How to become an oil and gas well drilling and related worker or services operator
Official title: Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators
Also called: Nitrogen operator, Oil well acidizer, Power-tong operator, Snubbing-unit operator, Pumper - oil field services, Acidizer - oil field services, Cementer - oil field services, Formation fracturing operator, Motorhand - offshore drilling, Derrickhand - offshore drilling, Frac driver - oil field services, Motorhand - oil and gas drilling
Oil and gas well drilling workers operate drilling and service rig machinery as intermediate members of the rig crew. Oil and gas well services operators drive trucks and operate specialized hydraulic pumping systems to place cement in wells or to treat wells with chemicals, sand mixtures or gases to stimulate production. They are employed by drilling and well service contractors and by petroleum producing companies.
Main tasks
- Oil and gas well drilling workers
- Use specialized equipment, information and maps to determine and document the location of buried pipelines and other utilities in preparation for seismic exploration and drilling activities
- Align and manipulate sections of pipe or drill stem from platform on rig derrick during removal and replacement of strings of pipe, or drill stem and drill bit
- Operate and maintain drilling mud systems and pumps during drilling, and mix mud, chemicals and additives
- Record mud flows and volumes and take samples
- Operate and maintain drilling rig diesel motors, transmissions and other mechanical equipment
- Assist in setting up, taking down and transporting drilling and service rigs
- Supervise floorhands and labourers
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is required. Training of up to three months with an experienced operator is required for oil and gas well services operators. Completion of petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required. One year of experience as a floorhand, assistant or labourer is usually required. Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), cryogenic safety or in other safety concerns may be required. Rig technician certification for motorhands and derrickhands may be required by some employers. Oil and gas well services operators require a driver's license appropriate to the class of vehicle being driven.
Ways in
- Licence or registration: Oil and gas well services operators require a driver's license appropriate to the class of vehicle being driven.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $78,000 a year The middle half earn $62,829 to $87,750.
- About 4,300 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 4,300 are projected by 2033. (+0%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become an oil and gas well drilling and related worker or services operator?
Completion of secondary school is required. Training of up to three months with an experienced operator is required for oil and gas well services operators. Completion of petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required. One year of experience as a floorhand, assistant or labourer is usually required. Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), cryogenic safety or in other safety concerns may be required. Rig technician certification for motorhands and derrickhands may be required by some employers. Oil and gas well services operators require a driver's license appropriate to the class of vehicle being driven.
How much does an oil and gas well drilling and related worker or services operator earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $78,000 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $62,829 to $87,750.
Is an oil and gas well drilling and related worker or services operator a growing career in Canada?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2033: about 4,300 people now and 4,300 later (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an oil and gas well drilling and related worker or services operator?
Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03