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Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Colorado

Thinking about a career as a Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Colorado? Here’s what you need to know. Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration. Excludes “Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas” (47-5023).

What do Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Make in Colorado?

The rotary drill operators, oil and gas working in Colorado, the median annual wage is $76,290 per year (or roughly $36.68/hour).Pay can range from $58,870 at the 10th percentile to $95,450 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$58,870	$28.30
25th percentile	$65,010	$31.26
Median (50th)	$76,290	$36.68
75th percentile	$77,920	$37.46
90th percentile	$95,450	$45.89

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Colorado relative to the national average — is 0.82, indicating fewer rotary drill operators, oil and gas per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, rotary drill operators, oil and gas earn a median of $69,933 per year ($33.62/hour), higher than the Colorado median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 374,803 rotary drill operators, oil and gas nationwide. In Colorado alone, approximately 200 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 190 rotary drill operators, oil and gas.

Top Colorado Metros for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

These are the Colorado metros with the most rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Colorado.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Grand Junction, CO	50	$66,560

Top States for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Employment

These states have the highest employment of rotary drill operators, oil and gas work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	5,940
Oklahoma	1,570
Louisiana	1,140
New Mexico	650
Pennsylvania	440
California	410
North Dakota	280
West Virginia	260
Wyoming	230
Colorado	200
Utah	200
Mississippi	190
Alaska	170
Ohio	160
Kansas	160
Kentucky	120
Florida	110
Michigan	100
Alabama	90
North Carolina	70

Highest-Paying States for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

Where rotary drill operators, oil and gas earn the most: rotary drill operators, oil and gas.

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$99,470
Alaska	$86,750
New Mexico	$85,540
Minnesota	$79,760
Alabama	$77,240
Colorado	$76,290
Arizona	$75,540
Florida	$75,410
North Dakota	$69,560
Utah	$68,660

Skills

Key rotary drill operators, oil and gas skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for rotary drill operators, oil and gas, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
• Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
• Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
• Push levers and brake pedals to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
• Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
• Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
• Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
• Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
• Locate and recover lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
• Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
• Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
• Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.

Work Activities

• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Training and Teaching Others
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

• Plumbing & Water Supply

Related Careers

Related occupations to rotary drill operators, oil and gas include:

• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
• Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
• Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Also Known As

Blast Driller, Cable Driller, Cable Tool Driller, Cable Tool Operator, Clean Out Driller, Core Drill Operator, Core Driller, Daylight Driller, Derrickhand, Directional Drill Operator, Directional Driller, Drill Hand, Drill Operator, Driller, Drilling Field Operator.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-5012.00