Drilling for natural resources requires skilled workers such as mechanics, technicians, rig supervisors, drilling engineers, and geologists. Most drilling jobs can be found with government organizations and private contractors. Workers and mechanics manually operate and maintain rigs and equipment. Technicians perform administrative tasks in addition to manual labor. Rig supervisors manage drilling operations and make key decisions. Geologists predict the size and quality of a reserve, while engineers design drilling equipment and wells. Most professionals have advanced degrees in their specialties.
Drilling is an essential task to reach underground natural resources. Skilled workers drill for water, ore, oil, natural gas and many different types of minerals, including diamonds. Professionals generally drill on land, although offshore oil deposits require specialized skills and tools to complete difficult jobs. There are many different types of drilling jobs including mechanics and workers, technicians, rig supervisors, drilling engineers and geologists. Most drilling jobs can be found with government organizations and private contractors.
The majority of all drilling jobs are performed by workers and mechanics, people who manually operate and maintain rigs and other equipment on the jobsite. These professionals are responsible for taking careful measurements, cleaning a site, moving drills into place, and operating heavy machinery. Workers are often required to use welders, torches and cement mixers to build wells. Skilled mechanics are essential when large drills break down or stop working, which is quite often. Most employers require mechanics and workers to earn high school diplomas and complete on-the-job apprenticeships to learn the trade, although some individuals receive additional training through vocational school programs.
Depending on the employer and the nature of the job, a drilling technician may be required to perform many of the same tasks as workers and mechanics, in addition to important administrative tasks. A drilling technician often splits his time between a job site and an office, recording expenses and reviewing a crew’s progress. He may be required to send invoices to the appropriate government agencies or companies, request additional funds, record the quantity and quality of the resource that was acquired through drilling, and write completion reports to summarize the work. Most technicians have high school diplomas, associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees in business or physical sciences.
Rig supervisors coordinate drilling operations and manage activity at one location. They direct workers, monitor the quality of work, and make key decisions to improve progress and efficiency. Typically, individuals are required to hold bachelor’s degrees in management or construction business to obtain rig supervisor drilling jobs. Offshore platform managers often receive additional training and specialist certification.
Highly skilled engineers and geologists are essential to a successful drilling practice. Geologists conduct field surveys at a potential drill site to predict the size and quality of a reserve. Based on careful calculations and research, they provide expert information on how and where to drill. Civil and mechanical engineers design drilling equipment and wells using computer-aided design equipment. They create blueprints, run mock tests, and oversee the construction and operation of machines. Most engineers and geologists have advanced degrees in their specialties and spend several years working as assistants before taking independent drilling jobs.
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