1.

Assemble the Tool

o

The "tool" is whatever the driller is putting down into the well. This is usually the drill bit and associated hardware, but there are also specialty tools that are used from time to time. The rig supervisor, also known as the "toolpusher," oversees tool assembly alongside the driller. Once the tool is in place, drilling can commence.

Make Mud
o

As the drill bit is pushed into the well, drilling fluid or "mud" is pumped through the drill pipe and into the well. The drilling fluid lubricates the drill bit and brings the clippings from the bit back to the surface. The density and chemical composition of the drilling fluid must be altered to fit the well conditions. Otherwise, the well could collapse or otherwise destroy itself. The rig supervisor and the mud engineer work together to make sure the drilling fluid is properly formulated.

Lay Pipe
o

The driller operates the drill. He determines the pressure and rotation speed on the drill bit necessary to reach his depth goals. When he reaches the end of the pipe section currently attached to the drill motor, another section must be added to continue drilling. The pipe in the well is disconnected from the drill motor. Another section is attached to the drill motor and pulled up into the derrick, and the new pipe section is connected to the pipe in the well. Casing, which is a heavy pipe used to support the walls of the well, is handled in the same way. Roughnecks complete all of this work while the driller operates the machinery.

Shake, Shake, Shake

o

The drilling fluid that is pushed up from the well is cycled through shakers. These machines have screens that help separate the clippings from the drilling fluid. The rig supervisor and the geologist can then examine the clippings to determine what kind of rock is being drilled into, what kind of adjustments might be needed in the mud, and whether a different bit needs to be used.

Finish the Well

o

The well's purpose will usually determine how it is finished. An exploratory well will usually be capped. In most cases, this means a cementer is brought to the rig to formulate a cement plug to close it off. If it is a production well, it will be

connected to a pump system to extract the oil from the well into some kind of storage--like a tanker ship for off-shore wells. It can then be shipped to refineries.

Read more: How Does a Drilling Rig Work? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/howdoes_4744427_drilling-rig-work.html#ixzz1KyW0JpOH

TOOLPUSHERS RESPONSIBILITY
How to Become a Toolpusher
X

eHow Careers & Work Editor This article was created by a professional writer and edited by experienced copy editors, both qualified members of the Demand Media Studios community. All articles go through an editorial process that includes subject matter guidelines, plagiarism review, fact-checking, and other steps in an effort to provide reliable information. By an eHow Contributor

A toolpusher oversees all operations on a drilling rig. While most jobs on a drilling rig require a lot of manual labor, a toolpusher performs a variety of managerial tasks. The toolpusher hires crew members, plans schedules and ensures that the rig meets safety requirements. Follow these steps if you want to become a toolpusher.
Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions
1.
o

Start out as a roughneck and work your way up the ranks. Drilling rigs tend to promote from within the company and you need a lot of experience in rig work to gain a position as a toolpusher.
o

Stay in good physical condition. Jobs on a drilling rig are very physical. As a toolpusher you may be required to fill in on the rig floor if there is a shortage of employees.
o

Demonstrate a good work ethic and strong leadership abilities. A toolpusher must also know health and safety laws and regulations.
o

Gain experience as a driller. To become a toolpusher you need at least four years drilling experience. A toolpusher must have a keen understanding of the drilling process in order to set the drilling schedule.
o

Remain focused on your job. To become a toolpusher you must show that you are able to stay focused despite the distractions of working on a drilling rig.
o

Understand that being promoted to toolpusher means that you will have a lot of extra responsibility. You may have to spend more time away from your family and could be on call for emergencies.

Read more: How to Become a Toolpusher | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2093146_becometoolpusher.html#ixzz1KyXTbwdt

How to Calculate Downhole Lag Time

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Will Charpentier Historian; retired ship master By Will Charpentier , eHow Contributor

Downhole lag time is the difference between the time it takes drilling mud to go from the surface to the bottom of the drill stem and the length of time it takes a marker, introduced into the drilling mud, to go to the bottom of the drill stem and return to the surface. Changes in the downhole lag time can alert the driller or toolpusher to overpressure conditions in the hole due to sediment undercompaction, with the goal of preventing a blowout during drilling.
Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions
things you'll need:

Stopwatch Chemical marker 1.

o

When the drilling mud is introduced to the borehole, start timing. When the mud hits the bottom end of the drill stem, stop timing. This is the down time.
o

Introduce a chemical marker into the drilling mud and start the stopwatch.
o

When the chemical marker returns to the surface, stop the stopwatch. This is the marker time.
o

Subtract the down time from the marker time. The result is the lag time.
o

Subtract the down time from the total time it takes for a marker introduced into the drilling mud at the surface to travel to the bottom of the borehole and back to the surface.

