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Skilled Trades

Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.

Median salary

$47,510

Typical range

$36k – $64k

Job outlook

+3% (about average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

    Entry / Junior

    $35,650

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

    Established

    $47,510

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

    Senior

    $55,760

Key skills

A typical day

  • Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.
  • Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Guide cranes to move loads about decks.
  • Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.
  • Lay gas and oil pipelines.

Fields of study

Any field

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