Gas Plant Operator

Explore This Path

Ideal for those who enjoy ensuring safety and efficiency in energy distribution.
Play a crucial role in maintaining safe and reliable gas supply for communities.
Operate advanced equipment to manage and transform natural gas resources.

💰 Earn $103K-$125K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 12–24 MONTH TRAINING

📈 -9.8% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll Do

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

Monitor transportation and storage of flammable and other potentially dangerous products to ensure that safety guidelines are followed.
Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
Start and shut down plant equipment.
Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.

Scoop

Minimum Education

High School Diploma or GED

Career Prospects

Risky (Decreasing by 5% or more)

Training Time

1 to 2 years

Job Openings

1,300 Annually

Median Earnings

$116,400 in California

$82,560 Nationally

$25K

$50K

$75K

$100K

$125K

$150K

$175K

$200K

$225K

$250K

Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Quality Control Analysis
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Troubleshooting

You value 🙏

Having support
Having freedom
Job security

Deep Dive

Gas Plant Operator

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Associate's Degree

An associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-3 years

Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 4-5+ years