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SOC 47-5012
Oil and gas rotary drill operators set up and operate the rig according to the well location and procedures within the drilling crew, observe pressure and drilling speed, manage drill pipe, bits, and mud circulation, record well depth and formation changes, and direct on-site collaboration; abnormalities must be stopped and escalated per well control and employer safety procedures.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((50+25+0)/3+0.5)=25; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
If you can accept remote shift work, equipment, and well control risks, and are willing to monitor pressure, direct the crew, and stop work and escalate under training authorization, you can continue verifying project qualifications.
In the review, distinguish procedural adjustments an operator can make from high-risk decisions that must go to the crew supervisor or well control professionals.
The safe trial uses only fictional well depth, pressure, and drilling fluid records to write abnormality judgments and the escalation chain; do not touch a real well site or equipment.
Direct judgment: only if you are willing to continuously monitor pressure, drilling speed, and equipment at a drilling site, direct the crew to work to procedure, and stop work on abnormalities are you suited to explore rotary drill operator work.
Oil and gas rotary drill operators set up or control the rig, monitor pressure, drilling, and crew activity, and record well depth and formations; this is not the same as the oil and gas worker combined group.
The precise scope of this page is O*NET 47-5012 rotary drill operators, and the BLS oil and gas workers four-occupation combined figure is not used as this post.
Operate the rig console and hoisting system, observe pressure and drilling, connect drill pipe, change bits, maintain drilling fluid circulation, and record well depth.
Career direction comparison
Oil and gas roustabouts handle equipment handling and basic support; they are not the rotary drill control lead.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil and gas rotary drill operators | Controls drilling and the crew | This occupation directly controls the rotary drill and organizes the crew; the oil and gas worker combined group also includes derrick, service crew, and roustabout roles. | People willing to monitor pressure, equipment, and personnel risk at a well site and to bear training and shift costs can explore this occupation. |
| Oil and gas derrick operator | Derrick and drill pipe operations | Focuses on derrick-related operations | Likes heights and equipment collaboration |
AI impact on this career
The BLS oil and gas combined employment discussion mentions automated drilling and remote monitoring; for this single occupation, trend and record assistance are editorial suggestions only, and no adoption or effect measurement was obtained. On-site well control, stop-work, crew direction, and procedural adjustments are the responsibility of trained and authorized personnel. AI Impact Score 25% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((50+25+0)/3+0.5)=25; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Chinese drilling posts and U.S. 47-5012 may differ in well type, qualifications, shift system, and contractor responsibility.
Evidence insufficient: no national same-measure wage distribution or uniform starting salary for China was obtained; U.S. annual wages or leasing industry averages must not be substituted.
Evidence insufficient: the national same-measure wage for Chinese oil and gas rotary drill operators is still not obtained. The 2025 pre-tax annual average for production, manufacturing, and related personnel in enterprises above a designated size is 80,739 yuan, serving only as broad background for the extraction and equipment operation direction, including other extraction, manufacturing, and engineering transport personnel, and is not the oil and gas driller occupational wage or a personal range; management and professional technical posts must be verified separately, and self-employed individuals and freelancers are excluded.
Insufficient to support a precise wage for this occupation
U.S. wages
U.S. 47-5012 had a 2025 median annual wage of 67,890 USD; overall growth of 0.8% over 2025—2035 with average annual 1100 openings including replacement, not AI adoption or replacement or personal unemployment.；BLS gives a 2025 median annual wage of 67,890 USD for U.S. 47-5012 rotary drill operators; the oil and gas worker combined median of 51,650 USD cannot be substituted.
| Wage tiers | Annual salary reference | Monthly equivalent | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,010 | No conversion into Chinese monthly salary | Not a uniform starting salary.；The O*NET national wage is 47,010 USD at the 10th percentile and 53,810 USD at the 25th percentile; not a uniform starting salary. |
| Median | $67,890 | No conversion into Chinese monthly salary | The midpoint of the 47-5012 wage distribution.；The 75th percentile is 81,360 USD and the 90th percentile 101,860 USD; a high percentile is not a personal guarantee. |
Career fit guide
Suited to people who can keep attention on pressure, equipment, and team signals through long shifts and high-risk sites and who are willing to stop work and escalate strictly per well control procedure.
Gauge focus： Can keep verifying pressure and drilling speed.
Procedural discipline： Stops work on abnormalities before checking.
Team collaboration： Directs clearly and hands over well conditions.
