Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers score 25 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #589 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 14 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 2 on its own and 2 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 1 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

25/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #589of 923 jobs
US workers: 9,780BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $61,770a year
In real AI use: 1 of 14tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 2 (14%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 2 (14%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 10 (71%)

Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at specified levels, reporting abnormalities as necessary.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of interconnections and capacities of pipelines, valve manifolds, pumps, and tankage.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Tend vessels that store substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials, checking levels of substances by using calibrated rods or by reading mercury gauges and tank charts.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Test materials and solutions, using testing equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Tend auxiliary equipment such as water treatment and refrigeration units, and heat exchangers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Add chemicals and solutions to tanks to ensure that specifications are met.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Collect and deliver sample solutions for laboratory analysis.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Pump two or more materials into one tank to blend mixtures.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about pump operators, except wellhead pumpers and AI

Will AI replace pump operators, except wellhead pumpers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers score 25 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #589 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 4 of the job's 14 tasks, 2 of them on its own, while 10 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which pump operators, except wellhead pumpers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times"; "Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped".

Which pump operators, except wellhead pumpers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials"; "Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances"; "Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 1 of the 14 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as pump operators, except wellhead pumpers, and what do they earn?

About 9,780 people in the US, with median pay of $61,770 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.