Share and intensity of work current AI systems can materially affect.
SOC 47-5071
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas AI displacement risk
Roustabouts do the manual work of the oilfield: connecting pipe, repairing equipment, walking flow lines for leaks, and guiding crane loads. It is the entry point to the industry — the rung before derrickhand and driller — and leak-detection sensors now assist the inspection part of the day.
Likely potential for exposed tasks to move to software after workflow integration.
The automation pressure lands on the roles above the roustabout first; entry-level labor persists because rigs always need hands. The career question is whether the shrinking crew ladder still leads somewhere — and for now it does.
Distribution
Where Roustabouts, Oil and Gas sits across 620 tracked roles
Displacement pressure 20 — higher than 23% of the 620 occupations tracked on displacement.ai.
Score version
This page uses Seed model v0.4 (seed-v0.4-2026-05), last reviewed 2026-08-15. Directional occupation-level planning model using hand-reviewed public research, task exposure estimates, wage context, and transition-pathway assumptions.
13 O*NET task statements matched to SOC 47-5071. The displayed task profile combines these official task statements with the current public score model.
Median wage context: $46,960 (May 2025, US national). The latest BLS row matched SOC 47-5071.
Scores are planning signals, not forecasts. Local hiring demand, employer-specific workflows, licensing, and credentials must be validated before making career decisions.
2030 economic stress test
How Anthropic's scenarios classify Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
SOC 47-5071 places this role in the paper's all-other occupation group. These group-level outcomes do not change the 20/100 role score and are not an occupation forecast.
+1.1% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +1.6% GDP and 3.9% unemployment.
+5.9% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +8.3% GDP and 4.6% unemployment.
+33.6% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +32.4% GDP and 11.9% unemployment.
Compare the assumptions and limitations across all three scenarios. Source: The Anthropic Institute Working Paper No. 2026-02.
Official task evidence
O*NET task matches for Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
The current evidence import matched 13 task statements from Task Statements 31.0 (August 2026). These rows are used as a grounding layer for judging which parts of the occupation are repeatable, language-heavy, analytical, social, physical, or compliance-sensitive.
Dataset31.0 (August 2026)
Matched tasks13
SOC47-5071
- Core task / ID 7112
Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.
- Core task / ID 7116
Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.
- Core task / ID 7119
Guide cranes to move loads about decks.
- Core task / ID 20145
Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.
- Core task / ID 23978
Lay gas and oil pipelines.
- Core task / ID 7113
Bolt together pump and engine parts.
Source: O*NET Resource Center, Task Statements. Raw import target: data/raw/onet/task-statements-31-0.txt.
Task profile
Where AI changes the work
Unscrew and tighten pipes using wrenches and tongs
Exposure 18, automation 7%, augmentation 32%.
O*NET evidence: Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches ... (ID 7112)
Walk flow lines to locate and repair leaks
Exposure 22, automation 10%, augmentation 40%.
O*NET evidence: Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspec... (ID 20145)
Dismantle and repair oil field machinery
Exposure 20, automation 8%, augmentation 38%.
O*NET evidence: Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand t... (ID 7116)
Guide cranes to move loads about decks
Exposure 20, automation 8%, augmentation 36%.
O*NET evidence: Guide cranes to move loads about decks. (ID 7119)
TaskExposureAutomationAugmentation
Unscrew and tighten pipes using wrenches and tongs187%32%
Walk flow lines to locate and repair leaks2210%40%
Dismantle and repair oil field machinery208%38%
Guide cranes to move loads about decks208%36%
Transition pathways
Adjacent moves that preserve existing skills
credentialed transition
LowDerrickhand and Driller Track
Training horizon: 12-24 months. Skill overlap 62. Wage preservation signal 148.
- Advance through rig positions
- Earn well-control certification
- Master rig systems
role redesign
LowProduction Lease Operator
Training horizon: 6-12 months. Skill overlap 60. Wage preservation signal 126.
