Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Drilling Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Drilling Supervisor (also called Drilling Foreman or Toolpusher in some organizations) is the on‑site leader accountable for planning, executing and supervising well construction activities. This role ensures drilling programs are followed, health‑safety‑environment (HSE) and regulatory requirements are met, costs are controlled and technical objectives (wellbore integrity, trajectory, target depth and formation objectives) are achieved. The Drilling Supervisor coordinates rig crews, contractors and service providers, oversees equipment integrity (BOP, hoisting and rotating systems), manages well control incidents, and drives continuous improvement in drilling performance and operational risk management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Driller / Driller
Assistant Driller / Derrickman with extensive drilling experience
Field Drilling Engineer (with rig exposure)

Advancement To:

Toolpusher / Rig Manager (larger rigs / fleets)
Drilling Operations Manager
Drilling Superintendent / Wellsite Manager
Regional Operations Manager or Offshore Installation Manager

Lateral Moves:

Completions Supervisor / Well Intervention Supervisor
Field Services Manager (cementing, mud, directional)
HSE Manager / Drilling Safety Advisor
Asset Integrity or Maintenance Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead and supervise day‑to‑day drilling operations to ensure wells are drilled safely, on schedule and within budget, maintaining focus on operational efficiency and wellbore integrity.
Execute the drilling program as approved by the company well plan: monitor trajectory, casing and cementing programs, casing points and bit selection to achieve technical objectives.
Maintain overall responsibility for well control: ensure BOP systems are functional, supervise pressure testing, oversee well control drills and act as the onsite well control authority during critical operations.
Implement and enforce HSE policies and procedures on the rig: conduct pre‑shift safety meetings, toolbox talks, verify permit‑to‑work compliance and lead incident prevention initiatives.
Supervise and coordinate rig crew and contractor activities (rotary, mud, logging, directional, cementing, casing crews), ensuring clear scope, schedule and performance metrics for each subcontractor.
Manage rig equipment availability and reliability: monitor maintenance schedules, prioritize repairs, coordinate with mechanical/electrical teams and verify pre‑job inspections for hoisting, mud, and power systems.
Monitor and optimize drilling performance metrics (ROP, NPT, tripping speeds, connection times) and implement continuous improvement plans to reduce non‑productive time and drilling costs.
Direct mud and fluid management in collaboration with the mud engineer: monitor properties, control solids, oversee treatment programs and maintain inventory of consumables.
Review and validate daily drilling reports, well records and technical documentation; ensure accurate data capture in well database systems (e.g., WellView, OpenWells, Pason).
Execute downhole tool and directional drilling operations: coordinate with directional drillers, cementing specialists and logging companies to meet trajectory and hole quality requirements.
Control and manage wellsite logistics: plan crew rotations, rig moves, supply chain needs, transport of hazardous materials and staging of critical spares and equipment.
Oversee casing and cementing operations: verify cement volumes, centralization, casing running procedures and acceptance criteria to ensure zonal isolation and well integrity.
Chair and participate in pre‑job, kickoff and challenge meetings with operations, drilling engineering and HSE to ensure hazards are identified and mitigated before execution.
Conduct and document risk assessments, job safety analyses (JSAs) and permit issuance for high‑risk tasks and complex operations (heavy lifts, subsea operations, live wells).
Lead emergency response and well control incident response: execute contingency plans, coordinate with emergency teams, and escalate to operations management as required.
Control drilling costs and expendables spending: monitor daily cost reports, approve vendor charge codes, identify cost saving opportunities and support budget forecasting.
Enforce regulatory and company standards: ensure compliance with local regulatory authorities, environmental permits, flag state requirements and corporate policies.
Mentor, coach and develop rig personnel and junior supervisors through on‑the‑job training, performance feedback and competency assessments.
Lead root cause analyses and incident investigations following any safety or operational event; develop corrective action plans and follow‑up to closure.
Coordinate wireline, logging‑while‑drilling (LWD/MWD) and completion activities to ensure timely acquisition of formation evaluation data and successful handover to completions teams.
Ensure quality control for downhole tools and materials: verify inspection certificates, track welds, tubular integrity and consumable traceability.
Participate in well debriefs and post‑job reviews to capture lessons learned, update procedures and influence future well plans and procurement.
Manage handover between shifts and ensure continuity of operations through clear shift‑to‑shift communications, logs and incident briefings.
Maintain accurate documentation for change requests, drilling variances and technical deviations; secure approvals as required and manage record retention.

Secondary Functions

Support company continuous improvement initiatives by providing field feedback on processes, procedures and technology deployment.
Assist operations and engineering teams with ad‑hoc technical queries, well program updates and data requests required for planning and reporting.
Contribute to competency assurance programs by helping develop training materials, conducting competency assessments and mentoring new hires.
Participate in vendor selection and performance reviews; help develop scopes of work and acceptance criteria for drilling services.
Provide input to asset risk registers and participate in periodic HSE and technical audits.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Well control certification: IWCF or IADC Well Control Supervisor (mandatory for supervisory role).
Deep working knowledge of BOP systems, pressure control equipment, and subsea intervention equipment.
Strong understanding of drilling mechanics, rotary systems, hoisting systems, and downhole tools.
Familiarity with drilling fluids systems, solids control and mud chemistry oversight.
Competence in reading and interpreting well plans, directional surveys, casing programs and cementing designs.
Experience with drilling data systems and reporting tools (e.g., WellView, OpenWells, Pason).
Ability to conduct job hazard analyses (JHAs), risk assessments and implement mitigation plans.
Practical knowledge of casing running, cementing operations, logging, LWD/MWD and directional drilling coordination.
Budgeting and cost control skills: ability to monitor daily cost reports and implement cost‑saving measures.
Equipment maintenance planning and spare parts management experience (CMMS familiarity an advantage).
Incident investigation and root cause analysis capability, including corrective action tracking.
Regulatory compliance knowledge: local permitting, environmental controls and maritime/offshore regulations.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management: inspire crews, drive performance and hold teams accountable.
Clear verbal and written communication skills for effective handovers, reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Decisive problem‑solving under pressure with the ability to make timely, safe decisions in emergency situations.
Collaborative mindset: works well with engineers, HSE, operations and third‑party service providers.
Coaching and mentoring ability to develop junior staff and promote a safety‑first culture.
Cultural awareness and team building for multinational crew environments.
Attention to detail and organized approach to documentation and compliance.
Resilience and adaptability to operate in remote, high‑pressure onshore/offshore environments.
Conflict management and negotiation skills when dealing with contractors and vendors.
Continuous improvement orientation: uses data and lessons learned to improve operational performance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or vocational certificate in rig operations, mechanical trades or related technical discipline. Recognized well control certification required.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Drilling Technology, or equivalent technical degree/certification.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Petroleum Engineering
Mechanical / Offshore Engineering
Drilling Technology / Rig Operations
Applied Sciences with industry training

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 8–15+ years in drilling operations, including progressive hands‑on roles such as Driller, Senior Driller or Field Engineer.

Preferred:

Minimum 5 years in supervisory roles on similar onshore or offshore rigs.
Demonstrated experience executing multi‑stage well programs, directional wells and high‑pressure/high‑temperature (HPHT) wells is an advantage.
Prior exposure to international operations, multi‑vendor environments and offshore survival certifications where applicable.

Certifications & Mandatory Training (examples):

IWCF or IADC Well Control Supervisor certificate
BOSIET / HUET / Offshore Survival (for offshore assignments)
H2S Awareness, First Aid, Fire Fighting
Valid medical/fitness to work certificate and any local licenses required for rig personnel