Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Career, Salary and Skills

Occupation description

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.

National salary and employment

Top skills

Typical 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.
• 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.
• Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.

Technology

• CAPSHER Technology SureTec
• Drillingsoftware DrillPro
• Drillingsoftware Tubular Database
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Word
• Pason WellView Field Solution
• Python
• Salesforce software
• SAP software
• Schlumberger Petrel E&P
• Structure query language SQL

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in TX
  Median $77,840 · Employment 5,980
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in Houston, TX
  Median $79,450 · Employment 2,100
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in OK
  Median $55,160 · Employment 1,700
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in Oklahoma City, OK
  Median $55,160 · Employment 1,040
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in LA
  Median $49,410 · Employment 910
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in NM
  Median $82,780 · Employment 580
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in Midland, TX
  Median $78,260 · Employment 490
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in Dallas, TX
  Median $81,360 · Employment 470
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in CA
  Median $65,520 · Employment 460
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in Lafayette, LA
  Median $49,190 · Employment 400
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in PA
  Median $61,780 · Employment 390
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in OH
  Median $63,600 · Employment 290

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