Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas: Career 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.
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The Daily Work of Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Perform?
The core tasks performed by rotary drill operators, oil and gas include:
- 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.
What Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Need to Know
Top rotary drill operators, oil and gas rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Blast Driller
- Cable Driller
- Cable Tool Driller
- Cable Tool Operator
- Clean Out Driller
- Core Drill Operator
- Core Driller
- Daylight Driller
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 374,803 rotary drill operators, oil and gas working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +8.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $69,933 |
| Hourly median | $33.62 |
| 10th percentile | $44,769 |
| 25th percentile | $57,351 |
| 75th percentile | $82,515 |
| 90th percentile | $95,097 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $99,470 |
| Alaska | $86,750 |
| New Mexico | $85,540 |
| Minnesota | $79,760 |
| Alabama | $77,240 |
| Colorado | $76,290 |
| Arizona | $75,540 |
| Florida | $75,410 |
| North Dakota | $69,560 |
| Utah | $68,660 |
| Arkansas | $67,800 |
| Texas | $66,430 |
| Oklahoma | $65,080 |
| Mississippi | $62,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,350 |
| Ohio | $61,380 |
| Louisiana | $60,930 |
| Virginia | $59,750 |
| Kansas | $58,580 |
| West Virginia | $58,040 |
| Wyoming | $56,600 |
| Michigan | $54,070 |
| South Carolina | $50,850 |
| North Carolina | $43,950 |
| Kentucky | $42,000 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for rotary drill operators, oil and gas shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $95,741 | 4.6% | 2.04 |
| Southwest | $67,749 | 64.9% | 6.45 |
| Plains States | $67,015 | 3.9% | 4.85 |
| Rocky Mountains | $66,679 | 5.0% | 4.31 |
| Middle Atlantic | $62,350 | 3.5% | 0.86 |
| Southeast | $60,409 | 16.2% | 4.73 |
| Great Lakes | $58,568 | 2.1% | 0.32 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $101,350 | 200 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | TX | $82,380 | 60 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | TX | $79,150 | 1,660 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $78,220 | 430 |
| Tyler, TX | TX | $77,650 | 80 |
| Farmington, NM | NM | $76,960 | 60 |
| San Angelo, TX | TX | $73,690 | 50 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $72,530 | 580 |
Top Industries Employing Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
The largest employers of rotary drill operators, oil and gas are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 12,220 | $65,210 |
| Construction | 290 | $59,840 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 290 | $59,560 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 100 | $79,690 |
| Manufacturing | 40 | $59,780 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 40 | $66,190 |
Below are examples of industries where rotary drill operators, oil and gas work:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for rotary drill operators, oil and gas is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level rotary drill operators, oil and gas positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Long)
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (Supplemental)
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (Supplemental)
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future rotary drill operators, oil and gas typically earn programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-5012.00 (Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas).
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