Oil Field Jobs

GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY IN OIL FIELD JOBS

An oil field is a plateau where oil wells digging up petroleum from underground are found in abundance. Oil wells are scattered all over the region to extract oil from reservoirs that span some several hundred kilometers across. In addition to oil wells, an oil field also has exploratory wells, pipelines and support facilities. A good experience in an oil field job can prepare you to work in oil fields because oil fields are generally far away from civilization. Thus, oil fields turn into a small town by itself with housing, electricity, water and several amenities since oil field workers are required to be on-site for months or even years.

Starting most oil field jobs in the oil industry are based on entry level positions where you are required to have some basic knowledge regarding the inner workings of the field, mechanical information such as using drills and it even won�t hurt if you knew a dash of information concerning oil prices and the current situation in the oil market.

Oil companies are typically generous with pay and compensation, workers benefits and bonuses and they are willing to train undergraduate employees.

The salary range in an oil field job at an entry level ranges from $50 000 to $80 000 per year and it will increase for more technical and professional jobs up to $70 000 to $220 000 annually. Although the work is physically demanding, the pay is very good. Not only is the pay good, oil field workers can look forward to receive highest quality food and accommodation as accommodation in many oil fields are more or less similar to that of a 4 star hotel.

If you are interested in working in an oil field and want to know what kind of degree you should take up, then the best is to do a degree in geosciences as this will qualify you for several positions at an oil company, oil rig or oil field whether locally or internationally. A Bachelor�s Degree in Geology or Geologic Engineering can open doors for a graduate in medium or large oil companies. Further studies for a Master�s Degree can be done in Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Structural Geology as well as in Geophysics. Some internationally renowned oil companies are Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Apache Corporation, ENSCO International, Hellenic Petroleum, PETRONAS, Qatar Petroleum, Shell Oil Company and YUKOS.

Some of the positions available in the oil industry are such as Field logging engineer, Marketing Geoscientist, Seismic Data Loader, Hydrographic Surveyor, Geophysical Engineer, Certification Engineer and Corrosion Engineer. Oil companies also employ graduates from different fields of study such as economics, marketing, mass communications, management and IT. Jobs for graduates in these fields include Business Solutions Director, Public Relations Manager, Corporate Communications Manager and Human Resource Manager.

If you are considering working in an oil field, there are some personal and physical factors that need to be taken into consideration. You need to know that you would be away from home for a long duration and in remote areas. Also, you need to be physically fit and must pass the required medical examinations. Not only that, you have to pass the drug and alcohol clearance test and have a clean police record. A good memory with numbers and details is an added advantage.

Back To Oil Field Jobs Home Page