Will AI replace Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas?
AI can do 21% of the work Service Unit Operators, 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 4 of them. Robots can technically handle 5 physical tasks. 10 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 next4 · 21% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.8% of time
- Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.7% of time
- Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.6% of time
- Monitor sound wave-generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels.1% of time
Robots can technically do this5 · 30% 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.
- Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.Robots: structured workplaces11% of time
- Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.Robots: structured workplaces9% of time
- Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.Robots: structured workplaces8% of time
- Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Insert detection instruments into wells with obstructions.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
Still needs a person10 · 49% 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.
- Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.11% of time
- Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.11% of time
- Apply green technologies or techniques, such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.6% of time
- Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.5% of time
- Close and seal wells no longer in use.4% of time
- Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.4% of time
- Select fishing methods or tools for removing obstacles such as liners, broken casing, screens, or drill pipe.3% of time
- Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.3% of time
- Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.2% of time
- Perforate well casings or sidewalls of boreholes with explosive charges.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can speed up parts of this job, mostly the paperwork and information work around it. The core still depends on hands, presence or relationships. Robots are the other change to watch: they can technically do 39% of the working time.
What to do next
- Get ahead on the 4 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 5 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 10 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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