Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Roustabouts, Oil and Gas score 0 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #876 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 13 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 0 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

0/ 100

Low

Rank: #876of 923 jobs
US workers: 44,970BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $46,960a year
In real AI use: 0 of 13tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 0 (0%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 0 (0%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 13 (100%)

Keep pipe deck and main deck areas clean and tidy.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Bolt together pump and engine parts.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Guide cranes to move loads about decks.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Supply equipment to rig floors as requested and provide assistance to roughnecks.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Clean up spilled oil by bailing it into barrels.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Dig drainage ditches around wells and storage tanks.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Bolt or nail together wood or steel framework to erect derricks.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Cut down and remove trees and brush to clear drill sites, to reduce fire hazards, and to make way for roads to sites.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete into forms to make foundations for wood or steel derricks.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about roustabouts, oil and gas and AI

Will AI replace roustabouts, oil and gas?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas score 0 out of 100 (low exposure), #876 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 0 of the job's 13 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 13 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which roustabouts, oil and gas tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Keep pipe deck and main deck areas clean and tidy"; "Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs"; "Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Not much yet. None of the job's tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude in April–May 2026, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as roustabouts, oil and gas, and what do they earn?

About 44,970 people in the US, with median pay of $46,960 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Task by task

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Questions about roustabouts, oil and gas and AI

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