According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs. | 77% |
| Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools. | 73% |
| Guide cranes to move loads about decks. | 71% |
| Bolt or nail together wood or steel framework to erect derricks. | 70% |
| Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks. | 70% |
| Lay gas and oil pipelines. | 69% |
| Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete into forms to make foundations for wood or steel derricks. | 68% |
| Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand. | 67% |
| Bolt together pump and engine parts. | 67% |
| Clean trucks used in the fields. | 65% |
| Supply equipment to rig floors as requested and provide assistance to roughnecks. | 65% |
| Clean up spilled oil by bailing it into barrels. | 63% |
| Keep pipe deck and main deck areas clean and tidy. | 60% |
| Dig drainage ditches around wells and storage tanks. | 59% |
| Cut down and remove trees and brush to clear drill sites, to reduce fire hazards, and to make way for roads to sites. | 57% |
