# Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas

US SOC code 47-5013. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/47-5013

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **43,140** US oil and gas service unit operators, with median pay of **$58,160** a year. BLS counts here go back to May 2003, when there were **12,640** jobs under an earlier definition of this occupation. The last full technology era for oil and gas service unit operators: Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing, 2003 to 2015.

Figures: Official statistic.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=47-5013&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35.

## Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1865
- Latest US employment: 43,140 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [1]
- Latest US median pay: $58,160 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [2]
- Outlook: +1.1% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [13]

### All 23 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2003 | 12,640 | $29,970 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [1] |
| 2004 | 16,210 | $30,670 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [1] |
| 2005 | 19,530 | $30,670 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [1] |
| 2006 | 25,360 | $32,910 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [1] |
| 2007 | 30,440 | $34,790 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [1] |
| 2008 | 36,850 | $37,590 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [1] |
| 2009 | 36,450 | $38,460 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [1] |
| 2010 | 36,620 | $38,920 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [1] |
| 2011 | 46,880 | $40,750 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [1] |
| 2012 | 57,180 | $41,970 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [1] |
| 2013 | 59,260 | $42,790 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [1] |
| 2014 | 62,080 | $44,970 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [1] |
| 2015 | 60,830 | $45,000 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [1] |
| 2016 | 42,890 | $48,610 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [1] |
| 2017 | 39,270 | $48,290 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [1] |
| 2018 | 49,710 | $47,860 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [1] |
| 2019 | 51,760 | $46,740 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [1] |
| 2020 | 43,840 | $47,380 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [1] |
| 2021 | 32,870 | $48,410 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [1] |
| 2022 | 36,320 | $50,140 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [1] |
| 2023 | 46,150 | $55,750 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [1] |
| 2024 | 44,120 | $57,980 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [1] |
| 2025 | 43,140 | $58,160 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [1] |

## Sources (69)

### Employment series

1. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

2. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

3. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Shooters: A Fracking History" (Roberts torpedo 1865, nitroglycerin well shooting history)](https://aoghs.org/technology/hydraulic-fracturing/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
4. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Halliburton Cements Wells" (Erle Halliburton patent 1921, New Method Oil Well Cementing Company 1919)](https://aoghs.org/technology/halliburton-history-of-cementing-oil-wells/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
5. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Halliburton and the Healdton Oilfield" (early cementing company history)](https://aoghs.org/petroleum-pioneers/halliburton-and-healdton-oilfield/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
6. [A Brief History of Wireline Logging (GeoScienceWorld, 2000) -- Schlumberger first log September 5, 1927, Pechelbronn well](https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/1058/chapter/10540962/a-brief-history-of-wireline-logging), GeoScienceWorld / Society for Sedimentary Geology
7. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Lane-Wells 100,000th Perforation" (Lane-Wells founding 1932, first perforation Montebello 1933)](https://aoghs.org/technology/oil-well-perforation-company/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
8. [Engineering and Technology History Wiki -- "Hydraulic Fracturing" (Farris 1946, first commercial Hydrafrac March 17, 1949, Duncan Oklahoma)](https://ethw.org/Hydraulic_Fracturing), Engineering and Technology History Wiki (IEEE)
9. [ScienceDirect Topics -- Coiled Tubing overview (history from 1960s, CT units grew from few in 1965 to over 1,000 by 2004, major service companies)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/coiled-tubing), ScienceDirect / Elsevier
10. [CDC / MMWR -- "Occupational Fatalities During the Oil and Gas Boom, United States, 2003-2013" (workforce doubled 2003-2013, well-servicing companies employed largest share)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4584518/), CDC / Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
11. [SLB (Schlumberger) -- "Autonomous Well Intervention" (first autonomous offshore wireline operations, 20% efficiency gain)](https://www.slb.com/products-and-services/innovating-in-oil-and-gas/well-intervention/autonomous-well-intervention), SLB (Schlumberger)
12. [Halliburton -- "LOGIX Automation and Remote Operations" (remote control of cementing, wireline, and drilling surface equipment)](https://www.halliburton.com/en/well-construction/automation-and-remote-operations), Halliburton

### Forecasts and exposure studies

13. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 47-5013 Service unit operators, oil and gas (2025: 43.8 thousand; 2035: 44.3 thousand; +1.1%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=47-5013&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Historical notes

14. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Shooters: A Fracking History" (Roberts patent April 25, 1865; 1,200% production increase; royalty structure)](https://aoghs.org/technology/hydraulic-fracturing/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
15. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Halliburton Cements Wells" (U.S. patent March 1, 1921; New Method Oil Well Cementing Company founded 1919, Duncan Oklahoma)](https://aoghs.org/technology/halliburton-history-of-cementing-oil-wells/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
16. [GeoScienceWorld -- "A Brief History of Wireline Logging" (Schlumberger first log September 5, 1927, Pechelbronn well; US entry 1932)](https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/1058/chapter/10540962/a-brief-history-of-wireline-logging), GeoScienceWorld / Society for Sedimentary Geology
17. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Lane-Wells 100,000th Perforation" (first perforation 1933, Montebello California; 100,000th June 18, 1948)](https://aoghs.org/technology/oil-well-perforation-company/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
18. [Engineering and Technology History Wiki -- "Hydraulic Fracturing" (first commercial Hydrafrac March 17, 1949; Duncan Oklahoma and Holliday Texas; 330 wells first year; 75% average production increase)](https://ethw.org/Hydraulic_Fracturing), Engineering and Technology History Wiki (IEEE)
19. [U.S. Energy Information Administration -- U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Active Well Service Rigs in Operation (annual, 4,849 peak 1981)](https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/e_erts0_xrs_nus_cA.htm), U.S. Energy Information Administration
20. [CDC / MMWR -- "Occupational Fatalities During the Oil and Gas Boom, United States, 2003-2013" (workforce doubled 2003-2013; well-servicing companies largest employer segment)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4584518/), CDC / Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
21. [U.S. Energy Information Administration -- "Employment in oil and natural gas extraction: A look at 2014 and 2015 employment trends" (peak 538,000 October 2014, 35,000 jobs lost by April 2015)](https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=21772), U.S. Energy Information Administration

### Predecessors & successors

22. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Shooters: A Fracking History" (Roberts torpedo company 1865, origin of well-service specialty)](https://aoghs.org/technology/hydraulic-fracturing/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society
23. [American Oil and Gas Historical Society -- "Halliburton Cements Wells" (New Method Oil Well Cementing Company 1919)](https://aoghs.org/technology/halliburton-history-of-cementing-oil-wells/), American Oil and Gas Historical Society

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.