these guys earn the money. Most of those operator jobs are technician rated. 24/7 operations never too cold or hot to work, if you have an attendant job. you're working with volatile chemicals and extreme conditions. every year there are refinery deaths, and serious injuries. And FEWER workers and more responsibility. Sure they are good paying jobs,but not ALL of them are top rate. After 24 years I still have dreams of alarms going off and gauges pegging.