Duties & responsibility

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Oil and Gas Pipeline Professionals: Duties, Responsibilities, Knowledge, Physical Characteristics and Working Conditions DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING PIPELINE PROFESSIONALS TRAINING

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Transcript of Duties & responsibility

Page 1: Duties & responsibility

Oil and Gas Pipeline Professionals:Duties, Responsibilities, Knowledge, Physical

Characteristics and Working Conditions

DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERINGPIPELINE PROFESSIONALS TRAINING

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Essential Skills

• Reading• Document use• Numeracy• Writing• Oral communication• Thinking skills• Computer skills• Working with others• Continuous learning

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Oil Pipeline Operators and Maintenance Workers

• Oil pipeline operators and maintenance workers ensure that pipeline systems operate safely, efficiently and reliably.

• Pipeline systems transport oil and oil products via:

• flow lines that connect oil wells to oil batteries (storage facilities)• pipeline gathering systems that

connect production fields to main pipelines• main pipeline transmission lines that

carry oil from major points of production to refineries or to other markets.

OIL PIPELINE Professionals

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Working Conditions

• Pipeline systems operate 24 hours a day, year round, so control centre operators may work eight or 12 hour shifts. They usually work in an office. Other workers may work eight hour day shifts.

• Utility workers and gaugers work both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather conditions.

• They are required to lift items weighing up to 20 kilograms.

• All pumping station personnel must be acquainted with safety procedures associated with handling oil and oil products.

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Knowledge Required

• Safety procedures, first aid and CPR• WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials

Information System)• Mechanics• Electrical work• Basic electronics or instrumentation• Chemical engineering technology• Petroleum engineering technology• Mechanical engineering technology

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Personal Characteristics

• Oil pipeline operators and maintenance workers need the following characteristics:– precise– flexible– good communication skills– the stamina and endurance required to perform

repetitive tasks– able to work effectively as a member of a team.

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Personal Characteristics: Cont’d

• They should enjoy – taking responsibility, adhering to prescribed work procedures and

doing physically active work. – controlling equipment, instruments and machinery, analyzing

information to solve problems, and working with others.

• In an emergency – oil pipeline operators must be able to evaluate the situation and

respond to it quickly and correctly. – The safety of a number of people and the efficient operation of the

oil pipeline system often depend on their good judgement. – Control centre operators also need goodcolour vision to interpret

colour computer graphics.

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Maintenance Worker’s responsibilities

• Workers' responsibilities vary from one company to another.

• oil pipeline maintenance workers:– check the equipment (pumps, motors, valves, traps) at

pumping stations and related sites– co-ordinate operations with control centre operators– monitor the quality of the products shipped– make adjustments to the equipment– respond to problems when they occur along the

pipeline system.

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Tank farm operators• In some companies, they employed at pumping stations, usually

located near tank farms (large storage facilities for oil and oil products)• From control room, They:

– monitor instruments that provide information about product levels in storage tanks and the flow rates, pressures, volumes, densities and temperatures of products being shipped

– `operate computers that remotely control valves, product separation and pumps

– direct the work of gaugers and utility workers (described below)– monitor the work of contract personnel while at the tank farm and pumping

station– check various areas of the pumping station to ensure proper and safe

operation– may check remote pumping stations.

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Tank Farm Operators: Cont’d

• They report directly to station supervisors and are expected to assume supervisory responsibilities when station supervisors are absent.

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gaugers• Gaugers may work at pumping stations• Gaugers :

– make routine checks of the pumping station or remote stations– take readings and make necessary adjustments– keep detailed records of oil flow, temperature, density and pressure in the pipeline– take samples of crude to evaluate quality– take precise readings from meters– send and receive pipeline scrapers– maintain equipment– determine month end tank inventories– may prepare calculations for receipts and deliveries of oil and oil products.

• Under direct supervision, gaugers also may:– route the correct product to the pumps from the tanks– check to see that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters and

that meters are working properly– take samples of various products– conduct simple laboratory tests to check product quality and grade.

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Utility workers

• Utility workers work closely with gaugers and assist them with their work.

• As they gain experience, utility workers usually are given more responsibility and, after two or three years, may advance to gauger positions.

• In addition to their work with gaugers, utility workers are responsible for general maintenance, housekeeping in the pumping station (washing walls, cleaning floors) and general site safety.

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Oil Pipeline Control Centre Operator

• Oil pipeline control centre operators use sophisticated computerized equipment to monitor and control pipeline activities for large regions from one centralized control centre

• From control rooms, they:– monitor operations including flow and product quality measures,

storage levels, line– balance and leak detection– operate control valves, block valves, product separation and

pumps– provide information to gaugers, maintenance and other

personnel (gaugers and utility workers)

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Working Conditions

• Pipeline control centres generally are located in urban areas where pipeline companies have their operating headquarters.

• Oil pipeline control centre operators usually work in offices surrounded by monitors, phones and other electronic control equipment.

• Pipeline systems operate 24 hours a day, year round, so control centre operators often work eight or 12 hour rotating shifts.

• Shifts may include nights, holidays and weekends and on-call shifts on a rotational basis.

• Overtime also may be required.

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Personal Characteristics

Oil pipeline control centre operators need the following characteristics:• able to work changing shifts and remain alert• precise, analytical and detail oriented• responsible, able to take charge and handle high pressure situations• flexible• excellent problem solving and decision making skills• a safety conscious attitude• good oral and written communication skills• good colour vision to interpret colour computer graphics• able to work effectively as a member of a team.

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Personal Characteristics: Cont’d

• In an emergency– Oil pipeline control centre operators must be able to

evaluate the situation and respond to it quickly and correctly.

