Job Title:
Petroleum and natural gas refining plant operators
Job Description:
Operate and monitor plants and adjust and maintain processing units and equipment which refine, distil and treat petroleum, petroleum-based products and by-products, or natural gas.
Summary:
Petroleum and natural gas refining plant operators control, monitor and maintain the plant machinery and equipment to produce, refine and pump chemicals, oil, gas and petroleum. Refineries and processing plants use sophisticated computers to control the equipment and processes. Knowledge of chemical and mechanical processes and equipment performance is very important in order to safely optimize production quantity and quality.
Tasks:
Job activities and tasks include:
- operating electronic or computerized control panel from a central control room to monitor and optimize physical and chemical processes for several processing units
- adjusting equipment, valves, pumps, controls and process equipment
- controlling process start-up and shut-down, troubleshooting and monitoring outside process equipment
- verifying equipment for malfunctions, testing well pipes for leaks and fractures and arranging for maintenance
- analyzing sample products, performing tests, recording data and writing production logs
Knowledge:
Public Safety - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, regulations, standards and strategies to promote effective plant operations for the protection of people, commerce and property
Petroleum and natural gas refining operators use computers to report unusual incidents, malfunctioning equipment, or maintenance performed during their shifts
Coordination of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology; This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services
Production and Processing - Knowledge of materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective production of petroleum and gas and related products and by-products
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models
Petroleum and Natural Gas Refining Fundamentals - Knowledge of production processes including by-products, composites and materials encompassing designing and maintaining petroleum and natural gas refining production and process systems and equipment
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions; Including troubleshooting and determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of oneself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance
Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
Time Management - Managing one?s own time and the time of others
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways
Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly measure and estimate exact positions
English (Technical) Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the engineering related technical English terminologies
Information Communications Technology - Knowledge and use of relevant engineering applications and programs
Team work or individual - job may require him/her to work alone or in conjunction with engineers, contractors and scientists
Work Context:
Work at large industrial sites such as gas plants, oil rigs, or power stations. Often are required to work outdoors in all weather conditions, and are exposed to noisy and potentially dangerous situations. Some plant operators work solely indoors in control rooms and offices.
Education:
Diploma in an engineering discipline, higher qualification or equivalent.!!Employers may also seek recent high school graduates for entry-level operator positions with a Secondary School Certificate particularly good results in physics, science and maths.!
Required Work Experience:
Probable Employers:
ADNOC Group, Masdar, Occidental Oil & Gas International LLC
Occupational Size:
More than 5,000 and less than 30,000
Expected Earnings:
Higher than the industry average
Alternate Titles:
Examples of job titles:
Blender operator (petroleum and natural gas refining) - Paraffin plant operator - Still operator (still petroleum and natural gas refining) - Refinery process technician - Petroleum process operator - Gas plant operator
Examples of some related occupations:
Chemical processing plant controllers - Chemical products plant and machine operators - Mineral products plant technician - Plastics and composites processor - Polymer plant production operator - Power generation plant operator - Water and wastewater - Plant operator - Auxiliary operator
International Careers(ISCO):
Similar O*NET Careers (USA) :
Source Of Info:
Occupations and Careers Handbook for UAE Nationals(Copyright NQA ). Referenced from New York University, Abu Dhabhi
