Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Human Advantage 71%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.8 / 10
This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.
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.
Also Known As: Blast Driller, Cable Driller, Cable Tool Driller, Cable Tool Operator, Clean Out Driller, Core Drill Operator, Core Driller, Daylight Driller +29 more
Core Tasks
- 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.
- Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
- Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
- Locate and recover lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
- Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
- Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
- Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.
- Repair or replace defective parts of machinery, such as rotary drill rigs, water trucks, air compressors, and pumps, using hand tools.
- Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
- Bolt together pump and engine parts, and connect tanks and flow lines.
- Remove core samples during drilling to determine the nature of the strata being drilled.
Supplemental Tasks (4)
- Cap wells with packers, or turn valves, to regulate outflow of oil from wells.
- Line drilled holes with pipes, and install all necessary hardware, to prepare new wells.
- Position and prepare truck-mounted derricks at drilling areas specified on field maps.
- Plug observation wells, and restore sites.
Education & Training
Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (12)
Tools & Equipment (53)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Resource Extraction Advanced Manufacturing
Zone 2
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas You are here
Zone 3
Zone 4
Solar Energy Systems Engineers 77% match
Zone 5
Hydrologists 74% match
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