Read more: How to Calculate Downhole Lag Time | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5650452_calculate-downhole-lag-time.html#ixzz1KyYAKdIL

How to Get A Job As a Toolpusher In The Oilfield. Oil Exploration Jobs

By braniac, eHow User

The job of "toolpusher" is perhaps the most important on on a drilling rig site. Here is more about it.
Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions
1.
o

Learn about the different types of oilfield jobs. In the oil and gas industry many items both large and small, are referred to as tools, hence the name "toolpusher" for the person in charge of the day to day operations of a drilling rig. The toolpusher is the supervisor of the drilling rig crew and is in charge of everything on the location. His duties are to make sure the rig crew is doing their job in a safe and efficient manner and that all of the equipment on the rig site is being properly cared for. In addition to that he is responsible for ordering routine maintenance of the rig equipment, dispatching various service companies, moving the rig to the next location, keeping track of work hours, turning in daily reports to the drilling rig company and more.
o

Prepare to spend several years working your way up the ladder. Typically to get the job of toolpusher one must work their way up the ranks, from lowly "worm" or inexperienced rig crew member to roughneck and then spend a few years as a driller. Rarely do you find any toolpushers who have not followed this route since knowing every detail of the jobs, from the lowest to the driller's job, is essential for a toolpusher.
o

Determine if you have the education and skills needed and try and gain more skills that would be required for the job. Not every roughneck is cut out to be "toolpusher material". Nowadays the nature of the job is more and more focused on detailed paperwork, using Windows based software to track equipment inventory and hours and communicating professionally with the "company man" or consultant on the rig site and with drilling company supervisors. A high school diploma or a GED are a must. If you are presently working as a roughneck, with the aim of "making driller" you should look farther ahead at the possibility of assuming the toolpusher's job one day. This means paying attention to every particular detail on the rig and how the "pusher" keeps things organized. Make your ambitions known to your toolpusher and ask for his advice, without sharing too much of your goals with your fellow roughnecks. References are important, so keep the business card or contact information of every toolpusher you work with so that you can list them on your resume. Keep a tally book with this contact information along with a description of every kind of rig that you have run and areas where you have drilled. It is easy to forget this kind of detail but being able to describe the variety of experience that you have will help at your interview.
o

Distinguish yourself as different from your peers by having leadership quality. Often as an oilfield roughneck it is easy to go along with the crowd. It can be a hard living and hard playing profession and many never aspire to be anything more. A true leader, and one that will make a good boss on a drilling rig, is one that does not just follow the crowd but helps lead when things are tough. With concern for, and respect for his crew, they lead them in a way that makes them feel important and willing to go to great lengths to do a good job not because of pressure or fear but because of respect and because they know that you do know the job from the ground up and have done the same kind of work yourself.
o

Keep your background history clean. If becoming an oilfield toolpusher is your goal be sure and keep a clean criminal record. Offenses, including drug charges and DUI's may stay on your record seven years or more and it is important to have a clear record.

If you are currently a driller check the job postings on sites such as rigzone.com and texasoilfieldjob.com and send in an application.

Read more: How to Get A Job As a Toolpusher In The Oilfield. Oil Exploration Jobs | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4527872_job-oilfield-oil-exploration-jobs.html#ixzz1KyigrE4k

How to Get A Job In The Oilfield Overseas Working On a Rig

By braniac, eHow User

Get A Job In The Oilfield Overseas Working On a Rig

Salaries for overseas oilfield workers are traditionally higher than for working on a U.S. based rig. Here is how you might get started working overseas.
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions
things you'll need:

resume 1.
o

Start by learning about the industry. If you are new to the oil and gas industry you may have to work a few years in the domestic drilling industry before you will have enough experience to work overseas. Traditionally salaries for oilfield

workers working overseas have been as much as thirty to fifty percent higher than those paid their domestic counterparts. In part you are paid a higher salary for the danger factor (of some countries) but mainly for the fact that you are gone from home so much. In some instances while working in the oilfield overseas you can reap taxation benefits by showing your domicile to be in a foreign country if you spend most of the year there and therefore avoid paying U.S. taxes. What are the best fields to pursue to land an overseas oil rig job? For those with roughneck experience it is a plus to have worked in the Gulf of Mexico since much of overseas work is offshore. For operators knowledge of top drive rigs is a must and having experience working on higher end rigs with automation is helpful. Put together a good resume with a list of all the types of rigs you have worked on. Drillers will find the most work since much of the roughneck jobs are filled "in country".
o

