32 High Paying Career Ideas in the Oil and Gas Industry

Are you ambitious and hardworking? Do you want to pursue a oil and gas related career? If YES, here are 50 high paying career ideas in the oil and gas industry. The oil and gas industry is a lucrative one; since it is a product that culminates into one of the most expensive natural and mineral resources in the world. This industry is indeed one that has a plethora of career ideas and opportunities which are business-like in nature due to the nature of the industry.

So, there is no perspective you look at in this industry, that you won’t realise that it is one of the best and most blessed industries in the world. There are lots of Careers that can be found in this industry. It can also be said that the careers in the field are a very competitive one as more and more people itch to be listed amongst those who make a living here. It is one of the reasons that those who work in this industry make lots of money. Therefore, the career ideas in the oil and gas industry are as follows:

32 High Paying Career Ideas in the Oil and Gas Industry

1. Become an Auditor

This career perspective in the oil and gas industry provides the professional the responsibility for auditing compliance against well-defined company or industry standards in either technical/ engineering/ health and safety. The standards may relate to process, competence or information recording for example. This career role is a very critical one in the industry as without the editors many things will hitherto be left unattended to in the industry. The idea of an Auditor as a career in the oil and gas industry can thus not be over-emphasised.

2. Become a Cementer

This career in the oil and gas industry is a well-defined, prominent, and one that cannot be left without been looked into critically. The professional in this aspect is a very crucial one as he/she supports the process of preparing a well for further drilling, production or abandonment. Since, cementing a well is the procedure of developing and pumping cement into place in a wellbore, and this is one of the things that usually come up in the oil and gas industry, thus a cementer as a career in the oil and gas industry is a well-thought one.

3. Become a Chef

Yes, in any industry and most especially in the oil and gas industry, cooking is a prominent aspect that cannot be left unattended to. Therefore, this is a career in the industry too, as the chef ensures that he/she provides a quality catering service, usually on an offshore installation, or may be based in a plant or corporate headquarters of the industry. This career is one that most people, do not look towards.

4. Become a Crane Operator

In an oil and gas industry, the crane is one of the equipment that is mostly used. These professionals lift and transport heavy materials using mobile, tower or overhead cranes. In the oil and gas industry, they Operates pedestal cranes mainly for offshore purposes while also not leaving behind onshore purposes in yards, marine bases, etc.

5. Become a Diver

In the oil and gas industry, it is also true that the professionals do not work on land alone. Therefore, whenever they are working onshore, the importance of the divers now come into play, as divers typically carry out a variety of subsea tasks and responsibilities including welding or carrying out inspections. When Divers are not diving they will be required to carry our other duties to support operations in the industry. This career is indeed an elated one in the industry that has a high degree of importance.

6. Become a Health and Safety Advisor

Working in the oil and gas industry is not only risky, but involves a lot of health hazards. Therefore, the health and well-being of professionals cannot be joked with, for this reason, the health and safety advisor not only advise workers on field about what they should do best, but also provide advice and guidance to the Company to help prevent accidents, injuries and health issues in the workplace and promote safe working practices on and offshore. These professionals cannot be left, as the career is a very important one.

7. Become a Marine Engineer

Engineering is one of the careers that is mostly associated with the oil and gas industry. Marine engineering is in fact more prominent and important, as they are responsible for operating the propulsion plants and support systems on board crews, passengers and cargo vessels. These professionals are so critical and important in the oil and gas industry especially for onshore purposes. So much so that they design, build, test and repair boats, ships, remote operated vehicles, offshore platforms and drill ships used in the industry.

8. Become a Materials Controller

The oil and gas industry gulps a lot of materials. In the sense that due to the nature of the industry, there are lots of materials that are usually utilised before/during/after operations. Therefore, the materials controller in the industry takes care of that and ensures that all materials that are used before the operations are properly put in place, and even after operations.

They ensure that everything is kept in its normal position. Summarily, this career ensures that its professionals provide a materials management service to the company and ensures materials and equipment is in the right place at the right time.

9. Become a Mud logger

These professionals work in the offshore aspect of the oil and gas industry, they monitor and record drilling activity, providing information about the well status during the extraction of oil or gas. Their inputs or data help to make the important decisions about the efficiency and placement of the well sites.

Thus, this career is also a critical one in the oil and gas industry, and summarily they base offshore to collect and monitor information from drilling operations and rock samples using a variety of equipment and laboratory techniques. The information gathered is passed on to the drilling team for operations

10. Become an Offshore Steward

Professionals in the oil and gas industry needs a lot of services which time might not permit them to offer on their own. These services which range from laundry, accommodation, cleaning etc. must be taken up by someone. Thus a career is offshore stewardship provides a person an opportunity of been involved in this. Therefore, an offshore steward provides laundry, accommodation and cleaning services based offshore on a platform or vessel.

11. Become a Pipefitter

Pipes are one of the equipment that is mostly used in the oil and gas industry. Thus, a pipefitter who is a professional who installs, assembles, fabricates and maintains mechanical piping systems. Therefore, in the oil and gas industry where this is mostly used, they are even more important and useful.

They fit and fabricate pipe work for offshore equipment or drilling/well operations. A career in pipefitting in the oil and gas industry is one that is very crucial as without them, a major equipment might encounter a lack of maintenance or can even become faulty.

12. Become a Roustabout

Drilling, an important aspect of the oil and gas industry is in use all the time. This might lead to partial/total disorderliness of the drilling arena. Therefore, a career in this aspect of the industry thus ensures that the drilling area in good working order.

Usually based on a drilling rig or platform for two or three weeks, followed by two of three weeks rest period onshore. Work is undertaken on a shift basis day and night. These professionals work tirelessly to ensure that things are rightly put in place in the drilling industry, and their importance cannot be underrated.

13. Become a Scaffold Operator

In this industry, there are needs for workers to get to higher levels of building, hence the need for scaffolding. When the scaffolding is in place, there are professionals in the career who ensures that it is properly been put to use. Thus, scaffolders ensure that they put up and take down scaffolding that allows workers to reach the higher levels of building during the operations in the industry. A career in this aspect is also essential, as without them, most of the workers in the industry will not be able to accomplish their given tasks.

14. Become a Well Test Engineer

Wells are mostly in use in the oil and gas industry, therefore, a well test engineer is needed in this industry, and he/she forms part of a team that is responsible and accountable for all aspects of Well Test operations and activities covering planning, equipment, personnel and third party equipment. Thus, delving into a career in well test engineering provides the professional an opportunity to explore the oil and gas industry the more.

15. Become a Legal Advisor

Lawyers who are specialized in the oil and gas sector; they are referred to as oil and gas lawyers. So, as a lawyer, if you are looking towards looking having a career in the oil and gas industry, then one of your best options is to specialized in oil and gas law so as to offer legal services in the oil and gas industry.

This career is not only thriving in the oil and gas industry but also exclusively reserved for lawyers. This means first of all, that you have got to be versed in the industry, and one of such ways to be vast is to be educated. Yes, lawyers can also take up a career in the oil and gas industry.

16. Become an oil and gas Consultant

There is no restriction to the services offered by consultants. As a matter of fact, there are consultants in all industries ranging from finance to medicals etc. If you have a robust experience in the oil and gas industry and you have the required qualifications and professional certifications to back your experience, then one of the ways that you can expand your career in the oil and gas industry is to start an oil and gas consultancy and advisory services.

It is a mouth-watering career especially if you are a known figure in the oil and gas industry. Though starting up requires a lot of sacrifices and educational background too.

17. Become a Public Relations officer
    

Publicity is one of the most important aspects of any industry. Therefore another career in the oil and gas industry is the publicity aspect. This guarantees that, a person can either divert into having a TV/Radio programme or even involved in advertising for the industry. This involves an apt knowledge of the industry, and an experience that can get people attracted to the programme to propel a bright career.

18. Become a Blogger

Blogging is useful in any industry nowadays, in fact the oil and gas is never an exception. Another easy way to start a career in the oil and gas industry is to start blogging on oil and gas related issues. It is interesting to note that there are loads of people out there who are well known professionals in blogging.

If you are an oil and gas professional or someone who has sound knowledge in the oil and gas industry, one of the careers that you can consider starting is to start blogging on oil and gas related subjects. The truth is that this on itself can portray one as a known professional in the field and will increase one’s online presence and popularity.

19. Become an Offshore Helideck Assistance

The elaborate oil and gas industry is an interesting one. In fact it has a lot of aspects and divisions. One of the aspects of this industry which cannot be ignored is the Helideck aspect. In this case, the assistant helps and is also responsible for supporting the landing and departure of routinely scheduled helicopters carrying personnel offshore to installations or vessels in a safe and timely manner.

20. Become a Welder

Welding is an aspect that cannot be left unattended to in the oil and gas industry, in fact this can gulp up the bulk of more than half of what is been done in the industry. Thus, a welder Cuts, shapes and joins sections of metal, alloys or other materials using specialist welding methods. These welders are professionals that cannot be joked with in the industry. Hence their importance is also not in doubt. Therefore, a career in welding in the oil and gas industry is a worthwhile and beneficial career.

21. Become a Commercial Manager

Every industry has a commercial team, likewise the oil and gas industry is also not an exception in this regard. Therefore, the commercial manager in this industry manages the Commercial Team and plans, develops and implements the Company’s commercial plans for commercial and business development activities. This career aspect is also necessary in the industry as it ensures that the management of the commercial aspect of the industry is not jeopardised.

22. Become a Customer Service rep
    

“Customers are always right”, it is said, and the ultimate goal of any industry or company is the satisfaction of its teeming customers. This is because without the customers, the industry or company will cease to exist. Therefore a career in the customer service aspect of the oil and gas industry ensures the provision of a timely support to customers to ensure that they are satisfied with the product or service and ensures that any complaints and queries are dealt with promptly.

