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Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator

What is an Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator?

Career Description Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations. Includes fishing-tool technicians.

Daily Life Of an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator

  • Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
  • Monitor sound wave generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels.
  • Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
  • Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
  • Apply green technologies or techniques such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.
  • Close and seal wells no longer in use.

What Every Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator Should Know

Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

  • Spray Rig Operator
  • Rig Operator
  • Operator
  • Reverse Unit Operator-Fisherman
  • Coiled Tubing Supervisor

What Kind of Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator Job Opportunities Are There?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 41,400 jobs in the United States for Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 23.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 9,700 new jobs for Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator by 2026. The BLS estimates 6,400 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator are Wyoming, Utah, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Michigan, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator

The salary for Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators ranges between about $32,430 and $78,840 a year.

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Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators who work in Alaska, New Mexico, or California, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $49,550
Alaska $63,720
Arkansas $52,240
California $56,730
Colorado $56,310
Florida $44,140
Illinois $45,440
Indiana $44,220
Kansas $42,170
Kentucky $47,000
Louisiana $54,000
Michigan $49,860
Mississippi $57,570
Montana $60,480
New Mexico $63,040
North Dakota $60,760
Ohio $55,370
Oklahoma $45,930
Pennsylvania $44,470
Tennessee $51,750
Texas $51,850
Utah $54,160
West Virginia $50,110
Wyoming $55,410

What Tools do Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators may use on a daily basis:

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

Becoming an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator

Education needed to be an Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator:

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How Long Does it Take to Become an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator?

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Where Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators Are Employed

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Similar Careers

Those interested in being an Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator may also be interested in:

Those who work as an Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

References:

Image Credit: Jeffrey Beall via Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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