Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
What they do
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.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About rotary drill operators, oil and gas
Other titles
Daylight Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Drilling Rig Operator, Motor Man, Oil Rig Driller, Oil Well Driller, Relief Driller, Tool Pusher
Tasks they perform
- 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.
Skills they need
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
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Additional career information and resources
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