Work stress, risks, and occupational boundaries
Rotating and hoisting equipment: personnel near drill pipe, rigging, or moving parts can be injured; operate according to isolation, permits, and command signals.
Drilling fluids and chemicals: mixing ratios, pump circulation, and leak abnormalities affect well conditions and exposure; handle per material and environmental procedures.
Typical scenario：Pressure changes not handled properly.
Roles most affected：Rig operators, floor crew members, and supervisors. Monitoring and handover background:；Sensors and records: wrong readings or missed well depth records mislead the next shift; verify gauges, timestamps, and handover.
Possible consequence：May escalate into a blowout, equipment damage, or personnel injury. Abnormality escalation boundaries:；Shared escalation: on equipment failure, personnel risk, or unclear authority, stop work and isolate first, then find the crew supervisor and authorized professionals.
Entry, qualifications, and career development
The typical BLS entry education is no formal educational credential, with related experience of less than 5 years and medium-term on-the-job training; this is a statistical typical item and does not mean safety qualifications are unnecessary, and well control and machine model authorization are verified by project and locality.
Career outlook and transitions to related occupations
BLS Table 1.2 shows U.S. 47-5012 employment of 12,700 in 2025 and overall growth of 0.8% over 2025—2035, an official net increase of about 100; not the oil and gas worker combined group, AI causation, or personal unemployment probability.
United States · U.S. 47-5012
About 12,700
2025 employment
Single-occupation employment background; read openings, project conditions, technology, and transitions separately:；Average annual 1100 openings including replacement over 2025—2035, not a net increase of 100 or current hiring; the oil and gas worker combined 9900 cannot be substituted for this rotary drill occupation.；The post varies with energy demand, crew efficiency, region, and project cycles; the statistics do not guarantee personal hiring.；Remote monitoring and automation may change equipment operation, but combined employment changes cannot be attributed to any single technology.；Adjacent derrick, service crew, and roustabout duties differ; before transferring, verify safety training and authorization.
Monitor pressure and drilling speed, operate the rig and hoisting equipment, organize the crew, and record well depth and abnormalities.
Different. This page is 47-5012; the combined page also includes derrick, service crew, and roustabout roles.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
Positive signals: can read gauges clearly and hand over under noise, shift work, and physical load, and follow well control, lockout/tagout, and contractor safety rules.
Uses rigs, pressure gauges, hoisting and pump systems, drill pipe and bits, and mud circulation equipment; operation follows equipment and crew procedures.
Must monitor pressure and equipment, direct the crew, record well conditions, and stop work on abnormalities; real ability depends on training and authorization.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure judgment | Read gauges and trends. | Cross-check on-site conditions. |
| Equipment operation | Control the rotary and hoisting systems. | According to machine model authorization. |
| Team direction | Standardize crew signals. | Stop work on abnormalities. |
| Mud circulation | Verify pumps and drilling fluid. | Do not exceed procedure. |
| Well depth records | Record formation and bit changes. | Verify timestamps. |
| Safety discipline | Identify well control and falling object risks. | Escalate through the emergency chain. |
| Handover ability | Leave the risks to the next shift. | Repeat back the limitations. |
Verify the well location, drilling program, well control, and pre-shift safety requirements.
Observe pressure gauges and drilling speed, and control the rotary table and hoisting system per procedure.
Organize drill pipe connections, bit changes, and crew collaboration.
Check pumps, mud circulation, and equipment status.
Record well depth, formations, tools, materials, and abnormalities.
Stop work immediately on abnormal pressure, mechanical failure, or personnel risk.
Hand over well conditions and limitations completely to the next shift and the supervisor.
BLS lists no unified educational credential and usually requires related work experience and medium-term on-the-job training; well control and machine model authorization are verified by project and locality.
Depends on the employer project.
Does not equal independent well control.
According to the project.
According to the locality and employer.
Cannot be applied across machine models.
| Oil and gas service crew operator | Workover and follow-up services | Different operating stage | Likes equipment maintenance |
|---|
| Oil and gas roustabout | Handling and basic support | Usually does not control the rig | Likes basic site work |
|---|
| Non-oil and gas formation driller | Formation drilling and sampling | Different target resources | Likes geological sampling |
|---|
| Extraction site supervisor | Personnel, safety, and schedule management | Takes on management duties | Likes shift leadership and coordination |
|---|
Derrick operators handle derrick and drill pipe related work; rotary drill operators more directly control drilling and crew pace.
Compare drilling control, derrick work, workover, and basic site support, then verify each one's safety qualifications.
Tools can assist with part of the information organization; a task description is not an automation rate.
