Also called: LDAR Technician, Optical Gas Imaging Technician
Hunts invisible methane leaks at oil and gas sites using special infrared cameras.
You drive to well sites and compressor stations, scan equipment with a camera that makes escaping gas visible like smoke, and tag leaks for repair.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma plus thermography/OGI certification.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing about average. Demand tied to methane regulations.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Satellites, drones and fixed AI sensors are replacing many walk-around camera surveys.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply to leak detection (LDAR) contractors; they send new techs to camera training First: Optical gas imaging (OGI) thermographer course, about a week
Classes: Chemistry, Earth science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4042.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.