Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
SOC Code: 51-8093
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers carries a 54% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $97,540 and -2.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 34,900 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 54% AI exposure, Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers sits 17 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 91% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
39/100
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage A $97,540
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -2.8%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 54% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Slow growth (245 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
54% Higher than most higher than 91% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 51-8093) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures.
- 2. Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled.
- 3. Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems.
- 4. Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks.
- 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.
- 6. Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly.
- 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.
- 8. Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities.
- 9. Control or operate manifold and pumping systems to circulate liquids through a petroleum refinery.
- 10. Operate auxiliary equipment and control multiple processing units during distilling or treating operations, moving controls that regulate valves, pumps, compressors, and auxiliary equipment.
Key Skills Required
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge Areas
- Production and Processing
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Chemistry
- Education and Training
- Engineering and Technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers has an AI exposure score of 54%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers is projected to decline by 2.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 34,900 workers.
What skills are needed for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Key skills for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers earn?
The median annual wage for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers is $97,540, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
The typical entry-level education for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (54% here).
- Bill and account collectors · AI exposure 54%
- Computer programmers · AI exposure 54%
- Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks · AI exposure 54%
- Judicial law clerks · AI exposure 54%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-2.8% here).
- Broadcast technicians · growth -2.8%
- First-line supervisors of correctional officers · growth -2.8%
- Maintenance workers, machinery · growth -2.8%
- School bus monitors · growth -2.7%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 19 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).