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Occupation AtlasService Unit Operators, Oil and Gas

O*NET · 47-5013.00

Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas

Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Includes fishing-tool technicians.

Also called Coiled Tubing Operator · Fishing Tool Operator · Gather Operator · Oil and Gas Equipment Operator · Oil and Gas Field Technician · Oil and Shale and Tar Processing Technician · Oil Processing Technician · Oil Well Fishing Tool Technician
22 more

Oil Well Service Operator · Oil Well Service Unit Operator · Pulling Unit Operator · Reverse Unit Operator · Rig Operator · Service Operator · Service Rig Operator · Service Unit Operator · Shale Processing Technician · Spray Rig Operator · Swabber · Tar Processing Technician · Tool Pusher · Unit Operator · Well Cleaner · Well Service Pump Equipment Operator · Well Service Rig Operator · Well Services Operator · Well Servicing Rig Hand · Well Servicing Rig Operator · Wireline Operator · Work Over Rig Operator

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional4.07
  • I Investigative2.58
  • E Enterprising1.82
  • S Social1.20
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma37%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent63%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (18%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (63%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (43%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring4.03.6Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Operation and Control3.83.5Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Monitoringbasic3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Troubleshooting3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Identify the circuit causing an electrical system to fail
  • Active Listeningbasic3.43.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.32.6Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Equipment Maintenance3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Clean moving parts in production machinery
  • Complex Problem Solving3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Quality Control Analysis3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
  • Repairing3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Replace a faulty hydraulic valve
  • Active Learningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
Show the other 23
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Speakingbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Writingbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Social Perceptiveness3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Management of Personnel Resources3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Coordination2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Instructing2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Systems Evaluation2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Time Management2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Persuasion2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Mathematicsbasic2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Negotiation2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Equipment Selection2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Systems Analysis2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Installation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Install a new air filter in an air conditioner
  • Management of Material Resources2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Programming1.80.9
  • Operations Analysis1.50.9
  • Technology Design1.40.5
  • Sciencebasic1.40.4

Tasks

12 core · 7 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.4.6
  2. Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.4.5
  3. Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.4.5
  4. Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.4.4
  5. Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.4.4
  6. Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.4.2
  7. Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.4.2
  8. Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.4.1
  9. Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.4.1
  10. Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.4.0
  11. Select fishing methods or tools for removing obstacles such as liners, broken casing, screens, or drill pipe.3.9
  12. Close and seal wells no longer in use.3.8
Show the other 7
  1. Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.4.3
  2. Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.3.8
  3. Apply green technologies or techniques, such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.3.8
  4. Perforate well casings or sidewalls of boreholes with explosive charges.3.7
  5. Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.3.5
  6. Monitor sound wave-generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels.3.3
  7. Insert detection instruments into wells with obstructions.3.2

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Mechanical4.15.2Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Mathematics3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Customer and Personal Service3.74.7Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Engineering and Technology3.44.7Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Public Safety and Security3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Education and Training3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • English Language3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Administration and Management3.13.7Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
Show all 33
  • Chemistry3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Production and Processing3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Sales and Marketing3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Introduce clients to a new line of products
  • Transportation3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.92.6
  • Physics2.93.6Level 4 looks like: Calculate the speed of a falling object
  • Administrative2.82.6
  • Computers and Electronics2.83.0Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Design2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • Psychology2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Building and Construction2.32.7
  • Economics and Accounting2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Law and Government1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Communications and Media1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Foreign Language1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Geography1.81.8Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Telecommunications1.80.9Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Biology1.51.4Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Food Production1.3—
  • History and Archeology1.30.8Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Philosophy and Theology1.3—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness4.03.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Problem Sensitivity4.03.5Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Multilimb Coordination3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Near Vision3.63.3Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Hearing Sensitivity3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Diagnose what's wrong with a car engine from its sound
  • Reaction Time3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Manual Dexterity3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
Show all 52
  • Oral Comprehension3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Perceptual Speed3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Selective Attention3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Auditory Attention3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Far Vision3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Inductive Reasoning3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Oral Expression3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Speech Clarity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.3Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Depth Perception3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Operate a crane to move materials from a truck bed to the ground
  • Flexibility of Closure3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Static Strength3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Visualization3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Gross Body Equilibrium3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Information Ordering3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Rate Control3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Time Sharing3.02.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Trunk Strength3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Written Comprehension3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Written Expression3.02.9
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.92.4Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Response Orientation2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Use either the brake or gas pedal when your vehicle is skidding
  • Speed of Closure2.92.8Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Dynamic Strength2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Number Facility2.82.6Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Sound Localization2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Spatial Orientation2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Stamina2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Fluency of Ideas2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Glare Sensitivity2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Memorization2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Night Vision2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Peripheral Vision2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Explosive Strength1.3—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.75.2Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.54.8Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.44.7Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others4.44.9Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.35.2Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.25.3Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.24.5Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Training and Teaching Others4.24.5Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
Show all 41
  • Coaching and Developing Others4.14.2Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People4.14.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.15.7
  • Getting Information4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.04.8Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment4.05.2Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.95.1Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.94.5Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.95.9
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.94.9Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Developing and Building Teams3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.64.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Processing Information3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.53.7Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.54.0Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.54.6Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.44.6Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment3.23.6Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Thinking Creatively3.24.4Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.82.9
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.83.5Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.82.9
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.62.6
  • Working with Computers2.21.5Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.02.4Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions5.0
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.9
  • Contact With Others4.8
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.8
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.7
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.7
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.6
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.6

Technology

11 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (6)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software
Other tools (5)
  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
  • Data logger software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
  • Time and attendance software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
  2. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
  3. Wellhead Pumpers
  4. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
  5. Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
  6. Helpers--Extraction Workers
  7. Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
  8. Gas Plant Operators
  9. Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
  10. Power Plant Operators

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.