Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining (47-5013)

Occupation description:  Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations. Includes fishing-tool technicians.

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Career Ladder/Lattice

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Employment and Job Openings

  Average employment Average annual openings
  2010 estimate2020 projectionPercent change GrowthReplacementTotal
Alaska 842899 6.86 1823
United States 40,70044,200 8.6350 8601,210

Job outlook

  • Alaska: Alaska’s employment growth is low with high employment opportunities. Read more.


2012 Wages

  Mean Wage and
95% Confidence Interval
Wage by Percentile
  LowMeanHigh 10thMedian90th
United States n/a22.86n/a 13.5520.1835.04
Alaska 23.6725.9528.23 15.7824.9836.33
Anchorage/Mat-Su Area (MSA) 31.4434.2537.06 29.7533.4343.55
Balance of State 22.8424.2525.66 15.5222.7435.35

Labor Force Indicators

2011 Worker Characteristics
Total workersNonresident workers Percent nonresidentPercent age 45 plusPercent age 50 plus
1,043386 37.027.5 20.9
2011 Potential Supply
Qualified but working in another occupation94
Currently employed in a lower paid occupation18
UI claimants previously working in occupation42
2011 ALEXsys Employment Data
Number of registrants 172
Number of job position postings 51
Ratio of registrants to job position postings 3.4

Typical Entry-level Education, Experience, and/or On-the-job Training

Education: Less than high school Work experience: None On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Training Resources

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
University of Alaska Fairbanks, CTC
Mining Applications & Tech, CT2 0