Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 11/4/2026
AI Resilience Score for Service Unit Operators:
53.4%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
High
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Low
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
AI Resilience Report forService Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
$58,160 median salary•3,800 annual openings•SOC Code: 47-5013.00
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 5 sources.
This career is labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the hands-on, physical parts of the job (like sealing wells, installing pressure-control devices, and threading cables on a rig) still require a real person with mechanical skill and good judgment, and AI simply cannot do those tasks safely on its own. Where AI is making the biggest moves is in the paperwork and monitoring side of things, like generating reports from voice input or spotting equipment problems before they happen, which actually helps workers do their jobs better rather than pushing them out.
Learn more about how you can thrive in this position
This role is mostly resilient
This career is labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the hands-on, physical parts of the job (like sealing wells, installing pressure-control devices, and threading cables on a rig) still require a real person with mechanical skill and good judgment, and AI simply cannot do those tasks safely on its own. Where AI is making the biggest moves is in the paperwork and monitoring side of things, like generating reports from voice input or spotting equipment problems before they happen, which actually helps workers do their jobs better rather than pushing them out.
Read full analysisAnalysis of current AI resilience
Service Unit Operators
Updated quarterly
How can Service Unit Operators prepare for AI?
Latest AI news for Service Unit Operators
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More Career Info
Career: Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
They help keep oil and gas operations running smoothly by setting up, running, and fixing equipment used in drilling and production.
Parent Careers
Alternate Titles
Pulling Unit Operator · Rig Operator · Service Operator · Service Rig Operator · Reverse Unit Operator · Tool Pusher · Well Servicing Rig Operator · Wireline Operator
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$58,160
Jobs (2025)
43,800
Growth (2025-35)
+1.1%
Annual Openings
3,800
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
Less than 5 years
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.
2
Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
3
Perforate well casings or sidewalls of boreholes with explosive charges.
4
Close and seal wells no longer in use.
5
Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.
6
Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
7
Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
