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Occupational Employment Statistics


DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

51-8092 Gas Plant Operators



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

Geography Click link for Career Profile EmploymentEmp SE*Percentiles
Mean10th25thMedian75th90th
Minnesota 20035$45.57/hr$29.46/hr$38.35/hr$49.31/hr$52.31/hr$57.32/hr


IndustryOES Employment (Statewide)OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Natural Resources and MiningN/AN/A
Trade, Transportation and Utilities190$49.31/hr
Professional and Business ServicesN/AN/A
Public AdministrationN/AN/A
 
Geography Click link for details EmploymentMedian WageProjections
% Change 2022-2032
Central Minnesota N/AN/AN/A
Northeast Minnesota N/AN/AN/A
Southeast Minnesota N/AN/AN/A
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN N/AN/AN/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
Rochester MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
Northwest Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Northeast Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Southwest Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Southeast Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Northwest Minnesota 20$47.65/hr-8.7%
Southwest Minnesota 20$41.72/hr-12.5%
Duluth MN-WI MSA 20$48.54/hrN/A
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA 130$49.32/hrN/A
Minnesota 200$49.31/hr-9.8%


Occupations Click link for details EmploymentMedian WageProjections
% Change 2022-2032
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gagers 640$49.39/hr-4.9%
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators 1,580$34.19/hr3.3%
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers 50$29.91/hr3.5%
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators 20$40.08/hr5.9%
Power Plant Operators 630$45.03/hr-10.7%


  • Change charts in recording meters.
  • Clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using hand tools, or request that repair and maintenance work be performed.
  • Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems.
  • Read logsheets to determine product demand and disposition, or to detect malfunctions.
  • Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
  • Start and shut down plant equipment.
  • Calculate gas ratios to detect deviations from specifications, using testing apparatus.
  • Control fractioning columns, compressors, purifying towers, heat exchangers, and related equipment to extract nitrogen and oxygen from air.
  • Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
  • Adjust temperature, pressure, vacuum, level, flow rate, or transfer of gas to maintain processes at required levels or to correct problems.