answer:I lived in Louisiana for a while and I had neighbors who worked on the offshore rigs. They pour fluids (“mud”) in the hole as they drill. It keeps water out, lubricates the drill bit, and carries the rock bits out of the hole. They work long hours, it is hard and dirty work, and they live on the rig for a week (or two? it was a long time ago) but then they have a week or two off. ‘A mud engineer averages $108,032 a year, according to Rigzone’