AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 47-5011.00

Will AI replace Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas?

Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas: AI does not yet handle any of the role's 15 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs an efficient-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 15 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas, from most to least exposed. None reaches 60, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Supervise crew members, and provide assistance in training them. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Repair pumps, mud tanks, and related equipment. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Set and bolt crown blocks to posts at tops of derricks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Listen to mud pumps and check regularly for vibration and other problems to ensure that rig pumps and drilling mud systems are working properly. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Start pumps that circulate mud through drill pipes and boreholes to cool drill bits and flush out drill cuttings. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Position and align derrick elements, using harnesses and platform climbing devices. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Guide lengths of pipe into and out of elevators. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Prepare mud reports, and instruct crews about the handling of any chemical additives. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Clamp holding fixtures on ends of hoisting cables. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud, using portable mixers. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
String cables through pulleys and blocks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Steady pipes during connection to or disconnection from drill or casing strings. 15 Estimated No tier 3.8

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 15 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 15 of 15. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 28% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 28% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 72% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
10,590
Median annual wage
$58,620
Middle half of earners
$49,880 to $71,610
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+0.5%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas and AI

Will AI replace Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas?

Not on current evidence. None of the 15 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation reaches a task exposure of 60, the level at which JobRoute counts a task as handled by AI, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 17 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears.

What is the AI exposure of Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas?

17 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 15 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 15 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas tasks can AI already do?

None reaches 60 yet. The most exposed task is: Supervise crew members, and provide assistance in training them, at 35 out of 100.

What AI model tier does this role need?

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 28% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 72% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas, and what do they earn?

10,590 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $58,620 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +0.5% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/derrick-operators-oil-and-gas

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