The document discusses trends in global mobility within the oil and gas industry. It finds that both contractors and permanent employees are increasingly likely to work internationally. For contractors, 61% say they are highly likely to seek another job in the next year, while 50% of permanent employees feel the same. International opportunities are rising across Asia, Africa, South America, and these regions are attracting more talent. Salary is the main motivation for pursuing international roles. The skills shortage in oil and gas also contributes to growing global mobility as professionals seek opportunities elsewhere.

1. globalenergy & naturalresources
Mobilisation and its impact on
the global Oil & Gas market

2. Progressive GE 3
“Skills shortages, ‘buying expertise’ and visa limitations
impacting the sourcing of talent remain factors affecting the
global Oil & Gas recruitment market.”
Introduction
The Global Energy & Natural Resources market is
experiencing considerable growth and investment.
Majors & operators are embarking on large international
projects which will open up mobilisation opportunities
for talent considering overseas assignments- but how
will this impact on salaries and how does it affect
perceptions in the Oil & Gas industry?
In this global mobilisation report we highlight candidate
motivations across the globe in terms of the rise in
overseas opportunities, which regions are considered
the most attractive and what support is the most
important from an employer to our international talent
base.
Finally we explore factors such as skills shortages, the
focus on ‘buying expertise’ and the limitations that visa
requirements present to our global candidate base. We
also outline salary rates and provide regional insights
around market trends across core disciplines and how
these impact candidates across the globe.
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Introduction
Mobilisation Insightsn Insights
Mobilisation & its effect on recruitment and retention
Motivation & mobilisation
Supporting mobility
Support structures
ns
Regional & Salary trendsn
Europe
Africa
South America
US & North America
Middle East
Asia Pacific
Methodology
Index

3. Progressive GE 5
Setting the scene
Over the space of 3 months Progressive GE has been
speaking with employees from across the world to
understand how attractive the prospect of working
abroad is, where the most attractive places to work are,
the drivers for international mobility and what provision
employees would expect if they were to look at an
international move.
We spoke to both contractors and permanent members
of staff across the Americas, Africa, Asia Pacific,
Europe and the Middle East, whose experience ranged
from operations, project management and logistics, to
construction, drilling and Health & Safety.
Our respondent panel approximates a 50/50 split
between contract and permanent employees. Before
we explore employee perceptions of mobility though,
we first wanted to understand where respondents were
engaging from, to better understand their likelihood and
receptiveness towards global mobility.
Mobilisation & its effect on
recruitment and retention
UK 13% UK 10%
South
America 6%
South
America 21%
Africa 9% Africa 6%
Asia Pac
29%
Asia Pac
20%
Europe 17%
Europe 17%
Middle East 11%
Middle East 11%
North
America 13%
North
America 15%
Contractors by region Permanent staff by region
The contractor/permanent split
Out of our contractor population we can see there is a
pretty even balance between the people that currently
work in their country of origin and those that don’t; with
47% currently working outside where they were born.
That’s hardly surprising considering demand across
the global energy market is showing greater impetus in
countries such as China, India and Brazil. In countries
such as these, demand is far outstripping the supply of
local talent and companies are looking to build
international project teams to meet their local skills
gaps, while also bringing in international expertise to
meet their local knowledge requirements.
The impact of shale on the US oil and gas industry,
which has increased by over 25% in the last five years,
is also having a significant impact on the levels of talent
required in country. This means demand for people with
highly specific skills has become a global one. Indeed
when we look further into our contractor population
we can see that 62% of people we spoke to have 10+
years experience, which goes some way towards
explaining how this population has become increasingly
migratory.
What could be regarded as surprising though is that
over 1/3rd of our permanent panel (38%) work outside
their country of origin. This suggests migration is not as
transitional as many would believe.
Experience is also increasingly becoming a critical
driver for companies looking to recruit permanent
members of staff, although we do see a much broader
spread of experience for recruits of this type. Only
40% of people we spoke to have more than 10 years
experience, 12% have between 8-10 years and almost
a quarter (22%) have between 5 and 7 years.
So it seems we have two streams of recruitment activity
happening across the world; a permanent cycle where
companies are looking for a broader skillset and a
range of experience, typically in more support-driven
roles, and a contract market where companies are
looking to fill their immediate and, potentially,
long-term skills gaps, which are more market and
demand-focused.
Permanent
Contract
Contract
Permanent
Country of origin
Experience
No 47% Yes 53%
No 38% Yes 62%
62%
40%
22%
12%
of people we spoke
to have 10+ years
experience
of people we spoke
to have 10+ years
experience
of people we spoke to
have between 8-10 years
experience
of people we spoke to
have between 5-7 years
experience

4. 6 Progressive GE
The professional contractor
When we talk specifically to contractors there’s been a
marked increase in full-time professional contractors.
Indeed over recent years we’ve seen a permanent brain
drain within the oil and gas industry as more employees
look for the challenge, opportunity and financial benefits
associated with being a full-time contractor, while
leaving behind the comfort and stability associated with
being a full-time employee.
Perhaps in synergy with this rise in the professional
and full-time contractor we can also see employers
becoming increasingly attracted to the prospect of
recruiting international project teams and shipping them
out to different projects and assignments across the
world.
The breakdown of our contractor population reaffirms
that new markets are the most attractive proposition,
with Asia in particular having the largest contingent of
contractors with 29% currently located there. This is
10% more than the second biggest population, Europe
at 19%, Africa (9%) and South America which accounts
for only 6%. However we do expect these numbers to
increase significantly in the next few years, particularly
in South America and Africa.
The first signs of that movement are already being seen
in Brazil where demand has been growing over recent
years as the country increases its oil reserves. In Brazil
recent discoveries have resulted in the highest increase
in oil reserves anywhere in the world, jumping from 14th
to 8th in the world rankings*. And with Petrobras alone
planning to invest US$147 billion in the next five years
demand is only going to increase.
What’s more, with Africa currently supplying roughly
12% of the world’s oil and having significant untapped
reserves (which have been estimated at 8% of the
world’s total) Africa is sure to continue to drive demand
for oil and gas talent; particularly when we consider
the potential opportunities emerging as a result of new
exploration programmes, development of its ports,
pipeline engineering and major infrastructure projects
happening across the continent.
Movement of talent
Considering the major global opportunities for
contractors and permanent hires it’s worthwhile
understanding how likely we are to see movement in
the talent pool and whether this is likely to impact on
employers and their need to be more international in
their outlook.
Although demand for contractors has eased slightly
in the final quarter of 2013, confidence and demand
will inevitably pick up as we move into 2014 and in
particular the second half of the year. With that in mind,
we are already seeing confidence from contractors
grow. When we asked contractors how likely they are
to look for a new assignment in the next 12 months it’s
therefore little surprise that 29% said they’d be likely
* Reference: PWC 2013
Africa
9%
Europe
19%
29%
Asia
Contingent of contractors per region
How likely are you to look for
another job in the next 12 months?
How likely are you to look for
another job in the next 12 months ?
61% Highly likely
50% Highly likely
29% Likely
29% Likely
2% Highly unlikely
2% Highly unlikely
1% Unlikely
6% Unlikely
7% Neutral
13% Neutral
and 61% said very likely to do so. However this does
suggest that many assignments are coming to an end
or that contracts are being managed on a relatively
short-term basis, which could mean a project-focused
talent drain that has the potential to put extra pressure on
project delivery.
A lot of the global activities we’ve seen over recent
months suggests that there is still a talent war
happening across the industry and a noticeable amount
of recruitment activity is focused on people moving
across competing companies or across borders to get
the salaries and opportunities available to them in the
market.
Confidence is also permanent
What is surprising though is that almost 4/5ths (79%)
of permanent employees are either likely (29%) or very
likely (50%) to look for a new job in the next 12 months.
The difference though is that many of these potential
permanent specialists are looking to move towards
self-employed contracts as demand for contractors
increases, skills gaps continue to grow and salaries are
increasing exponentially as a result.
An additional concern though is that we expect to see
a major global talent drain across all areas of the oil
and gas supply chain, as experienced people recruited
in the 70s and early 80s get closer to retirement and
companies risk losing years of experience and expertise.
Permanent
Contract
South America
6%

