How much do plant operators make?
#181
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I took and passed the dow technical tech for a distribution operator trainee position in freeport texas. Does anyone know around how long they take to call if i were chosen for an interview? Also, does anyone know how much this position pays? Thanks, all info would be greatly appreciated
#182
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I finish my AAS degree in december hopfully its not as hard to get hired on as some people around the schools are saying.. i know RIGHT NOW PRSI is hiring 20 operators and in the paper it said BP texas city was hiring and a guy told me yesterday that the lyondell location he works at is hiring. i know a few operators hopfully they can help me get on at a plant, i hope to land a refinery job though.
#184
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I found this thread from a google search and wanted to comment, and plus I do drive a Pontiac G8 GT so i'm sure i'll fit in well here
Workload is different depending on what company you work for and what process it is. I believe at Valero everyone starts off in shipping and works there way up to operations, if i'm not mistaken. I landed a job work for Huntsman Petrochemicals as a Process operator. There is change coming out here so in the next year or two we will be getting a new control room and with that the lead operators will have there own office and will fulfill a more supervisory role and there will be board operators and outside operators...a more similar structure as other plants operate. But at the moment since day one of starting I have been on the board running the reactors and blenders. It is a batch process so there is a little more labor involvement than a continuous process. I would say the most difficult tasks I do are make hose connections to charge the raws to the kettles. And also our plant is small and we run at such a high volume and have outgrown our storage tanks we have to charge raws in using steel stinger pipes from totes and drums which can be a bit difficult since some raws are freezers and require to me be heated in a steam room and the stinger pipes are 30-40lbs. This is my first operator position so I don't know how it really differs at other plants but the labor here is minimal compared to my last job (working at a medical waste incineration plant!). We work a dupont shift which I am use to from my previous job and I wouldn't work any other shift!! Top out pay is at $34.75, start off pay is $18.50 I believe. You receive raises on a 6 month basis which is the training increments, 6 months for each unit. It takes only 3 years and your're at top out!! One of the things I like about the plant I work at we deal with surfactants...they reduce the surface tension of liquids..found in detergents, soaps, etc...so we really don't deal with any dangerous chemicals, mostly intermediates. The most dangerous chemicals we have are Ethylene Oxide and Propylene Oxide. Process Operations is a great field, I studied Instrumentation Technology and got into this field before I even finished my IT degree!!
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#186
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It's difficult man but it takes persistence. I know a couple guys who have gotten operator jobs 2 semesters into there PTEC degree at Lee.
#187
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I finish my AAS degree in december hopfully its not as hard to get hired on as some people around the schools are saying.. i know RIGHT NOW PRSI is hiring 20 operators and in the paper it said BP texas city was hiring and a guy told me yesterday that the lyondell location he works at is hiring. i know a few operators hopfully they can help me get on at a plant, i hope to land a refinery job though.
I work at PRSI I heard we hired only 17. 5 are going to the FCC, 5 to the reformer, and 7 to the alky unit. Did you get an interview?
#188
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I finish my AAS degree in december hopfully its not as hard to get hired on as some people around the schools are saying.. i know RIGHT NOW PRSI is hiring 20 operators and in the paper it said BP texas city was hiring and a guy told me yesterday that the lyondell location he works at is hiring. i know a few operators hopfully they can help me get on at a plant, i hope to land a refinery job though.
Concerning pay on the original topic most plants will start $20-$25 per hour with top pay $35-$40. Most every plant operates with a regular amount of overtime giving you the opportunity to make great money. At my unit our gross incomes are $100-$150k per yr. A coworker who is only 21 made a hair over $100k this past yr.
#189
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Joe- I'm finishing in December bro, so beginning of next year ill be ready to go! Keep me posted!
#190
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i grad with my assotiate degree jan of 2010 and started at dupont jan of 2011. top out at 35 but goes up every year. here you can start from 19-30. and my opperation job can be laid back some days and have raw hide other days depending on how the equipment is running.
#191
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Seems like most places are close to the same for pay. With XTO Energy, our entry level pay is $20 and we don't have a top pay, as we get a performance raise every year. There are several of us over the $35/hr mark, so who knows how high it can go. This is an unmanned plant, so my operators don't work shift. They work 7 on and 7 off, straight days and on call at night. We are actually looking for an entry level person (Repairman)at a PSM facility in Denver City, Tx. If anyone is interested, go on the website and apply and send me a pm so I can make sure you get an interview.
#192
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Hey guys I need a lil help I'm currently a operator in Louisiana but my wife just got a job offer in Houston and the plant i'm at won't let me transfer because you have to be there at least 2 years, I have a degree in Industrial Technology but I have only been an OP for a few months so I was going to stay where I at until I made a year(which would be around the same time my wife graduate) so what are some good plants to work at
#193
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Theres tons of plants to work at here in houston. I want to work for shell refinery. Anyways i just quit my as a welder building tanks in the refinery/chemical plants to head to school for my degree to be an operator. Im 21yrs old and was making top pay at my company as a welder but i let it go for a better future. Ill be working an easy job making 10$ hr to concentrate mainly on school. Tank building takes a toll on your body and and going out of town to working nights doesnt allow me to go to school. Going from making @ 1500 a week to @ 350 a week is gona blow and take some getting used to but i decided i needed to sacrifice to make more n work less.
#194
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I chose not to apply although i was going to. My classes for my last semester had been scheduled and paid for so i would hate for them to consider me and my response be: Well i have Class from 11am to 2pm on Mondays and thursdays at this time etc.. :/ ![Icon Lol](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies2/icon_lol.gif)
Joe- I'm finishing in December bro, so beginning of next year ill be ready to go! Keep me posted!
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Joe- I'm finishing in December bro, so beginning of next year ill be ready to go! Keep me posted!
#195
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I work at Sasol North America over in Westlake, LA (Lake Charles), pay and benefits are great. $35/hr starting then goes up as you move up in unit progression. Anyway we are in the feasibility study stage of a massive GTL (gas to liquids) refinery right by us. We should know in November if the project gets the go ahead but they are already buying up land. Anyway the early figures are 700-1000 permanent jobs and thousands of contracted jobs to build it. It's gonna be massive. They are saying if it gets the go ahead should be done 2016ish. So just a Little FYI.
#199