Oil Rig Driller Jobs
Being a Driller on an oil rig means being responsible for
overseeing various crews of workers while the oil drilling
work is being done. The driller is in turn under the
supervision of a rig manager or toolpusher.
While some of the responsibilities of a driller are similar
in some ways to those of a rig manager, the driller's duties
can include many more jobs, depending on the way the crews
are set up under the rig manager.
The driller's responsibilities usually include getting the
work on the rig done safely, efficiently and within the regulations
set down by government or the company itself.
To be a successful driller, the candidate should have excellent
organizational skills, be able to communicate and listen equally
well and be capable of working quickly with an eye for detail.
The driller, as the head of a drilling crew, also needs to
be able to work well with others in order to develop a good
crew, capable of working efficiently together. It won't take
long for a company to find out which driller's crew isn't
working to their best capacity as a team and have a talk with
that driller about his communication problems.
Besides supervising the drilling crew, the driller is also
responsible for operating the drilling and hoisting equipment
on the rig deck. This can include managing the rig floor and
driller's console, which includes brakes, monitors and throttles
for the drilling equipment.
Measurements, reading and other feedback from the drilling
console allow the driller to make adjustments to the drilling
operations as they become necessary. The driller is also responsible
for ensuring that all new and existing rig personnel are aware
of the required safety measures on the rig, and follow them
to the letter.
Regular safety meetings are held to make sure that these
rules are closely monitored and followed.
Regular safety drills, such as blow out prevention measures,
are scheduled and carried out by the driller and all rig personnel.
If you think you have what it takes to be a driller on an
oil rig, this site can help you find out more information
on starting a career in the oil and natural gas industry.
Driller salaries vary based on experience and specialized
levels of training, and are usually on a set day rate plus
living allowance. Drillers can expect to earn upwards of $85,000
per year, plus production bonuses.
The driller is a team leader in charge during the process of
well drilling. The term is commonly used in the context of an
oil well drilling rig. The driller is in charge of his crew,
and running the rig itself. Most of the time, his job is simply
to monitor the rig's activity, while the automatic driller runs
the breaks and drills the hole.
The driller is responsible for interpreting the signals the
well gives regarding gas and fluids with high pressure. In an
emergency he is also responsible for taking the correct counter
measures to stop an uncontrolled well control situation from
emerging. The driller will watch for gas levels coming out of
the hole, how much drilling mud is going in and other information.
While tripping, the driller will run the floor and work the
rig.
In the context of an offshore oil platform, the driller will
be the one in charge of real time decisions. According to the
hierarchy on an oil platform correspond to the timescale of
which the sections operate. The automatic drilling equipment
work on the timescale of seconds and both reports to and gets
its orders from the driller, who operates on a timescale of
several seconds to hours. He reports and gets his or her orders
from those planning the current drilling operation, on a timescale
of days and weeks. The chain extends to those who are in charge
of managing the whole oil field, on a timescale of decades.
