Oil and gas are two of the most crucial source of energy in the world.
Both oil and gas play a huge part in providing us with the most important commodities in our daily lives, from chemicals to clothing, fuel for transportation, medicine, plastics, and even deodorants.
And the world's economy depends heavily on oil and gas production, making them major industries.
Since the entire process of oil and gas production is complex and involves a large amount of labor force, along with technology, there is a wide range of job opportunities in this field.
If you are wondering which profiles are the best paying jobs in oil & gas production, then you are in the right place.
Read on to get an insight into the top best paying jobs in oil & gas production and the following FAQs:
- What is the highest paying job in oil and gas?
- Which field is best for oil and gas industry?
- How much can you make in oil and gas?
Best Paying Jobs in Oil & Gas Production
Getting a job in oil and gas production can be quite competitive because of the diversity of roles and its high salary package compared to other jobs.
Professionals seek jobs in this industry because there is something for everyone here, whether you are a highly qualified individual or someone with a basic education background.
Let us get a deeper insight into the best jobs in oil and gas industry:
Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum engineers play a vital role in oil and gas production, making it one of the best high paying profiles in this field.
The primary job of a petroleum engineer is to collaborate with specialists, locate natural reservoirs of petroleum deposits, and extract petroleum by developing efficient and cost-effective methods.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in engineering (preferably petroleum engineering). Some employers may also accept a bachelor's degree in mechanical, civil, or chemical engineering.
- Average Salary: $113,666 per year.
Electrical Engineering
Oil and gas production relies greatly on electrical engineers to supervise electrical machinery, from installation to maintenance of equipment and control systems.
Electrical engineers design and maintain the electrical power grid to ensure smooth energy flow for the entire oil and gas production process.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a related field.
- Average Salary: $93,007 per year.
Also Read: How to curate a professional electrical engineer resume?
Chemical Engineering
As a chemical engineer, one of your primary responsibilities is to ensure that the right chemicals are used to transform crude oil into usable forms.
You would need to assess the composition and volume of raw petroleum deposits to filter them into valuable products by determining the entire process.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field.
- Average Salary: $93,581 per year.
Environmental, Safety & Health Engineering
It is very important to manage the impact and risks on the environment in the oil and gas industries. Hence, professionals in the environmental field have a huge scope for landing high paying jobs in oil and gas production.
A professional in this field is required to adopt the latest technology and brainstorm innovative ideas to handle chemical and hazardous waste management to maintain minimum carbon footprints.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in environmental engineering or a related field.
- Average Salary: $87,866 per year.
Mechanical Engineering
A mechanical engineer oversees the overall performance and maintenance of equipment used in oil and gas production. One must analyze the data and information to optimize the performance of different equipment.
Their role is not just limited to the stated task but also includes overseeing the safety and sustainability of oil and gas processing equipment.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A graduate/postgraduate degree in Bachelor of Engineering/Technology or a mechanical engineering diploma.
- Average Salary: $85,610 per year.
Also Read: How to draft a professional mechanical engineer resume?
Project Engineer
Project engineers are responsible for overseeing the overall aspects of planning and completing projects while ensuring safety and efficiency.
As a project manager in the oil and gas industries, you need to manage budgets, schedules, purchases, and construction activities by collaborating with multi-discipline engineering teams.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline.
- Average Salary: $80,765 per year.
Oceanographer
The chief duty of oceanographers is surveying and forecasting the physical state of the oceans for oil and gas exploration activities.
Professionals in this field need to oversee the development of potential sites for oil and gas production while supporting the maintenance of tools and processes involved in operations.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in oceanography or a related field.
- Average Salary: $66,940 per year.
Geophysicist
Geophysicists play a key role in oil and gas production by exploring and recognizing oil and gas deposits. They analyze and provide the correct locations for drilling.
As a geophysicist, you will analyze and interpret physical fields during oil and gas exploration by measuring various anomalies and understanding the resource potential of the subsurface.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A Geoscience related degree.
- Average Salary: $223,510 per year.
Technical Writer
Technical writing is important in oil and gas production for compiling complex materials for documenting realistic specifications and technical reports.
Professionals in this field need to develop value-added guides and manuals to communicate with non-technical readers. The articles revolve around project reports, analysis, and findings that would help in decision-making.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or communications.
- Average Salary: $61,860 per year.
Sales Representative
In every industry, sales representatives play a crucial role in obtaining customers and selling products.
Likewise, sales representatives in oil and gas production need to negotiate and close deals with potential clients while brainstorming effective marketing strategies.
Basic Requirements:
- Education: A minimum high school diploma or a bachelor's degree.
- Average Salary: $71,628 per year.
Also Read: How to draft the perfect sales representative resume?
Popular Best Paying Jobs in Oil & Gas Production
Some popular high demand job profiles in oil and gas are:
- Drilling Supervisor
- Rig Electrician
- Production Engineer
- Petrophysical Engineer
- Reservoir Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Equipment Engineer
- Operation and Maintenance engineer
- Quality Control Engineer
- Design Engineer
Also Read: What details to highlight and add to your job resume?
Top Company/Industry in Oil & Gas to Work for
You need to research the best oil and gas companies to work for before you say yes to any job offer. Doing so will ensure that you land the best paying jobs in oil & gas production.
Here is a list of top-ranking oil & gas:
- Shell: $49,925M
- Aramco: $43,637M
- PetroChina: $29,656M
- Sinopec: $25,165M
- BP: $19,001M
- TotalEnergies: $15,086M
- Chevron: $14,588M
- Petronas: $13,596M
- ADNOC: $12,760M
- ExxonMobil: $11,161M
Is a Career in Oil & Gas Production Worth It?
There are different jobs in oil and gas industry, from entry-level to top positions that one can opt for with or without a degree.
The average base salary for professionals working in oil and gas production in the US is $99k per year. And to land the best job in oil and gas industry, you need to be in sync with the requirements.
So if you are looking for higher positions and best paying jobs in oil & gas production, you should consider getting a bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field. Gaining experience and taking a certification course in the stated field will be an added bonus.
Here is a list of some positions in oil and gas companies you may opt for:
- Technical & Supervisory Positions such as Offshore Technicians, Construction Superintendents, and Electronics Technicians.
- Operations Positions such as Equipment & Rig Operators, Pipeline Technician, and Oilfield Service Operator.
- Management & Engineering Positions such as Project Manager & Engineers, Sales & Business Development, and Well Site Managers.
Some benefits of pursuing a career in the oil and gas industry are:
- Annual salaries that are higher than average packages
- Job opportunities that can take you around the globe
- There is a constant demand for workers in this industry
- Opportunity to upskill and learn transferable skills
- Higher chances of job advancement
Also Read: What career is right for me?
Key Takeaways
- The world's economy depends heavily on the production of oil and gas, making them major industries in the world.
- There are different jobs in the oil and gas industry, from entry-level to top positions that one can opt for with or without a degree.
- Technical, supervisor, operations, management, and engineering positions, are some of the profile levels that one can target.
- To land higher-level positions and best-paying jobs in oil & gas production, you need to gain hands-on experience and take up suitable certifications.
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