Contents
- 1 Drill Deck Workers – ($50,000-$90,000 USD)
- 2 Geologists – ($68,000-$185,000 USD)
- 3 Engineers (Subsea / Chemical Process / Reservoir / Drilling) – ($73,000-$188,000 USD)
- 4 Production / Maintenance supervisor – ( $110,000-$240,000 USD)
- 5 Offshore Installation Managers – ($175,000-$250,000 USD)
- 6 Rig Manager, Drilling Consultant – ($150,000-$300,000 USD)
Working on an Oil Rig involves working with heavy machinery, generally requires long hours away from home, and is very mentally and physically challenging. The jobs are also highly sought for a few reasons:
- They pay well relative to other trade related jobs with the average salary being $75,000 USD a year according to 2020 US Labor Statistics.
- The work is typically in a 14/21 rotation where you work long hours for 14 days, but then you get 21 days off. Working hard, and then getting long stretches of time off is attractive to many.
- The industry provides the opportunity for work related travel to countries such as United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Russia, China, United Arab Emirates. This is exciting for many who like to see the world.
Here at RigJobs we have put together a guide of pay ranges for the most common jobs in Oil & Gas based on the latest global compensation statistics.
Drill Deck Workers – ($50,000-$90,000 USD)
There is a hierarchy for jobs on an oil rig. The entry level jobs are commonly known as Roughnecks or Roustabouts and average approximately $50,000 USD, the more skilled positions are the Motorman, and Derrickhand averaging approximately $65,000 USD per year, and the more senior supervisor positions such as Driller and Toolpusher averaging $90,000 USD per year.
Geologists – ($68,000-$185,000 USD)
Skilled & Well-trained geologist perform seismic surveys and analyze data to find new Oil Deposits. The jobs are typically a mix between onshore office work, and going offshore to perform tests in the field.
Engineers (Subsea / Chemical Process / Reservoir / Drilling) – ($73,000-$188,000 USD)
Subsea engineers oversee the design and installation of equipment, wellbeds, and pipelines. Process engineers design and build the equipment used in processing and production of oil and gas. Reservoir engineers use geological data to model a plan to extract oil & gas. Drilling engineers oversee the drilling operations of onshore and offshore oil & gas wells.
Production / Maintenance supervisor – ( $110,000-$240,000 USD)
These are mid-level managers overseeing departments on an offshore Rig such as Maintenance, Production, Electrical Equipment.
Offshore Installation Managers – ($175,000-$250,000 USD)
This is a Senior leadership position typically reporting to the Rig Manager, with responsibilities such as safety, scheduling, training, and maintenance.
Rig Manager, Drilling Consultant – ($150,000-$300,000 USD)
These Senior leadership jobs can have different titles, but this position is the general manager of the rig, similar to a captain of a ship they have broad general management responsibility for oversight, supervision, safety of the rig. This is a leadership position that requires extensive experience can pay in excess of $300,000 USD a year in total comp, and is the highest paying job on an offshore platform.