Plant and System Operators

How to become a Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator or Gauger

Official title: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

Also called: Board Operator, Crude Unit Operator, Gauger, Hydrotreater Operator, Operator, Outside Operator, Pumper, Refinery Operator, Stillman, Unit Operator

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.

Main tasks

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

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Gauger (Petrol Prod).
Apprenticeship: Offshore Production Worker (Cb).
Apprenticeship: Refinery Operator.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $96,710 a year The middle half earn $77,510 to $106,320.
About 32,900 people work in this job now, and about 32,300 are projected by 2035. (-1.9%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator or Gauger?

Ways in include: Gauger (Petrol Prod).

How much does a Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator or Gauger earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $96,710 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $77,510 to $106,320.

Is a Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator or Gauger a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 32,900 people now and 32,300 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator or Gauger?

Usually not. Only 15% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Gauger (Petrol Prod).

Will AI change the work of a Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator or Gauger?

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.