How to become an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator

Official title: Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Also called: Derrick Hand, Derrick Man, Derrick Operator, Derrick Worker, Derrickhand, Derrickman, Floor Hand, Rig Hand, Roughneck

Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.

Main tasks

• Start pumps that circulate mud through drill pipes and boreholes to cool drill bits and flush out drill cuttings.
• Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.
• Listen to mud pumps and check regularly for vibration and other problems to ensure that rig pumps and drilling mud systems are working properly.
• Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.
• Prepare mud reports, and instruct crews about the handling of any chemical additives.
• Position and align derrick elements, using harnesses and platform climbing devices.
• Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.
• Supervise crew members, and provide assistance in training them.

How to become one

Although formal education is not typically required to become an oil or gas worker, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Oil and gas workers learn on the job.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $58,620 a year The middle half earn $49,880 to $71,610.
• About 10,700 people work in this job now, and about 10,900 are projected by 2035. (+1.6%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
• Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
• Continuous Mining Machine Operators

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator?

Although formal education is not typically required to become an oil or gas worker, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Oil and gas workers learn on the job.

How much does an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $58,620 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $49,880 to $71,610.

Is an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 10,700 people now and 10,900 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator?

Usually not. Only 13% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.