It may not be surprising that the best paying jobs in oil and gas production can easily exceed other industries.
Fortunly has stated that the average hourly wage in this industry was $45.48. and in 2022, oil prices have reached its highest levels as compared to the past 6 years.
With a strong track record and impressive recoveries documented in the decades, a career in oil and gas production is highly sought after by many.
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Best Paying Jobs in Oil & Gas Production: Highest Paying Oil And Gas Jobs
Here are some of the best jobs with their respective salaries:
Engineers specializing in oil and gas
Engineering jobs are the most in-demand and crowded in the natural gas sector. They can specialize in drilling, processing, or distribution of natural gas.
Oil and Gas engineers can also work as project or production engineers and supervisors. Engineers can make anywhere from $110,000-$180,000/year.
Oil And Gas Managers
Managers are required at all parts of the natural gas production cycle.
There are project managers who work on extraction sites and plant managers, where the natural gas is processed and sent to customers.
Health and safety managers also ensure all workers are operating safely and that companies are providing appropriate health and safety equipment.
Oil and Gas managers typically make around $160,000/year USD.
Lease purchase operator
Lease purchase operators are responsible for the safe and timely movement of oil from the fields.
They typically need a bachelor’s degree in a related field, and their average salary is $101,000/year.
Crude oil driver
These drivers are needed to get crude from the fields to processing plants.
Requirements for crude oil drivers need their GED, and proper licensing, and they can make around $76,000/year.
Drilling engineer
Drilling engineers are needed for drilling for oil.
They require a minimum educational requirement of a bachelor’s degree and their average salary is $75,000/year.
Vessel manager
Managers who are in charge of vessels and supervise offshore oil rigs. They make ~$72,000/year and require a bachelor’s degree in nautical science.
Other Types Of Jobs In Oil And Gas Industry
Oil and Gas fitter
Looking for a hands-on job? Gasfitters are always needed in the oil and gas sector.
Gasfitters sometimes have college degrees but can sometimes only have a GED.
The average salary for a gas fitter has been recorded at $62,000/year USD.
Driller (Oil and Gas)
Drillers in oil and gas are construction workers who work in the pipeline and extraction side of the industry.
These workers typically make around $50,000/year USD.
Oil and Gas Distribution expert
Distribution experts that specialize in Oil and Gas work with transportation logistics to ensure that oil and gas make it to customers and processing facilities on time and that a steady supply gets to market.
Distribution expert salaries average around $54,000/year USD.
Accountants in Oil and Gas
Typically, when thinking about oil and gas jobs, many people discount the service side of the industry.
But these jobs are crucial to a functioning industry. Accountants must maintain payroll for oil and gas companies to ensure employees are paid on time.
They’re also needed to maintain bookkeeping needs, which keeps companies profitable.
Accountants in natural gas typically make $61,000/year USD.
Oil and Gas Human resources
Like all industries, the oil & gas sector needs human resources personnel to hire new employees and maintain employee relations.
In this industry, they typically make $72,000.
Petroleum Geologists
Geologists specializing in oil and gas typically require a bachelor’s degree.
The average salary is $70,000/year.
Oil and Gas Sales representative:
Sales reps are needed as intermediaries between oil companies and customers.
The average oil salesperson makes $65,000/year.
Chemical engineer
Chemical engineers are needed to test oil crude and to ensure oil is stored and processed safely.
They typically make $64,000/year,
Oil and Gas Well tester
These testers assess oil pipes and make around $44,000/year.
Well testers need their high school diploma and on-the-job training.
Gas plant operator
Gas plant operators make around $41,000/year, and typically only need a high school diploma.
Highest Paying Oil And Gas Companies In the world
ConocoPhillips
The Houston-based juggernaut has an experienced median pay of $111,000 and a job satisfaction rating of 79%.
ExxonMobil
One of the globe’s most renowned and prolific companies, ExxonMobil has a median experienced salary of $117,000/year and a job satisfaction rating of 72%.
Chevron
This globally renowned company also has a median experienced pay of $122,000/year and 81% job satisfaction.
An interesting point to note is that Chevron encourages and incentivizes its employees to contribute to communities through volunteer work.
How Many Jobs Are Available In Oil & Gas Production?
There are an estimated 9.8 million jobs in oil and gas production in the United States alone.
Opportunities In Oil And Gas Industry: Is Oil & Gas Production A Good Career Path?
Oil and gas production jobs can be excellent career paths.
Oil and gas are essential to our modern world. Both are increasingly becoming popular in climates where heating is necessary, and they’re much more cost-efficient than electric heating.
As oil and gas heating needs worldwide increase, so will the need for jobs in oil and gas production. These jobs have some of the best pay relative to the required education and training.
They also offer a level of job security absent from most modern sectors.
What is the highest paying jobs in the oil and gas industry?
The highest paying jobs in the oil and gas industry include engineers specializing in oil and gas, managers who manage oil and gas, lease purchase operators, crude oil drivers, drilling engineers, and vessel managers.
Which oil company pays the best?
The highest paying oil and gas companies in the world consist of Conocophillips with a median pay of $111,000 per year, Exxonmobil with a median pay of $117,000 per year, and Chevron with a median pay of $122,000 per year.
Is oil & gas production a good career path?
Fortunly has stated that the average hourly wage in this industry was $45.48. and in 2022, oil prices have reached their highest levels as compared to the past 6 years. With a strong track record and impressive recoveries documented in the decades, a career in oil and gas production is highly sought after by many.