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Gas Plant Operator

All About Gas Plant Operators

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

List of Gas Plant Operator Job Duties

  • Change charts in recording meters.
  • Monitor transportation and storage of flammable and other potentially dangerous products to ensure that safety guidelines are followed.
  • Signal or direct workers who tend auxiliary equipment.
  • Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.
  • Clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using hand tools, or request that repair and maintenance work be performed.
  • Contact maintenance crews when necessary.

Gas Plant Operator Required Skills

When polled, Gas Plant Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Types of Gas Plant Operator

  • Process Plant Operator
  • Gas Operator
  • Plant Operator
  • Liquefaction and Regasification Plant Operator
  • Oil and Gas Specialist

Job Opportunities for Gas Plant Operators

There were about 17,300 jobs for Gas Plant Operator in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Gas Plant Operator. The BLS estimates 1,700 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Gas Plant Operator are Washington, Wyoming, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Wisconsin, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Gas Plant Operator Average Salary

Gas Plant Operators make between $45,830 and $100,410 a year.

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Gas Plant Operators who work in California, Massachusetts, or North Dakota, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Gas Plant Operators in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $70,950
Alaska $63,430
Arizona $62,000
Arkansas $66,620
California $101,610
Colorado $70,260
Florida $50,660
Georgia $59,900
Illinois $74,590
Indiana $68,580
Iowa $54,440
Kansas $67,660
Kentucky $68,240
Louisiana $68,370
Maryland $81,460
Massachusetts $85,470
Michigan $76,690
Minnesota $72,810
Mississippi $60,460
Missouri $73,370
Montana $70,400
Nebraska $61,120
New Hampshire $69,370
New Jersey $75,150
New Mexico $61,910
New York $77,460
North Carolina $61,280
North Dakota $85,740
Ohio $68,680
Oklahoma $64,560
Oregon $75,560
Pennsylvania $67,210
South Carolina $53,070
Tennessee $56,170
Texas $68,690
Utah $68,550
Virginia $63,950
Washington $82,790
West Virginia $70,730
Wyoming $73,870

What Tools do Gas Plant Operators Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Gas Plant Operators may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • SAP
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
  • Work scheduling software

How to Become a Gas Plant Operator

Individuals working as a Gas Plant Operator have obtained the following education levels:

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What work experience do I need to become a Gas Plant Operator?

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You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Gas Plant Operator may also be interested in:

Career changers with experience as a Gas Plant Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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