Working in Oil & Gas
Pay and Salary Information
While careers in oil and gas are known to pay very good wages, compensation naturally varies from employer to employer, province to province and job to job.
A few examples of common oil and gas compensation rates for:
- Administrative Assistant:
Pay can range from $32,000 - $48,000 per year for a Junior/Intermediate Administrative Assistant working in the petroleum services industry. - Control Centre Operators:
Entry level compensation for typical pipeline control center operators in training will range from $60,000 to $68,000 per annum excluding overtime, shift differential and bonus if applicable (2007 rates) - Drilling & Service Rig Operators:
The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC) recommends minimum wage schedules for individuals working in the drilling and service rig industry. Compensation varies based on job title and experience. Drilling rig crews are paid hourly base wages, ranging from $23/hour for leasehands, to $38/hour for drillers. Service rig positions range from $20/hour for trainee positions, to $29.70/hour for perator jobs. Some companies offer subsistence allowances, overtime, shift differentials, and bonuses to workers employed in camps (2009 rates). - Engineering Technology Professionals:
Base salaries for junior technicians and technologistsin the petroleum industry range from $63,620 per year for junior positions to $145,860 per year for experienced senior manager or specialist/team lead positions. Some companies offer overtime and bonuses. Salaries are also dependent on level of experience, education and level of professional designation achieved (non-certified and certified; 2009 rates, base salaries). - Geologists and Geophysicts:
The average salary for geoscience professionals in the oil and gas industry ranges from $53,058 to $222,708 per year for geologists, and $75,349 to $192,831 per year for geophysicists. Salaries vary and are dependent on designations received, level of experience and responsibility in the position (2009 rates, mean averages). - Professional Engineers:
The mean salary for professional engineers in the oil and gas industry ranges from $49,916 to $221,413 per year, which varies based on the engineering occupation, designations received, level of experience and responsibility in the position. - Seismic Operators:
Pay for seismic operator jobs is approximately $3,000 to $8000 per month, depending on the role and the person's experience and skills. Seismic drilling roles are typically paid by the meter or foot drilled. Entry-level positions, such as driller's helpers, chainsaw/bucker, line crew and survey helpers start at $10 to $12 per hour, and wages increase with experience. Some workers are paid "turnkey rates," meaning they are paid by the day or amount of work completed. Most employers cover all accommodation costs while the employee is working and provide a daily living allowance (Hotshot) of $40.00 to cover food expenses. In situations where camps are set-up and food provided, the Hotshot allowance is not provided (2009 rates).
For more salary data, check out these sites:
Professional & Industry Associations Wage Information
- Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors Wage Schedule
Drilling and service rig recommended wage schedules. - Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors HR Brochures
HR brochures contain range of pay information and living allowances. - Petroleum Services Association of Canada
Listing of typical jobs in the petroleum service industry and average salaries. - Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) Salary Survey
Salary information based on the level of responsibility of each employee's position, data on year of graduation, if available, and information on the type of organization. - The Association of Science & Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) ASET Annual Salary Survey Report
Wages by Province
- Alberta Wage Survey
- Energy Services BC Wage Information
- Newfoundland Pay Information - Petroleum Industry Human Resource Council
- Saskatchewan Wage Survey
Wage & Salary Databases
- Government of Canada Labour Market Information – Wages & Salaries
- Salary Expert
- Salary Wizard Canada
- Workopolis Payscale Database
Rates of pay vary so check with individual employers within the industry. Most companies also offer comprehensive benefit packages.
*This page is intended to be used as a guide for potential salaries within the industry. Pay rates vary and are at the discretion of the employer.