Obtain as much experience as you can and document this for your resume. For current employees of service companies dealing in specialized services, such as synthetic drilling fluids, solids disposal, mudlogging, MWD, fishing tools, etc, there are many opportunities for overseas work for the highly skilled. Again a good resume is important for service hands as well. List all the specializations and certifications that you have and try to gain more with an eye on eventually working on a drilling rig overseas.
o

Learn a foreign language. Most overseas drilling rig crews will speak English but you can increase your job opportunities if you speak a foreign language common to areas where oil and gas drilling jobs are available. Spanish is necessary if you are considering an oilfield job in Latin America. For overseas oilfield jobs networking is helpful. Make it known to your manager that while you are happy doing what you are doing, you would love an opportunity to work overseas. Even in today's relatively slow oilfield employment market there are still some opportunities overseas. In many overseas areas the drilling will not fall off as much since materials, fuel and labor costs are very low and falling in third world countries. Keep an eye on sites such as Rigzone.com for overseas job postings, network with other oilfield workers that you know and make a good quality resume that you send off to as many companies as you can. Don't give up or worry that you are being a nuisance by contacting different companies, even those that don't have any job postings.
o

Make sure your passport is current. Get one if you don't have one. If you have insurance, get as many of the immunizations you will need ahead of time. This includes Hepatitis, Polio, TB, etc. Indicate on your resume that you have a current passport and immunizations and are ready to leave now.

Read more: How to Get A Job In The Oilfield Overseas Working On a Rig | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4694798_job-oilfield-overseas-working-rig.html#ixzz1KymQ6K6i

Driller Job Description

X

Kat Consador Freelance Writer By Kat Consador, eHow Contributor

updated: July 10, 2010

Drillers can drill into earth for mineral samples.

Drillers are experts in using various types of drills on different types of surfaces. They decide how to delve into rocks or concrete and monitor drilling operations. According to the Occupational Information Network, a driller is also known as an earth driller.

1. Responsibilities
o

Drillers operate different drills, including rotary, pneumatic and churn, regulating and controlling rotary speed, air pressure and downward pressure, according to the type of rock being drilled These workers tap into salt deposits and sub-surface water to remove samples during the process of soil testing or mineral exploration. Drillers may also help facilitate the eventual use of explosives in construction or mining. These workers may also use explosives. Drillers operate machines.

Environment
o

Drillers work outdoors during the process of mineral exploration or soil testing at construction or extraction sites in areas ranging from remote to urban. Machine operation is noisy and physically demanding.

Education and Training

o

According to the Occupational Information Network, employers seek drillers with a high school diploma. On-the-job training can require a few months to one year of working under the supervision of an experienced employee. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most significant form of preparation for this career is moderate on-the-job training.

Earnings
o

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, earth drillers, except oil and gas earned a national mean hourly wage of $20.22 and a national mean annual wage of $42,070 in May 2009. The industries that employed the highest number of earth drillers were utility system construction with a mean annual wage of $39,980; support activities for mining, $43,830; other specialty trade contractors, $45,690; architectural, engineering and related services, $38,520; and nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying, $37,070.

Read more: Driller Job Description | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6717777_driller-jobdescription.html#ixzz1KynsEyWJ

Driller Duties
X

Ariel Phillips This article was created by a professional writer and edited by experienced copy editors, both qualified members of the Demand Media Studios community. All articles go through an editorial process that includes subject matter guidelines, plagiarism review, fact-checking, and other steps in an effort to provide reliable information. By Ariel Phillips, eHow Contributor

updated: June 08, 2010

1.

Drillers work on oil rigs. oil rig at sunset image by Alan James from Fotolia.com

A driller is the person in charge of overseeing the drilling of an oil well. Drillers perform a range of duties related to monitoring the activity on oil-well rigs. Drillers must be highly knowledgeable of the oil industry and typically make realtime decisions on an oil rig.

2. Crew Oversight
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Under the supervision of a rig manager, the driller directs crew members and makes sure tasks are performed correctly, efficiently, and in an environment that complies with government safety laws and company regulations.

Equipment Operation
o

The driller also operates the drilling and hoisting equipment on the oil rig. This entails managing the driller's console, which is where brakes, monitors and throttles for the drilling equipment are located. The driller takes measurements and other readings at the drilling console, which are then used to make necessary future adjustments to the drilling operation.

