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.
- O*NET-SOC code
47-5013.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$58,160
Employment, U.S.43,140
Median hourly wage$27.96
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $38,940 | $47,480 | $58,160 | $73,230 | $97,560 |
By state (27)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 170 | $49,490 | 0.29 |
| Alaska | 1,090 | $106,480 | 12.03 |
| Arkansas | 220 | $48,120 | 0.61 |
| California | 2,820 | $62,580 | 0.56 |
| Colorado | 2,930 | $60,290 | 3.68 |
| Florida | 200 | $62,050 | 0.07 |
| Illinois | 220 | $41,680 | 0.13 |
| Indiana | $56,980 | ||
| Kansas | 370 | $46,230 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | 210 | $28,280 | 0.39 |
| Louisiana | 3,130 | $60,760 | 5.84 |
| Michigan | 230 | $52,000 | 0.19 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $49,610 | 0.77 |
| Missouri | 80 | $90,580 | 0.10 |
| Montana | 310 | $77,750 | 2.19 |
| Nebraska | 30 | $62,990 | 0.12 |
| New Mexico | 2,600 | $64,990 | 10.75 |
| New York | 100 | $45,750 | 0.04 |
| North Dakota | 3,000 | $60,810 | 25.16 |
| Ohio | 930 | $61,260 | 0.61 |
| Oklahoma | 2,980 | $56,680 | 6.30 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,520 | $54,780 | 0.90 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $49,920 | 0.32 |
| Texas | 16,820 | $49,820 | 4.31 |
| Utah | 1,060 | $56,290 | 2.20 |
| West Virginia | 580 | $56,250 | 2.97 |
| Wyoming | 820 | $62,560 | 10.53 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | 1-2 | 0.976 |
| 2 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 1-2 | 0.969 |
| 3 | Riggers | 1-2 | 0.966 |
| 4 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 1-2 | 0.963 |
| 5 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 3 | 0.963 |
| 6 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.960 |
| 7 | Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics | 1-2 | 0.960 |
| 8 | Gas Plant Operators | 1-2 | 0.959 |
| 9 | Biomass Plant Technicians | 1-2 | 0.959 |
| 10 | Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians | 3 | 0.959 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Plant Operators | Operations Monitoring | 0.76 | 0.959 |
| Weatherization Installers and Technicians | Installation | 0.76 | 0.958 |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | Instructing | 0.88 | 0.956 |
| Millwrights | Installation | 1.26 | 0.955 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | Instructing | 0.88 | 0.955 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | Operations Monitoring | 1.00 | 0.951 |
| Geothermal Technicians | Installation | 1.00 | 0.951 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Quality Control Analysis | 0.76 | 0.951 |
| Rail Car Repairers | Repairing | 0.88 | 0.947 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas, excluding software Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Work scheduling software | 3 of 20 | 5.5x |
| Dassault Systemes SolidWorks | 3 of 20 | 2.4x |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | 5 of 20 | 1.3x |
| Microsoft Outlook | 13 of 20 | 0.9x |
| Microsoft Project | 3 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Microsoft Access | 3 of 20 | 0.4x |
| Web browser software | 4 of 20 | 0.4x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 4.00 | 3.62 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.50 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.38 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 2.62 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.88 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 4.05 | 5.20 |
| Mathematics | 3.85 | 4.19 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.68 | 4.67 |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.37 | 4.72 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.25 | 3.35 |
| Education and Training | 3.21 | 3.74 |
| English Language | 3.15 | 3.17 |
| Sales and Marketing | 3.14 | 3.24 |
| Chemistry | 3.14 | 3.15 |
| Administration and Management | 3.12 | 3.72 |
| Transportation | 3.12 | 3.47 |
| Production and Processing | 3.07 | 3.45 |
| Physics | 2.90 | 3.60 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.87 | 2.55 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.84 | 2.96 |
| Administrative | 2.78 | 2.62 |
| Design | 2.76 | 3.07 |
| Psychology | 2.66 | 3.05 |
| Building and Construction | 2.33 | 2.65 |
| Economics and Accounting | 2.33 | 1.58 |
| Law and Government | 1.86 | 1.96 |
| Geography | 1.84 | 1.82 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.82 | 1.49 |
| Foreign Language | 1.80 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.77 | 1.45 |
| Telecommunications | 1.75 | 0.89 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.61 | 1.24 |
| Biology | 1.50 | 1.35 |
| History and Archeology | 1.32 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.27 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.27 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.18 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Control Precision | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.00 | 3.50 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 4.00 | 3.00 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Near Vision | 3.62 | 3.25 |
| Reaction Time | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.38 | 3.50 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Selective Attention | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Oral Expression | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Auditory Attention | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Far Vision | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Depth Perception | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Visualization | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Static Strength | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Rate Control | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Time Sharing | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Written Expression | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Number Facility | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Stamina | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Sound Localization | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Originality | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Memorization | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Night Vision | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.25 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft SharePoint hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Data logger software
- Inventory tracking software
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Time and attendance software
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | 3,460 | 101.99 | $49,470 |
| Odessa, TX | 1,730 | 77.08 | $49,080 |
| Farmington, NM | 590 | 44.99 | $64,500 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 950 | 41.15 | $62,260 |
| Minot, ND | 380 | 41.00 | $59,400 |
| Greeley, CO | 1,070 | 32.31 | $51,650 |
| Victoria, TX | 310 | 29.37 | $57,050 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 320 | 16.92 | $56,370 |
| Casper, WY | 180 | 16.57 | $64,680 |
| Longview, TX | 530 | 16.11 | $46,280 |