Plant and System Operators

How to become a Gas Plant Operator

Official title: Gas Plant Operators

Also called: 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), Liquid Natural Gas Plant Operator (LNG Plant Operator), Plant Operator

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

Main tasks

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.
Adjust temperature, pressure, vacuum, level, flow rate, or transfer of gas to maintain processes at required levels or to correct problems.
Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $87,820 a year The middle half earn $76,870 to $100,870.
About 18,200 people work in this job now, and about 17,100 are projected by 2035. (-6%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How much does a Gas Plant Operator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $87,820 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $76,870 to $100,870.

Is a Gas Plant Operator a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 18,200 to about 17,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Gas Plant Operator?

Usually not. Only 15% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Gas Plant Operator?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

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.