DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-8092 Gas Plant Operators
Occupational Description:
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.| Percentiles | |||||||||
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| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 170 | 56 | $34.22/hr | $1.10/hr | $26.63/hr | $29.99/hr | $34.39/hr | $38.48/hr | $41.94/hr |
| U S | 14,410 | 648 | $34.66/hr | $0.31/hr | $21.50/hr | $27.71/hr | $34.50/hr | $40.56/hr | $49.43/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2023 - 2025 | |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | 1,520 | $30.46/hr | 2.0% |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 1,060 | $21.13/hr | -0.5% |
| Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1,010 | $17.84/hr | -0.1% |
| Power Plant Operators | 930 | $43.64/hr | -0.8% |
| Wellhead Pumpers | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | N/A | N/A | 6.7% |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | N/A | N/A | 1.0% |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | N/A | $30.42/hr | 1.2% |
Tasks for Gas Plant Operators
- Controls fractioning columns, compressors, purifying towers, heat exchangers, and related equipment, to extract nitrogen and oxygen from air.
- Observes pressure, temperature, level, and flow gauges to ensure standard operation.
- Reads logsheet to ascertain demand and disposition of product or to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Records gauge readings and test results.
- Calculates gas ratios, using testing apparatus, to detect deviations from specifications.
- Signals or directs workers tending auxiliary equipment.
- Cleans and repairs equipment, using hand tools.
- Tests oxygen for purity and moisture content at various stages of process, using burette and moisture meter.
- Controls operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
- Adjusts temperature, pressure, vacuum, level, flow rate, or transfer of gas, according to test results and knowledge of process and equipment.
- Controls equipment to regulate flow and pressure of gas to feedlines of boilers, furnaces, and related steam-generating or heating equipment.
- Determines causes of abnormal pressure variances and makes corrective recommendations, such as installation of pipe to relieve overloading.
- Changes charts in recording meters.
- Observes, records, and reports flow and pressure gauge readings on gas mains and fuel feedlines.
- Determines required governor adjustments, according to customer-demand estimates.
- Adjusts governors to maintain specified gas pressure and volume.