Permissions, reliability, the reviewer, and failure handling must be verified first.
Precise 47-5012 overall 0.8% and average annual 1100 including replacement; not the oil and gas combined, AI adoption or replacement, or personal unemployment.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shift well conditions | Verify well location, well depth, and pre-shift risks | Aggregate records | Verify original well conditions and permits |
| Pressure monitoring | Observe gauges and pressure changes | Suggest trends | Cross-check gauges on site |
| Drilling control | Adjust drilling speed and tool pressure | Suggest candidate parameters | Execute per procedure and authorization |
| Drill pipe operations | Organize connecting and raising drill pipe | Checklist reminders | Verify personnel positions and signals |
| Mud circulation | Verify pump and drilling fluid status | Aggregate fluctuations | Handle per the well control procedure |
| Formation records | Record well depth, bit, and formations | Draft the log | Verify actual drilling data |
| Abnormality handover | Report mechanical or well control abnormalities | Organize summaries | Stop work and hand to the supervisor |
O*NET lists pressure gauge, drill pipe, and mud circulation tasks; the BLS employment projection does not measure the effect of a single automation technology.
The following are task-based editorial trial suggestions; O*NET does not measure AI adoption or effect, and real gauges and site status still require human verification.
AI primarily changesAggregate records
Human responsibility remainsVerify original well conditions and permits
AI primarily changesSuggest trends
Human responsibility remainsCross-check gauges on site
AI primarily changesSuggest candidate parameters
Human responsibility remainsExecute per procedure and authorization
Use only fictional well conditions to test trend checklists; real well sites follow well control and equipment authorization.
Real well site data goes only into approved systems.
Verify pressure, drilling speed, and timestamps.
Confirm well control and machine model authorization.
Escalate per crew signals and the emergency chain.
Record well depth, formations, and open risks.
May escalate into a blowout or personnel injury.
Control: Stop work and escalate per the project well control procedure.
Pinch, entanglement, or falling object risk.
Control: Isolate the area and verify command signals.
Affects well conditions and operational safety.
Control: Stop work and verify circulation records.
Misleading operational adjustments.
Control: Cross-check and report.
Later decisions lack a basis.
Control: Use a standard handover form.
Practice stop-work and handover with a fictional pressure curve.
Only use approved systems to view trends; on-site gauges and procedures take priority.
Verify machine model authorization, well control drills, and handover quality.
First set data permissions, alarm thresholds, and emergency takeover.
No; well control follows project procedures and the authorized team.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
Verify other gauges and stop work and report per procedure.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
Use approved systems and permissions only.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
Cross-check on-site gauges, time, and mud circulation.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
BLS data cannot yield a single technology's replacement rate.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
Execute according to machine model, project, and crew authorization.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
Pressure, mechanical, or personnel risks trigger the project stop-work conditions.
Source: Official occupational informationOriginal source ↗
Moving to derrick, service crew, or supervisor roles requires adding the corresponding equipment, well control, and management qualifications.
Other occupations or generic post figures must not be substituted
Chinese drilling post classifications, qualifications, and shift systems do not map one-to-one to U.S. 47-5012.
| Education level | Role direction | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic training | Site and equipment identification | Verify against recruitment and regulation. |
| Crew experience | Drill pipe and mud systems | Supervised. |
| Well control training | Abnormality stop-work and emergency response | According to project qualifications. |
| Shift leadership development | Crew coordination and handover | Responsibility is verified separately. |
First verify well type, region, shift system, allowances, safety training, and employer responsibility.
Well type and shift requirements.
Camps, emergency response, and safety.
Project equipment and contractor boundaries.
Qualification verification note: special operations at the well site, well control training, and equipment authorization are verified separately against local regulation, employer, and project rules; wage statistics do not prove operating authority.
| 90th percentile | $101,860 | No conversion into Chinese monthly salary | Does not guarantee a personal contract.；BLS reported about 12,700 in this post in 2025, projected at about 12,900 in 2035; not the oil and gas worker total of 112,700. |
|---|
10th percentile wage：$47,010；O*NET national percentile； not a starting salary.
25th percentile wage：$53,810；O*NET national percentile.
Median wage：$67,890；BLS/O*NET precise 47-5012.
75th percentile wage：$81,360；O*NET national percentile.
90th percentile wage：$101,860；A high percentile is not a personal guarantee.