5. Progressive GE 9
Contractor mobility
If we look closer at the contractor market we can see
the proportion of people that have worked internationally
for at least 3 months is not as extensive as many would
expect. Only 58% of people said this was the case. What
is telling though is that we can see international contracts
are becoming increasingly attractive, no doubt driven by
better pay, opportunities and potential conditions outside
of our respondents original countries of origin.
Looking at the table we can see that more than 10
years ago we saw 1 in 5 (20%) contractors had worked
internationally but then saw a dip between 5 and 10
years, where numbers fell by almost a half (12%).
Over the last 5 years though this trend has been
changing incrementally year-on-year as international
demand and competition for senior talent has increased.
In fact the percentage of contractors that had worked
internationally was back at the 10 years+ level in
2013 when 20% of people said they’d been employed
internationally between 12 and 24 months ago.
Although the last 12 months has seen that number drop
slightly, we can see almost unanimous agreement that
contractors are receptive to working internationally in
the future, with 96% of people saying this is an attractive
proposition.
What’s more, more than a half of the contractors we
spoke to (56%) agreed they’d seen a rise in the number
of international opportunities and this was key to their
willingness to move across international borders.
Whether this was a positive or negative factor provides
some insight into the attractiveness of international
mobility for contractors or whether the market demands
have forced them to change their career ambitions. Our
study confirms this as it shows a 50:50 split between
contractors who feel they have to work abroad to achieve
their ambitions and those that see it as a positive and
personal change, although international mobility is not
for everyone. In fact even though half of our study (49%)
did not feel they needed to move abroad, over ¾ felt this
was a positive change in the market and one they were
comfortable with.
Have you ever worked internationally
for at least 3 months?
Do you have to work abroad to
achieve your ambitions?
No 49% Yes 51%
No 42% Yes 58%
How long ago did you work
internationally?
18% Less than a year ago
20% Between 1 and 2 years
15% Between 2 and 3 years
14% Between 3 and 5 years
12% Between 5 and 10 years
20% More than 10 years ago
Contract
Would you consider working
internationally in the future?
No 4%
Yes 96%
Do you see the rise in overseas
opportunities as a positive change?
No 23% Yes 77%
Progressive GE 9
Permanent mobility
Considering permanent recruitment, where the major
areas of growth have been within support or operations
functions, we can see that this is still a highly mobile
market with 45% of the people we spoke to saying they
had worked for more than 3 months in an international
location. Unlike contract though over the last 5
years mobility of permanent employees has grown
exponentially to the extent that 27% of people had
worked internationally less than 12 months ago – the
highest level we’ve seen for some time. These trends are
perhaps little surprise when we consider that the global
oil and gas market has become a lot more disparate over
recent years, and new emerging markets have been
driving demand, and indeed the supply of people with
international experience.
What is surprising however is that working internationally
in the future is a slightly more attractive proposition for
permanent members of staff than it is for contractors,
with 97% of the people we spoke to saying they’d
seriously consider this opportunity. So what’s driving this
for permanent mobility?
There are still significant talent gaps across the whole of
the oil and gas industry which began back in the 1980’s
when around ¼ of geologists and engineers left the
industry. Compounding this was the number of petroleum
engineers and geology students dropped significantly
in places like the US and Europe. Putting these two
things together has meant that the legacy of the 1980s is
still being felt today and is likely to increase even more
given that a recent study found that an additional 22,000
engineers and geologists were likely to leave the industry
over the next two years.
Have you ever worked internationally
for at least 3 months?
No 55% Yes 45%
Permanent
How long ago did you work
internationally?
27% Less than a year ago
20% Between 1 and 2 years
15% Between 2 and 3 years
12% Between 3 and 5 years
17% Between 5 and 10 years
9% More than 10 years ago
Would you consider working
internationally in the future?
No 3%
Yes 97%

6. Progressive GE 1110 Progressive GE
Added to these issues the rise in national oil companies
in areas such as the Middle East and Africa, and
the growth of independent companies throughout
the whole of the supply chain, (both of which have
increased demand and competition for qualified energy
professionals), we can see that those in the industry are
a much more attractive proposition than even before.
This means competition has become fiercer, pay rates
and benefits have increased significantly in some areas
and the opportunities for people with specific skills and
experience are much more compelling and international
opportunities are much more attractive.
Whether permanent employees feel the need to move
abroad to achieve their ambitions shows that the
permanent recruitment market is slightly different to
the contract one in that the majority of people in this
employment group (60%) feel international mobility to be
a key part of their career development.
This corresponds very closely with the number of people
who feel there has been a rise in permanent overseas
opportunities in the last 12 months (62%) and suggests
we are seeing fewer opportunities for growth within their
existing place of employment and that other companies
or countries offer greater chances for personal growth.
Looking closer we see that over 4/5ths of the
permanent staff we spoke to saw the rise in international
opportunities as a positive force for change and one
they welcomed. This could again be driven by lack of
opportunities in their current company or market, or
could be driven by lifestyle or financial factors, which
we’ll explore later.
Do you have to work abroad to
achieve your ambitions?
Have you seen a rise in overseas
opportunities within your area
over the past 12 months?
Do you see the rise in overseas
opportunities as a positive change?
No 40% Yes 60%
No 38% Yes 62%
No 17% Yes 83%
Permanent
International mobility
60%
60% feel international mobility to be a key part of
their career development.
Show me the money
It’s perhaps little surprise that salary is the biggest
attraction for people considering a move outside
their country of origin, with 91% of our panel saying
that this is the most important factor in their decision-
making. As competition drives up international mobility
and demand, our research shows that cross-border
competition is not just affecting people’s willingness
to move, but increasing the level of competition for
the people most in demand. This in turn means salary
levels in some areas are artificially inflated and as a
result mobility is an increasingly attractive proposition.
Over the next 2-3 years though, we anticipate salary
levels to find their own equilibrium. Only the most in-
demand disciplines, such as geology and engineering,
will continue to evolve in this way and salaries in
these areas will continue to remain buoyant and a key
attraction for internationally motivated employees.
Although competition between emerging and more
developed regions will continue to drive changes in
mobility patterns, we also anticipate the expectations
of other, non-critical functions should level out and as
a result those motivated by money alone will reduce
significantly.
Over the next 5 years we also anticipate that some
functions will see salaries become harmonised
across the world as mobility in oil and gas becomes
increasingly the norm. As this happens employers will
need to ensure their remuneration packages remain
attractive and that employees can have a global
perspective both within and outside their current
organisation.
Job prospects
Although salary is seemingly inextricably linked to
international mobility almost 2/3rds of the people we
spoke to (61%) said one of their key motivators for
moving would be better job prospects.
A recent study by PWC showed that Generation Y (or
millennials) will “make up the significant majority of
all international assignments by 2020”. As a result we
anticipate we’ll see a significant change in focus with
millennials focusing “on interest and opportunity,” rather
than just financial rewards
Globally we can already see a major culture change
being driven by Generation Y and this will inevitably
decide who wins and loses the war for talent.
Training and development have often been cited by this
highly aspirational population as a key draw for them
looking to move jobs; it empowers them to be more
in control of their careers, makes them a much more
attractive proposition to current and future employers
and improves their attractiveness in the market.
With competition driving demand and supply, for Gen-Y
flexibility and mobility are key to their career aspirations,
and if that means moving internationally to achieve
them, then they are only too happy to do so. In fact,
we’ve seen that Gen-Y are more open to international
assignments than any other generation before and
regard this as a key part of their own career and
personal development.
With international migration high on the agenda for both contractor and permanent professionals and
their motivation to move increasing year-on-year, we explored what makes employees consider moving
internationally.
Motivation & mobilisation
61%
Job prospects
said one of their key motivators
for moving would be better job
prospects.

