Career Overview
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
Also Known As
- Gas Controller
- Gas Dispatcher
- Gas Plant Operator
- Plant Operator
Alternate Job Titles
- Bulk Gas Specialist
- Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech)
- Engine Room Operator
- Field Gauger
- Field Technician (Field Tech)
- Fuel Attendant
- Gas Controller
- Gas Dispatcher
- Gas Distribution Plant Operator
- Gas Maker
- Gas Operator
- Gas Plant Dispatcher
- Gas Plant Operator
- Gas Plant Specialist
- Gas Plant Technician (Gas Plant Tech)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
- Distribute or process gas for utility companies or industrial plants, using panel boards, control boards, and semi-automatic equipment.
- Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
- 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.
- Determine causes of abnormal pressure variances, and make corrective recommendations, such as installation of pipes to relieve overloading.
- Adjust temperature, pressure, vacuum, level, flow rate, or transfer of gas to maintain processes at required levels or to correct problems.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Perceptual Speed
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Auditory Attention
- Selective Attention
- Oral Comprehension
- Flexibility of Closure
- Far Vision
- Deductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Cautiousness
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Google Android
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Acid gas compressors
- Adjustable hand wrenches
- Amine treating plant
- Centrifugal pumps
- Chain hoists
- Condensate stabilizer equipment
- Cordless power drills
- Cryogenic plant
- Digital calipers
- Digital micrometers
- Digital multimeters
- Electric boilers
- Fluid separation equipment
- Forklift trucks
- Gas chromatographs GC
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $59,040 |
| Median | $83,400 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $109,350 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 15,910
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Power Plant Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $99,670
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $97,540
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $71,510
Biomass Plant Technicians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $99,670
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $75,190
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.