An operating engineer at an oil refinery may experience failures in the facility’s cracking towers.
An operating engineer has three areas of responsibility: performing routine maintenance, completing work orders, and responding to emergency calls. An operational engineer is a licensed professional responsible for managing energy, heat exchange, air conditioning systems, and refrigeration equipment. This type of engineer operates steam boilers, gas compressors, engines, steam turbines, and other equipment that generates light, heat, and power.
An operating engineer may be responsible for monitoring equipment systems at a large chemical plant.
Most operating engineers work for the power company or large chemical plants, oil refineries, or other companies that generate their own power. They are full-time employees hired to maintain power generation systems. Each employer has a team of operating engineers, with the number of operating engineers per shift depending on the size of the power generation equipment. These positions are shift based as someone must be available to monitor and maintain the power generation system 24 hours a day.
An operational engineer may oversee the operation of various systems in a factory.
People who like to work with their hands, are mechanically inclined, and are naturally expansive report the greatest satisfaction as operational engineers. In this race, you will meet other professionals in the field, parts suppliers, and customers or people affected by the system. The ability to interact with others while communicating clearly and effectively is very important.
Operational engineers may be tasked with maintaining and troubleshooting computer-controlled industrial machinery.
Equipment maintenance is a priority for an operating engineer. While the power generation system is typically installed by an outside company, it is the responsibility of the operating engineer to keep all parts running, perform routine maintenance, and ensure downtime is minimized. Monitoring of the different systems is an important aspect of daily maintenance. Any interruption in service results in increased demand on other aspects of the system.
Work orders typically involve repairs or changes to the power generation system. The job can be a complex operation, requiring multiple team members and a period of months, or it can be a simple job, requiring two to three hours of work. All utility generating equipment must be tested to ensure that all building and safety codes are met.
Responding to service and emergency calls is part of an operational engineer’s daily routine. Users will call if there is a power outage, intermittent power supply issues, or a problem with the equipment. All of these problems reflect a problem with the power generation equipment. In addition to these service calls, emergencies may occur. This may include system failure, power reduction, or accidents.
Career advancement opportunities for an operating engineer are only limited by the size of the facility. Most operational engineers advance their careers by specializing in a certain size of system or even a specific manufacturer. Technology is always changing and the impact on utility systems is centered around monitoring and balancing tools, which are critical to the efficient management and maintenance of utilities.