# Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

> 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.

- Code: 51-8093.00 (O*NET-SOC; SOC 2018 51-8093)
- Family: [Production](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations#family-51), one of its 114 occupations
- Tasks: 24 tasks (16 core and 8 supplemental)
- Page: https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/51-8093.00
- JSON: https://foundation.org.ai/data/tasks/51-8093.00.json

## What the work is made of

1. Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures.  
   Core task · Task 14309 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
2. Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled.  
   Core task · Task 14318 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
3. Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems.  
   Core task · Task 14305 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
4. Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks.  
   Core task · Task 14306 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
5. Operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules.  
   Core task · Task 14308 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
6. Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly.  
   Core task · Task 14310 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
7. 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.  
   Core task · Task 14317 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
8. Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities.  
   Core task · Task 14313 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
9. Control or operate manifold and pumping systems to circulate liquids through a petroleum refinery.  
   Core task · Task 14307 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
10. Operate auxiliary equipment and control multiple processing units during distilling or treating operations, moving controls that regulate valves, pumps, compressors, and auxiliary equipment.  
   Core task · Task 14312 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
11. Collect product samples by turning bleeder valves, or by lowering containers into tanks to obtain oil samples.  
   Core task · Task 14319 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
12. Read automatic gauges at specified intervals to determine the flow rate of oil into or from tanks, and the amount of oil in tanks.  
   Core task · Task 14311 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
13. Synchronize activities with other pumphouses to ensure a continuous flow of products and a minimum of contamination between products.  
   Core task · Task 14316 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
14. Record and compile operating data, instrument readings, documentation, and results of laboratory analyses.  
   Core task · Task 14315 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
15. Conduct general housekeeping of units, including wiping up oil spills and performing general cleaning duties.  
   Core task · Task 14321 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
16. Inspect pipelines, tightening connections and lubricating valves as necessary.  
   Core task · Task 14320 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
17. 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.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14314 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
18. Perform tests to check the qualities and grades of products, such as assessing levels of bottom sediment, water, and foreign materials in oil samples, using centrifugal testers.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14323 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
19. Calculate test result values, using standard formulas.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14328 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023
20. Clean interiors of processing units by circulating chemicals and solvents within units.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14326 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
21. Clamp seals around valves to secure tanks.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14327 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
22. Coordinate shutdowns and major projects.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14322 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2023
23. Prepare calculations for receipts and deliveries of oil and oil products.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14324 · Rated by 68 people who do the job, August 2023
24. Lower thermometers into tanks to obtain temperature readings.  
   Supplemental task · Task 14325 · Rated by 70 people who do the job, August 2023

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## Where this comes from

Quoted from O*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0: free to copy and reuse, with credit. Nothing on this page is written by the Org.AI Foundation.
