Mining and mineral processing plant operators

How to become a well driller, borer or related worker

Official title: Well drillers and borers and related workers

Also called: Bore sinker, Boring equipment operator, Derrickman, Derrick operator, Developmental driller, Directional driller, Driller (oil or gas well), Drilling plant operator, Drilling rig operator, Power-tong operator, Toolpusher, Tourpusher

Well drillers and borers and related workers position, assemble and operate drilling machinery and related equipment to sink wells, extract rock samples, liquids and gases, or for a variety of other purposes.

Main tasks

Dismantling, moving and assembling drilling rigs and auxiliary equipment
Assembling and dismantling pipes, casings and drill heads, and replacing dysfunctional equipment
Operating controls to lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells, regulate pressure in the well and control the speed of tools
Preparing drilling fluid and checking the operation of pumps to ensure adequate circulation of fluid in drill pipes and wells
Monitoring gauges and other indicators, listening to equipment to detect malfunctions and unusual well conditions, and determining the need to change drilling or equipment
Maintaining, adjusting, repairing and cleaning drilling rigs, hoisting and other machinery
Maintaining records of drilling and servicing operations
Operating machines and tools to extract dust, cuttings and lost and broken drilling equipment from holes and wells
Closing and sealing wells no longer in use
Supervising and train crew members

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: HK$20,000 a month
About 387,500 people in 2025, and about 403,200 projected by 2028. (+4.1%)
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a well driller, borer or related worker?

Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a well driller, borer or related worker?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026