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Refinery operator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical refinery operator skills. We ranked the top skills for refinery operators based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 11.9% of refinery operator resumes contained safety procedures as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a refinery operator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 refinery operator skills for your resume and career

1. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are a set of standardized procedures, that ensures minimal to no risk to people, resources, and the work environment. A company follows the step-by-step safety procedures as it they not only keep the customers and the employees safe, but also help in avoiding legal claims.

Here's how refinery operators use safety procedures:
  • Assisted patrons entering and exiting rides, monitored activities to ensure adherence to safety procedures, shut-down and emergency evacuation procedures.
  • Provided yard traffic control and communicated instructions to drivers to ensure all operating and safety procedures were being followed.

2. Ladders

Here's how refinery operators use ladders:
  • Climbed ladders to inspect manholes, check temps, sometimes gather samples for lab analysis.
  • Use of ladders, stairs, heavy lifting and temperature extremes.

3. Product Quality

Product quality is the basic element of a business. It means to add features in a product or service in such a way that it meets the needs and wants of the customers. Enhancing the product quality also means improve the goods from any existing defects to ensure customer satisfaction.

Here's how refinery operators use product quality:
  • Calculate and recommend modifications of existing product quality or production standards to achieve optimum production quality within limits of equipment capability.
  • Filter products utilizing validated techniques and equipment that prevents product contamination, minimize product loss and assure acceptable product quality.

4. Control Room

A control room, also known as an operations center, is a room that serves as central control and monitoring station for security, building, and other types of systems of a large facility or physical area. Control rooms act as the central nervous system of a facility and require a reliable and efficient communication system to effectively handle emergencies, as well as critical incidents and decisions.

Here's how refinery operators use control room:
  • Receive directions and carry out the tasks from the control room operator and supervisor.
  • Operated control room, monitored SCADA and equipment processes also performed minor instrumentation and electrical equipment repair.

5. Rail Cars

Rail Cars, also called railroad cars, are large containers set on a railway and pulled by a locomotive. Rail cars are frequently used for shipping large quantities of product or material, such as metal, chemicals, or livestock; however, a rail car may also transport people such as a subway system. A locomotive often pulls numerous cars that attach to each other, which then form a train.

Here's how refinery operators use rail cars:
  • Perform valve lineups along with switch and tank changes during product movements to and from tankers, rail cars and tanks.
  • Experience includes effectively transporting crude oil and byproducts through pipelines, rail cars, barges and ships.

6. OSHA

Here's how refinery operators use osha:
  • Inspected and evaluated workplace environments, equipment, and practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and OSHA regulations.
  • Adhered to and enforced DEP, EPA, Coast Guard, DOT and OSHA enviromental and safety practices.

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7. Emergency Situations

Here's how refinery operators use emergency situations:
  • Participate in training and respond to emergency situations as required and actively comply with all operating policies and procedures.
  • Regulate or shut down equipment within limits defined by standard operating procedures during planned outages and emergency situations.

8. Tank Farm

Here's how refinery operators use tank farm:
  • Tank farm inventory.Truck loading and unloading.
  • Monitor allplant equipment, pressure pumps, motors, flow valves, temperature transmitters,flow transmitters and tank farm.

9. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how refinery operators use cpr:
  • Attended CPR classes and obtained certification
  • Completed certification for OSHA 10, forklift operating, man basket, CPR, and flagging.

10. Distillation

Here's how refinery operators use distillation:
  • Gained knowledge of basic distillation and catalytic cracking principals.
  • Experience in crude oil distillation, sulfur recovery, and oil movements throughout tank storage.

11. Crude Oil

Here's how refinery operators use crude oil:
  • Maintained octane improvement facility within a crude oil refinery.
  • Transfer crude and refined crude oil products in and out of storage tanks and spheres to blend into final product.

12. Process Equipment

Process equipment refers to the machinery used in processing and refining industries. This equipment is responsible for a single job in the refinement process, which can vary from maintaining the flow of a chemical, controlling chemical reactions, or even storing chemicals. Process equipment can also be broken down into two categories, which are fixed and rotating equipment, depending on the movement required from the equipment.

Here's how refinery operators use process equipment:
  • Used and supervised power plant and process equipment.
  • Repaired all aspects of process equipment.

13. Flow Rates

Here's how refinery operators use flow rates:
  • Maintain and operate Reciprocating Gas Compressors and make necessary adjustments for desired flow rates and pressure parameters.
  • Monitor, calculate, and adjust Morgan Water Treatment Chemical Injection Pump Flow Rates in accordance with Chemical Compound Analysis Results.

14. Process Indicators

Here's how refinery operators use process indicators:
  • Monitor and process indicators, instuments, gauges, and meters to detect and report an posible problems.
  • Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters in order to detect and report any possible problems.

15. Gas Plant

Here's how refinery operators use gas plant:
  • Qualified Rx section, Unsat Gas Plant, Alky and Flue Gas Scrubber (FGS)
  • Operated gas plant, included compression and electrical generators.
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List of refinery operator skills to add to your resume

Refinery operator skills

The most important skills for a refinery operator resume and required skills for a refinery operator to have include:

  • Safety Procedures
  • Ladders
  • Product Quality
  • Control Room
  • Rail Cars
  • OSHA
  • Emergency Situations
  • Tank Farm
  • CPR
  • Distillation
  • Crude Oil
  • Process Equipment
  • Flow Rates
  • Process Indicators
  • Gas Plant
  • Vacuum Systems
  • LOTO
  • Waste Water
  • Process Variables
  • Petroleum Products
  • Test Results
  • Cooling Towers
  • Water Treatment
  • Troubleshoot
  • Product Samples
  • Plant Operations
  • Chemical Processes
  • Control Board
  • Console
  • Instrument Readings
  • Plant Equipment
  • PLC
  • DCS
  • Repair Equipment
  • API
  • Oil Products
  • Storage Tanks
  • Safety Standards
  • DOT
  • Safety Regulations
  • Control Valves
  • Safety Audits
  • Analyze Specifications

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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