What Do Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator Do?
Occupation 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
- 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.
- Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.
- Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
- Close and seal wells no longer in use.
- Apply green technologies or techniques such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.
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Things an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator Should Know How to Do
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.
Related Job Titles
- Fishing Tool Supervisor
- Fishing Tool Operator
- Oil and Shale and Tar Processing Technician
- Well Service Pump Equipment Operator
- Rig Operator
Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator Job Outlook
There were about 41,400 jobs for Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator in 2016 (in the United States). 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. There will be an estimated 6,400 positions for Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator per year.

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.
Do Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators Make A Lot Of Money?
Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators make between $32,430 and $78,840 a year.

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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators:
- 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 do I Become an Oil, Gas, & Mining Service Unit Operator?
Are there Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators Work

Below are examples of industries where Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operators work:

Related Careers
Those interested in being an Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Oil, Gas, and Mining Service Unit Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Jeffrey Beall via Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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