7. Progressive GE 1312 Progressive GE
Of our panel felt
they need to look
internationally for work
30%
Lifestyle
With mobility expected to grow by up to 50% by 2020,
it’s hardly surprising that almost 2/3rds of our panel
(60%) said international mobility was not just a way to
make them more competitive in the recruitment market,
but was also a great way to explore diverse lifestyles.
Some even went as far as to say that a job would
be a way to explore new countries and cultures and
they intend to use this as a way to reduce risk when
considering emigrating.
The PWC study showed that CEOs are increasingly
looking to change their approach to global mobility and
would now look to include international secondments as
part of their offering. This provides not only millennials
the chance to explore the world and gain a much more
attractive world-view of the oil and gas industry, but also
encourage senior people to stay in the industry longer.
At senior level we can already see people with
significant experience and expertise (and who are
particularly in demand) choosing to look outside their
country of origin to provide them and their families
with a different, and some might say, better lifestyle.
With salaries increasing for key roles and competition
driving demand, they are using this opportunity to give
them a significant salary/rate bump and looking for
jobs/assignments that give them the basis to explore
countries or regions they are considering moving to
later in life.
Ask any oil and gas company in the world about what
they are doing to recruit and retain their people and
they’ll talk about their market-leading salary packages,
exceptional bonus schemes, health and welfare
plans and their world-class training and development
programmes. None of which makes their recruitment
offering stand out. Our survey shows that, in some
regards there is already a major disconnect between
what employees want and what employers are offering,
and we anticipate this continuing unless non-financial
compensation is also considered. As global mobility
increasingly becomes the norm, we anticipate
salary and benefit levels will become increasingly
standardised and so global multinationals will need to
be much more creative in their approach to recruiting
and retaining key talent, including considering
the importance of lifestyle for three very different
generations of workers.
Considering the no-choice option
With mobility becoming the norm across the industry
it’s hardly surprising that less than a third of our
panel (30%) felt they needed to look internationally
for work. With international and intra-national mobility
becoming a normal part of the industry as a whole, in
the emerging and growth markets such as India, the
US and the Middle East, the perception of mobility has
changed. International mobility is now considered to
be a standard part of a career in oil and gas. So the
suggestion that people have to “go where the work is”,
is misleading since the vast majority of employees do
not feel they “have” to do it, it is that they naturally do it.
This is confirmed by our panel as only 16% of people
said the lack of local employment opportunities was a
reason for them moving internationally.
50%
Mobility
Mobility is expected to grow
by up to 50% by 2020
Concerning Security
Considering mobility is seemingly seen as a
fundamental part of a long and prosperous career in the
oil and gas industry, it’s perhaps surprising that many of
the concerns employees have when moving abroad are
around security.
Almost 2/3rds of the people we spoke to (60%) said
that security was becoming an increasingly important
factor for them when considering international mobility.
For many this is the key issue holding them back from
taking on projects or jobs elsewhere in the world.
But security does not just relate to secure ground
transportation. It also refers to having somewhere safe
and secure for themselves and their families to live;
having safe and secure schools for their children and
knowing that their employer has their wellbeing at heart.
These factors are critical to people working all over the
world, not just in the countries regarded as unstable
and the sooner employers recognise them and make
them a key part of their employer offering the better
they’ll be at increasing the size and scope of their
international talent pool.
Concerning health and welfare
The second most important concern for employees is
a much more fundamental aspect of their wellbeing.
44% of the people we spoke to said health and welfare
was a real concern for them and their families when
moving internationally. Some of the people currently on
international assignment have even suggested their
families remain at home because this concern is not
being fully addressed.
For some employers and employees this is a natural
part of working on assignment abroad, but if the war
for talent is going to be fought on all fronts then this
perception has to change, particularly when such large
numbers of permanent experts are considering an
international role.
Although some major companies have a strong and
welfare focused code of conduct for their employees
and have set up wellness centres across the world,
and others have afforded the same health and welfare
benefits to active and retired employees, the focus
across the industry seems to fall on employees only.
Although employees recognise this as a key feature of
their employment, as the permanent market becomes
increasingly mobile then this offering will need to evolve
and be extended to cover the people that are important
in the lives of the people companies employ.
Also project-based employees who are on assignment
are concerned about the health and welfare benefits
afforded to their families should the worst happen.
Although some companies cover this eventuality and
have programmes in place to help those left behind,
this service needs to be extended so that families
can feel safe in the knowledge their loved ones are
protected and secure no matter where their job takes
them.
With companies having to consider mobility as a key part of their recruitment, retention, and growth
strategies, and having to adapt their employer offering to be able to compete in the global war for talent, the
industry needs to ensure that their offering is not disconnected from the needs of the people they are looking
to attract.
What’s more, with mobility becoming standard for people working within the oil and gas industry, its
imperative employers understand how to facilitate the transition from country to country, and provide
services that employees feel are critical to their international onboarding. This leaves them able to focus on
what matters most – doing the job they’ve been employed to do.
With that in mind we explore what support employees want from their employers and what concerns them
about moving internationally as part of their oil and gas career.
Supporting mobility

8. Progressive GE 15
Concerning instability
With emerging markets becoming an increasingly
attractive proposition for international job mobility
it’s hardly surprising that potential employees are
concerned about stability in those countries.
According to our panel, political instability is a real
concern for more than 1 in 3 employees (35%). We’ve
already seen how political instability in Africa has the
potential to take its toll on the energy sector and are
already seeing countries like Libya (which has the
largest proven oil reserves in Africa) being affected by
armed militias and striking oil workers shutting down
many of the largest export terminals and oil fields.
Analysts are also warning that the standoff over Syria
has the potential to affect oil and gas production in both
North Africa and the Middle East and could spill over
into surrounding major oil-producing countries such as
Iraq.
The stories of oil and gas companies sending planes
into troubled regions to evacuate workers and their
families, and suspending operations as a result, has
resonated with our employee population. Oil and gas
companies have always taken worker safety very
seriously and as production increases in regional hot-
spots this is only going to impact further.
Although oil and gas companies are sensitive to the
risks associated with doing business in new oil and
gas economies and regard thorough threat evaluation
and analysis as a key aspect of operating there, our
employee panel tells us that intelligence before and
during an assignment needs to be joined up and
communicated.
Employees understand that working in emerging
markets has the potential to be challenging but believe
companies need to have the networks, infrastructure
and people in place to help them feel more secure.
What’s more, this needs to be a key part of the
recruitment and onboarding process when working in
these countries. If a third of potential employees would
consider not mobilising because of a perceived threat
rather than a real threat of instability, then employers
are potentially closing off a third of their potential talent
pool.
44% My health and welfare
60% Security
35% Political instability
27% Job stability
24% Standard of living
20% Family fitting in
19% Leaving friends and family
13% Not feeling welcomed
10% Fitting into new ways of working
6% Fitting into a new culture
5% Education levels
4% Making new friends
What concerns you most about
working internationally?
More than a quarter of the people we spoke to (27%)
believe that job stability is a major concern for them and
a potential reason they’d not consider an international
opportunity.
This is in part linked to the view that security and
instability are potential hazards in emerging oil and gas
markets, but is also tied to fear of the unknown. As we
go further down the list of concerns we can see that
not feeling welcomed (13%), fitting into new ways of
working (10%) and fitting into a new culture (6%) are
very real concerns for some of the people we spoke
to, and these are inextricably linked to feeling a person
can do a job well.
Indeed a recent study by Ipsos and BDO* found that
employees look to limit the risk associated with moving
to a new country by overwhelmingly selecting English
speaking countries as their desired destination. The US
ranked first in their table of desirable countries (34%),
followed by the United Kingdom (22%), Canada (20%)
and Australia (20%).
The study also showed that for some companies
offering a guarantee that employees could move back
to their current role/country after two years with further
relocation assistance, reduced the perceived risk and
was a major incentive for employees.
With the feeling that job security is inextricably tied to
feelings of well-being, companies and HR departments
in particular need to be much more flexible in how they
encourage and onboard people that may be suitable
for international mobilisation.
When Ipsos and BDO questioned what would make
employees feel more receptive to global mobility, four
of the top five incentives were linked to supporting their
employees and reducing perceived risks, leaving them
to focus on what they have most confidence in, namely
doing their job in the best way possible.
Rank PercentageIncentive
1 45%
2 43%
3 42%
2t 43%
3t 42%
Repatriation assistance, including a guarantee that they could move back to their
current role after two years with further relocation assistance
Round trip airfare to return home for family visits
A paid trip to visit the country before agreeing to move there
Paid language training, if necessary
Immigration assistance for your spouse in order that they could obtain employment
* http://www.bdointernational.com

