Careers · Explore one path
Gas Plant Operators
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
Other titles employers use
Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech) · Engine Room Operator · Gas Controller · Gas Dispatcher · Gas Plant Operator · Gas Resource Control Operator · Gas System Operator · Liquefied Natural Gas Technician (LNG Technician)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects to know
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Perceptual Speed
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Auditory Attention
- Selective Attention
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.2 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.0 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 3.7 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 58%
- A certificate or some college 31%
- A two-year degree 11%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Operating system software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Data base user interface and query software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,410
- Job openings each year
- 220
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 1.3%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2,410 | 220 | 1.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 960 | 80 | −5.9% |
| Virginia | 650 | 60 | −11.0% |
| Nebraska | 600 | 50 | −10.4% |
| North Dakota | 580 | 50 | −6.5% |
| Illinois | 530 | 50 | −8.6% |
| Ohio | 500 | 40 | −12.3% |
| Oklahoma | 490 | 40 | −2.0% |
| Wyoming | 480 | 40 | −11.1% |
| Florida | 470 | 40 | −7.8% |
| Missouri | 430 | 40 | −10.4% |
| Mississippi | 400 | 40 | 2.6% |
| Colorado | 350 | 30 | −2.8% |
| Kansas | 320 | 30 | −17.9% |
| New York | 310 | 0 | — |
| South Carolina | 310 | 30 | −8.8% |
| Michigan | 290 | 20 | −14.7% |
| Indiana | 280 | 20 | −12.5% |
| Alabama | 240 | 20 | −11.1% |
| Louisiana | 240 | 20 | −4.0% |
| New Jersey | 240 | 20 | −4.0% |
| New Mexico | 240 | 20 | −7.7% |
| Iowa | 230 | 20 | −8.0% |
| Kentucky | 220 | 20 | −12.0% |
| Tennessee | 210 | 20 | −4.5% |
| Minnesota | 160 | 10 | −5.9% |
| North Carolina | 160 | 10 | — |
| Washington | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| West Virginia | 130 | 10 | — |
| Utah | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| Wisconsin | 120 | 10 | −7.7% |
| Oregon | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Maryland | 80 | 10 | — |
| Alaska | 50 | 0 | — |
| Arizona | 50 | 0 | −16.7% |
| Montana | 50 | 0 | −16.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 50 | 0 | −16.7% |
| Delaware | 30 | 0 | — |
| Idaho | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.