Service unit operators, oil and gas
SOC Code: 47-5013
Service unit operators, oil and gas carries a 39% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $57,980 and +0.4% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 45,200 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 39% AI exposure, Service unit operators, oil and gas sits 2 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 67% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
38/100
Service unit operators, oil and gas, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage D $57,980
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F +0.4%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 39% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Service unit operators, oil and gas in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Service unit operators, oil and gas keeps an No credential bar (109 of 832) and sits in Slow growth (245 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Service unit operators, oil and gas sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Service unit operators, oil and gas sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
39% Around the middle lower than 33% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Service unit operators, oil and gas vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Service unit operators, oil and gas is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Service unit operators, oil and gas's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-5013) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Service unit operators, oil and gas be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Service unit operators, oil and gas. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
- 2. Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
- 3. Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
- 4. Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
- 5. Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
- 6. Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.
- 7. Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
- 8. Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.
- 9. Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
- 10. Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.
Key Skills Required
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Troubleshooting
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Complex Problem Solving
- Equipment Maintenance
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
- Chemistry
- Administration and Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Service unit operators, oil and gas?
Service unit operators, oil and gas has an AI exposure score of 39%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Service unit operators, oil and gas?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Service unit operators, oil and gas is projected to grow by 0.4% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 45,200 workers.
What skills are needed for Service unit operators, oil and gas?
Key skills for Service unit operators, oil and gas include Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Operation and Control, and others. Typical entry-level education is No formal educational credential.
How much do Service unit operators, oil and gas earn?
The median annual wage for Service unit operators, oil and gas is $57,980, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Service unit operators, oil and gas?
The typical entry-level education for Service unit operators, oil and gas is No formal educational credential. Employers generally expect Less than 5 years of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Service unit operators, oil and gas?
Service unit operators, oil and gas roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Service unit operators, oil and gas: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (39% here).
- Architects, except landscape and naval · AI exposure 39%
- Biological technicians · AI exposure 39%
- Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters · AI exposure 39%
- Career/technical education teachers, middle school · AI exposure 39%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+0.4% here).
- Maids and housekeeping cleaners · growth +0.4%
- Security guards · growth +0.4%
- Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels · growth +0.5%
- Derrick operators, oil and gas · growth +0.5%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Service unit operators, oil and gas' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Service unit operators, oil and gas side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).