Oil and Gas Workers

Oil and gas workers assemble, operate, and maintain equipment used for oil and gas exploration, extraction, and related activities.

Duties

Oil and gas workers typically do the following:

• Set up or operate equipment, such as drills and pumps, used in oil and gas exploration and extraction
• Coordinate rig movement and processes with crew members
• Maintain equipment, including inspecting for defects or safety concerns
• Adjust and repair equipment
• Perform other tasks, as needed, to ensure efficient functioning at oil and gas sites

Oil and gas workers collaborate as a crew to assemble, operate, and maintain drilling equipment and structures. Workers may help move rigs and related structures, which periodically need to be relocated. Oil and gas workers may also help load and unload supplies or equipment on offshore rigs.

The specific tasks of oil and gas workers vary with their specialization and where they work. The following are examples of types of oil and gas workers:

Derrick operators set up, operate, and maintain derricks, the tall structures used to support oil drilling equipment. Derrick operators move sections of pipe or drilling equipment as directed by the driller. They monitor mud pumps; mud returns (the mud discharged during drilling operations); and the flow of fluids used when drilling. Derrick operators are also responsible for routine inspection and maintenance of derrick equipment.

Rotary drill operators, or drillers, set up and operate drills to extract oil and gas or core samples for testing. Drillers complete routine maintenance and repairs to drilling equipment. They direct and monitor the work of derrick operators and roustabouts on an oil rig and also may assist with loading and unloading tools, equipment, and other rig parts.

Roustabouts assemble and repair oilfield equipment, such as mud pumps, shakers, and pipes. They also clean oil rigs, equipment, and work areas. On offshore oil rigs, roustabouts may work with crane operators to load and unload equipment and supplies. Experienced roustabouts may be called roughnecks.

Service unit operators operate equipment used to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipes, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells.

Oil and gas workers held about 115,900 jobs in 2024. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up oil and gas workers was distributed as follows:

The largest employers of oil and gas workers were as follows:

Oil and gas workers frequently travel, sometimes to remote areas, and work outdoors in all weather conditions. Some work at great heights; others work in confined spaces. Their jobs are often physically demanding and may be noisy. 

To reduce their risk of injury, oil and gas workers usually wear personal protective equipment. Their clothing and gear may include hardhats, hearing and eye protection, safety harnesses, and steel-toed shoes.

Work Schedules

Most oil and gas workers are full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Work schedules vary, depending on the job. Some crews, such as those on offshore oil rigs or in remote areas, may spend weeks away from home and work long shifts 7 days a week. Periods of working nonstandard schedules may be followed by periods of time off.

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.

Despite limited employment growth, about 10,600 openings for oil and gas workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.