Robots May Replace 20% of Oilfield Jobs in a Decade, Report Says

“Even when the Covid-19 downturn is finally past us, operators will have to continue exploring new avenues for cost reductions,” Sumit Yadav, an analyst at Rystad, wrote Monday in the report. There are, however, hurdles to overcome, including regulatory approvals as well as resistance from labor organizations, Rystad said.

Headcount reductions in the U.S. from robots would be a further blow to an industry that has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels. Rig use both in the shale patch and in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico is still down by almost half compared to the start of last year.