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Roughneck (or ruffneck) is a slang term for an unskilled or slightly skilled labourer in a number of industries. In particular, it is the official name of a semi-skilled role on a North American oil rig. In Australia, a roughneck is known as a Driller's Offsider.

Originally the term was used in the travelling carnivals of 19th century America, almost interchangeably with roustabout. By the 1930s the terms had transferred to the oil drilling industry.

In the United Kingdom oil industry (1970s onwards) the term roughneck was specifically for the moderately skilled people who worked on the drill floor of a drilling rig, actually handling the specialised equipment for drilling, pressure control, etc. By contrast, a roustabout would perform more general labour, such as loading and unloading cargo from crane baskets, and being assistants to the welder, mechanic, electrician or other skilled workers. Usage in America appears to have been similar, and the terms had spread to the rest of the world at least by the mid-1990s.

In the North American oilfields, roughneck is one of several roles in the hierarchy on an oil rig. A roughneck's duties could include anything involved with the connecting and "tripping" of pipe down the well bore, and he is the man when it comes to general work around the rig.The roughneck is part of the crew.

The crew of a land-based oil rig can be further divided into several positions:

Driller: The head or boss of the crew. Responsible for the control of the rig's machinery during drilling operation and most other rig operations.

Derrickhand: Responsible for the "mud", the water, or oil based mud. and the mud pits where drilling fluids are circulated around the system. Drilling mud is a mixture used in drilling oil& gas wells.Also assumes the position in the derrick, usually 60 to 90 feet off the ground, while "tripping pipe". That is the process of "racking" 90 feet or 60 feet lengths of drill pipe back in the mast when pulling out of the hole and the reverse of this when running in the hole.

Motorhand: Responsible for the maintenance of the various engines, water pumps, water lines, steam lines, boilers, and various other machinery incorporated into the rig.

Floorhand (Chainhand): Works the "make-up" tongs on the right side of the drilling floor. While tripping in the hole.

Leadhand (Worm): Usually the lowest member of the drilling crew. Works the "break-out" or lead tongs on the left side of the drilling floor.

Roustabout(leasehand): On bigger rigs and on offshore rigs a person who does most of the painting and cleaning so roughnecks can take care of other work.

The Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League uses an oil rigging roughneck, with a hockey stick, as one of their secondary logos.

The roughneck as a symbolic of hard work and toughness was the inspiration for the Calgary Roughnecks lacrosse team to adopt that name.

• Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary