ONSHORE DRILLING OFFICE

Drilling manager
o Top drilling position
o Reports to Operations Manager
o Responsibilities

Day-to-day running of drilling department

Liaison with government authorities

Overseeing the work of the senior drilling engineers

Acting as the ultimate technical decision-maker for problems or disputes

In the event of a major incident, responsible for technical decisions to bring the
incident under control
Senior Drilling Engineer
o Responsibilities

Daily responsibility for one or more drilling rigs

Well planning

Daily reporting of drilling activities

Supervising the work of more junior staff members

Daily liaison with the drilling contractor and other service companies involved in the
operation

Evaluating tenders for services
Logistics coordinator
o Reports to the drilling manager or SDE
o Responsibilities

Obtaining, storing and shipping equipment/personnel to the wellsite and back

Coordinates land, sea and air transport

Supervises the storage yards and monitors rental equipment to insure it is returned
promptly once finished
Drilling engineer
o Reports to SDE
o Responsibilities

Technical work on
Drilling programs
Technical evaluations
Engineering studies

Other work as directed by the SDE
Technical assistant
o Works with drilling engineer to

Compile reports, locate information, filing etc.

RIG
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Drilling Supervisor Company Man

Most senior representative of the operator at the wellsite

Responsibilities

Coordinating all drilling related activities

Instructs the rig crews via the toolpusher

Ensures that safe practices are maintained

Manages the various contractors on hire to the operator
Night drilling supervisor
o Responsibilities

Overall supervision at night in the absence of the DS

Can act as Assistant to the DS during the night

Often prepare daily drilling report for the DS to check and send in the morning
Well Site Drilling/Petroleum Engineer (WSDE/WSPE)
o Often a training role to gain practical experience
Well Site Geologist
o Responsibilities

Monitors the work of the mud loggers

Keeps a record of the geology encountered

Witnesses the work of the wireline loggers

Will sometimes determine the correct setting depth for casing strings
Mud engineer
o Employee of the drilling fluids contractor
o Responsibilities

Building and maintaining the mud system as per the program

Testing the mud frequently

Reporting results to the DS and to the mud contractor office onshore
Toolpusher
o Drilling contractors top man on site
o Responsibilities

Supervises all drilling operations

Coordinates company and contractor affairs

On call 24 hours a day
Driller
o Under direct supervision of the tool pusher
o Supervises the floor men
o Responsibilities

Operates the drilling equipment and machinery on the rig floor

Manipulates the lever, brakes, switches and other control on the console
Derrickman
o Works on the monkey board up the mast
o Responsibilities

Handing of the upper ends of drilling pipes and casing

Keeping tabs on the drilling fluid and maintaining pumps and other equipment
o
o

Rough Neck
o Responsibilities

Handling of lower ends of drilling pipes and casings

Handling large wrench (tongs) for screwing and unscrewing joints

OIL AND GAS PROFESSIONALS

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Operator
o Persons or company with actual drilling right
o Finances exploration and drilling projects
o Primary users of service companies
o Major companies e.g. Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Agip,
Drilling contractor
o Performs actual drilling of the well
o Bids for the drilling contracts from the operator
o Drills to specifications of the operator
o Employs the actual drilling crew
o Examples in Nigeria Saipem, Lonestar, Deutag,
Service Company
o Provides specialized drilling services (cementing, logging, core analysis, MWD)
o Provides specialized drilling tools (casing, packer, bits)
o Employs part of the drilling crew
o Examples in Nigeria Schlumberger, Halliburton, BJ services

DRILLING OPERATIONS
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Running Drill Pipe

Running surface casing: protect unconsolidated surface, potable water zones
Cementing
Running and cementing intermediate casing: isolate troublesome zones
Drilling to final depth
Completion
Setting production casing: protect producing zone
Installing production tubing: allow production to surface
Installing Christmas tree: well control