Job Descriptions

Drilling Engineer Job Description

What is the job description of a Drilling Engineer? What are the duties and responsibilities of a Drilling Engineer? What does a Drilling Engineer do?

Job description of a Drilling Engineer

A drilling engineer develops, plans, costs and supervises the operations necessary for drilling oil and gas wells. They are involved from initial well design to testing, completion and abandonment. Drilling Engineers can be employed on land, on offshore platforms or on mobile drilling units either by the operating oil company, a specialist drilling contractor or a service company.

The role can involve administering drilling and service contracts, engineering design, the planning of wells and supervising the drilling crew on site. Drilling engineers work with other professionals, such as geologists and geoscientists, to monitor drilling progress, oversee safety management and ensure the protection of the environment.

This Drilling Engineer job description example includes the list of most important Drilling Engineer duties and responsibilities as shown below. It can be modified to fit the specific Drilling Engineer profile you're trying to fill as a recruiter or job seeker.

Drilling Engineer Duties and Responsibilities

Drilling Engineer job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

  • Establishing and administering drilling and service contracts;
  • Preparing well data sheets;
  • Designing and selecting well-head equipment;
  • Designing directional well paths (horizontally or multi-laterally, as appropriate);
  • Contributing to conceptual field development design;
  • Working with multidisciplinary professionals to evaluate the commercial viability of the well and monitor progress during drilling;
  • Coordinating and supervising the work of the drilling team;
  • Undertaking engineering design and the planning of wells (including development work);
  • Obtaining relevant data, carrying out engineering analysis on site and recommending necessary actions and writing up reports;
  • Monitoring the daily progress of well operations;
  • Managing operations on behalf of small clients;
  • Drawing up drilling programmes, taking account of desired production flow rates;
  • Adhering to environmental protection standards, in some cases through direct discussion with local governments to ensure compliance with legislative requirements;
  • Monitoring safety and ensuring the good maintenance of the well;
  • Returning the site to its natural environmental setting if drilling is not to be pursued.
  • Keeping track of current daily costs, comparing actual costs with expenditure proposals and recommending cost-effective changes;
  • Liaising with specialist contractors and suppliers, such as cement companies or suppliers of drilling fluids;

Drilling Engineer Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Drilling Engineer job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

  • A bachelor’s degree in engineering
  • At least seven years of drilling experience
  • Strong math, analytical and communication skills
  • Good writing skills
  • Excellent Interpersonal skills
  • Good leadership skills

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Drilling Engineer starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Drilling Engineer job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of a Drilling Engineer may also reference it in preparation for the interview.