AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-8093.00

Will AI replace Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers?

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers: AI can already handle 6 of 24 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 24 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, from most to least exposed. 6 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly. 80 Estimated Standard 4.2
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. 80 Estimated Standard 4.1
Record and compile operating data, instrument readings, documentation, and results of laboratory analyses. 80 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Calculate test result values, using standard formulas. 80 Estimated Standard 3.5
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. 65 Estimated Standard 4.0
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. 60 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities. 50 Estimated Standard 4.1
Coordinate shutdowns and major projects. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.3
Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Inspect pipelines, tightening connections and lubricating valves as necessary. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Control or operate manifold and pumping systems to circulate liquids through a petroleum refinery. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Operate auxiliary equipment and control multiple processing units during distilling or treating operations, moving controls that regulate valves, pumps, compressors, and auxiliary equipment. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Collect product samples by turning bleeder valves, or by lowering containers into tanks to obtain oil samples. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Read automatic gauges at specified intervals to determine the flow rate of oil into or from tanks, and the amount of oil in tanks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Synchronize activities with other pumphouses to ensure a continuous flow of products and a minimum of contamination between products. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Conduct general housekeeping of units, including wiping up oil spills and performing general cleaning duties. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Clean interiors of processing units by circulating chemicals and solvents within units. 15 Estimated No tier 3.5
Clamp seals around valves to secure tanks. 15 Estimated No tier 3.4
Prepare calculations for receipts and deliveries of oil and oil products. 15 Estimated No tier 3.3
Lower thermometers into tanks to obtain temperature readings. 15 Estimated No tier 2.8

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 24 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 24 of 24. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 43% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 47% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 54% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
33,160
Median annual wage
$96,710
Middle half of earners
$77,510 to $106,320
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-2.8%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers and AI

Will AI replace Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers?

AI already handles 6 of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 35 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -2.8% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers?

35 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 24 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 24 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly; 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; Record and compile operating data, instrument readings, documentation, and results of laboratory analyses. They are three of the 6 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 43% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 54% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, and what do they earn?

33,160 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $96,710 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -2.8% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/petroleum-pump-system-operators-refinery-operators-and-gaugers

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