BOREHOLE DRILLING
Drilling is usually done by a service company or drilling contractor. The drilling crew is composed of a toolpusher, a driller, a derrickman, a motorman and several roughnecks and roustabouts.
The toolpusher, the location supervisor for the drilling contractor, is usually a senior, experienced individual who has worked his way up through the ranks of the drilling crew positions. His job is largely administrative, including ensuring that the rig has sufficient materials, spare parts and skilled personnel to continue efficient operations.
The driller is the supervisor of the rig crew. The driller is responsible for the efficient operation of the rigsite as well as the safety of the crew. He typically has many years of rigsite experience and has worked his way up from other jobs. While the driller must know how to perform each of the jobs on the rig, his or her role is to supervise the work and control the major rig systems. The driller operates the pumps, drawworks, and rotary table via the drillers console-a control room of gauges, control levers, rheostats, and other pneumatic, hydraulic and electronic instrumentation. The driller also operates the drawworks brake using a long-handled lever.