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Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator

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All About Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators

Position 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.

Life As an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator: What Do They Do?

  • Apply green technologies or techniques such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.
  • Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
  • Insert detection instruments into wells with obstructions.
  • Close and seal wells no longer in use.
  • Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.
  • Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing-off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.

Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator Skills

These are the skills Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators say are the most useful in their careers:

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.

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

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.

Other Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator Job Titles

  • Pulling Unit Operator
  • Wireline Operator
  • Tar Processing Technician
  • Oil and Shale and Tar Processing Technician
  • Wireline Supervisor

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

In the United States, there were 41,400 jobs for Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator in 2016. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 6,400 job openings in this field each year.

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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.

Average Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators Salary

The average yearly salary of an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator ranges between $32,430 and $78,840.

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

How much do Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators make 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

Tools & Technologies Used by Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators

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

How to Become an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator

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

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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

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The table below shows the approximate number of Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators employed by various industries.

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Similar Careers

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

Are you already one of the many Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

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

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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