Extraction Workers

How to become an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator

Official title: Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

Also called: Daylight Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Motor Man, Oil Rig Driller, Oil Well Driller, Relief Driller, Rig Operator, Rotary Drill Operator, Rotary Driller

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.

Main 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.
Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
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.
Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.

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

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Prospecting Driller (Petro).

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $67,890 a year The middle half earn $53,810 to $81,360.
About 12,700 people work in this job now, and about 12,900 are projected by 2035. (+0.8%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator?

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

Median full-time pay is $67,890 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $53,810 to $81,360.

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

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 12,700 people now and 12,900 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

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

Usually not. Only 13% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Prospecting Driller (Petro).

Will AI change the work of an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill 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.