84101 – Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators

Lead statement

Oil and gas well drilling workers operate drilling and service rig machinery as intermediate members of the rig crew.

Main duties

• Use specialized equipment, information and maps to determine and document the location of buried pipelines and other utilities in preparation for seismic exploration and drilling activities
• Align and manipulate sections of pipe or drill stem from platform on rig derrick during removal and replacement of strings of pipe, or drill stem and drill bit
• Operate and maintain drilling mud systems and pumps during drilling, and mix mud, chemicals and additives
• Record mud flows and volumes and take samples
• Operate and maintain drilling rig diesel motors, transmissions and other mechanical equipment
• Assist in setting up, taking down and transporting drilling and service rigs
• Supervise floorhands and labourers.
• Drive well services truck to well site
• Assemble pumping equipment and attach pumps and hoses to wellhead
• Operate hydraulic pumping systems to pump chemicals, gases, sand, cement or other material into well
• Read gauges to monitor pressure, density, rate and concentration and adjust pumping procedure as required
• May mix chemicals and cements.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is required.
• Completion of petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required.
• One year of experience as a floorhand, assistant or labourer is usually required.
• Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), cryogenic safety or in other safety concerns may be required.
• Rig technician certification for motorhands and derrickhands may be required by some employers.
• Training of up to three months with an experienced operator is required for oil and gas well services operators.

Example job titles

acidizer - oil field services · acid treater - oil field services · oil well acidizer · derrick worker - oil and gas drilling · derrickhand · rig technician - oil field services · ballast control operator - offshore drilling rig · control room operator - offshore drilling · well treatment pump operator - oil field services · seismic buried facilities locator · pipeline locator - oil field services

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.