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Service rig operator vs pulling unit operator

The differences between service rig operators and pulling unit operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a service rig operator and a pulling unit operator. Additionally, a service rig operator has an average salary of $41,380, which is higher than the $38,499 average annual salary of a pulling unit operator.

The top three skills for a service rig operator include rig, CDL and H2S. The most important skills for a pulling unit operator are production equipment, well control, and hand tools.

Service rig operator vs pulling unit operator overview

Service Rig OperatorPulling Unit Operator
Yearly salary$41,380$38,499
Hourly rate$19.89$18.51
Growth rate-7%
Number of jobs26,77546,018
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 69%High School Diploma, 57%
Average age4040
Years of experience22

Service rig operator vs pulling unit operator salary

Service rig operators and pulling unit operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Service Rig OperatorPulling Unit Operator
Average salary$41,380$38,499
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $82,000Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between service rig operator and pulling unit operator education

There are a few differences between a service rig operator and a pulling unit operator in terms of educational background:

Service Rig OperatorPulling Unit Operator
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 69%High School Diploma, 57%
Most common majorGeneral StudiesBusiness
Most common college--

Service rig operator vs pulling unit operator demographics

Here are the differences between service rig operators' and pulling unit operators' demographics:

Service Rig OperatorPulling Unit Operator
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 98.3% Female, 1.7%Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 1.2% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 33.2% Asian, 1.2% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between service rig operator and pulling unit operator duties and responsibilities

Service rig operator example responsibilities.

  • Employ wide variety of hand and power tools including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments and electronic testing devices.
  • Operate pumps to move fluid through centrifuges removing solids from drilling fluid.
  • Assist the QA personnel to oversee and calculate fluids for quality verification and management of chemical inventory at well site.
  • Apply exceptional expertise in developing and conceptualizing QA instrumentation and certification standards for different services queues

Pulling unit operator example responsibilities.

  • Perform day to day operational oversight and maintenance over numerous distillation and utility units in a cresylic acid manufacturing facility.
  • Transfer to the D/FW area as requested by the company to operate work over rig.

Service rig operator vs pulling unit operator skills

Common service rig operator skills
  • Rig, 46%
  • CDL, 27%
  • H2S, 9%
  • Well Control, 9%
  • RAN, 4%
  • Tongs, 3%
Common pulling unit operator skills
  • Production Equipment, 44%
  • Well Control, 29%
  • Hand Tools, 22%
  • RAN, 2%
  • Safety Procedures, 2%
  • Frac, 1%

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