Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
Agriculture, Food and Natural ResourcesO*NET 47-5011.00United States
Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.
- Median annual earnings
- $58,589
- Projected change
- +3.7%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 10.59K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
91.4% of the workforce
Growing to 10.98K by 2035
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The work
What derrick operators, oil and gas do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.
- Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.
- Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.
- Repair pumps, mud tanks, and related equipment.
- Set and bolt crown blocks to posts at tops of derricks.
- Listen to mud pumps and check regularly for vibration and other problems to ensure that rig pumps and drilling mud systems are working properly.
- Start pumps that circulate mud through drill pipes and boreholes to cool drill bits and flush out drill cuttings.
- Position and align derrick elements, using harnesses and platform climbing devices.
- Supervise crew members, and provide assistance in training them.
- Guide lengths of pipe into and out of elevators.
- Prepare mud reports, and instruct crews about the handling of any chemical additives.
- Clamp holding fixtures on ends of hoisting cables.
- Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud, using portable mixers.
- String cables through pulleys and blocks.
- Steady pipes during connection to or disconnection from drill or casing strings.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $43,300
- 25th percentile
- $49,805
- 50th percentile
- $58,589
- 75th percentile
- $71,683
- 90th percentile
- $82,273
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $58,589 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+3.7%average or slower
202510,586 jobs
2035 projected10,981 jobs
395 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 91.4%
- Certificate
- 4.9%
- Associate degree
- 3.6%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
In the market
Job titles and employers
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- 11Lead Hands1 postings
- 12Maintenance of Way Machinists1 postings
- 13Motor Hands1 postings
- 14Nursing Unit Managers1 postings
Top employers
- 01Axis Energy Services37 postings
- 02Ranger Energy Services23 postings
- 03Steel Partners Holdings4 postings
- 04Shebester Bechtel3 postings
- 05Black Hawk Energy Services2 postings
- 06Falcon Energy Services2 postings
- 07Wyoming Casing Service2 postings
- 08Diversified Energy1 postings
- 09Flying A Pumping Services1 postings
- 10Megadyne Services1 postings
- 11Reliable Well Service1 postings
- 12Sun Well Service1 postings
- 13True Well Service1 postings
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