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Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
Other titles employers use
Daylight Driller · Drill Operator · Driller · Drilling Rig Operator · Motor Man · Oil Rig Driller · Oil Well Driller · Relief Driller
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
- Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
- Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
- Push levers and brake pedals to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
- Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
- Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Instructing
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Personnel and Human Resources
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Control Precision
- Near Vision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Manual Dexterity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.2 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 4.4 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.5 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Most employers do not ask for a formal credential. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 60%
- A certificate or some college 31%
- A four-year degree 9%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Word processing software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Industrial control software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 6,850
- Job openings each year
- 720
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 7.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 6,850 | 720 | 7.0% |
| Oklahoma | 2,090 | 220 | 8.3% |
| New Mexico | 610 | 70 | 22.0% |
| Louisiana | 530 | 50 | — |
| Colorado | 280 | 30 | 16.7% |
| North Dakota | 260 | 30 | 18.2% |
| Utah | 200 | 20 | 17.6% |
| Florida | 150 | 20 | 7.1% |
| Kentucky | 140 | 10 | −22.2% |
| West Virginia | 140 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Michigan | 130 | 10 | — |
| Ohio | 130 | 10 | — |
| Virginia | 120 | 10 | −7.7% |
| Alaska | 110 | 10 | 37.5% |
| Mississippi | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Indiana | 70 | 10 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 70 | 10 | — |
| Wyoming | 70 | 10 | 16.7% |
| Illinois | 50 | 0 | — |
| Minnesota | 50 | 10 | — |
| Nebraska | 50 | 10 | — |
| South Carolina | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Arkansas | 40 | 0 | — |
| Idaho | 10 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.