Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

At a Glance

Median Salary
$54,611

Local Jobs
262

Entry-Level Education
High School

Occupation Profile

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.

By The Numbers

Median Annual Earnings

$54,611

Median Annual Earnings are the midpoint earned by 50 percent of workers who are the lowest paid and 50 percent of workers who are the highest paid in a particular occupation

Local Jobs

262

Jobs are any position in which a worker provides labor in exchange for monetary compensation (note: one individual may hold multiple jobs)

Entry-Level Education

High School

This is the most common education level requested in entry-level job listings.

Daily 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.

Occupational Skills

What skills are necessary for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas?

Hard Skills

Drilling Fluid
Drilling Rig
Housekeeping
Mud Pumps
Oil And Gas
Oil Well Workover
Pulmonology
Sledgehammers
Torque (Physics)
Valves (Piping)

Soft Skills

Arithmetic
Communications
Decisiveness
Lifting Ability
Mental Stamina
Mentorship
Operations
Organizational Skills
Planning
Problem Solving

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry- or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education. They are essential in many industries and occupations.

Education Programs

Del Mar College