Enforce Safety Measures

o

Drillers are tasked with making sure that oil rig personnel are informed of all required safety measures and follow them without exception. This includes holding regular safety meetings to review and reinforce these safety measures. Safety drills are lead by the driller and are undertaken on a regular basis.

Facilitate Teamwork
o

Drillers must be good listeners and communicators who can work well with others and nurture a healthy working environment for a crew. A driller is responsible for making sure crew members are comfortable in their working environment and able to work at full capacity.

Read more: Driller Duties | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6601935_drillerduties.html#ixzz1Kyp08KSK

Job Description for an Assistant Driller

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Assistant drillers work on offshore oil rigs.

Large oil companies install oil rigs in order to extract natural gas and oil from deepwater deposits. Assistant drillers have the work responsibility of directing a work crew of "roughnecks" on offshore oil rigs. Roughnecks perform most of the manual labor in maintaining drilling equipment and extracting hydrocarbons. According to Oil Rig Job International, assistant drillers earn an average salary of $54,000.

1. Supervision

The driller directly controls the rate of drilling and a skilled position that requires extensive knowledge of rock types and drilling procedures. Assistant drillers run the work crew and take information from the driller and give it to their crew. The crew consists of roughnecks, who do rough labor, and the derrickman, who works 90 feet above the rig to handle the drill pipe. While the assistant driller acts in a predominately supervisory role, they may also work alongside the roughnecks to run machinery.

Maintenance
o

According to Transocean, assistant drillers perform equipment safety checks on all drilling systems, and monitor all drilling equipment to ensure proper function. Assistant drillers assure constant well pressure and adjust machinery. For more serious maintenance issues with the drill, these professionals will report to their supervisor, who will have the problem fixed by repair crews and engineers.

Monitoring
o

Assistant drillers train roughnecks to recognize abnormal well conditions in order to prevent leaks and rig blowouts. Abnormal well conditions can include excess pressure, a reduction of the weight of the drillpipe, sedimentary deposits mixed with the oil, or changes in drilling weight. According to Transocean, assistant drillers make regular reports to a senior drilling supervisor in order to detail well conditions.

Safety
o

Because of the dangerous nature of oil rigs, which includes explosions, noxious fumes and high-powered machinery, assistant drillers must educate their team on all safety procedures put into place by the drilling company. This process includes running weekly safety meetings in order to come up with ways to ensure the safety of workers. These professionals may also run simulations or drills for emergency situations. Drillers may sure that roughnecks take all property safety precautions around machinery.

Emergency
o

In the event of an emergency, assistant drillers will sound an alarm and secure all equipment. They report all accidents in the form of injury and damage reports to the senior driller. These assistants may direct oil rig evacuation procedures and will halt the movement of moving machinery. In rough weather conditions, assistant drillers will secure the drilling site until operations are resumed.

Read more: Job Description for an Assistant Driller | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_7575143_job-description-assistant-driller.html#ixzz1Kyq0OeFB

Drill Rig Position Descriptions

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An oil drilling rig

Drill rigs are platforms built to extract oil from undersea deposits. They exist across the world -in the North Sea, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Persian Gulf. Based on their role and experience, rig workers fit into several general job categories.

1. Roustabout
o

Roustabouts (or roughnecks) are entry-level workers; they're unskilled or semiskilled. Most of their time is spent on menial functions like cleaning equipment, scraping rust and tightening/loosening pipes.

Motorman
o

Motormen are the mid-level crew members in charge of the engines that run the drills. They're essentially mechanics -- they maintain, operate and repair the engines.

Driller

Drillers are crew leaders; a typical rig will have two or three of them, each running a crew of several people. They operate drill controls, organize information and supervise crew members.

Derrickman
o

Derrickmen, as the name would suggest, work the rigs' masts, or derricks. Their main job is to deploy/retract the drill pipes, but they're also responsible for maintaining the derrick itself.

Company man
o

The company man "is representative of the oil company or operator on a drilling location", says 1-Oil-Job.com. He is in charge of the rig administratively. Their work includes setting work schedules and making sure the rig has adequate logistics.

Read more: Drill Rig Position Descriptions | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_6190488_drill-rigposition-descriptions.html#ixzz1KyrdD6Oo

Driller Duties
X 1.

Drillers work on oil rigs. oil rig at sunset image by Alan James from Fotolia.com

A driller is the person in charge of overseeing the drilling of an oil well. Drillers perform a range of duties related to monitoring the activity on oil-well rigs. Drillers must be highly knowledgeable of the oil industry and typically make realtime decisions on an oil rig.