23. Become a Draughtsperson/CAD Operator

The industry is a large one which involves the cooperation of a lot of stakeholders for optimum success. This career aspect of the industry ensures the provision of a draughtsperson who can produce technical drawings and designs using traditional draughting techniques or by using computer aided design (CAD). These designs are thus used in the industry and by extension in the provision of its services.

24. Become an IT Technician

Information Technology (I.T) has taken over all aspects of human lives, there is no gain saying we are living in the 21^st century which many persons refer to as the computer age. Therefore an IT technician is a point of contact in any industry; in fact their importance cannot be over-emphasised.

Thus, an IT technician in the oil and gas industry is the first line support for users of hardware and software in an office environment and offshore. They are responsible for troubleshooting and fault finding to ensure that downtime is minimised, and everything especially the IT aspect of the industry is intact.

25. Become a Payroll Assistant

In every industry/establishment, there is always the need to pay employees or even associates. Likewise in the oil and gas industry this is also essential, thus the need for a payroll assistant. A career in this aspect ensures that the professional Pays employees on time by calculating their pay and any required company or statutory deductions. This career is also needed and moreover necessary in the oil and gas sector.

26. Become a Production Supervisor

Without production there is no industry, and without adequate supervision production will die a natural death. Therefore, a production supervisor just as the name implies is in charge of the supervision of productions in the company/industry.

This is also needed in the oil and gas industry as they (production supervisors) ensure that they monitor and control all oil and gas production and utility systems to ensure that production targets are achieved. This career is therefore apt, accurate and an idea in the oil and gas industry that can be explored.

27. Become a Quality Controller

In many industries, especially in the oil and gas, there is a special need of paying attention to quality, and controlling that in the industry. This emphasises the need for quality controllers. Quality controllers are mainly employed by companies who make or service equipment, tools, pipe work etc. for the oil and gas industry. They are responsible for making sure that technical quality standards are being met and that company/industry.

This career option is one which is not only essential in the industry but also critical to its credibility and functionality as the bulk of what is done by the oil and gas industry must pass through the quality control assurance mechanism. Therefore a career in this aspect of the industry is a promising one.

28. Become a Reservoir Engineer

Just as it has been stated earlier, engineers are critical to the oil and gas industry. In fact their importance exceeds just the marine engineering aspect mentioned before. These reservoir engineers converts geological data into models to show how oil, gas and water are distributed within a reservoir, predicts the flow of fluid through rocks by creating simulation models and analysing production history. Therefore, a career in reservoir engineering especially in the oil and gas industry assures one of this benefit and more, as the projected prospect of this career is incredible.

29. Become a Buyer

Buying is a fundamental aspect of any industry, while industries produce to sell, they also buy too. This function of buying for the company must be actualised by someone, hence the need for the buyer. This professional will administer the company’s purchasing activities to deliver a cost effective, timely and valued added purchasing function.

He/she is also expected to liaise with other company departments to provide support with storage, stock etc. This career prospect in the industry, an often neglected one must never be toiled with, as the career portends a lot of benefits and advantages for the professional.

30. Become a Petroleum Refining expert
    

Petroleum is a product of the oil and gas industry, and as an industry it requires professionals who are specialists in refining to different end products. This involves all the chemical engineering processes and other facilities used in petroleum refineries (also referred to as oil refineries) to transform crude oil into useful products such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline or petrol,  kerosene, jet fuel,  diesel oil and fuel oils.

This career path is very useful and necessary as because without refining the oil and gas industry which basically deals with petroleum products is as good as nothing. Thus undergoing a career in this is in fact a perfect one.

31. Become an Oil and gas servicing coy
    

The oil and gas is a large industry whereby they make use of a lot of equipment and tools in their services. Servicing is indeed an integral part of this industry as without servicing the equipment can become obsolete and might not be of use anymore.

Therefore, career in servicing ensures that services such as safety, hazard control, pipeline installation, other installations, pipeline monitoring and security, etc. are well taken care of. This is an idea that can never be overlooked. It is a career that must be pursued to the latter.

32. Become a Cooking gas retailer

Retailing of cooking gas is a career yet thriving and profitable oil and gas related business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a career/ business should consider starting. This type of career is suitable in countries where gas is not supplied to apartments via a structures pipe system.

All you need to get this type of career started is a shop located in a residential estate, gas cylinders and supply of gas directly from a gas plant. Retailing of cooking gas is amongst the oil and gas related career ideas that can develop into a high business idea you can start with little start – capital

The oil and gas industry is indeed a mega industry. There are varying range of career options for different careers in the industry which includes Engineering, laundering, transportation, etc. the fact is that there is no career in this industry that is not a money spinner. So indeed, anyhow and anyway you look at it, you can indeed become rich in the oil and gas industry.