Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Driller

🎯 Role Definition

A Driller is the field leader responsible for safe, efficient and cost-effective execution of rotary and directional drilling operations on land or offshore rigs. The Driller directly supervises rig floor activities, operates and maintains hoisting, rotating and circulating systems, enforces well-control standards (BOP/pressure control), manages drilling parameters and communicates with rig management, directional teams and service providers to deliver wells to plan while minimizing non-productive time and maintaining strict HSE compliance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Roughneck / Floorhand transitioning with demonstrated competence in rig floor operations and tool handling.
Derrickhand with experience in mud systems and rig maintenance.
Assistant Driller / Driller Helper who has completed well control and rig training courses.

Advancement To:

Toolpusher (Rig Manager) with responsibility for entire rig operations and budget accountability.
Drilling Supervisor / Company Man overseeing multiple rigs or well campaigns.
Operations Superintendent or Field Operations Manager with regional oversight.

Lateral Moves:

Directional Driller or Measurement While Drilling (MWD) Specialist.
Completion Technician or Well Testing Lead.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Supervise and lead all rig-floor personnel during assigned shifts, ensuring each crew member performs tasks safely, follows procedures, and maintains rig discipline to deliver drilling objectives on time and within budget.
Operate and manage the rig’s hoisting, rotary and circulating equipment (including top drive, drawworks, rotary table, mud pumps and BOP systems) to execute drilling, tripping and casing operations in accordance with the drilling program.
Execute and enforce well control procedures (BOP operations, choke manifold control, kill procedures), maintain readiness of well control equipment, and perform pre-job checks to ensure all systems meet regulatory and company standards.
Implement and monitor drilling parameters (ROP, weight on bit, rotary speed, torque, mud weight and pump rates) to optimize penetration rates while protecting the wellbore and preventing kicks, stuck pipe, washouts or loss of circulation.
Coordinate daily drilling activities with the Toolpusher, Drilling Engineer and directional/mwd teams to implement the drilling program, update on progress, and adjust plans to mitigate operational risks and improve efficiency.
Supervise and direct tripping operations (running and pulling drill string), including ensuring proper wash, trip speed, stand building, and handling of downhole tools to minimize tool failures and maintain string integrity.
Manage casing and cementing operations on the rig floor, including ensuring proper handling and make-up of casing, running shoes and float equipment, and confirming cementing operations proceed according to the cementing program.
Lead rig-up and rig-down activities safely and efficiently, including load-ins/load-outs for mobilization and demobilization, coordination with logistics, and ensuring equipment is certified and tagged.
Maintain and complete accurate drilling reports, shift handover logs, daily drilling summaries, non-productive time (NPT) reports and well-site documentation for handover to the company and regulatory authorities.
Oversee drilling fluid management in partnership with the mud engineer: monitor mud properties, dilution/conditioning, solids control equipment and implement corrective actions for contamination, barite sag, or fluid losses.
Supervise the maintenance and routine inspection of rig equipment, oversee planned maintenance schedules, and coordinate with the mechanic and third-party service providers to prevent breakdowns and extend equipment life.
Conduct daily pre-shift and post-shift safety briefings, participate in job safety analyses (JSAs/TAAs), ensure personnel comply with PTW (Permit to Work) systems, and enforce use of PPE and safe work practices.
Lead incident response and emergency drills, ensure all personnel are trained in escape routes, muster procedures and emergency shutdowns, and coordinate incident investigations and corrective actions following any incident.
Manage third-party service providers and contractors on the rig (directional teams, cementing, logging, well testing), ensuring adherence to scope, HSE standards and performance targets while documenting service quality and cost impacts.
Monitor downhole tool performance and BHA integrity, recommend bit and BHA changes, and liaise with service companies to troubleshoot drilling dysfunctions such as vibration, high torque, or directional control issues.
Execute wireline, coring and logging operations on the rig floor when required, providing safe handling, rigging and coordination to achieve measurement and sampling objectives without compromising rig schedules.
Enforce environmental and regulatory compliance including waste management, spill prevention, discharge limits and reporting to shore-based operations and regulators as required by location-specific legislation.
Coach and mentor junior crew members, organize on-the-job training, certify competency in critical tasks (e.g., lifting, rigging, well control) and maintain training records to ensure a competent, high-performing crew.
Lead root cause analysis for drilling inefficiencies and NPT events, develop corrective action plans with engineering and procurement to reduce reoccurrence and optimize drilling program economics.
Control inventories of drilling consumables and spare parts on the rig, forecast needs for cement, tubulars, fluids and critical spares, and coordinate requisitions with logistics to avoid downtime.
Conduct torque & drag and hydraulics monitoring during directional drilling or long-reach wells and adjust drilling parameters or BHA design to reduce mechanical issues and improve steerability.
Ensure proper make-up and inspection of tubular connections, slips, elevators and rotary tools to prevent connection failures and ensure drill string integrity under load.
Implement and improve rig-specific procedures for fatigue management, crew rotations and shift handovers to maintain alertness, operational continuity and regulatory compliance.
Prepare and present operational updates and HSE performance reports to the Toolpusher, Drilling Engineer and asset management during daily meetings and post-job reviews.