No; the combined median of 51,650 USD is not this occupation.；BLS Table 1.2 shows precise 47-5012 growing 0.8% overall over 2025—2035, an official net increase of about 100, and average annual 1100 openings including replacement; not the oil and gas combined 2%/9900, AI adoption or replacement, or personal unemployment, and the net increase is not back-calculated from rounded stock endpoints.
The BLS table gives 0.8%, and the OOH text rounds to an integer.；Remote shift systems, overtime, oil price cycles, and safety qualifications affect actual offers; the official distribution does not represent a personal contract.
No, the annual average projection includes replacement.
No; well types, shift systems, and markets differ.
| Industry | Component industry wage data status | Interpretation boundaries |
|---|---|---|
| Onshore drilling contractors | Verify by region | This page does not assign combined industry medians to 47-5012. |
| Oil and gas extraction companies | Verify by region | This page does not assign combined industry medians to 47-5012. |
| Offshore crews | Verify by region | This page does not assign combined industry medians to 47-5012. |
| Service and support companies | Verify by region | This page does not assign combined industry medians to 47-5012. |
Onshore, offshore, and remote camp shift systems differ.
Contracted hours affect total income.
Well control, machine model, and shift leadership duties affect offers.
BLS 2025 precise occupation.
Overall 0.8%, and OOH1% is a rounding； the official net increase is 100, not AI or personal unemployment.
Single occupation average annual 1100 including replacement, not a net increase of 100, and the combined 9900 is not substituted.
Likes mechanical operation, on-site problem judgment, and team collaboration.
Can follow procedures, identify abnormalities, and hand over clearly under pressure.
What abilities and working style does being an oil and gas rotary drill operator require?
Ability judgments require supervised equipment training, abnormality stop-work drills, and handover feedback; interest scales are exploration prompts only and do not authorize well site operation.
Do not use it this way: Interest assessments do not prove well control ability; real posts require training, qualifications, and project authorization.
View the Holland interest assessmentWhat abilities and working style does being an oil and gas rotary drill operator require?
Observe whether you can repeat back abnormalities, stop conditions, and the escalation chain during training; do not bypass procedure under pressure.
Do not use it this way: Interest assessments do not prove well control ability; real posts require training, qualifications, and project authorization.
View the Holland interest assessmentWhat abilities and working style does being an oil and gas rotary drill operator require?
Practice stating personnel positions, operating signals, well conditions, and open risks clearly, and ask the other party to repeat them back.
Do not use it this way: Interest assessments do not prove well control ability; real posts require training, qualifications, and project authorization.
View the Holland interest assessmentWhat abilities and working style does being an oil and gas rotary drill operator require?
Compare whether equipment control, on-site collaboration, and safety discipline match your work values.
Do not use it this way: Interest assessments do not prove well control ability; real posts require training, qualifications, and project authorization.
View the Holland interest assessmentWhat abilities and working style does being an oil and gas rotary drill operator require?
Verify whether onshore or offshore, remote camps, long shifts, and weather conditions are acceptable.
Do not use it this way: Interest assessments do not prove well control ability; real posts require training, qualifications, and project authorization.
View the Holland interest assessmentWhat abilities and working style does being an oil and gas rotary drill operator require?
Practice handover with fictional well depth, pressure, and mud records; the sample cannot prove real well control ability.
Do not use it this way: Interest assessments do not prove well control ability; real posts require training, qualifications, and project authorization.
View the Holland interest assessmentFits better when: Likes equipment and on-site direction
Watch for: Target occupation education, qualifications, and scope of responsibility are verified separately.
Explore related career: Oil and gas rotary drill operatorsFits better when: Likes heights and equipment collaboration
Watch for: Target occupation education, qualifications, and scope of responsibility are verified separately.
Explore related career: Oil and gas derrick operatorFits better when: Likes equipment maintenance
Watch for: Target occupation education, qualifications, and scope of responsibility are verified separately.
Explore related career: Oil and gas service crew operatorFits better when: Likes basic site work
Watch for: Target occupation education, qualifications, and scope of responsibility are verified separately.
Explore related career: Oil and gas roustaboutFits better when: Likes geological sampling
Watch for: Target occupation education, qualifications, and scope of responsibility are verified separately.
Explore related career: Non-oil and gas formation drillerFits better when: Likes shift leadership and coordination
Watch for: Target occupation education, qualifications, and scope of responsibility are verified separately.
Explore related career: Extraction site supervisorFind evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
Find evidence with fictional well conditions and compliant training; self-rating does not grant real well site authority.
How to reduce risk：Stop work and escalate per the project well control procedure.
Evidence：Occupational activities · Occupational activities
Typical scenario：Personnel approaching drill pipe and hoisting parts.
Roles most affected：Drill pipe and hoisting equipment operators and crew members near the floor.
Possible consequence：Pinch, entanglement, impact, or falling object injuries may occur.
How to reduce risk：Isolate the area and verify command signals.
Evidence：Occupational activities · Occupational activities
Typical scenario：Pump or drilling fluid abnormality.
Roles most affected：Personnel monitoring pump circulation and mixing drilling fluid, and the crew.
Possible consequence：May affect well condition control, cause chemical exposure, or lead to leaks.
How to reduce risk：Stop work and verify circulation records.
Evidence：Occupational activities · Occupational activities
Typical scenario：Pressure readings are not trustworthy.
Roles most affected：Operators reading pressure gauges and the crew judging from them.
Possible consequence：May misinterpret well conditions and delay abnormality recognition.
How to reduce risk：Cross-check and report.
Evidence：Occupational activities · Occupational activities
Typical scenario：Well depth or limitations not handed to the next shift.
Roles most affected：Operators, the next shift, and supervisors involved in records and handover.
Possible consequence：May leave the next shift without well depth, equipment status, and limitation information.
How to reduce risk：Use a standard handover form.
Evidence：Occupational activities · Occupational activities
Typical scenario：Changing the well control plan without authorization.
Roles most affected：Personnel performing well control operations and crew supervisors.
Possible consequence：May deviate from approved procedures and increase equipment or well control risk.
How to reduce risk：Hand to the authorized well control team.
Evidence：Occupational activities · Occupational activities
| Stage | Initial tasks | Boundary | Evidence at work | Possible check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post observation | Read the O*NET and BLS duties | Do not enter an unauthorized well site | Task and risk map | Verify 47-5012 |
| Basic training | Learn equipment, well control, and stop-work signals | According to employer project requirements | Coursework and drills | Verify the assessment |
| Supervised operation | Observe console and crew handover | Do not handle high-risk abnormalities independently | Mentor feedback | Verify procedures |
| Authorized to work | Operate according to machine model and well location duties | Qualifications do not automatically cross projects | Authorization and handover records | Verify validity |
| Advanced coordination | Shift leadership and abnormality review | Well control decisions follow the authorization chain | Accident and improvement records | Check the risks |
Mark pressure, drilling speed, and formation changes.
List abnormality thresholds and reporting people.
Note equipment status and limitations.
Pressure and pump circulation records
Includes abnormality escalation.
Crew, equipment, and environment
Includes stop conditions.
| Stage | Evidence at work | Boundary | Possible check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure abnormality | Record the reading and stop work to escalate | Do not decide on the basis of paper | Verify the well control chain |
| Equipment vibration | Stop, isolate, and report | Do not repair beyond authority | Verify the pre-shift check |
| Mud circulation abnormality | Record pump and level changes | According to project procedures | Verify timestamps |
| Missing handover items | Add well depth, formations, and limitations | Do not guess at data | Verify next-shift repetition |
Read the official tasks and risks.
Produce a fictional well condition record.
Review stop-work and handover.
| Stage | Evidence at work | Credential or status | Exam or registration conditions | Important limitation | Best suited to | How to demonstrate it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry education | BLS lists no unified educational credential | Employer requirements | According to the project | Not an operating permit | Explorers | Check recruitment |
| On-the-job training | Medium-term equipment and crew training | Employer training | According to the machine model | Not automatic independent operation | New employees | Mentor feedback |
| Well control training | Project safety and emergency drills | Required training | According to the regulator and employer | Certificates do not cross all projects | People about to go to a well site | Verify validity |
| Machine model authorization | Specific rig and well location duties | Institutional authorization | According to the work permit | Does not equal repair rights | Operators | Verify the authorization sheet |
| Chinese posts | Local regulation and recruitment original text | Local qualifications | According to the region | Do not copy the U.S. SOC | Job seekers in China | Keep the original text |
| Shift leadership advancement | Crew coordination and review | Target post requirements | According to the employer | Experience does not replace qualifications | Experienced people | Check the post |
Typical scope：Pressure, drilling speed, and equipment operation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Pressure, drilling speed, and equipment operation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Pressure, drilling speed, and equipment operation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Pressure, drilling speed, and equipment operation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Abnormality identification and stop-work escalation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Abnormality identification and stop-work escalation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Abnormality identification and stop-work escalation; according to post authorization.
Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Typical scope：Crew handover and review; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Crew handover and review; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Crew handover and review; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Identify crew tasks and gauges.
