Transportation and material moving
Wellhead pumper
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.
Median pay
$69,960
Growth to 2035
−2%
declining
Openings a year
1,700
Time to qualify*
2.5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Wellhead pumper
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Wellhead pumper: 45% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks.
- Gauge oil and gas production.
- Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
- Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration.
- Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks.
- Repair gas and oil meters and gauges.
- Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment.
Also called: Field Operator · Lease Attendant · Lease Operator · Oilfield Plant Operator · Pumper · Well Field Technician · Well Head Pumper · Well Tender
Outlook and AI
Wellhead pumpers held 18,400 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 18,000 by 2035 (−2%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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- Wellhead pumper vs. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
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