Occupation Profile

Petroleum Pump System Workers

(SOC Code : 51-8093)

in California

Control the operation of 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.

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2014	1st Qtr	$35.74	$30.63	$35.84	$41.53

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	5,000	4,700	-300	-6.0	160

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Petroleum & Coal Products Manufacturing

342

58.8%

Support Activities for Mining

240

7.1%

About Staffing Patterns

Data for Training Programs not available.

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

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.

Control or operate manifold and pumping systems to circulate liquids through a petroleum refinery.

Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures.

Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly.

Operate auxiliary equipment and control multiple processing units during distilling or treating operations, moving controls that regulate valves, pumps, compressors, and auxiliary equipment.

Read automatic gauges at specified intervals to determine the flow rate of oil into or from tanks, and the amount of oil in tanks.

Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities.

Read and analyze specifications, schedules, logs, test results, and laboratory recommendations to determine how to set equipment controls to produce the required qualities and quantities of products.

More Tasks for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

Top Skills used in this Job

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

More Skills for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

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 there is a problem.

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.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

More Interests for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers