The gas and oil industry is widely considered one of the most lucrative in the world, and there are certainly a number of high-paying positions available wherever you decide to work in the world.
It’s no secret that gas and oil power the world and have done for some time. Without oil rigs and gas pipelines, and the millions of people who are employed globally to maintain them, there would be virtually no transport. There are more than 1 billion cars in the world, and 98% of them all rely on the oil flowing from places like Saudi Arabia, the USA and Russia.
Naturally, if you’re going to earn the big bucks in such a setting there will be sacrifices necessary. Most positions require you to be based on-site at an oil rig and deal with some harsh weather conditions, and the hours are often long and tiring. However, with this mind, contracts are often shorter in duration. Many people that work in the gas and oil industry choose to take a contract and earn a substantial wage before taking a career break, returning to a new position when they feel suitably revitalised.
Here are the ten highest paying roles within the worldwide gas and oil industry in 2018:
01) Completion Manager – Australia
02) Drilling Manager – Australia
03) Completion Manager – Nigeria
04) Project Services Director – Nigeria
05) Drilling Manager – Iraq
06) Completion Manager – Venezuela
07) Project Manager – Iraq
08) Subsea Manager – Australia
09) Drilling Manager – Angola
10) Completion Manager – Iraq
For a quick insight into what these jobs entail…
- Completion Managers are the final port of call for any matter relating to the work that takes place on an oil rig. They will be involved in every element of the task, from beginning to very end – meaning that it carries a burden of responsibility as large as the salary – pitching in and lending a hand where necessary.
- Drilling Managers will oversee most of the engineering responsibilities, maintaining safety and efficiency throughout the process.
- Project Services Directors act as the liaison between every member of the oil rig team and anybody else that may be involved – including shareholders or investors that have an interest in the oil found.
- Subsea Managers are responsible to assessing the work taking place under the surface, ensuring that all work is safe and efficient.
As you’ll see, you’ll have to move offshore to earn a truly spectacular wage, though most contractors within the UK also earn a comparatively comfortable living – especially when bonus payments and overtime is taken into consideration. Even working as a Roustabout straight from an apprenticeship could earn you £18,000 as a starting wage, with great potential to make up to £30,000 once more experience has been gained.
According to UK employment experts Reed, typical popular positions within the gas and oil industry can expect to take home the following payments.
- Gas Engineer – £14,000 starting, potentially rising to £30,000 once fully qualified
- Offshore Driller – £30-50,000, varying based on your level of experience.
- Petroleum Geologist – Circa £50,000
- Pipeline Engineer – Circa £50,000, potentially rising to around £70,000 once sufficient experience is gained
- Oil Trader – Somewhere between £50-70,000, with a great many bonus payments also available
- Risk Manager – £50-70,000
- Refining Engineer – Circa £60,000
- Subsea Engineer – Circa £70,000
- Completion Engineer – Roughly £100,000
- Drilling Consultant – Typically a minimum of £150,000 – location will always be a factor here
If you are interested in any of these roles, you should know the following about them when choosing which college or degree subjects you are going to take, or before entering into an apprenticeship.
- Gas Engineers will need to understand all facets of appliances that use gas – including the installation and repair or units. You’ll need an appropriate degree to obtain this role on any oil rig.
- Offshore Drillers will be responsible for active drilling beneath a sea bed in search of more natural resources. You can enter this field of work by training up as an apprentice, or by training on the job having entered the industry in another role.
- Petroleum Geologists will need to be fully trained as a geologist, and act as the key port of call for locating safe and fruitful locations for drilling and studying the terrain.
- Pipeline Engineers may be entitled to work offshore in an advisory capacity, but their role is pivotal in the safety of all elements of work on an oil rig.
- Oil Traders are the salespeople of the industry – they will buy and sell reserves of the black stuff to interested parties. An external company usually employs these individuals, so experience is a must.
- Risk Managers hold similar responsibilities to quantity surveyors – experience in the construction industry is essential, as this role is designed to minimise cost.
- Refining Engineers must be experts in all matters pertaining to fossil fuels, so a Bachelor’s degree in the field is hugely important – as is a determination to stay on top of developments in the industry.
- Subsea Engineers require the same level of education, and the same dedication to all things connected to underwater work.
- Completion Engineers get to work once a Subsea Engineer has completed their tasks, adding the finishing touches that may be required.
- Drilling Consultants need not even consider applying for a role without vast experience and a stellar reputation within the industry – they will oversee just about everything that takes place on the oil rig.
As you can see, there are multiple jobs in the oil and gas industry, each of which requires a different set of skills. Apprenticeships are a great way to get your foot in the door of this industry, and always try to speak to somebody who is working, or has worked, in the sector you wish to apply for. This will give you a first-hand insight into what you can realistically expect.