsible for pipe handling, housekeeping, and supporting well operations on the rig floor. The fastest route: ...