2. Crew Oversight
o

Under the supervision of a rig manager, the driller directs crew members and makes sure tasks are performed correctly, efficiently, and in an environment that complies with government safety laws and company regulations.

Equipment Operation
o

The driller also operates the drilling and hoisting equipment on the oil rig. This entails managing the driller's console, which is where brakes, monitors and throttles for the drilling equipment are located. The driller takes measurements and other readings at the drilling console, which are then used to make necessary future adjustments to the drilling operation.

Enforce Safety Measures

o

Drillers are tasked with making sure that oil rig personnel are informed of all required safety measures and follow them without exception. This includes holding regular safety meetings to review and reinforce these safety measures. Safety drills are lead by the driller and are undertaken on a regular basis.

Facilitate Teamwork
o

Drillers must be good listeners and communicators who can work well with others and nurture a healthy working environment for a crew. A driller is responsible for making sure crew members are comfortable in their working environment and able to work at full capacity.

Read more: Driller Duties | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6601935_drillerduties.html#ixzz1Lb76GJAc

How to Run a Drilling Rig

It takes skilled workers, engineers and project managers as well as a tight team work to run a drilling rig. The hours are as long as the work is hard, but those working on oil rigs--both on and offshore--take pride in their jobs. Learn what it takes to run a drilling rig and appreciate what people do on an oil rig to put gasoline in your car.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions 1. Operations
o

Know proper set up is crucial for oil rig production. Set up correctly to avoid accidents and injuries. Drill the surface hole down to a depth that's pre-set (from a starter hole). See that this is located someplace above where the oil trap is thought to exist.
o

Position the drill bit, collar and drill pipe into the hole. Fill the drill pipe rack with drill pipe. Attach the drill bit to the first joint. Lower the drill bit through the turntable and engage the kelly (which rotates a drill stem and the bit). Lower this to the ground and turn right.
o

Continue drilling and periodically release the brake. Make sure the mud pumps are engaged, which circulate drill fluid through the drill pipe and through the bit so that the cuttings of the bit are grinding on the bottom ground and rock. Distribute mud around in the pipe and out from the bit so that the rock cuttings float out of the hole as the drilling proceeds.
o

Watch for fluid to circulate through the bore hole and up to the surface. Continue with this drilling process until you get a stand of pipe that reaches the derrick floor. Set the slips on the drill pipe.
o

Attach a new stand of drill pipes to the pipe that's now at the derrick floor level. Carry on with the process until you reach total depth. Pull the drill pipe and start the process over if you wear out a bit.
o

Pull the drill pipe out of the hole once you reach total depth. Set the casing. Know that casing is large pipe that's the diameter of the hole you've drilled. Cement the

casing once it is set in the hole. Test and determine the depth you will perforate the casing.
o

Lower the perforation gun into the hole at the determined/tested depth and fire the gun. Burn holes at that depth and open the formation into the casing with it. Start producing oil once you've reached your production.

2. Careers
o

Find that most careers related to operating and running a drilling rig provide lucrative pay (starting at $300 per day for drill deck hands, such as roughnecks); however, understand the work is dangerous and workers spend most of their long days outside in all kinds of weather. Enjoy a high standard of accommodation though, especially on offshore rigs.
o

Realize many of the jobs require education or training. Study petroleum engineering, geology and project management at the university level to run a drilling rig. Realize that it takes more than a manager or set of managers to run an oil rig--everyone on the rig plays an important part in successful operations of oil production.
o

Train for many drilling rig jobs independently or through short courses offered by companies specializing in oil rig worker training, such as "Maritime Drilling Schools, Ltd."
o

Apply directly to oil companies, such as "Chevron," via their website or use a job search contract company like "Oil and Gas Jobsearch."

DRILLER

The Driller is a more seasoned service rig worker and is responsible for performing a wide range of services on oil and gas wells. Duties include coordinating rig up and down procedures and operating the rig and its components as required. The Driller is also required to manage and supervise a crew, and should have excellent people and management skills. Minimum Requirements for crew position with Eagle:

18 years of age or older H2S Alive ticket Standard First Aid ticket Valid Drivers License with Air Brake Endorsement Able to pass a Physical exam and drug screen Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide your own gloves, CSA approved hard hat and liner, rain gear, and CSA approved steel toed boots Able to work outside for extended periods of time, sometimes in extreme temperatures Physically fit and able to lift 100+ lbs

Specific requirements for Driller:

Confined Space Entry Incident Investigation Fall Protection Fall Rescue Well Service BOP