As of June 2026, Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas has an AI-exposure score of 51/100 (Elevated exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
More exposed than 35% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$58,160. About 4,100 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Construction roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (95%).
- Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
- Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
- Apply green technologies or techniques, such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.
- Close and seal wells no longer in use.
- Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
- Monitor sound wave-generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels.
- Insert detection instruments into wells with obstructions.
- Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.
- Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.
- Perforate well casings or sidewalls of boreholes with explosive charges.
- Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.
- Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.
- Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.
- Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
- Select fishing methods or tools for removing obstacles such as liners, broken casing, screens, or drill pipe.
- Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.
- Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
- Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
- Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
Safer adjacent roles
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