Floater

The number of field workers supported by each administrative/office employee. A ratio of 10:1 is common for paper-based operations; digitized operations often achieve 30:1 to 40:1.

The portion of a subcontractor's available workforce, equipment, or service hours that is not currently committed to active contracts, representing untapped revenue potential that can be offered to clients on short notice or used to absorb surge demand without turning down work.

A field worker employed on a fixed schedule of alternating work and rest periods, such as 14 days on and 14 days off. Subcontractors must account for rotation cycles when planning crew mobilisation and maintaining consistent headcount on site.

A projection of anticipated workload volume over a set period, used to plan crew levels and equipment needs. Subcontractors rely on load forecasts to avoid understaffing during peak demand or carrying idle workers in slow periods.

A visual planning tool showing seasonal cycles of activity across oil & gas and construction sectors. Subcontractors use it to anticipate busy periods, align crew availability, and time equipment investments. It helps field service companies reduce downtime between contracts.

A rotation model where workers are flown to remote job sites for a set number of days, then returned home. Subcontractors must account for mobilisation costs and crew availability when bidding FIFO contracts. Rotation schedules vary widely, such as 14 days on and 14 days off.

When Your Crew's Behaviour Becomes a Business Problem: Managing Field Conduct on Active Subcontracts

What subcontractors are liable for when field personnel create conflict on a GC-managed site, and how to protect your contracts before it becomes a termination issue.

How to Get Your First Oilfield Job: A Practical Guide for Tradespeople and CDL Holders

No oilfield experience? No problem. Learn which certifications, service lines, and job boards actually get tradespeople and CDL holders hired.

From the Field to the Office: What Oilfield Workers Should Know Before Making the Switch

Thinking about moving from field work to an office role? This guide covers how your field experience translates into technical and operations positions, what the transition actually looks like, and the trade-offs most people do not talk about until it is too late.