Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

What Does a Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Do?

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.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures.
• 2Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled.
• 3Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems.
• 4Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks.
• 5Operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules.
• 6Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly.
• 7Patrol units to monitor the amount of oil in storage tanks, and to verify that activities and operations are safe, efficient, and in compliance with regulations.
• 8Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities.

Required Skills

• Monitoring
• Reading Comprehension
• Email software
• Inventory tracking software
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word
• Programmable logic controller PLC software
• Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary