What Do Petroleum Pump System Operator Do?
Petroleum Pump System Operator Job Description Operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks, or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.
Life As a Petroleum Pump System Operator: What Do They Do?
- Perform tests to check the qualities and grades of products, such as assessing levels of bottom sediment, water, and foreign materials in oil samples, using centrifugal testers.
- Read automatic gauges at specified intervals to determine the flow rate of oil into or from tanks, and the amount of oil in tanks.
- Collect product samples by turning bleeder valves, or by lowering containers into tanks to obtain oil samples.
- Conduct general housekeeping of units, including wiping up oil spills and performing general cleaning duties.
- Lower thermometers into tanks to obtain temperature readings.
- Read and analyze specifications, schedules, logs, test results, and laboratory recommendations to determine how to set equipment controls to produce the required qualities and quantities of products.
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Petroleum Pump System Operator Needed Skills
When polled, Petroleum Pump System 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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related Job Titles
- Gasoline Plant Operator
- Supply Specialist
- Dock Operator
- Hydro Vac Operator
- Stillman
Job Opportunities for Petroleum Pump System Operators
In the United States, there were 41,800 jobs for Petroleum Pump System Operator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,200 new jobs for Petroleum Pump System Operator by 2026. The BLS estimates 4,300 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Petroleum Pump System Operator are Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Missouri, California, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Petroleum Pump System Operator
The typical yearly salary for Petroleum Pump System Operators is somewhere between $44,000 and $98,480.

Petroleum Pump System Operators who work in California, Illinois, or South Carolina, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Petroleum Pump System Operators in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $52,630 |
Alaska | $78,810 |
Arizona | $54,690 |
Arkansas | $58,680 |
California | $81,310 |
Colorado | $77,390 |
Connecticut | $57,140 |
Florida | $50,840 |
Georgia | $60,220 |
Illinois | $79,260 |
Indiana | $56,420 |
Iowa | $67,420 |
Kansas | $63,480 |
Kentucky | $65,570 |
Louisiana | $71,930 |
Maryland | $48,890 |
Massachusetts | $56,340 |
Michigan | $59,700 |
Minnesota | $61,720 |
Missouri | $47,820 |
Montana | $80,340 |
Nebraska | $68,650 |
New Hampshire | $63,840 |
New Mexico | $69,090 |
New York | $53,470 |
North Carolina | $58,420 |
North Dakota | $70,900 |
Ohio | $69,250 |
Oklahoma | $71,020 |
Oregon | $73,580 |
Pennsylvania | $59,430 |
South Carolina | $73,460 |
South Dakota | $54,280 |
Tennessee | $48,820 |
Texas | $72,610 |
Utah | $65,300 |
Virginia | $50,630 |
Washington | $60,990 |
West Virginia | $68,440 |
Wisconsin | $62,390 |
Wyoming | $74,270 |
What Tools do Petroleum Pump System Operators Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Petroleum Pump System Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Email software
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Inventory tracking software
How to Become a Petroleum Pump System Operator
Individuals working as a Petroleum Pump System Operator have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become a Petroleum Pump System Operator?

Where Petroleum Pump System Operators Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Petroleum Pump System Operators employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as a Petroleum Pump System Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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