9. Progressive GE 1716 Progressive GE
Immigration
With mobility no longer focused on the West, and the
emerging markets seen as an increasingly attractive
proposition for employees across the world, almost ¾ of
the people we spoke to said their main issue/challenge
was managing the visa and immigration process.
But this issue is not related to places such as India and
China. Even in the United States oil and gas executives
are at risk of losing a significant part of their talent
pipeline because of things such as the annual cap on
work visas and the strict restrictions about being able to
stay in the country.
We’ve spoken to employers who have sponsored
graduates throughout their Masters and Doctorate
programmes, whose costs can amount to hundreds of
thousands of dollars, who then find themselves losing
those people due to strict immigration rules that aim to
protect domestic workers and salaries.
While companies in other countries are actively
recruiting non US-born graduates and taking all the
experience, knowledge and expertise they’ve learned in
the US, the strict limits imposed by the US government
means the brain drain feared by many companies could
be exacerbated.
As the US expels talent though, other, more immigrant-
friendly countries are taking advantage of this
overabundance of new potential. Places such as
Canada, China, Azerbaijan (where for the last two years
immigrants have outnumbered emigrants) Brazil, the
Middle East and Africa are benefitting significantly from
this fluid movement of talent and as a result their future
competitiveness remains steadfastly in their own hands.
The visa and immigration services employees are
concerned about relates to both of these factors. There
are those that want support to be able to stay in the
country they are currently based in, with employers
taking the pressure off and managing the process from
start to finish, and those who are much more fluid in
their movements, and who want employers to be able to
help them transition from country to country, project to
project, seamlessly and with little downtime.
Only when this happens will employees feel confident
that the global oil and gas industry is truly ready to meet
their short and long-term goals and that the market is a
truly global one.
Medical and healthcare
With an employees’ health and welfare no 2 on their
list of concerns when moving abroad, it follows that
this should also be high on their list of what employers
should be offering. In fact the percentage of people
that believe medical and healthcare services should
be provided by an employer (62%) is higher than the
number of people concerned about them when moving
abroad. A third of our survey (35%) reiterated the
importance of health and welfare when they agreed that
medical and travel insurances are also a fundamental
part of the employer proposition when international
mobility is considered.
This suggests that employees within the oil and gas
industry consider medical and healthcare to be a
fundamental provision, and should be something
offered regardless of whether they consider this
an issue or not. In fact medical and healthcare is
becoming so important to employees in the oil and gas
industry that healthcare and insurance providers are
designing programmes specifically for the sector.
Indeed health and welfare has become so essential to
operating in the oil and gas industry that companies
are increasingly designing their own systems and
processes to complement the national and international
standards, and regulatory requirements of operating in
individual regions.
Moving internationally is a life-changing experience and one that is not taken easily. We’ve already seen that
people within oil and gas are increasingly receptive to moving abroad and that the job market is becoming
increasingly global. But we’ve also seen employees have a number of concerns that may make some of them
reluctant to do so. Considering this we explore what employers need to provide to their existing and future
employees if their mobilisation activity is going to be attractive and successful.
Support structures What’s more health management systems are being so
integral to the structure and delivery of healthcare that
they are being used increasingly to control health risks
and to raise the standards of healthcare across the
world.
But providing good healthcare provision is not just
about making employees feel valued and looked after.
Good health and welfare provision ultimately increases
productivity, is a great selling point in competitive
recruitment markets and will significantly reduce churn
and increase retention.
What’s more, the business benefits are acknowledged
to improve corporate reputation, improve long-term
commitment and increase the take-up of mobilisation
programmes.
Onboarding and onsite
We’ve already discussed employees concerns about
embedding themselves into new cultures or practices
when living abroad, and how this has the potential to
threaten their feelings of job stability. With that in mind
it’s hardly surprising that employees also feel their
employers need to support them with non job related
services when moving abroad.
Over a half of the people we spoke to (53%) agreed
that an employer should help them find somewhere
to live and over a third (36%) felt relocation services
should also be a fundamental pre-requisite of living
internationally.
If we look across all of the responses to this question
we see that employees regard their employers as
having an obligation to not just help them get where
they need to be, but also support them and their
families for the immediate and long term. Taking into
account providing help with schooling (18%), cultural
orientation (11%), in-country orientation (12%), travel
services (28%) and ongoing contact and care (6%),
it’s clear the non-financial elements of the employer
offering are regarded as being critical to people when
considering an international move.
The importance of the employer offering is therefore
fundamental to global recruitment and project delivery.
If organisations are going to be able to fight the war
for talent in this highly competitive industry then the
differentiation is going to need to be around making
employees feel comfortable, their families supported
and their wellbeing a choice for the employer rather
than a burden.
Considering that almost half of our panel (48%) felt
that working abroad is a great way to enhance their
employability, it’s crucial they are given the support and
infrastructure to be able to do the job that they have
been recruited for.
How do you view working abroad?
48% Enhancing your long term employability
33% Chance to make big money
28% An opportunity to travel
25% Fast tracked career opportunity
24% Opportunity to permanently relocate
19% A short-term adventure
4% Other

10. If you were to relocate internationally, what support would you want from your
new employer?
6%
19%
24%
28%
36%
62%
Secure transfers
In-country orientation
Children’s schooling
Legal assistance
Finding somewhere to live
Visa and immigration
services
10%
12%
18%
22%
In-country support
26%
Medical and travel
insurances 35%
53%
74%
Ongoing contact and care
services
11% Cultural orientation
13% Risk Assessment
Transport
Tax services
Travel services
Relocation services
Medical and healthcare
services
Regional & Salary trends

11. Progressive GE 21
“Many major operators are offering up to 20% salary increases in order to
attract the ‘best in class’ European experts.”
Across the European region the majority of roles in the
Oil & Gas upstream sector can be seen in Drilling and
Well services, as well as Geotechnical and Geosciences
disciplines. For the downstream market, such as
chemical and petro-chemical facilities, almost all
engineering disciplines & project management specialist
skills are in high demand. 90% of contract placements sit
at the high end of the earnings bracket, particularly for
senior executive positions, whereas permanent salaries
continue to be competitive due to the availability of local
talent.
Project management is increasing in focus as the major
operators invest in large, more international projects
which require a particular European skill set and level of
expertise- this is most prevalent in the CIS and Benelux
regions where inflated salary packages are being
commanded. Many major operators are offering up to
20% salary increases in order to attract the ‘best in class’
European experts.
Diversified energy resources and more environmentally
friendly projects are growing in popularity across
Western Europe, creating a demand for professionals
in the Quality, Health, Safety & Environment disciplines.
Overall, advanced technical experience and long
lengths of service have resulted in an ageing talent
market across Europe which needs to be addressed by
clients in terms of training, educating and up skilling of
the younger Oil & Gas generation.
Regional highlights:
• Huge potential is presenting itself in Kazakhstan as
activity advances in this area, presenting an increased
requirement for technical sales specialists and senior
drilling experts.
• Further opportunities and optimism will prevail
in Ukraine which is expected to receive a large
investment boost, offering more potential for
professionals seeking international project experience.
Europe
Europe
• The Netherlands is considered a centre of
excellence for engineering experts as local
operators have already been conducting
turnaround projects over the last 30 years. This
is now resulting in a rise in Dutch maintenance
and project management roles for international
assignments managed from the Netherlands.
• Rotterdam has the leading world position in
the Marine sector where we are seeing a lot of
mergers & acquisitions taking place in areas such
as the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa and the Middle
East. As new client projects and developments
emerge in this area, specialists with North Sea
experience are increasing in demand.
• Germany is the 3rd largest exporter of energy
which results in a high number of EC&I
commissioning engineers/technicians and
an approximate 20% increase in electrical
engineering salaries across the DACH region.
• In the offshore sector for European HSE
professionals there is a skills shortage of
approximately 30% with clients struggling to fulfil
project recruitment requirements. The average
salary for a HSE manager is around €120k but
larger clients can offer salaries of up to €140k+.
• The competition for talent in both Norway and the
North Sea is fierce as the general skills shortage
across subsea / engineering & subsurface
disciplines is driving up salaries and creating
highly attractive packages, particularly for
contractors.
• For offshore workers there is a marked distinction
between contract terms & conditions offered to
UK & Norwegian specialists, where salaries and
offshore rotas are considerably in the favour of
people on Norwegian contracts.
• In the UK, the salaries in Aberdeen are
approximately 20% higher than the rest of the Oil
& Gas market and other similar industries.

12. Progressive GE 2322 Progressive GE
Salary Data
Drilling/Rigs Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Cementing Engineer 48-53,000 650+
Cementing Supervisor less than 36,000 650+
Coil Tubing Engineer 65-71,000 650+
Company Man 107-113,000 650+
Driller 59-65,000 320-360
Drilling Consultant 119-143,000 650+
Drilling Fluid Engineer 119-143,000 650+
Drilling Manager 190-214,000 650+
Drilling Superintendant 143-167,000 360-390
Drilling Supervisor 83-89,000 320-360
Mud Logger 54-59,000 300-320
MWD/LWD Specialist 95-101,000 520-560
Rig Electrician 60-65,000 320-360
Rig Manager 143-167,000 650+
Rig Mechanic 54-59,000 300-320
Rig Mover 143-167,000 650+
Rig Welder 42-48,000 230-260
Senior Toolpusher 101-107,000 560-590
Slickline Operator less than 36,000 190-230
Subsea Engineer 95-101,000 520-560
Well Services Supervisor 48-54,000 260-300
Executive Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Accountant 54-59,000 300-320
Business Development Manager 119-143,000 650+
CEO 167-190,000 650+
CIO 119-143,000 430-450
Commercial & Technical
Consultant
65-71,000 430-450
Company Secretary 60-65,000 320-360
Compliance Manager 71-77,000 600-620
Consultant SAP 71-77,000 650+
COO 238,000+ 650+
Director 143-167,000 650+
General Manager 167-190,000 650+
Human Resources 71-77,000 390-420
Service Point Manager 65-71,000 360-390
VP 119-143,000 650+
Logistics & Supply Chain Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Application Specialist 54-59,000 300-320
Automation consultant 60-65,000 650+
Equipment Fleet Sales, Operations 95-101,000 520-560
Improvement Manager 71-77,000 390-430
Procurement Manager 65-71,000 450-490
Procurement Officer 48-54,000 650+
Project Procurement Manager 71-77,000 650+
Strategy Manager 89-95,000 490-520
Geoscience/Reservoir Engineering Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Engineering & Installation Manager 107-113,000 600-620
Exploration Geologist 101-107,000 560-590
Geocomputing 83-89,000 450-490
Geologist 143-167,000 650+
Geophysicist 89-95,000 430-450
of contract placements sit at the
high end of the earnings bracket.
“Germany is the 3rd largest
exporter of energy which results
in an approximate 20% increase
in electrical engineering salaries
across the DACH region.”
90%
3rd
“Salaries in Aberdeen are
approximately 20% higher than the
rest of the oil & gas market and
other similar industries in the UK.”
+20%
Salary Data
Geoscience/Reservoir Engineering Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Petroleum Engineer 71-77,000 390-430
Petrophysicist 83-89,000 450-490
Reservoir Engineer 95-101,000 520-560
Reservoir Engineer Manager 143-167,000 650+
Seismic Interpreter 60-65,000 320-360
Health, Safety & Environment Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Environmental Engineer 48-54,000 600-620
Environmental Scientist 54-59,000 260-300
ETL Developer 60-65,000 320-360
HSE Advisor 54-59,000 650+
HSE Manager 119-143,000 390-430
HSSE Consultant 65-71,000 520-560
HSSE Inspector 36-42,000 190-230
HSSE Manager 101-107,000 560-590
QHSE Advisor 65-71,000 560-590
Safety Advisor 54-59,000 560-590
Safety Consultant 83-89,000 650+
Safety Engineer 71-77,000 390-430
Marine & Maritime Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Barge Master 60-65,000 650+
Marine Engineer 48-54,000 490-520
Marine Superintendant 54-59,000 600-620
ROV Superintendant 101-107,000 560-590
Project Management Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Financial Director - Projects 54-59,000 650+
IT Project Management Consultant 71-77,000 650+
Project Controller 71-77,000 650+
Project Coordinator 77-83,000 650+
Project Cost Engineer 54-59,000 650+
Project Director 101-107,000 650+
Project Engineer 71-77,000 650+
Project Manager 65-71,000 650+
Project Scheduler 35-42,000 190-230
Projects Administrator 107-113,000 450-490
Technical Perm annual salary € Contract daily rate €
Certification Technician 54-59,000 430-450
Commissioning Manager 54-59,000 320-360
Design Engineer 60-65,000 320-360
EC&I Commissioning Engineer 113-119,000 620-650
Field Service Technician 77-83,000 520-560
IT Manager 60-65,000 650+
Network Design Engineer 65-71,000 360-390
Plant Software 36-42,000 190-230
Process and Control Engineer 54-59,000 360-390
Sales Engineer 36-42,000 190-230
Shutdown Technician 42-48,000 430-450
Tech Support 54-60,000 300-320
Technical Coordinator 83-89,000 620-650
Technical Manager 77-83,000 560-590
Technical Writer 65-71,000 360-390
Europe
Territory covers
UK, France, DACH,
Benelux, Norway, Russia
Areas of specialisation
include:
• Drilling
• Geosciences
• QHSE
• Project Management
• Technical/ Mechanical
Engineering
• Marine & Maritime
• Senior Appointments

13. Progressive GE 2524 Progressive GE
In the developing market of West Africa (Nigeria) we
see production has risen to 2.4 million barrels a day and
there are signs that production is returning to normal.
With this in mind we are still seeing high demand for
roles in the drilling & well services disciplines.
Nigeria held its first oil exploration bidding round for
five years at the end of last year which will also drive
demand in 2014-16.
Demand for expats in the West Africa region is also high
due to the need for international skills & experience
and a lack of local qualified talent to fulfil project
requirements. Salaries in this market are predominantly
skills driven; therefore specialists are able to command
very competitive packages, particularly for executive
roles.
Due to the exposure of these roles candidates can
expect to receive higher day rates than would be
expected in developed regions such as the US.
The emerging markets of East Africa (Tanzania/
Mozambique) are a new territory which is now
experiencing a surge in the Drilling, well services &
Geosciences disciplines. The region is still premature
but we can see a rise in the demand for drilling
contractors as production and business levels increase
in this area.
Availability of positions in these high-risk locations is
on the increase due to the improved levels of activity
which prevail. Salary packages being offered are
very attractive to encourage candidates who have the
suitable skill set and willingness to relocate, to fill these
roles.
Visa challenges also present an obstacle for the
recruitment market in West Africa. Many of the
technically skilled specialists are taking relocation
assignments in the European region due to the flexibility
& ease of placements, creating a talent deficit.
The profile of professionals across the region is
changing as the younger generation begins to grow,
however most of the talent pool are mature, skilled
& technically experienced. Specialists at the 50+yrs
age bracket currently account for approximately 25%
of placements. A lot of up skilling takes place on the
job so that professionals can gain deeper country
knowledge from their peers, which is imperative for the
roles & demands of the client.
Local government initiatives are focusing on educating/
training locals to address the skills gap in Africa. Local
project quotas and content laws of local operators/
companies are the main drivers for this. However, the
reality is that expat specialists remain the preferred
option for roles in the region due to the length and
breadth of their technical experience.
“There is a changing specialist profile across the region but most of the talent
pool is mature, skilled & technically experienced.”
Africa Salary Data
Drilling/ Rigs Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Cementing Supervisor 107-115,000 1,100
Company Man 164-197,000 1,200
Completion Engineer 139-148,000 1,500
Drilling Consultant 230-262,000 1,400
Drilling Engineer 164-197,000 1,700
Drilling Supervisor 131-139,000 1,700
MWD/LWD Specialist 66-74,000 700
Rig mover 66-74,000 1,200
Solid Control/ Drilling waste
Management Coordinator
123-131,000 900
Solids control/ Drilling waste
management
66-74,000 600
Solids Control Engineer 98-107,000 600
Well Services Supervisor 98-107,000 800
Wireline Operator 66-74,000 550
Executive Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
CEO 328,000+ 2,500
CFO 295-328,000 2,500
Contracts manager 107-115,000 1,000
Director 164-197,000 2,000
Vice President: Organisational
Effectiveness
197-230,000 1,800
Geoscience/Reservoir Engineering Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Development Geologist 123-131,000 1,300
Exploration Manager 262-295,000 2,000
Geologist 123-131,000 1,300
Geophysicist 90-98,000 1,300
Reservoir Engineer 98-107,000 1,300
Wireline Field engineer 82-90,000 900
Project Management Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Business Manager 164-197,000 1,250
Project Controller less than 49,000 900
Project Coordinator less than 49,000 900
Project Manager 66-74,000 1,200
Project Scheduler less than 49,000 700
Technical Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Field Service Technician 57-66,000 700
Information Technology Manager 49-57,000 850
Technical Coordinator 148-156,000 700
Technical Manager 197-230,000 1,000
Well Integrity Engineer 107-115,000 900
Africa
Territory covers
West & East Africa
Areas of specialisation
include:
• Petroleum Engineering
• Geosciences
• Drilling
• Topside Engineering
• Senior Appointments

14. 26 Progressive GE
Despite the recent tough economic conditions in the
region, Brazil still sits at 15th place globally in terms of
oil production. New dynamism is being injected into the
market due to the 3 project bidding rounds which took
place in 2013, providing a lot of optimism for the South
American market and positivity for local recruitment.
We expect to see high demand in the Geosciences
discipline, as the bidding rounds in 2013 will need data
acquisition and interpretation in 2014, resulting in an
increase in demand for drilling/production experts as
we move towards 2015. Marine specialists and Subsea
Engineers will continue to be highly sought after due to
the ongoing skills shortage in the region.
Brazil has a long term commercial view and a strong
relationship strategy which dictates how business is
conducted and investments made. Many Chinese
and Indian companies are investing heavily in the
region particularly in the areas of FPSO’s and drilling
rigs offshore- 70% of upcoming global investment in
Brazil is in FPSO’s (Floating Production Storage and
Offloading installation).
Brazilian labour legislations dictate that a maximum of
1/3rd of headcount is filled by international candidates,
limiting companies in recruiting the best talent. Due
to the complexities in applying for visas and strict
labour laws (mostly related to local requirements) Brazil
currently has limited international candidates working
in Oil &Gas compared to other regions. Due to this
balance in the region of more roles being filled locally
there is reduced opportunity for attracting experienced
specialists to the region and salaries are benchmarked
according to the local market rate.
Salaries in South America increased by around 50%
between 2006 and 2011 but over the last year and a
half have stabilised. As Brazil is experiencing a high
skills shortage it is creating this stabilisation of salaries.
Major operators at present prefer internal transfers of
candidates to ensure that positions are filled by local
people with local market knowledge.
Language can often prove a restriction for international
candidates as Spanish/Portuguese speakers are
required as a priority, particularly in the LATAM region.
In this region they are also able to maximise on the
bargaining power of global client profiles which
benefit their focus towards Renewable Energy, which
is a growing area where we should see increased
opportunity for specialists.
Visa regulations provide added complexity when
attracting international talent to South America as the
processing times can take on average 3-5months,
but the local government are working to eradicate
some of these barriers in order to address the skills
shortage gap. Due to the complexities in the Oil & Gas
business in Brazil (deep water) labour laws are being
examined to enable more freelancing/ contractor roles
for international specialists in preparation for the uptake
of new projects that lie ahead.
At present the region is very client driven as operators
can dictate their talent requirements, with some
companies working on exclusivity of specialists
particularly in Technical and Corporate positions.
There appears to be more flexibility when it comes to
senior management positions as clients seek global
experience and expertise and candidates in these
positions can therefore take advantage of premium
packages.
As the market moves towards a more specialist
driven model in the coming years (due to increased
investment, projects and opportunities) companies
need to prepare themselves for this big step change
and ensure their focus is around hiring the right
people with the correct expertise. For example,
Marine & subsea are becoming a bigger focus in the
region as there are a lot of interesting, high tech and
environmental changes taking place so we expect
to see a rise in candidate opportunities within this
discipline.
“70% of upcoming global investment in Brazil is in FPSO’s.”
South America
Progressive GE 27
Salary Data (permanent only)
Drilling/Rigs Permanent (annual salary) in BRL
Cementing Supervisor 114-133,000
Company Man 133-152,000
Directional Driller 190-209,000
Drilling Engineer 171-190,000
Drilling Fluid Engineer 114-133,000
Drilling Supervisor 209-228,000
Mud Logger less than 114,000
MWD/LWD Specialist 323-342,000
Offshore Installations Manager 285-304,000
Radio Operator less than 114,000
Rig Electrician less than 114,000
Rig Mechanic 114-133,000
Senior Toolpusher 380-456,000
Well Control Specialist 152-171,000
Executive Permanent (annual salary) in BRL
Director 285-304,000
Executive General Manager 684-760,000
General Manager 247-266,000
Geoscience/Reservoir Engineering Permanent (annual salary) in BRL
Data Manager 114-133,000
Development Geologist 342-361,000
Exploration Geologist 133-152,000
Geocomputing 228-247,000
Geologist 133-152,000
Geophysicist 171-190,000
Geoscientist 114-133,000
Geostatistician 133-152,000
LMWD 190-209,000
Petroleum Engineer 152-171,000
Petrophysicist 152-171,000
Reservoir Engineer 152-171,000
Seismic Interpreter 228-247,000
Supervisor less than 114,000
Marine & maritime Permanent (annual salary) in BRL
Chief Engineer 209-228,000
Fleet Manager 342-361,000
Machine Head of Ship/ Offshorer 209-228,000
ROV Pilot 171-190,000
Vessel Manager 152-171,000
Technical Permanent (annual salary) in BRL
Designer less than 114,000
Electrical Technician 114-133,000
Field Service Technician 133-152,000
LWD Engineer 152-171,000
Oil & Gas Technician less than 114,000
Product Development Engineer 114-133,000
Technical Automation less than 114,000
Technical Coordinator 114-133,000
Technical Manager 323-342,000
SouthAmerica
Territory covers
Brazil & Latin America
Areas of specialisation
include:
• Drilling
• Geosciences
• Reservoir Engineering
• Marine & Maritime

