Process Operator

Job Overview

Job Category

Operators

Sectors

Education

Environment

Outdoors only

About This Career

Oil and gas production and refining, upgrading and petrochemical processing relies heavily on automated machines and processes but still require people to operate, monitor, maintain the equipment and facilities where these processes take place. Process Operators are generally skilled workers who perform a variety of hands-on tasks essential to the safe and efficient operations of various facilities.

Depending on the employer, Process Operators may be responsible for a wide variety of tasks from manual labour to complex machine operations in smaller organizations or being responsible for managing a single specific process in larger organizations.

In this occupation, activities may include:

Participating in procedure and operating standard reviews and updates.
Participating in safety audits and safety programs and maintain a safe work environment.
Operating production and processing equipment from a central control room.
Identifying hazards, maintenance issues, and unplanned events and communicating these effectively to supervisors.
Recording readings manually or on a computer
Collecting samples from production streams for analysis.
Moving equipment and tools between locations as directed and required.
Operating, monitoring, adjusting, and maintaining process equipment to ensure production
Performing routine field level equipment inspections to verify and monitor operation
Performing routine maintenance on field equipment as required or directed by supervisors.

Education

Completion of secondary school is required. Mathematics, chemistry and physics subjects are often specified.
A college diploma in process operation, sciences or a related subject may be required for some positions.

Certifications

Depending on the employer the following certifications may be required:

First Aid
Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness (H2S Alive)
Blowout Prevention
Firefighting
Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS)
Pressure equipment certification such as ABSA
Well Control

Licensing

A provincial power engineer licence, compressor operator, steam operator or refrigeration certificate may be required when certain kinds of equipment are included in the process.

Additional Requirements