What do they do?

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

Also known as:

Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech), Engine Room Operator, Gas Controller, Gas Dispatcher, Gas Plant Operator, Gas Processing Plant Operator, Gas Resource Control Operator, Gas System Operator, Liquefied Natural Gas Technician (LNG Technician), Liquid Natural Gas Plant Operator (LNG Plant Operator), Operation Specialist, Operator, Plant Operator

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Gas Plant Operators is projected to Decline 4 percent from 2020 to 2030

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • -4.8%

    Change

    Ranks #35 in job growth rate
    20

    Job Openings

    Ranks #24 in net job growth

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (2%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (11%)
  • Associate's degree  (13%)
  • Some college, no degree  (28%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (36%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (9%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Gas Plant Operators

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People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
  • Inspect production equipment.
  • Operate natural gas distribution equipment.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Diagnose equipment malfunctions.
  • Advise others on ways to improve processes or products.
  • Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow.
  • Confer with others to resolve production problems or equipment malfunctions.
  • Operate natural gas generation equipment.
  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
  • Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
  • Clean production equipment.
  • Maintain production or processing equipment.
  • Repair production equipment or tools.
  • Signal others to coordinate work activities.
  • Direct operational or production activities.
  • Analyze test results.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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