# Will service rig operators be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Service rig operators score 18 out of 100 for AI exposure. 75% of their task time needs a person. AI can do 7% and helps with 18%. - **7%** AI can do it - **18%** AI helps - **75%** Needs a person Low exposure Lower than 84% of the 923 jobs we scored. ## Task by task We graded 19 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 1 of them, helps with 4 and leaves 14 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes. Routine billing reports drawn from service logs; easily automated. | 70% AI can do it | | Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction. Interpreting instrument readings to locate obstructions suits AI analysis. | 40% AI helps | | Select fishing methods or tools for removing obstacles such as liners, broken casing, screens, or drill pipe. Choosing fishing tools suits AI recommendations from well data. | 35% AI helps | | Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions. Diagnosing unserviceable wells from logs and data suits AI assistance. | 35% AI helps | | Monitor sound wave-generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels. Acoustic fluid level readings suit AI analysis; monitoring stays physical. | 30% AI helps | ## How service rig operators compare All jobs (923) Construction and extraction (61) The dark line is **service rig operators, at 18**. Each dot is a score, and darker dots mean more jobs share it. The short marks are the averages, 37 for all jobs and 15 for construction and extraction. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $58,160 a year, May 2025 People employed 43,140 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +1.1% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Run well diagnostics from SCADA software trend data - Choose fishing tools for liners, broken casing, and drill pipe - Read acoustic fluid level surveys with data logger software - Log tool recovery and service time in CMMS records - Hold IADC WellSharp well control certification - Correct billing exceptions for service time in SAP software ## Safer roles nearby 5 related jobs with lower scores. - [Oil rig drillers14 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/oil-rig-drillers/) - [Roustabouts6 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/roustabouts/) - [Wellhead pumpers17 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/wellhead-pumpers/) - [Mining helpers11 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/mining-helpers/) - [Heavy equipment operators15 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/heavy-equipment-operators/) ## Questions about service rig operators and AI Will AI replace service rig operators? Partly. About 2 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly billing reports and analysis of well readings. Physical work on site, such as perforating casings, operating rig controls, and listening for faults, stays with people because it needs a crew in the field. Which service rig operator tasks will AI take over? Billing reports lead the list with an exposure score of 70, since they are drawn from service logs and can be automated. Interpreting instrument readings to find the depth of an obstruction scores 40, and choosing fishing tools from well data scores 35, so AI will suggest depths and tool picks that the operator checks against the well. Which service rig operator tasks stay with people? Perforating well casings with explosive charges scores 4 on exposure, and driving truck-mounted units to well sites also scores 4, because both need a crew on location. Listening to engines and rotary chains for faults scores 5, since detecting a fault by sound requires being on site. Threading cables through derrick pulleys scores 2 and stays manual handwork. How can service rig operators stay valuable? Learn to check AI fishing tool picks against logs in SCADA software and CMMS records. Build fluency in acoustic fluid level readings and data logger output on site. Take on billing exceptions in SAP and Excel, where service time and tools need a person to confirm. Keep a well control certification such as IADC WellSharp current. ## Related jobs - [Refinery operators33 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/refinery-operators/) - [Earth drillers18 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/earth-drillers/) - [Pump operators29 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/pump-operators/) - [Gas plant operators36 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/gas-plant-operators/) ## Next steps for service rig operators - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV to see which tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) - ### Estimate team savings The score is per person. Add headcount and salary to see the hours AI can take on in a team of service rig operators, and what they cost. [Estimate what AI saves a team of service rig operators](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/team-ai-audit/?role=service-rig-operators) [Work out the return on automation](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-savings-calculator/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Roustabouts score lowest, at 6.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Pediatric surgeons earn a median $559,030 and score 29.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Roustabouts need little prior training and score 6.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**AI helps with 98% of the task time for health informatics specialists.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we score, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 job groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Sources and licences Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.