Rig Floor Leadership
Driller is only the first supervisory rung. Here's the full ladder above it — toolpusher, OIM or rig manager, and company man — what separates each tier, and what it actually takes to climb it.
Why Driller Isn't the Top
Most career content on the rig floor stops at driller, because it's the first role with real supervisory authority and the one most people picture when they think "runs the rig." But a driller supervises one crew, for one tour, on one console. Above that sits a second tier of leadership that runs the whole rig, the whole installation, or the whole well program — jobs that trade hands-on technical execution for broader operational and personnel responsibility.
That tier is genuinely under-covered relative to how much it pays and how directly it ties into the certification track every driller is already on. This page is the map of it.
Driller → Toolpusher → OIM → Company Man
Each step changes what you're responsible for, not just how much you're paid.
Toolpusher
Supervises every crew and all equipment on a single rig for the drilling contractor — the rig's top on-site operational authority. See the full Toolpusher career guide.
OIM / Rig Manager
Top operational authority on the entire installation — offshore platform or onshore pad — responsible for every person and operation aboard, not drilling alone. See the full OIM / Rig Manager career guide.
Company Man
Works for the operator, not the drilling contractor. Final say on well program decisions. A genuinely different career track from the other three. See the full Company Man career guide.
IADC WellSharp Supervisor Level
The certification track doesn't stop at driller. IWCF Level 3 or IADC WellSharp Driller gets you into the console seat — but toolpusher and OIM-level roles require the next tier up: IWCF Level 4, or the equivalent IADC WellSharp Supervisor certification.
The supervisor tier covers well control decision-making from a management perspective — approving kill procedures, managing multiple simultaneous operations, and making the calls a driller executes but doesn't have the authority to originate. It's a hard requirement at most operators, not a formality, and it's renewed on the same multi-year exam cycle as every other IWCF/WellSharp level.
Reviewed by a Working Supervisor
Jabin Travis, who reviews our safety-critical content, holds IADC WellSharp Supervisor certification himself. His input shaped the toolpusher and OIM pages linked above — not generic descriptions, but what the certification and the step up actually involve day to day.
Toolpusher vs. Company Man
These two roles get mixed up constantly because they work side by side on the same rig every day — but they don't share an employer, and they don't share a priority. The toolpusher works for the drilling contractor and is accountable for the rig running safely and efficiently. The company man works for the operator funding the well and holds final authority over the well program itself. A toolpusher can recommend; a company man decides. Understanding that split is the fastest way to understand how authority actually works on a rig.
Frequently Asked Questions
Driller runs one crew from the console. Toolpusher oversees all the crews and equipment on a single rig, coordinating across every tour. OIM (Offshore Installation Manager) — or rig manager onshore — holds the top operational authority on that installation, responsible for every person and operation aboard, not just drilling. Each step up trades hands-on technical control for broader operational and personnel responsibility.
IWCF Level 4 or the equivalent IADC WellSharp Supervisor level — the top tier of well control certification, above the Level 3 (Driller) tier. It covers supervisory-level well control decision-making, not just execution, and is a hard requirement most operators will not waive.
No, and this is the most commonly confused pair of roles on a rig. A toolpusher works for the drilling contractor and manages the contractor's crews and equipment. A company man works for the operator (the oil company funding the well) and holds final authority over well program decisions. They work side by side daily but answer to different employers with different priorities.
There's no fixed timeline, but most toolpushers have spent 10-15 years in drilling operations, including several years as a driller, before stepping up. The promotion is earned through demonstrated judgment under pressure across many wells, not through certification alone — the certification is necessary but not sufficient.