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Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)	Projected Growth (2024-2034)
National Statistics	$65010	1200	0.2%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$65010

Median Wage (USD, 2024)

1200

Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)

0.2%

Projected Growth (2024-2034)

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.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma

Related Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 4 years, up to and including 10 years

Detailed Work Activities

Train construction or extraction personnel.
Operate drilling equipment.
Measure work site dimensions.
Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
Install drilling equipment.
Record operational or environmental data.
Maintain drilling equipment.
Inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation.
Operate pumps or compressors.
Measure materials or objects for installation or assembly.
Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.
Direct construction or extraction personnel.
Monitor extraction operations.
Select construction equipment.
Install equipment attachments or components.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Assemble products or production equipment.
Collect geological samples.
Install plumbing or piping.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Prepare excavation or extraction sites for commissioning or decommissioning.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

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.
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.
Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
Bolt together pump and engine parts, and connect tanks and flow lines.
Remove core samples during drilling to determine the nature of the strata being drilled.
Cap wells with packers, or turn valves, to regulate outflow of oil from wells.
Line drilled holes with pipes, and install all necessary hardware, to prepare new wells.
Position and prepare truck-mounted derricks at drilling areas specified on field maps.
Plug observation wells, and restore sites.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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