Secondary Functions

Participate in pre-job planning and risk assessments for non-drilling activities such as rig moves, heavy lifts and third-party scopes.
Support logistics and procurement by validating equipment lists, spares and consumable usage to optimize supply chain requests and reduce emergency orders.
Assist in cost control by identifying wasteful practices, recommending efficiency measures, and documenting opportunities for drilling performance savings.
Engage with the company HSE department and operations teams to update and refine site-specific safety procedures and emergency response plans.
Provide input to post-job lessons-learned and well close-out documentation to improve future drilling campaigns and capture operational knowledge.
Support ad-hoc mechanical or rig maintenance tasks during periods of standby to keep rig asset readiness and uptime at target levels.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Valid well control certification (IWCF or IADC Well Control – Driller/Level 2 or 3 as required by the employer) and demonstrable experience in BOP and choke manifold operations.
Proven hands-on experience operating and troubleshooting drawworks, top drive systems, rotary tables, mud pumps and hydraulic systems on medium to heavy drilling rigs.
Strong understanding of drilling engineering fundamentals: ROP optimization, hydraulics, torque & drag, tripping mechanics, bit selection and formation evaluation.
Familiarity with directional drilling concepts and ability to work with MWD/LWD and directional drilling service providers to deliver target trajectories.
Proficiency in routine rig maintenance planning, preventative maintenance scheduling and coordinating rig mechanics and third-party technicians.
Experience with drilling reporting and operations software (examples: WellView, OpenWells, Landmark drilling modules, P2, or equivalent) and competency with Microsoft Office (Excel / Word).
Knowledge of drilling fluids management, solids control equipment, cuttings handling and mud conditioning protocols to maintain wellbore stability.
Practical experience with casing running, cementing support procedures and tubular handling equipment, including slips, elevators and spiders.
Ability to read and interpret drilling programs, casing programs, geological logs and directional plans to implement daily drilling objectives.
Competence in rig safety systems, permit-to-work processes, LTI prevention measures and conducting JSAs/TAAs for high-risk tasks.
Experience with crane operations coordination and rigging best practices for heavy lifts and critical equipment moves.
Understanding of environmental compliance requirements (waste management, discharge permits, spill response) applicable to drilling sites.
Basic hydraulics/pneumatics diagnostic skills and experience performing field-level repairs or coordinating service interventions.
Familiarity with NPT tracking, root cause analysis methodologies and continuous improvement processes focused on reducing downtime and cost.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to motivate, coach and hold crew members accountable for performance and safety.
Clear and concise communicator able to provide timely operational updates to engineering, operations and client representatives.
Sound decision-maker under pressure who can prioritize safety and well control while minimizing economic impact during abnormal events.
High situational awareness and risk recognition to proactively identify hazards and intervene to prevent incidents.
Collaborative mindset to work with multi-disciplinary teams, service providers and stakeholders to solve complex operational challenges.
Excellent problem-solving skills and practical troubleshooting capability in field conditions.
Resilience and adaptability to operate in remote, offshore or high-tempo environments with extended rotations.
Strong organizational skills to manage shift handovers, documentation accuracy and multiple concurrent operational priorities.
Commitment to continuous learning and professional development, mentoring junior staff and maintaining qualification currency.
Cultural awareness and ability to work with diverse crews and international service companies in multinational project environments.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED with relevant rig-based vocational training and completed well control courses.

Preferred Education:

Technical diploma, associate degree or bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Offshore Technology or related discipline preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Petroleum Engineering
Mechanical Engineering / Industrial Maintenance
Offshore Technology / Rig Operations
Applied Science or Vocational Training in Drilling Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3 – 12 years of progressive hands-on experience on drilling rigs, including time as Assistant Driller, Derrickhand, or equivalent rig floor roles.

Preferred:

5+ years performing driller-level duties on similar rig types (land, jack-up, semi-submersible or drillship) with demonstrable experience in well control and supervisory tasks.
Prior experience working with directional drilling programs, BHA design input and interfacing with drilling engineers and service providers.
Documented track record of leading safe, regulatory-compliant drilling operations and reducing NPT through operational improvements.