Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Also Called:

Derrick Hand,

Derrick Man,

Derrick Operator,

Floor Hand

What they do: Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud through drill hole.

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Architecture & Construction

Career Cluster

What do they typically do on the job?

  • 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.

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Stress Tolerance

Perseverance

Integrity

Interests

Career interests describe the perspectives and interests of people who enjoy the type of work involved in this career.

Discover what your interests are by taking the Interest Profiler Quiz

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Realistic

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Conventional

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Investigative

Knowledge

People who want to pursue this career have knowledge in these areas.

Engineering and Technology

  • Mechanical

Math and Science

  • Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Education and Training

  • Teaching and course design

Abilities

Whether you have received formal training or not, these types of abilities are helpful in this career.

Hand and Finger Use

  • Hold or move items with your hands

  • Keep your arm or hand steady

Controlled Movement

  • Use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

  • Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Endurance

  • Exercise for a long time without getting out of breath

Hearing and Speech

  • Pay attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds

Skills

People who want to pursue this career have skills in these areas.

Basic Skills

  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Work Values

Work values describe how your core beliefs align with those commonly needed for this career.

Support

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Relationships

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Independence

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

1. Do some research
  • Identify how your interests, values, and strengths match this occupation
  • Talk to someone who works in this field or spend a day job shadowing
  • Use the colleges and training directory to explore programs related to this career
2. Plan your next move
  • Talk to your college and career counselor or school admissions staff
  • Visit Idaho Launch
  • Search for available Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas jobs on Idaho Works

Data for NSI career cards comes from the following: Idaho Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, MyNextMove, and Career OneStop