NOC 93101: Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing
What central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing do
Central control and process operators in petroleum, gas and chemical processing monitor and operate petroleum, petrochemical and chemical plants and monitor, adjust and maintain processing units and equipment in these plants. They are employed by petroleum and natural gas processing, pipeline and petrochemical companies and industrial, agricultural and specialty chemical and pharmaceutical companies.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Operate electronic or computerized control panel from a central control room to monitor and optimize physical and chemical processes for several processing units
- Control process start-up, shut-down and troubleshooting
- Monitor outside process equipment
- Adjust equipment, valves, pumps and controls and process equipment
- Authorize or co-sign maintenance work orders
- Shut down, isolate and prepare process units or production equipment for maintenance
- Sample products, perform tests, record data, carry out statistical process control on process operations, and write production logs
- Develop operating procedures for normal operation, start-up or shut-down of unit
- Participate in safety audits and programs and provide emergency response when required
- Ensure adherence to safety and environmental regulations
- May rotate between different processing units during shift cycles
- May work in a team with shared supervisory responsibilities and participate in training other workers
- May be cross-trained in a skilled trade and work in the trade during shift cycles.
Job titles under NOC 93101
132 job titles are classified here, including acid plant operator, chemical process operator, chemical processing chief technician.
- absorption operator
- absorption plant operator
- acid mixer operator
- acid plant operator
- alkylation chief operator
- alkylation operator
- alkylation tower tender
- alum-liquor plant operator
- ammonia plant operator
- antibiotics fermenter
- assistant operator - chemical processing
- batching chemical process operator
- batching process chief operator
- battery operator - oil and gas
- benzol agitator operator
- bitumen extraction plant operator
- bitumen upgrading plant operator
- boardman/woman - chemical processing
- brine equipment tender
- brine purification operator
- burner operator - petroleum
- catalytic conversion operator
- catalytic cracking unit operator
- caustic cell operator
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required. Mathematics, chemistry and physics subjects are often specified.
- A college diploma in process operation, sciences or a related subject may be required for some positions.
- Petroleum and chemical process operators and process technicians require completion of several years of formal company training.
- Experience as a petroleum or chemical process operator in all the operating units controlled by the central control room is required for chief operators.
- Company certification as a petroleum process operator or technician may be required.
- A provincial power engineer licence, compressor operator or refrigeration certificate may be required when certain kinds of equipment are included in the process.
- Certification in the transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), first aid, firefighting, or workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) may be required.
Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $28.00/hr | $50.00/hr | $67.64/hr |
Montréal QC | $43.86/hr | $52.17/hr | $66.39/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $24.73/hr | $51.12/hr | $81.73/hr |
Calgary AB | $32.79/hr | $54.26/hr | $73.20/hr |
Edmonton AB | $40.77/hr | $51.92/hr | $75.32/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $43.86/hr | $52.17/hr | $66.39/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $25.00/hr | $48.08/hr | $65.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $24.73/hr | $51.12/hr | $81.73/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $29.53/hr | $47.57/hr | $64.40/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $30.00/hr | $52.00/hr | $63.60/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $41.00/hr | $48.08/hr | $67.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $22.12/hr | $42.82/hr | $54.95/hr |
Quebec | $43.86/hr | $52.17/hr | $66.39/hr |
Ontario | $25.00/hr | $48.08/hr | $65.00/hr |
Manitoba | $23.00/hr | $49.30/hr | $56.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $30.00/hr | $52.50/hr | $63.60/hr |
Alberta | $32.00/hr | $51.92/hr | $72.12/hr |
British Columbia | $24.73/hr | $51.12/hr | $81.73/hr |
Using NOC 93101 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 132 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing?
Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing are NOC 2021 unit group 93101. Example job titles in this group include acid plant operator, chemical process operator, chemical processing chief technician, chlor-alkali plant cell room operator.
What TEER is NOC 93101?
NOC 93101 is TEER 3 (College or apprenticeship (under 2 years)). Usually requires a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $50.00/hr, about $98,000 a year full-time, with a range of $28.00/hr to $67.64/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.