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Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas - 47-5012.00

O*NET-SOC 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.

Sample of Reported Job Titles

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

SOC Occupation Groups

Related Occupations

Tasks

  • Bolt together pump and engine parts, and connect tanks and flow lines.
  • Cap wells with packers, or turn valves, in order to regulate outflow of oil from wells.
  • Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
  • Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
  • Count sections of drill rod in order to determine depths of boreholes.
  • Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete, for foundations of steel or wooden derricks.
  • Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
  • Line drilled holes with pipes, and install all necessary hardware, in order to prepare new wells.
  • Locate and recover lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
  • Lower and explode charges in boreholes in order to start flow of oil from wells.
  • Maintain and adjust machinery in order to ensure proper performance.
  • Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
  • Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.
  • Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers in order to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
  • Plug observation wells, and restore sites.
  • Position and prepare truck-mounted derricks at drilling areas that are specified on field maps.
  • Push levers and brake pedals in order to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
  • Remove core samples during drilling in order to determine the nature of the strata being drilled.
  • Repair or replace defective parts of machinery, such as rotary drill rigs, water trucks, air compressors, and pumps, using hand tools.
  • Start and examine operation of slush pumps in order to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
  • Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
  • Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.

Detailed Work Activities

  • assemble detonation units for construction or extraction work
  • charge blasting holes with explosives
  • connect sections of drill pipe
  • determine amount or kind of explosive needed to complete job
  • determine locations, angles, and depths of blast holes
  • detonate blasting charges for construction or extraction work
  • drill blasting holes
  • drive truck with capacity greater than 3 tons
  • extract core sample or drill rod from well hole
  • inspect core samples to determine nature of strata
  • inspect material moving equipment
  • maintain or repair construction machinery or equipment
  • maintain records, reports, or files
  • measure, weigh, or count products or materials
  • monitor operation of drilling equipment
  • operate earth-moving or other heavy construction equipment
  • perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
  • record drilling progress or geological data
  • remove or retrieve tools, equipment, casings or pipe from wells
  • set up heavy construction equipment
  • use hand or power tools
  • use measuring devices in construction or extraction work

Military Crosswalk Titles

No information available.

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

  • Prospecting Driller

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Prospecting Driller
  • Rotary Driller
  • Rotary-Rig Engine Operator