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Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas: Job Description

Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.

What Do Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas Perform?

The core tasks performed by derrick operators, oil and gas span:

• 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.

Key Skills and Knowledge

Top derrick operators, oil and gas draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Key Skills

The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Types of Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas Jobs

This career also goes by job titles like:

• Derrick Hand
• Derrick Man
• Derrick Operator
• Derrick Worker
• Driller
• Drilling Motorman
• Floor Hand
• Fracturing Derrick Operator

Employment and Demand

There are roughly 426,235 derrick operators, oil and gas working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +3.2% over the projection horizon.

How Much Do Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas Make?

Statistic	Value
Annual median	$42,227
Hourly median	$20.30
10th percentile	$29,964
25th percentile	$36,095
75th percentile	$48,359
90th percentile	$54,491

Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.

Pay by State

State	Annual median salary
Louisiana	$84,410
Alaska	$81,180
North Dakota	$69,840
California	$67,090
Florida	$64,310
Wyoming	$62,400
Texas	$61,610
Colorado	$61,380
New Mexico	$60,200
West Virginia	$57,600
Pennsylvania	$56,850
Oklahoma	$54,550
Arkansas	$50,250
Ohio	$49,700
Mississippi	$48,060
Michigan	$45,260

Where Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas Earn the Most

Compensation for derrick operators, oil and gas vary by region. The following regions pay the most:

Region	Median annual wage	Share of U.S. jobs	Location quotient
Southeast	$77,688	18.2%	8.90
Far Western US	$72,793	3.9%	3.12
Rocky Mountains	$61,693	4.9%	3.73
Southwest	$60,624	62.0%	7.01
Plains States	$52,023	9.2%	18.44
Great Lakes	$48,064	1.8%	0.28

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Metro area	State	Median annual wage	Employment
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	LA	$81,910	120
Casper, WY	WY	$73,890	50
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	TX	$70,390	390
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	TX	$65,910	1,560
San Angelo, TX	TX	$62,210	70
Tyler, TX	TX	$61,610	110
Oklahoma City, OK	OK	$60,860	290
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	CA	$60,810	90

Which Industries Hire Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Most derrick operators, oil and gas are concentrated in the following sectors:

Industry	Employment	Median annual wage
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	10,560	$62,400
Construction	140	$61,390
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	90	$79,340

Below are examples of industries where derrick operators, oil and gas work:

Tools and Technology

• Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
• Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
• Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)

What the Workplace Is Like

Daily working conditions for derrick operators, oil and gas is shaped by the following characteristics:

• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
• Exposed to Contaminants
• Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
• Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
• Exposed to Hazardous Equipment

Getting Started in This Career

Most derrick operators, oil and gas positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.

Similar Occupations

Similar Occupations

• Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
• Pile Driver Operators (Primary-Long)
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Long)
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
• Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Long)
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (Supplemental)
• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
• Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (Supplemental)

Top Programs to Study For This Career

Future derrick operators, oil and gas typically earn programs in:

Construction Trades

1 programs across 1 majors

• Plumbing & Water Supply

About the Data

Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
• BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
• O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 47-5011.00 (Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas).