The oil and gas industry is one of America’s fastest growing employers. In 2015, the industry employed an estimated 1.39 million people across myriad companies and individual professions.
And as the oil and larger energy industry grows, countless professionals find an employment niche within oil and gas companies. The job market doesn’t stop at petroleum engineering and oilfield pumper jobs these days.
Refining the Definition of an Oil and Gas Job
As the industry expands, it looks to attract professionals from a number of backgrounds. Check out this list of jobs you can get at an oil company — you might find yourself qualified for a few!
1. Geoscientists
Environmental awareness is a hot-button issue these days in corporate and political spheres. Oil companies are cognizant of these concerns, and employ scientists with extensive knowledge and training to devise the safest and most environmentally responsible methods of oil extraction and refining.
Geologists and geophysicists locate the best areas for extraction and help devise the best processes. They’re also instrumental to disaster mitigation; oil extraction is a dangerous industry, as is the energy industry as a whole.
No matter what the source of energy — oil, gas, coal, nuclear power — a dedicated team of scientists can foresee issues and put an action plan in place in case of an accident.
2. Marine Specialists
Offshore drilling accounts for a significant portion of crude oil output. It’s a growing source, and along with that growth comes increased demand for marine specialists and engineers to keep the offshore rigs and other large vessels operating.
Marine engineers can help keep a ship mechanically seaworthy, but specialists can also consult on the processes that keep the ship’s crew running. Oil and gas companies must schedule supply deliveries, regular maintenance checks, and more to keep their business afloat.
3. Accountants
It might be a no-brainer, but businesses need people who can handle their money. That’s especially true with oil and gas companies, which reported a combined global revenue of over 1.26 trillion dollars in 2013.
Instead of hiring an outside service for their needs, many large oil and gas companies want the convenience and peace-of-mind that comes with an in-house accounting team.
In fact, accounting positions are one of the fastest-growing professions within the oil and gas industry.
4. Land Agents
Another profession the industry increasingly prefers to keep in-house, real estate acquisition and negotiation forms the backbone of an oil company’s operations. After all, someone needs to negotiate with landowners for use of a property to extract oil.
Land agents also work with regulatory agencies and other, internal departments to ensure that the day-to-day operations of a company flow smoothly. The land agent is a company’s first defense against regulatory violations, safety concerns, and any number of potential hiccups.
5. Public Relations
The oil and gas industry, like many large industries, mostly leaves its marketing to advertising agencies and public relations firms. However, some companies concerned with the industry’s image in the face of growing environmental and political concerns want to keep their PR teams in-house.
Ad agencies and PR firms interested in maintaining their relationships with the oil and gas industry have other ideas. Some companies create and maintain teams focused on the oil and gas industry’s particular challenges, and advertise that expertise.
Extracting Your Perfect Career
The oil and gas industry continues to evolve and expand. With that growth comes a whole smorgasbord of new job opportunities in areas you would never expect.
For more information on the changing employment landscape and other helpful articles, you don’t have to go far! Check out our blog for helpful resources.