Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.

AI: Fully automatable - Unscrewing and tightening pipe, casing, tubing, and pump rods is routinely handled by mechanized iron roughnecks, powered tongs, and automated pipe-handling systems on modern rigs.

Keep pipe deck and main deck areas clean and tidy.

AI: Partial - Keeping pipe and main deck areas tidy can be partially automated with cleaning robots and scheduled systems, but the complex, changing environment of rigs still relies on human labor for comprehensive upkeep.

Guide cranes to move loads about decks.

AI: Partial - Sensor fusion and camera-based systems can assist or partially automate crane guidance, but complex deck dynamics and safety judgments still need human riggers in many situations.

Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.

AI: Partial - AI and sensor-equipped drones can reliably detect and locate pipeline leaks, but physically repairing leaks in varied, hazardous field conditions still requires human intervention and manual dexterity.

Supply equipment to rig floors as requested and provide assistance to roughnecks.

AI: Partial - Logistics and inventory delivery can be automated to an extent (AGVs, teleoperation), but the on-demand, close-proximity assistance and unpredictable tasks supporting roughnecks are not fully automatable.

Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand.

AI: Partial - Powered winches and motorized lifts can be automated or robot-assisted for repetitive transfers, but handling variable loads, ad hoc rigging, and occasional manual moves limit full automation.

Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.

AI: Partial - Some disassembly and basic repairs can be aided or performed by robots, but diagnosing, intricate repairs, and adapting to worn or damaged components in the field remain largely human-led.

Clean up spilled oil by bailing it into barrels.

AI: Partial - Mechanical skimmers and containment systems automate many oil cleanup jobs, but manual bailing into barrels in varied terrestrial spill scenarios is only partially automatable.

Bolt together pump and engine parts.

AI: Partial - Robotic manipulators can perform bolting in controlled, repeatable settings, yet field assembly of pump and engine parts with alignment and variability remains only partially automatable.

Dig drainage ditches around wells and storage tanks.

AI: Partial - Autonomous earthmoving technologies can dig planned ditches with GPS guidance, yet site variability, obstacle avoidance, and fine grading around sensitive well infrastructure limit full autonomy.

Bolt or nail together wood or steel framework to erect derricks.

AI: Partial - Robotic fastening and prefabrication can handle repetitive framing, but erecting derricks on uneven, changing sites requires complex coordination and judgments that prevent full automation.

Cut down and remove trees and brush to clear drill sites, to reduce fire hazards, and to make way for roads to sites.

AI: Partial - Forestry and clearing machines have automated assists and some autonomous modes, but selective cutting, complex terrain, and safety considerations mean full automation is not broadly achievable yet.

Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete into forms to make foundations for wood or steel derricks.

AI: Partial - Mostly manual construction work; AI and robotic systems can assist or automate machinery in controlled setups but cannot fully handle varied field foundations by 2025.