Will AI replace Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?

AI can do 14% of the work Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas do at least twice as fast. Real use has not caught up: none of their tasks show up in real AI use yet, but AI could speed up 7 of them. Robots can technically handle 17 physical tasks. 5 still need a person.

AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time

People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.

  • Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.

AI could do this next7 · 14% of time

AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.

  • Monitor drilling operations, by checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment.6% of time
  • Record drilling progress and geological data.2% of time
  • Document geological formations encountered during work.1% of time
  • Design well pumping systems.1% of time
  • Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.1% of time
  • Signal crane operators to move equipment.1% of time
  • Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.1% of time

Robots can technically do this17 · 71% of time

Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.

  • Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.Robots: purpose built settings10% of time
  • Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.Robots: structured workplaces8% of time
  • Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.Robots: structured workplaces7% of time
  • Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.Robots: structured workplaces6% of time
  • Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.Robots: structured workplaces6% of time
  • Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.Robots: structured workplaces5% of time
  • Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.Robots: structured workplaces5% of time
  • Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
  • Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.Robots: structured workplaces3% of time
  • Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes.Robots: purpose built settings3% of time
  • Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples.Robots: structured workplaces3% of time
  • Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
  • Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
  • Perform pumping tests to assess well performance.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes.Robots: structured workplaces1% of time
  • Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Fabricate well casings.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time

Still needs a person5 · 15% of time

No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.

  • Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.8% of time
  • Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells.3% of time
  • Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.1% of time
  • Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.1% of time
  • Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use.1% of time

Your week is not the average

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What this means

Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 72% of the working time, though they are rarely cheap enough to replace people yet.

What to do next

  • Get ahead on the 7 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
  • Keep an eye on the 17 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
  • Build on the 5 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining0%Helpers--Extraction Workers12%Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining8%Rock Splitters, Quarry8%Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas21%Continuous Mining Machine Operators6%

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