Description
Operate and maintain core drilling rigs to extract continuous core samples for geological, geotechnical, mining, or energy exploration; prepare sites, manage drilling fluids, protect sample integrity, and keep accurate records while ensuring safety.
- • Train core drilling crews and implement safe, efficient work procedures.
- • Monitor gauges and adjust controls to regulate rotation, feed, and downhole pressure during coring.
- • Count and track drill rods to determine borehole depth.
- • Operate hoists and drawworks to raise and lower core barrels, rods, and casing.
- • Connect and break down core rods and casing using hand tools and power tongs.
- • Record footage, lithology, samples recovered, materials used, and time on task.
- • Inspect, maintain, and adjust rigs and auxiliary equipment for proper performance.
- • Start and monitor pumps to maintain drilling fluid circulation and properties.
- • Locate and fish lost or broken core barrels, bits, rods, or casing using specialized tools.
- • Mix and condition drilling fluids and additives to meet hole and formation requirements.
- • Direct crews in rig-up, coring operations, and rig-down/site teardown.
- • Monitor drilling progress and select or change core bits, reamers, and barrels to match formation.
- • Repair or replace faulty components on rigs, water trucks, compressors, and pumps.
- • Clean and lubricate pulleys, sheaves, blocks, and cables.
- • Assemble and connect hydraulic, pneumatic, and pump systems, tanks, and hoses.
- • Retrieve, orient, and handle core; label, photograph, and box samples to preserve quality.
- • Install casing, liners, and packers to stabilize boreholes and protect samples.
- • Backfill or grout boreholes, plug as required, and restore sites.
- • Position, level, and anchor truck- or track-mounted core rigs per site plans and coordinates.
- • Communicate with geologists and clients; follow sampling plans and chain-of-custody protocols.
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Energy & Natural Resources
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
