What You'll Do

  • Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration.
  • Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks.
  • Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment.
  • Repair gas and oil meters and gauges.
  • Unload and assemble pipes and pumping equipment, using hand tools.
  • Attach pumps and hoses to wellheads.
  • Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
  • Open valves to return compressed gas to bottoms of specified wells to repressurize them and force oil to surface.
  • Supervise oil pumpers and other workers engaged in producing oil from wells.
  • Prepare trucks and equipment necessary for the type of pumping service required.

Essential Skills

Operations Monitoring 4.0/5
Operation and Control 3.88/5
Critical Thinking 3.12/5
Monitoring 3.12/5
Equipment Maintenance 3.12/5
Troubleshooting 3.12/5
Repairing 3.12/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.0/5
Active Listening 2.88/5
Reading Comprehension 2.75/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Cautiousness, Dependability, Attention to Detail, Stress Tolerance, Perseverance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Problem Sensitivity 3.88/5
Near Vision 3.5/5
Information Ordering 3.25/5
Control Precision 3.25/5
Multilimb Coordination 3.25/5
Reaction Time 3.25/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.12/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.12/5

Technologies & Tools

Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word Moxa software Operational databases SAP software Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.71/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.16/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 3.99/5)
  • Perseverance (High importance: 3.97/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Field Operator Gas Lease Pumper Gas Well Pumper Lease Attendant Lease Operator Oil Field Operator Oil Field Plant Operator Oil Field Pumper Oil Field Technician Oil Field Worker Oil Pumper Oil Well Pumper Oil Well Service Operator Oilfield Plant Operator Pumper Well Field Technician Well Head Pumper Well Tender Wellhead Pumper

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.