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Gas Plant Operators: Job Description
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
What Tasks Do Gas Plant Operators Do?
The core tasks performed by gas plant operators span:
- 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.
- Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful gas plant operators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Gas Plant Operators Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bulk Gas Specialist
- Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech)
- Engine Room Operator
- Field Gauger
- Field Technician (Field Tech)
- Fuel Attendant
- Gas Controller
- Gas Dispatcher
Job Outlook
There are about 408,984 gas plant operators working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +2.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Gas Plant Operators Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,281 |
| Hourly median | $27.54 |
| 10th percentile | $40,778 |
| 25th percentile | $49,029 |
| 75th percentile | $65,532 |
| 90th percentile | $73,783 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $124,980 |
| Connecticut | $107,400 |
| Oregon | $106,210 |
| Louisiana | $105,030 |
| New Jersey | $104,960 |
| Maryland | $104,340 |
| Massachusetts | $100,570 |
| Michigan | $98,320 |
| South Dakota | $98,170 |
| Illinois | $95,950 |
| Utah | $95,690 |
| Arizona | $94,900 |
| New Mexico | $94,050 |
| North Dakota | $93,910 |
| Colorado | $92,420 |
| New York | $91,100 |
| Georgia | $90,610 |
| Iowa | $89,070 |
| Wisconsin | $87,170 |
| Washington | $85,870 |
| Missouri | $84,980 |
| New Hampshire | $84,800 |
| Minnesota | $84,760 |
| Indiana | $83,420 |
| Texas | $82,760 |
| Nebraska | $82,290 |
| Arkansas | $81,310 |
| South Carolina | $81,000 |
| Wyoming | $80,760 |
| West Virginia | $79,710 |
| Mississippi | $79,530 |
| Virginia | $78,780 |
| Kansas | $78,110 |
| Montana | $77,630 |
| Idaho | $76,800 |
| Oklahoma | $76,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,070 |
| North Carolina | $75,140 |
| Ohio | $74,500 |
| Alabama | $73,270 |
| Florida | $71,490 |
| Tennessee | $64,670 |
| Kentucky | $62,920 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for gas plant operators shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $100,806 | 4.0% | 1.12 |
| Far Western US | $95,347 | 6.9% | 1.31 |
| Great Lakes | $88,640 | 15.4% | 1.09 |
| Rocky Mountains | $86,334 | 9.2% | 12.62 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,222 | 9.0% | 0.89 |
| Plains States | $85,577 | 10.8% | 2.07 |
| Southeast | $83,792 | 26.1% | 3.15 |
| Southwest | $81,609 | 18.6% | 2.83 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Gas Plant Operators
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $126,640 | 70 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $124,100 | 190 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $107,810 | 240 |
| Lake Charles, LA | LA | $105,030 | 530 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $104,810 | 630 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $104,590 | 210 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $104,370 | 240 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | MI | $96,900 | 50 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of gas plant operators are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 6,680 | $84,980 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 4,930 | $82,680 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1,400 | $82,110 |
| Manufacturing | 1,040 | $105,030 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 400 | $89,410 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 180 | $60,420 |
| Wholesale Trade | 120 | $54,670 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Operating system software: Google Android (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of gas plant operators reflects the following characteristics:
- 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
Education and Training
Typical gas plant operators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Geothermal Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Biomass Power Plant Managers (Supplemental)
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (Supplemental)
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians (Supplemental)
- Geothermal Technicians (Supplemental)
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers (Primary-Long)
- Power Plant Operators (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring gas plant operators commonly pursue programs in:
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-8092.00 (Gas Plant Operators).
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