– The safety of a number of people and the efficient operation of the oil pipeline system often depend on their good judgment.

• Oil pipeline control centre operators should enjoy controlling equipment, instruments and machinery, analyzing information to solve problems and working with others.

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Knowledge Required

• Electrical Technology• Electronics or instrumentation• Chemical engineering technology• Petroleum engineering technology• Mechanical engineering technology• field experience such as instrumentation,

electrical or mechanical maintenance in field compressor or pumping stations and facilities

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Gas Pipeline Operators and maintenance Workers

• Known as Control Room Operator, Gas Compressor Operator

• Gas pipeline operators and maintenance workers monitor the day to day operations of meter and compressor stations essential to the distribution and smooth flow of gas through pipelines

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Gas compressor operators

• Gas compressor operators monitor compressor and metering equipment and maintain station areas.

• Gas pipeline companies may have different categories of gas compressor operators.

• As people learn more about compressors and metering, they usually are given more responsibilities and move up to higher levels.

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• Working Area– Gas compressor operators usually work at several different compressor stations and meter

stations. At meter stations,

• they may:– operate and monitor the operation of gas wells feeding into gathering systems– monitor, program and adjust electronic and pneumatic measuring devices– operate and maintain dehydrators and other wellsite equipment– record the temperature, pressure and volume of gas in the pipeline– take samples of gas and conduct basic tests– analyze flow characteristics– add chemicals to flow lines as required– submit daily reports on facility operations.

• At compressor and measurement stations, they may:– ensure that all equipment is operating normally and perform minor mechanical– maintenance, adjustments and repairs– take readings from the various gauges and instruments– make manual adjustments to valves or equipment.

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Gas compressor operators : Cont’d

• Gas compressor operators must be aware of unusual changes in compressors and metering operations.

• When problems occur, they usually are responsible for handling the immediate problem and recommending any necessary changes.

• They also may be required to paint, wash, clean and do the general housekeeping necessary at each station.

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Gas Control Operators

In highly automated gas pipeline systems, compressor stations and meter stations may be controlled entirely by gas control operators at other locations who:• monitor meters, gauges, indicators and alarm

systems that provide information about the temperature, flow, pressure and amount of gas at any one place along the pipeline or at meter or compressor stations

• keep regular records• respond to problems when they occur

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Gas Control Operators: Cont’d

• Gas control operators' duties vary with the level of automation of the pipeline system.

• Those working with highly automated systems may handle problems and make adjustments by using equipment in a control room.

• Those working with less automated systems may instruct other personnel to make manual adjustments at the location of the problem or at another control area.

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Gas Control Operators: Working Conditions

• Gas flows through pipelines around the clock, every day of the year, so gas pipeline operators may 12 hour work shifts or be on call outside of their regular Monday to Friday working hours.

• Gas pipline maintenance workers work outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions and in remote locations.

• They also may be required to drive to a variety of stations to check and repair equipment.

• All operators and workers are required to lift equipment weighing up to 20 kilograms.

• Gas compressor operators, pipeline operators and maintenance workers must be aware of potential hazards and know how to handle emergency situations.

• Hazards include fluids under high pressure and deadly hydrogen sulphide which often is a component of gas that comes directly from the well.

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Gas Control Operators: Personal Characteristics

Gas pipeline operators and maintenance workers need to be:• precise• responsible• handy with tools• interested in working with machines and

complex equipment• comfortable around large, noisy equipment• able to work on their own with little supervision.

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Gas Control Operators: Personal Characteristics

Gas pipeline operators and maintenance workers should enjoy:

• doing a variety of tasks• controlling equipment, instruments and

machinery• analyzing information to solve problems• working alone and with others in a team.

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Start to Work

• In larger companies, new employees usually are hired as utility workers

• Initially, utility workers may do many of the physical jobs such as cleaning, painting and maintaining pipeline stations

• As they gain experience, they may be given additional responsibilities in other areas of compressor or meter stations

• It often takes a few years before utility workers can officially be classified as gas compressor operators

• During the training period, utility workers may have opportunities to take in-house and technical school courses on compressor, metering and control room operations

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Gas Utility Operator

• Gas utility operators install and service gas utility pipeline systems that transport natural gas from its source to points of use such as building meter sets.

• Gas utility systems include:– gas transmission distribution systems under various

levels of pressure– gas mains and services– pressure controllers and regulators– gas meter and measuring.

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Gas Utility Operator: Cont’dGas utility operators:• interpret prints and specifications to determine the location, size and materials

required to install gas mains• install and maintain cathodic protection to prevent corrosion in steel and aluminum

pipes• locate underground gas systems and conduct routine surveys of gas mains and

distribution lines to detect and locate escaping gas• carry out routine gas system maintenance functions• operate and maintain regulating, measuring and odourizing facilities• provide information about underground gas distribution lines and observe excavation

work• to ensure that underground gas facilities are protected• investigate reports of gas leaks to determine the exact location and extent of leaks• use equipment to expose gas lines and repair damaged pipes• use laptop computers to keep records of work performed and the location and

condition of pipelines

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Gas Utility Operator: Working Conditions

• Gas utility operators work at physically demanding tasks both indoors and outdoors.

• Operators generally work a 40 hour work week but overtime may be required to deal with emergencies or to meet construction deadlines.

• Working with explosive gases and power tools can be dangerous.

• To avoid injury, gas utility operators must follow safety codes and regulations and, during emergency situations, follow the specified procedures.

• Operators may be required to lift items weighing up to 20 kilograms.

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Gas Utility Operator: Personal Characteristics

Gas utility operators need the following characteristics:• mechanical ability• manual dexterity• the intellectual ability to succeed in the

formal training• the ability to get along well with customers

and fellow workers

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