Execute procedures under supervision.
Monitor and hand over according to authorization.
Review risks and crew collaboration.
Does not establish：47-5012 single-occupation employment stock, not the combined group, current hiring, or AI causation.
U.S. precise occupation 47-5012 · BLS table; OOH about 1%
0.8%
2025—2035 growth
Overall 0.8% and an official net increase of 100; OOH1% is a rounding and the net change is not back-calculated from stock endpoints.
Does not establish：Not the oil and gas combined, AI adoption or replacement, personal unemployment, or Chinese demand.
U.S. precise occupation 47-5012 · Single occupation, includes replacement
About 1,100
Average annual openings
Single occupation average annual 1100 including replacement, not a net increase of 100 or current hiring; the combined 9900 is not substituted.
Does not establish：Not the oil and gas combined, AI adoption or replacement, personal unemployment, or Chinese demand.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Precise occupation on this page
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Focuses on derrick-related operations
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Different operating stage
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Usually does not control the rig
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Different target resources
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Takes on management duties
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Precise occupation on this page
View career profileTransfers：On-site equipment, risk identification, team handover.
Build next：Focuses on derrick-related operations
View career profileBLS lists no unified educational credential and usually requires related experience and medium-term on-the-job training; well control and machine model authorization are verified separately.
Project procedures and authorization must not be exceeded; stop work first on abnormalities and escalate through the well control chain.
Can assist with monitoring, while on-site well control, equipment, and team responsibility remain with authorized personnel.
Evidence insufficient: the national wage distribution and starting salary for Chinese oil and gas rotary drill operators are still not obtained. The 2025 pre-tax annual average of 80739 yuan for production, manufacturing, and related personnel in enterprises above a designated size is broad background for the extraction equipment operation direction only, including other extraction, manufacturing, and engineering transport posts, and is not the oil and gas driller wage or a personal range; self-employed individuals and freelancers are excluded, and management and professional technical roles must be verified separately.
U.S. 47-5012 had a 2025 median annual wage of 67,890 USD; overall growth of 0.8% over 2025—2035, an official net increase of about 100, and average annual 1100 openings including replacement; not the oil and gas combined, AI adoption or replacement, or personal unemployment probability.
Use only fictional well conditions for records and escalation samples; real operation requires training and authorization.
U.S. 47-5012 single-occupation data and oil and gas worker combined data are kept separate; Chinese wages are verified locally, and a paper well condition does not grant well control authority.
2026-10-12
BLS U.S. 47-5012 single occupation; O*NET tasks and 2025 wages; NBS2025 production and manufacturing broad post statistics.
Limitations：Not adoption, job-loss, regulation or authorization evidence.
Limitations：Not this occupation's national wage, starting salary, or personal range; self-employed individuals and freelancers are excluded, and it grants no well control or equipment authority and establishes no Chinese occupational equivalent.
Limitations：Directory entries are not state licenses, employer authorization or proof of universal requirement.
Limitations：Employer tasks and local authorization vary.
Limitations：Posting mentions do not prove proficiency, adoption or automation rate.
Limitations：US occupation evidence; China mapping and authorization require separate review.
Limitations：Projection is not a hiring guarantee; parent data are not exact occupation counts.
Limitations：Parent or combined data remain visible when exact data are unavailable; percentiles are not entry pay.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：O*NET OnLine presents BLS OEWS wage data; preserve the displayed period, worker population, geography and unit. A direct BLS access failure does not invalidate this opened O*NET page.
Limitations：Use only for the stated O*NET occupation, US market and page subject. It does not establish a China mapping, China pay, or legal authorization.
Limitations：Not the oil and gas combined, AI adoption or replacement, personal unemployment, or Chinese demand; openings are not the net change, and the net change is not back-calculated from rounded stock endpoints.
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
The evidence supports only scope-level judgments about oil and gas rotary drill operators within the labeled market and period, and does not constitute a guarantee of personal income, hiring, or fit.
MBTI assessment (English) · Big Five personality assessment (English) · MBTI assessment (Chinese) · Big Five personality assessment (Chinese)
Do not copy the U.S. SOC.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Abnormality identification and stop-work escalation; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
Typical scope：Crew handover and review; according to post authorization.
Readiness evidence：Fictional well conditions, trained feedback, and compliant drills.
Credential boundary：Verify the specific post's experience, on-the-job training, well control, and machine model authorization; the BLS education classification does not prove that no safety qualification is required.
Next moves：Verify quality and authority first, then expand the task scope.
