Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Rotary Drill Operator
What rotary drill operators actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a rotary drill operator?
Take handover from the night driller. From there, the day usually includes operate drilling controls, control weight on bit and rotation, and monitor well control indicators. Rigs run nonstop, with 12-hour tours on long rotations.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a rotary drill operator working full time.
- Take handover from the night driller.
- Lead the pre-tour safety meeting.
- Drill ahead while watching torque and pressure.
- Make a connection with the floor crew.
- Run a well control drill.
- Adjust parameters with the directional driller.
- Complete the IADC report and hand over.
Where rotary drill operators work
Drillers work on rigs from a control cabin and the rig floor, often in remote areas.
Hours and schedule
Rigs run nonstop, with 12-hour tours on long rotations.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Operate drilling controls
- Control weight on bit and rotation
- Monitor well control indicators
- Supervise the floor crew
- Coordinate trips and pipe handling
- Maintain drilling records
- Lead safety meetings
Tools you’ll use every day
- Driller’s cabin controls
- Top drive and drawworks
- Mud pumps
- BOP controls
- Drilling instrumentation
- IADC reports
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- High pay without a degree
- Leadership role
- Rotation time off
- Advancement to rig manager
What’s hard
- Years of experience required
- High-stakes well control
- Long rotations
- Industry cycles
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want high pay without a degree
- I like leading a crew
- I stay calm under pressure
- I can handle long rotations
- I’ve worked my way up on rigs
- I like running big machines
Not sure? Take the free Rotary Drill Operator fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Run regular well control drills
- Keep hands clear of pinch points
- Enforce PPE and stop work authority
- Watch for H2S and kick indicators