A professional who directs activities concerned with exploratory drilling, and drilling oil wells and producing oil and gas from wells within one or more oil fields. Responsibilities include:

• Plans erection of drilling rigs, and installation and maintenance of equipment, such as pumping units and compressor stations.
• Directs technical processes, such as treatment of oil and gas to reduce moisture and sediment content, mud analysis, well logging, and formation testing.
• Determines procedures to resolve drilling problems, such as nonvertical bore holes and broken drilling tools.
• Formulates methods to control production of wells in accordance with proration regulations.
• Schedules dismantling and storing derricks and drilling equipment, cleaning wells, and servicing well equipment.
• Analyzes production reports, initiates personnel actions, and revises drilling and production procedures to control operating costs and production efficiency of oil field.
• Directs petroleum exploration parties engaged in drilling for samples (cores) of subsurface stratigraphy and in seismic prospecting.
• May be designated according to specialty as Superintendent, Oil-Field Drilling; Superintendent, Production.