THE RIG CREW Drilling is usually done by a service company or drilling contractor . The drilling crew is composed of a toolpusher , a driller , a derrickhand , and several roughnecks . The toolpusher manages the drilling operation. The driller operates the rig. The derrickhand helps with the drilling mud and in removing pipe from the hole.
Roughnecks help with the drilling operation and maintaining the drilling equipment.
The drilling company operates in accordance with a contract which specifies that the well will be drilled to a specific depth. The contractor is paid on a per day or per foot drilling rate. The costs to drill exploration and development wells in 1998 are shown in the following table. One of the most amazing parts of this business is how much money it costs to drill a well. These costs are a necessary requirement to find new oil and gas.