Headline risk
2%
Very Low RiskRoustabouts, oil and gas
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.
Task evidence
79% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 47,510
Employment 2024
46.0K
Projected Change (2024–34)
2.5%
Openings (2024–34)
4.3K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of oil and gas workers is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs. AI use: 0%
- 2. Clean trucks used in the fields.
- 3. Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks. AI use: 0%
- 4. Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand. AI use: 0%
- 5. Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools. AI use: 0%
- 6. Lay gas and oil pipelines.
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 44.7 · 1.8M employed
Under 25: 5% · 25–54: 68% · 55+: 27%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Oil and gas workers assemble, operate, and maintain equipment used for oil and gas exploration, extraction, and related activities.
Most oil and gas workers are full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Schedules vary and may require workers to spend long periods away from home. Their jobs are often physically demanding and may require being outdoors in all weather conditions.
Although formal education is not typically required to become an oil or gas worker, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Oil and gas workers learn on the job.
The median annual wage for oil and gas workers was $52,610 in May 2024.
Overall employment of oil and gas workers is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.