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Derrickhand

Also called derrickman, derrickwoman, derrick operator

Derrickhands guide the positions and movements of drill pipes. They control the automated pipe-handling equipment. They are often responsible for the condition of drilling fluids, or "mud".

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects22 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Stationary plant and machine operatorsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Stationary plant and machine operatorsWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training.Stationary plant and machine operatorsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Well drillers and borers and related workers · ILO

What you'd do

Well drillers and borers and related workers · ILO
  • Dismantling, moving and assembling drilling rigs and auxiliary equipment
  • Assembling and dismantling pipes, casings and drill heads, and replacing dysfunctional equipment
  • Operating controls to lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells, regulate pressure in the well and control the speed of tools
  • Preparing drilling fluid and checking the operation of pumps to ensure adequate circulation of fluid in drill pipe and well
  • Monitoring gauges and other indicators and listening to equipment to detect malfunctions and unusual well conditions, and determining the need to change drilling or equipment
  • Maintaining, adjusting, repairing and cleaning drilling rigs, hoisting and other machinery
  • Maintaining records of drilling and servicing operations
  • Operating machines and tools to extract dust, cuttings and lost and broken drilling equipment from holes and wells
  • Closing and sealing wells no longer in use
  • Supervising and training crew members
Work in drilling teamsUse rigging equipmentGuide drill pipesReact to events in time-critical environmentsMaintain circulation system+ 4 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Mostly outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as stationary plant and machine operators in the EU
4.79m4.76m4.7m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
1,125,000 replacing leavers 71,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Stationary plant and machine operators22
All jobs29
Right now
5 of 27 countries report a shortage of well drillers and borers and related workers, 2 a surplus.
Well drillers and borers and related workers · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among plant and machine operators, and assemblers in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training is the usual route.

Highest qualification of stationary plant and machine operators (EU, 2025)
Degree 8%Vocational 53%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 29%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.19 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Maintaining records of drilling and servicing operations0.50
Supervising and training crew members0.26
Monitoring gauges and other indicators and listening to equipment to detect malfunctions and unusual well conditions, and determining the need to change drilling or equipment0.23
Operating controls to lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells, regulate pressure in the well and control the speed of tools0.15
Operating machines and tools to extract dust, cuttings and lost and broken drilling equipment from holes and wells0.14
Preparing drilling fluid and checking the operation of pumps to ensure adequate circulation of fluid in drill pipe and well0.14
Assembling and dismantling pipes, casings and drill heads, and replacing dysfunctional equipment0.12
Maintaining, adjusting, repairing and cleaning drilling rigs, hoisting and other machinery0.12
Closing and sealing wells no longer in use0.11
Dismantling, moving and assembling drilling rigs and auxiliary equipment0.11

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for well drillers and borers and related workers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).