Searching

Career Exploration

  1. Home

Wellhead Pumpers

Also called: Field Operator, Lease Operator, Pumper, Well Tender

What they do:

Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.

On the job, you would:
  • Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks.
  • Gauge oil and gas production.
  • Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • mechanical

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Hand and Finger Use

  • hold or move items with your hands
  • keep your arm or hand steady

Controlled Movement

  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
  • use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Initiative
  • Self Control
  • Independence

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Industrial control software

  • Moxa software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software

Electronic mail software

  • Microsoft Outlook

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $63,280

Education

High school diploma/GED or certificate after high school is usually needed.

Explore More

See other careers in the Mining, Oil, & Gas industry.