- Move to production operations
- Run well routes
- Manage SCADA-monitored sites
Comparison guides
Compare the next move before you commit
12-24 months
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas to Derrickhand and Driller Track
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Roustabouts, Oil and Gas into Derrickhand and Driller Track.
6-12 months
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas to Production Lease Operator
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Roustabouts, Oil and Gas into Production Lease Operator.
What the AI risk score means for Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
The displacement pressure score for Roustabouts, Oil and Gas is 20. That score blends task exposure, automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, transition feasibility, and source confidence. It is designed to help workers and workforce teams decide where to act first, not to claim a specific date when a job will disappear.
For this role, the clearest risk pattern is visible at the task level. Walk flow lines to locate and repair leaks carries 10% automation pressure, while Walk flow lines to locate and repair leaks carries 40% augmentation potential. That means the best response is usually a targeted redesign of work: move away from repeatable production tasks and toward judgment, exception handling, coordination, stakeholder context, and accountable use of AI tools.
Labor-market context and wage risk
Median wage: $46,960 (May 2025, US national). Employment context: Entry-level oilfield labor with the automation frontier above it. Typical education: No formal credential; safety training required.
Wage vulnerability is 52, while transition feasibility is 58. A high wage-vulnerability score means workers should pay close attention to salary preservation before making a move. A high transition-feasibility score means there are adjacent paths that can reuse existing skills without requiring a complete career reset.
- Low displacement pressure
- Sensors assist leak detection
- Entry-level rung to the drilling crew
Upskilling priorities
Skills that make this role more resilient
The safest upskilling plan starts with skills already close to the work. For Roustabouts, Oil and Gas, the strongest near-term skill priorities are listed below. These are useful whether the goal is to stay in the role, move to a redesigned version of the role, or transition into an adjacent occupation.
Pipe handling
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Leak detection
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Equipment repair
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Rig safety
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
90-day transition plan
The most practical next step is not to wait for a layoff or a full role redesign. Use the next 90 days to create evidence that you can operate in a safer, more AI-augmented version of the work.
- In the first 30 days, document the repetitive tasks in your current work and identify where AI can reduce drafting, lookup, classification, or reporting time.
- By 60 days, complete one small project connected to Derrickhand and Driller Track, such as advance through rig positions.
- By 90 days, compare internal openings and external postings for Derrickhand and Driller Track or Production Lease Operator and update your resume around measurable workflow outcomes.
FAQ
Questions about AI and Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
Will AI replace Roustabouts, Oil and Gas?
Roustabouts do the manual work of the oilfield: connecting pipe, repairing equipment, walking flow lines for leaks, and guiding crane loads. It is the entry point to the industry — the rung before derrickhand and driller — and leak-detection sensors now assist the inspection part of the day. The better planning signal is not full replacement, but which tasks become automated, which tasks become AI-assisted, and which responsibilities still need human judgment.
Which parts of Roustabouts, Oil and Gas work are most exposed to AI?
Walk flow lines to locate and repair leaks and Dismantle and repair oil field machinery show the strongest automation pressure in this model. Walk flow lines to locate and repair leaks and Dismantle and repair oil field machinery are better treated as AI-augmented work.
What should Roustabouts, Oil and Gas learn next?
Start with Pipe handling, Leak detection, Equipment repair. The most practical adjacent paths in this model are Derrickhand and Driller Track and Production Lease Operator.
How should this score be used?
Use it as a planning signal, not a prediction. Confirm local hiring demand, wages, licensing, credentials, and employer adoption before making a career move.
Sources
Evidence trail
OECD / 11 July 2023OECD Employment Outlook 2023: Artificial Intelligence and the Labour MarketMcKinsey Global Institute / 26 July 2023Generative AI and the Future of Work in AmericaO*NET Resource Center / Database 31.0 (August 2026)Occupation, Task, Skill, and Work-Activity DataUS Bureau of Labor Statistics / May 2025 estimates (released 15 May 2026)Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics