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47-5013.00 - 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.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
64,900
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
69,600
Estimate
Change in Employment
+4,700
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+7.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
  • Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
  • Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
  • Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.
  • Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.
  • Close and seal wells no longer in use.
  • Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
  • Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
  • Select fishing methods or tools for removing obstacles such as liners, broken casing, screens, or drill pipe.
  • Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.
  • Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
  • Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
Supplemental
  • Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.
  • Perforate well casings or sidewalls of boreholes with explosive charges.
  • Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.
  • Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.
  • Insert detection instruments into wells with obstructions.
  • Monitor sound wave-generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels.
  • Apply green technologies or techniques, such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Mechanical
  • 81%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Mathematics
  • 77%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 74%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 67%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 65%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Education and Training
  • 64%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 English Language
  • 63%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 63%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
 Chemistry
  • 63%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Administration and Management
  • 62%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Transportation
  • 62%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 Production and Processing
  • 61%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Physics
  • 58%
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 57%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 57%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Clerical
  • 56%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Design
  • 55%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Psychology
  • 53%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Wrenches and drivers
  • Adjustable hand wrenches
  • Hex wrenches
  • Phillips head screwdrivers
  • Pipe wrenches
  • Ratchet sets
  • Straight screwdrivers
 Building construction machinery and accessories
  • Cement mixers
 Cementing equipment
  • Cement pumps
 Holding and clamping tools
  • Channel lock pliers
 Slickline equipment
  • Chemical casing cutters
  • Chemical pipe cutters
  • Jet casing cutters
  • Jet pipe cutters
  • Slickline severance tools
 Forming tools
  • Claw hammers
  • Mallets
 Pumping units
  • Continuous sucker rods
 Fluid mechanics equipment
  • Depth gauges
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Engines
  • Diesel motors
 Drilling and operation machinery
  • Downhole object retrieval equipment
  • Truck-mounted derricks
 Downhole pumps
  • Electric downhole pumps
 Well testing equipment
  • Free point tools
 Computer data input devices
  • Handheld data loggers
 Lifting equipment and accessories
  • Hoisting equipment
  • Hydraulic hoisting equipment
 Completion tools and equipment
  • Hydraulic pumping systems
 Pumps
  • Mud pumps
 Drilling and workover rigs and equipment
  • Pipe elevators
  • Pipe slips
  • Pipe tongs
  • Stuck pipe tools
 Power tools
  • Power drills
 Pressure measuring and control instruments
  • Pressure control devices
  • Pressure indicators
 Integrated circuits
  • Programmable logic controllers PLC
 Hearing protectors
  • Protective ear muffs
 Safety apparel
  • Safety gloves
 Vision protection and accessories
  • Safety goggles
 Sound generating and measuring equipment
  • Sonar equipment
 Measuring and layout tools
  • Steel measuring tapes
  • Torpedo levels
 Length and thickness and distance measuring instruments
  • Strain gauges
 Cutting and crimping and punching tools
  • Utility knives
  • Wire cutters
 Perforating equipment
  • Well tubing perforation guns
 Wellhead equipment
  • Wellhead drives
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
  • Data logger software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA softwareHOT
 Business function specific software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft SharePointHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • SAP softwareHOT
  • Time and attendance software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Mountain Empire Community College
 Programs
Southwest Virginia Community College
 Programs