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How exposed to AI is a Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gauger?

Of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers, 1 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 16 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Board OperatorCrude Unit OperatorGaugerHydrotreater OperatorOperatorOutside OperatorPumperRefinery OperatorStillmanUnit Operator
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
24
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 21
34k
people do this job in the US
8 of 107
least protected in production

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

1
  • Calculate test result values, using standard formulas

Only with software built on top

7
  • Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures
  • 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
  • Record and compile operating data, instrument readings, documentation, and results of laboratory analyses
  • Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled
  • Prepare calculations for receipts and deliveries of oil and oil products
  • Lower thermometers into tanks to obtain temperature readings

Cannot be sped up

16
  • 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
  • Control or operate manifold and pumping systems to circulate liquids through a petroleum refinery
  • 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
  • Read automatic gauges at specified intervals to determine the flow rate of oil into or from tanks, and the amount of oil in tanks
  • Operate auxiliary equipment and control multiple processing units during distilling or treating operations, moving controls that regulate valves, pumps, compressors, and auxiliary equipment
  • Synchronize activities with other pumphouses to ensure a continuous flow of products and a minimum of contamination between products
  • 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
  • Collect product samples by turning bleeder valves, or by lowering containers into tanks to obtain oil samples
  • Inspect pipelines, tightening connections and lubricating valves as necessary
  • Conduct general housekeeping of units, including wiping up oil spills and performing general cleaning duties
  • Coordinate shutdowns and major projects
  • 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
  • Clean interiors of processing units by circulating chemicals and solvents within units
  • Clamp seals around valves to secure tanks
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET 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. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.