15. 28 Progressive GE
In the US market there remains a healthy requirement
for skilled and trained specialists, particularly in
the areas of Drilling, Geosciences and Reservoir
Engineering. 99% of business conducted is local
placements with talent seeking overseas opportunities
as a way to further their career experience & skills
Salaries in the region are driven mostly by permanent
consultants at the higher end of the earnings bracket-
for example reservoir engineers can demand salaries
between $150-180k per year (£100-120k) and can
expect to receive around 10 job offers at any one time
due to the extent of their expertise.
There is a fluid market for candidates relocating out
of the US region, which is mostly prevalent amongst
engineers seeking projects in West Africa/ Middle East
& Asia. Flexibility in these roles which offer 28/28 project
rotation means that candidates are able to benefit from
increased day rates or project premiums.
However, due to the visa regulations imposed in the
region the candidate pool is very localised which results
in low demand for international talent, allowing locals
to take advantage of their bargaining power. Most of
the roles across the areas of specialisation are seen
at the mid-career level where premium salaries can
be expected, however due to the lack of availability of
candidates the US are experiencing a talent war.
The oil bust of the late 80’s/ early 90’s has created
a huge demand for candidates in the 35-45yrs age
bracket, presenting a skills gap in the US market. Due
to the political connotations attached to visa costs &
challenges, the region are restricted on attracting talent
in this age category.
We are seeing a large pool of talent amongst those
with 10+ years experience and the younger generation
of technical specialists, which is presenting a brain
drain in the region due to the lack of education made
available during the oil bust.
Therefore, the larger oil companies in North America
have a mature pool of specialist engineers at their
disposal which means they are able to cherry pick the
best talent for their senior roles. This results in strong
competition across both permanent and contract
roles as the smaller companies also seek the more
experienced candidates and are having to match the
inflated salaries on offer.
Salary Data
Health, Safety & Environment Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Environmental Advisor 66-74,000 900+
Environmental Engineer 131-139,000 490-540
Environmental Scientist 107-115,000 900+
HSE Advisor 156-164,000 900+
HSE Auditor 156-164,000 900+
HSE Consultant 164-197,000 900+
HSE Manager 131-139,000 900+
HSE Officer 107-115,000 900+
HSSE Advisor 115-123,000 900+
HSSE Consultant 139-148,000 900+
Safety Officer 90-98,000 900+
Senior hsse advisor 164-197,000 900+
US & North America
“99% of business conducted within the region is local placements with talent
seeking overseas opportunities as a way to further their career experience & skills.”
Progressive GE 29
Salary Data
Drilling/Rigs Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Company Man 98-107,000 900+
Completion Engineer 164-197,000 900+
Drilling Consultant 295-328,000 900+
Drilling Engineer 123-131,000 900+
Drilling Fluid Engineer 90-98,000 770-820
Drilling Manager 230-262,000 900+
Field Service Specialist II - Well-
bore Construction (Liner Hanger)
49-57,000 310-360
MWD/LWD Specialist 197-230,000 900+
Rig Manager 197-230,000 900+
Well Control Specialist 230-262,000 900+
Wireline Operator 74-82,000 440-490
Geoscience/Reservoir Engineering Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Asset Manager 115-123,000 900+
Development Geologist 328,000+ 900+
Exploration Geologist 328,000+ 900+
Exploration Manager 164-197,000 900+
Geochemist 230-262,000 900+
Geologist 139-148,000 900+
Geophysicist 148-156,000 900+
Geoscientist 107-115,000 900+
Geotechnical Engineer 115-123,000 900+
Operations Geologist 115-123,000 900+
Petroleum Engineer 107-115,000 900+
Petrophysicist 156-164,000 490-540
Reservoir Engineer 164-197,000 260-310
Project Management Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Document Controller 66-82,000 310-360
Planning / Risk Manager 82-90,000 900+
Project Controller 66-82,000 360-410
Project Coordinator less than 49,000 360-410
Project Director 197-230,000 900+
Project Engineer 82-90,000 900+
Project Manager 164-197,000 900+
QA Manager 82-90,000 900+
Vice President, Project Services 328,000+ 900+
Technical Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Certification Technician less than 49,000 900+
Controls Engineer 115-123,000 410-440
Field Service Technician 66-98,000 360-410
GIS consultant 107-115,000 360-410
Instrumentation, Electrical and
Pneumatic Controls
115-123,000 440-490
Principal Control System Engineer 197-230,000 670-720
Technical Coordinator less than 49,000 360-410
Technical Manager 197-230,000 900+
Technical Specialist Intervention
Services
82-90,000 360-410
Technical writer 262-295,000 440-490
Technical Writer - MWD/LWD 74-82,000 440-490
US&NorthAmerica
Territory covers
US & Canada
Areas of specialisation
include:
• Drilling & Completions
• Geosciences
• Reservoir Engineering
• General Technical
Engineering
• Project Services
• HSEQ

16. Progressive GE 3130 Progressive GE
Middle East
In the Middle East region nationalities often dictate the
levels of salary that can be sought by candidates, for
example in the drilling sector candidates are able to
demand a premium salary for relocation packages.
There is huge demand for drilling roles amongst
Western expats as most candidates are able to demand
day rates at the high end of the earnings scale and
there is no discrepancy between contract & permanent
roles.
All roles within the Middle East focus on the upstream
area of the Oil & Gas business with the biggest demand
coming from the Exploration and Production disciplines.
This is mostly prevalent in Kurdistan where there are
approximately 55 international operators focusing on
exploration/drilling/upstream and mechanical positions
as this market continues to grow.
There is huge diversity in the market maturity across
the Middle East which dictates the type of projects,
candidates and salaries that can be demanded;
for example the Middle East is an immature market
compared to Saudi Arabia which is considered mature
within the Oil & Gas industry.
The main driver for candidates in the Middle East is
focused on hardship locations with most placements
offered to those who are completely mobile and have
a preference for rotational/contract roles. Candidate
profiles are often dictated by the client as they are able
to stipulate the exact skills/ experience according to
the project requirements; for example projects in Egypt
would seek candidates with specific North Sea/ Gulf of
Mexico experience.
Clients are primarily searching for talent to fill project
roles in the hardship locations across the Middle East
with a specific demand for candidates with previous
international experience; however visa requirements
can often prove a challenge in this process. In Iraq
the focus is for candidates with onshore experience
whereas in Qatar the focus is for candidates with
offshore experience. High risk areas such as Iraq,
Angola, and Nigeria are locations with high demand for
skilled candidates, who as a result, are able to benefit
from premium salary packages.
Local companies within the UAE have a preference for
local talent, which accounts for approximately 10% of
current placements. These companies operate local
quotas for sourcing local talent. The standard offer
packages can often be more attractive than those for
international candidates due to the limited availability of
candidates.
“There is huge diversity in the market maturity across the Middle East which
dictates the type of projects, candidates and salaries that can be demanded.”
Salary Data
Construction Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Construction General Manager 150-180,000 1,000
Construction Manager/ Supervisor/
Superintendant
100 -120,000 1,000
Construction Project Developer 100,000 700
Construction Project Manager 100 -120,000 700
Earth Moving Superindenant/
Supervisor
80 -100,000 500
QA Engineer 80 - 100,000 500
Site supervisor 70- 100,000 500
Drilling/Rigs Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Driller 60-80,000 800 - 1,000
Drilling Engineer 150-180,000 1,600 - 2,000
Drilling Foreman 200,000 + 1,500 - 2,000
Drilling Supervisor 200,000 + 1,500 - 2,000
MWD/LWD Specialist 80-100,000 1,000 -1,500
Rig Mechanic 120,000 700
Geoscience/Reservoir Engineering Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Geocomputing 120-150,000 1,500 - 2,000
Geologist 200,000 + 1,500 - 2,000
Geoscientist 150-180,000 1,500 - 2,000
Reservoir Engineer 200,000 + 1,500 - 2,000
Health, Safety & Environment Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Environmental Engineer 170,000 750 - 1500
HSE Advisor 150-180,000 1,200-1,500
HSE Auditor 150,000 750 - 1,500
HSE Inspector 150,000 750 - 1,500
HSE Manager 200,000 + 1,200 - 1,500
HSE Officer 150,000 750 - 1,500
HSSE Advisor 200,000 + 1,200 - 1,500
HSSE Manager 200,000 + 1,200 - 1,500
Occupational Health & Safety
Manager
200,000 + 1,200 - 1,500
Production Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Production Supervisor 100-130,000 700-1,200
Production Technologist 150-200,000 1,200-1,500
Refinery Operations Supervisor 120-150,000 800-1,400
Project Management Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Proposal Eng II 70- 100,000 500
Document Controller 50-100,000 400 -600
Procurement/
Projects Management
80- 100,000 500 - 800
Project Coordinator 70-100,000 700
Project Manager 100-130,000 1,000
Project Scheduler 60-80,000 500
MiddleEast
Territory covers
UAE & Qatar
Areas of specialisation
include:
• Drilling
• Well Operations
• HSE
• Geosciences
• EPC
• Project Delivery

