Jobs / Physical work / 47-5012.00

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.

US jobs
12,600
Median wage
$67,890 a year
Job family
Physical work

Can agents do the work of rotary drill operators, oil and gas?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Physical work:

  • Task levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection covers this work yet.
  • Project levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection covers this work yet.

Unexplored territory

No benchmark in this atlas covers this work yet.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • 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.
  • Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
  • 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.
  • Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
  • Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
  • Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
  • Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
  • Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
  • Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
  • Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.
Other job titles for this occupation (36)

Daylight Driller · Drill Operator · Driller · Motor Man · Oil Rig Driller · Oil Well Driller · Relief Driller · Rig Operator · Rotary Drill Operator · Rotary Driller · Blast Driller · Cable Driller · Cable Tool Driller · Clean Out Driller · Core Drill Operator · Core Driller · Directional Drill Operator · Directional Driller · Drill Hand · Drilling Field Operator · Drilling Field Professional · Drilling Machine Operator · Drilling Rig Operator · Fracturing Rotary Drill Operator · Gas Operations Management Professional (Gas Ops Management Professional) · Geotechnical Driller · Natural Gas Shothole Driller · Oil Operations Management Professional (Oil Ops Management Professional) · Oil Well Cable Tool Driller · Oil Well Cable Tool Operator · Prospecting Driller · Rotary Rig Engine Operator · Shot Hole Driller · Sonic Driller · Spud Driller · Well Driller