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Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator

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AVG. SALARY

$56,380

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EDUCATION

High school (GED) +

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JOB OUTLOOK

Increasing

What They Do

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Career Video

About This Career

Sets up or operates a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or removes core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.

This career is part of the Energy cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Trains crews, and introduces procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
  • Observes pressure gauge and moves throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
  • Counts sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
  • Pushes 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.
  • Connects sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
  • Maintains records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
  • Maintains and adjusts machinery to ensure proper performance.
  • Starts and examines operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
  • Locates and recovers lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
  • Directs rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
  • Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
  • Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
  • Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals more than once a month
  • Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
  • Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
  • Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
  • Whole body vibrations, such as when operating a jackhammer
  • Work at heights above 8 feet more than once a month on structures such as ladders, poles, scaffolding, and catwalks

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Overnight travel

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Daylight Driller
  • Drill Operator
  • Driller
  • Drilling Rig Operator
  • Motor Man
  • Oil Rig Driller
  • Relief Driller
  • Tool Pusher
  • Oil Well Driller

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

Support


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