8232 – Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers control the operation of drilling and hoisting equipment on drilling and service rigs, and direct the activities of the rig crew under supervision of the rig manager. Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers operate specialized mechanical or electronic equipment, tools or instruments to provide services in conjunction with well drilling, completion or servicing. They are employed by drilling and well service contractors, petroleum producing companies and well logging or testing companies.
Profile
Index of titles
Example titles
Assistant driller – offshore drilling rig
Assistant driller – oil and gas well drilling
Coring operator – oil field services
Directional driller – oil and gas drilling
Directional drilling operator
Directional drilling operator – oil and gas drilling
Downhole tool operator
Downhole tool operator – oil and gas drilling
Drill stem tester
Drill stem tester – oil and gas drilling
Driller – offshore drilling rig
Driller – oil and gas drilling
Electric line operator
Electric line operator – oil field services
E-line operator – oil field services
Fishing tool operator – oil field services
Gas tester – oil field services
Gun perforator – oil field services
Hydrocarbon mud logger – oil field services
Logging and perforating operator
Logging and perforating operator – oil field services
Offshore driller – oil and gas
Oil well perforator
Production testing operator – oil and gas well drilling
Rig technician – driller
Service rig operator
Service rig operator – oil field services
Sidewall core sampler – oil field services
Slickline operator
Slickline operator – oil field services
Well puller – oil field services
Well testing operator
Well testing operator – oil and gas drilling
Wireline operator
Wireline operator – oil field services
Wireline operator trainee
Workover rig operator – oil field services
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers
Direct rig crew in setting up rigs and drilling, completing or servicing oil and gas exploration and producing wells
Operate controls of drill or service rig drilling and hoisting machinery
Train or arrange for training of crew
Maintain records of drilling and servicing operations
Ensure safety procedures are followed.
Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers
Drive well service or wireline truck to well site
Assemble and attach equipment, tools or recorders to drill stem or wireline to conduct required procedures and tests
Operate or direct the operation of wireline or unit controls to lower, position and retrieve equipment and instruments
Operate recorders and computers in mobile testing or logging unit to collect data
May perform limited data interpretation.
Employment requirements
Completion of secondary school is usually required.
Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers require three to six months of formal on-the-job training, college or petroleum industry-approved training courses and four or more years of work experience in subordinate rig crew positions.
A college diploma in drilling may be required.
Offshore work requires several years of experience in an equivalent position on land.
Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, well control, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) and a special oil well operator (boiler) certificate are required.
Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers require three to six months of formal on-the-job training and several years of experience in subordinate logging and testing positions or on drilling and servicing rigs.
Completion of a college program in electronics or engineering technology may be required for open hole well logging.
A provincial blaster’s licence, and seismic blaster and oil well blaster certification are required for well perforation services.
Trade certification for rig technician is compulsory in Alberta and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified rig technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
Mobility between jobs on drilling and service rigs is limited by the differences in the machinery, tools and operations performed, but mobility is possible especially from drilling to service rigs.
Progression to crew supervisor or manager is possible with experience and additional education and training.
The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
Exclusions
Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators (8412)
Rig managers (in 8222 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services)
Water well drillers (7373)