17. Progressive GE 3332 Progressive GE
In the Asia Pacific region there remains a strong
demand for specialists in the drilling and key
subsurface disciplines, where we can see inflated
salaries for high level positions. For the mid level
roles salaries are normalising between the expat
communities and local talent, particularly in Malaysia.
In South East Asia there have been limitations placed
on hiring expats which means that demand for
professionals is now exceeding supply. The global
driver for this is that regional and global expats
are putting a lot of pressure on visa services which
is proving a challenge. Asian governments are
nationalising their efforts to focus on local talent for local
roles, proving beneficial to them as salary packages are
on the increase.
A large number of high profile projects are currently
taking place, along with a rise in investments in
Australia which is increasing demand for experts, in
particular for roles in Queensland.
In Singapore there have been a record number of
investments in FPSO/FSO’s which is escalating demand
for roles in construction, commissioning and installation.
This is making it easier for both local & expat specialists
to move into niche markets and gain better experience
in these disciplines.
There continues to be heavy investment from key
operators in Thailand which is presenting a rise in
opportunities for professionals in this territory. Projects
are on the increase to offset against the energy deficit
which is prevalent in the country; as a result we expect
to see enhanced levels of demand for specialist
positions in project & construction management.
Myanmar is now opening up its economy for
international offshore & onshore projects which is
increasing demand for both locals and expats across
all disciplines. This will result in pressure on salaries as
the requirement for skilled talent will begin to pick up
momentum.
The market has been slow in Indonesia as they
have experienced low levels of production in 2013.
Many high profile projects are due to take off in 2014
with major operators, particularly in deep water
development, which will mean a rise in the requirement
for subsea and installation engineers.
Job opportunities in the Asia Pacific region in 2014 will
be lucrative. We will see an increase in demand for
roles specifically in subsea, process safety, drilling &
subsurface engineering, where expats are still able to
demand a premium for their skills & expertise in these
disciplines.
Salary Data
Engineering – Expat / Senior Local Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Commissioning Engineer 100– 175,000 600 – 1,200
Corrosion Engineer 200 – 250,000 600 – 1,200
EC&I Engineer 100 – 175,000 600 – 1,200
Engineering Manager 200 – 250,000 1,000 – 2,000
Mechanical Engineer 200 – 250,000 600 – 1,200
Process Engineer 170 – 190,000 600 – 1,200
Project Engineer 150– 250,000 600 – 1,200
Subsea Engineer 250– 300,000 1,000 – 1,800
Technical Safety Engineer 200– 250,000 900- 1,500
Asia Pacific
Salary Data
Drilling/Rigs – Total Package / Expat Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Completions Engineer 120 – 150,000 1,250 – 1,500
Completions Supervisor 150 – 180,000 1,500 – 1,800
Day Drilling Supervisor 180 – 200,000 1,800 – 2,000
Drilling Engineer 120 – 150,000 1,250 – 2,000
Drilling Manager 350 – 450,000 2,500 – 3,000
Drilling Superintendent 250 – 350,000 2,000 – 2,400
Night Drilling Supervisor 150 – 180,000 1,500 – 1,800
Offshore Installation Manager 180 – 220,000 1,800 – 2,000
Production Engineer 100 – 125,000 900 – 1,200
Well Services Engineer 120 – 150,000 1,250 – 1,500
Well Services Manager 250 – 350,000 2,000 – 2,400
Well Services Supervisor 150 – 180,000 1,500 – 1,800
HSE – Expat / Senior Local Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
HSE Advisor 100 – 150,000 800 – 1,200
HSE Coordinator 120 – 160,000 1,000 – 1,300
HSE Supervisor 140 – 190,000 1,200 – 1,700
QA/QC Engineer 70 – 100,000 800 – 1,200
QA/QC Manager 110 – 160,000 1,200 – 1,700
Marine – Expat / Senior Local Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Hull Outfitting Engineer 100 – 150,000 1,000 – 1,200
Installation Engineer 130 – 180,000 1,300 – 1,800
Marine Engineer 100 – 150,000 1,000 – 1,200
Naval Architect 150 – 200,000 1,300 – 1,800
Structural Engineer 100 – 150,000 1,000 – 1,200
Project Management –
Expat / Senior Local
Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Project Controller 75 – 90,000 600 – 900
Project Director 150 – 200,000 1,500 – 2,500
Project Manager 100 – 150,000 1,000 – 2,000
Projects Administrator 60 – 80,000 400 – 700
Subsurface / Expat / Senior Local Perm annual salary US$ Contract daily rate US$
Development Geologist 150 – 200,000 1,250 – 1,750
Development Geophysicist 150 – 200,000 1,250 – 1,750
Exploration Geologist 120 – 150,000 800 – 1,500
Exploration Geophysicist 120 – 150,000 800 – 1,500
Geomodeller 150 – 200,000 1,250 – 1,750
Operations Geologist /
Well Site Geologist
80 – 120,000 600 – 1,000
Petroleum Engineer 60 – 120,000 600 – 800
Petrophysicist 120 – 150,000 800 – 1,200
Production Technologist 60 – 120,000 600 – 800
Reservoir Engineer 120 – 150,000 1,250 – 1,750
AsiaPacific
Territory covers
Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand, Indonesia,
Myanmar, Australia & New
Zealand
Areas of specialisation
include:
• Subsurface
• Subsea
• Project Controls
• Supply Chain
• QHSE
“For mid level roles salaries are normalising between the expat communities
and local talent.”

18. 34 Progressive GE
Contact us
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Or to access the latest industry news, discover how we support organisations and professionals with their
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This report is part of Progressive GE’s commitment to supporting specialists and delivering market-leading
recruitment solutions. As one of the world’s leading recruitment consultancies we pride ourselves on being a key
recruitment partner for professionals and organisations across the global energy & natural resources sectors.
Our series of reports offer best practice advice and insight to help you secure your next job or make business critical
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where you need us most.
© Progressive GE 2014. All rights reserved. Progressive GE accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or
the opinions expressed herein.
Methodology
This comprehensive report takes into account the
results from our global online survey which was sent
to thousands of specialists and experts across the
Oil & Gas, Maritime & Offshore and Mining industries.
The survey focused on market trends and candidate
perceptions around the topic of global mobilisation &
salary levels.
Further insight has been provided following in-depth
interviews with our leading recruitment professionals
across each region.
Permanent salaries are gross average annual salaries,
excluding bonuses & benefits and contractor rates are
average daily rates. Salary rates quoted are indicative
of the market only and will vary depending on company
size, location, sector and a candidate’s qualifications,
experience and responsibilities.
/Progressive GE @PRGlobalEnergy /ProgressiveGE/Progressive GE
“Experts that work with you; not just for you.
That’s Progressive GE.”

19. www.progressivege.com