AITakeover Tracker

Gas Plant Operators

SOC: 51-8092.00 · Job Zone 3 (Medium preparation)

Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.

Wage & Employment (2024)

Median Wage

$83,400

per year

Mean Wage

$85,470

per year

Employment

16K

workers

Wage Range

$59,040 - $109,350

10th - 90th pct

Wage Distribution

$59,040Median: $83,400$109,350

Task Breakdown

19 tasks analyzed

Distribute or process gas for utility companies or industrial plants, using panel boards, control boards, and semi-automatic equipment.

Monitor transportation and storage of flammable and other potentially dangerous products to ensure that safety guidelines are followed.

Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.

Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.

Start and shut down plant equipment.

Control equipment to regulate flow and pressure of gas to feedlines of boilers, furnaces, and related steam-generating or heating equipment.

Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.

Adjust temperature, pressure, vacuum, level, flow rate, or transfer of gas to maintain processes at required levels or to correct problems.

Clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using hand tools, or request that repair and maintenance work be performed.

Control fractioning columns, compressors, purifying towers, heat exchangers, and related equipment to extract nitrogen and oxygen from air.

Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems.

Determine causes of abnormal pressure variances, and make corrective recommendations, such as installation of pipes to relieve overloading.

Read logsheets to determine product demand and disposition, or to detect malfunctions.

Test gas, chemicals, and air during processing to assess factors such as purity and moisture content, and to detect quality problems or gas or chemical leaks.

Calculate gas ratios to detect deviations from specifications, using testing apparatus.

Contact maintenance crews when necessary.

Signal or direct workers who tend auxiliary equipment.

Change charts in recording meters.

Operate construction equipment to install and maintain gas distribution systems.

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