Gas processing plant operator
Also known as: gas distribution system operator, gas distribution system worker, gas distribution system operative, gas distribution operator, gas distribution plant maintenance operator, gas distribution network operator
About this occupation
Gas processing plant operators operate and maintain distribution equipment in a gas distribution plant. They distribute gas to utility facilities or consumers, and ensure the correct pressure is maintained on gas pipelines. They also oversee compliance with scheduling and demand.
Essential skills and knowledge
- detect flaws in pipeline infrastructure
- monitor valves
- pipeline transport regulations;
- handle gas cylinders
- regulate the flow of substances in pipelines
- ensure maintenance of fuel distribution facilities
- ensure correct gas pressure
- fuel gas
- ensure compliance with gas distribution schedule
- report on fuel distribution incidents
- types of pipelines
- perform follow-up on pipeline route services
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Gas Plant Operators (O*NET 51-8092.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making
US median pay: US$87,820 a year (2025), 18,030 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (3.8)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.6)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsImportant (3.4)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.2)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Power Plant Operators
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Biomass Plant Technicians
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
- Wellhead Pumpers
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.