Occupation Details
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.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$41,430.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$62,800.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$87,480.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
2,550
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
3,060
+51 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
379
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.2%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Accumulator systems
- Adapter spools
- Air hoists
- Cement pumping equipment
- Chain driven draw works
- Choke manifolds
- Claw hammers
- Double studded adapters
- Downhole fishing tools
- Drill casings
- Drill pipe tongs
- Drilling chokes
- Drilling collars
- Drilling crosses
- Drilling draw works
- Drilling mud mixers
- Drilling rig rotary tables
- Drilling spools
- Drilling swivels
- Explosives detonating equipment
- Fall arrest systems
- Gasoline engines
- Gear driven draw works
- Hammer wrenches
- Hard hats
- Hydraulic torque wrenches
- Lifting taglines
- Mobile radios
- Mud mixing equipment
- Multiphase flowmeters
Technology
- Drillingsoftware DrillPro
- Drillingsoftware Tubular Database
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Word
- Pason WellView Field Solution
- Python
- SAP business and customer relations management software
- Salesforce software
- Schlumberger Petrel E&P
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain records, reports, or files
- determine locations, angles, and depths of blast holes
- determine amount or kind of explosive needed to complete job
- measure, weigh, or count products or materials
- record drilling progress or geological data
- perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
- monitor operation of drilling equipment
- drive truck with capacity greater than 3 tons
- operate earth-moving or other heavy construction equipment
- set up heavy construction equipment
- maintain or repair construction machinery or equipment
- inspect core samples to determine nature of strata
- remove or retrieve tools, equipment, casings or pipe from wells
- charge blasting holes with explosives
- assemble detonation units for construction or extraction work
- detonate blasting charges for construction or extraction work
- connect sections of drill pipe
- use hand or power tools
- use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
- extract core sample or drill rod from well hole
- drill blasting holes
- inspect material moving equipment
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- 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.
- Cap wells with packers, or turn valves, to regulate outflow of oil from wells.
- Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
- Line drilled holes with pipes, and install all necessary hardware, to prepare new wells.
- Bolt together pump and engine parts, and connect tanks and flow lines.
- Position and prepare truck-mounted derricks at drilling areas specified on field maps.
- Remove core samples during drilling to determine the nature of the strata being drilled.
- Plug observation wells, and restore sites.
- Lower and explode charges in boreholes to start flow of oil from wells.
- Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete, for foundations of steel or wooden derricks.