Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing
Career Overview
Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators monitor and operate petroleum, petrochemical and chemical plants and monitor, adjust and maintain processing units and equipment in these plants. People in these occupations:
- Work for petroleum and natural gas processing, pipeline and petrochemical companies, and industrial, agricultural and specialty chemical and pharmaceutical companies
- Should be comfortable working with computers
- Should have an interest in working with complex machines and systems, be mechanically inclined and have good problem-solving skills
- Pay attention to safety and have the ability to approach tasks with precision
- Should have mathematical abilities, be decisive and be able to communicate effectively with others
- Should be comfortable working in all types of weather conditions and in remote areas for long periods of time
Job Titles
Duties
Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate electronic or computerized control panel from a central control room to monitor and optimize physical and chemical processes for several processing units
- Control process start-up, shut-down and troubleshooting
- Monitor outside process equipment
- Adjust equipment, valves, pumps and controls
- Authorize or co-sign maintenance work orders
- Shut down, isolate and prepare process units or production equipment for maintenance
- Sample products, perform tests, record data, carry out statistical process control on process operations, and write production logs
- Develop operator procedures for normal operation, start-up or shut-down of units
- Participate in safety audits and programs and provide emergency response when required
- Make sure safety and environmental regulations are followed
- Rotate between different processing units during shift cycles
- Work in a team with shared supervisory responsibilities and participate in training other workers
- Have cross-training in a skilled trade and work in the trade during shift cycles
- Identify hazards and their potential consequences and inform fellow workers, employers and the general public
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,895% Employed Full Time
67%Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators typically work 40 hours or more per week. Some overtime may also be required. Some workplaces operate in shifts, and may require operators to work evenings or weekends.
Workers generally work for larger organizations. Work often takes place indoors in central control rooms or with processing equipment on the floor of manufacturing plants, which may be noisy, dirty or dusty. However, a significant amount of work takes place outdoors in the field and may require extended stays in remote camps or working alone in isolated areas.
Although there is a risk of exposure to toxic, flammable or explosive chemicals and gases, this hazard is reduced by following safety procedures. Recent advancements in safety-related detection systems and a continued priority placed on making sure employees are properly trained have made the work environment much safer than in the past.
Career Pathways
With experience and extensive company training, workers may move laterally within a company or progress to supervisory or managerial positions.
Advancement to the position of chief operator is also possible, but requires experience as a petroleum or chemical process operator in all the operating units controlled by the central control room.
Mobility to other petroleum or chemical processing plants is possible, but may be limited by the usual practice of training and promoting workers from within the establishment.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Completion of secondary school is generally required, although some employers do hire people without high school diplomas if they have appropriate college-level training or experience.
Depending on the position, other training may include:
- Course work in mathematics, chemistry and physics, combined with on-the-job training and technical course work
- Completion of several years of formal company training
- Completion of a four-month to two-year post-secondary diploma or certificate program in process operation, sciences or engineering technology (e.g., power, chemical, petroleum or mechanical)
- A power engineering certificate of competency or refrigeration operator certificate to operate certain kinds of equipment
- Power engineering certification, which is administered by the British Columbia Safety Authority
- Certification in Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG), first aid, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) or other skills
- Company certification as a petroleum process operator or technician, as well as training in H2S safety, confined spaces and safe driving
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,895Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 90 | 4.7% |
| Kootenay | 120 | 6.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 565 | 29.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 95 | 5.0% |
| Northeast | 600 | 31.7% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 235 | 12.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 200 | 10.6% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
930Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 0.5% |
| Kootenay | 80 | 0.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 290 | 1.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 90 | 1.6% |
| Northeast | 240 | 0.2% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 90 | 0.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 110 | 0.9% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction | 400 |
| Manufacturing | 160 |
| Utilities | 130 |
| Public Administration | 50 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 50 |
Insights from Industry
Improvements in process automation have reduced the number of workers required to complete the same volume of work. These technological advancements will limit job growth to some degree.
The oil and gas industry in B.C. responds quickly to changing oil and natural gas price levels, with drilling activities that are closely related to world price levels.
Provincial and federal governments are also considering regulatory changes that would allow the exploration and development of the province's offshore oil and gas reserves, if it can be done in an environmentally safe and scientifically sound manner. If these reserves go into production, the demand for petroleum, gas and chemical process operators will increase. However, the soonest that this would occur is in 5–10 years.
Resources
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Trades Training BC – Heavy Equipment Operatorwww.tradestrainingbc.ca/Trades/Heavy-Equipment-Operators/Heavy-Equipment-Operator
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B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resourceswww2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/energy-mines-and-petroleum-resources
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British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)www.bccassn.com
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BC Oil and Gas Commissionwww.bcogc.ca
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BC Petroleum Contractors Association (BCPCA)bcpetroleum.com
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BC Safety Authoritywww.technicalsafetybc.ca
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Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors (CAGC)www.cagc.ca
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Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC)caodc.ca
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Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)www.capp.ca/
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Canadian Gas Association (CGA)www.cga.ca
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Careers in Oil + Gaswww.careersinoilandgas.com
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Energy Safety Canadawww.energysafetycanada.com/
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Fort Nelson Petroleum Associationwww.fortnelsonpetroleumassociation.com
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Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA)www.icba.ca
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National Energy Board (NEB)www.neb-one.gc.ca/index-eng.html
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Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC)www.psac.ca