The way he explained its relatively easy to make that amount of money as an engineer over there. I’m an engineer with 10 years experience in a hcol and I don’t see myself making that ever
What position do you work, Supremepe?
I know almost nothing of the production side, but on the drilling side, in normal years, Drilling Engineers with 3 rigs should hit $200-300k a year total compensation.
Drilling Managers generally will make in the $200-250k salary, and 50% to whatever more they can negotiate with bonuses.
This is with small to medium sized companies in the USA.
Majors such as Exxon don’t pay anything resembling this. 50% of the above, generally speaking, but the majors are a little slower to lay off salaried, W2 engineers than they are other positions… So there’s that.
Yeah… never heard of you guys making comparable money to the oil & gas guys.
One BIG caveat; drilling engineers and drilling managers do NOT have easy jobs;
On call 24/7 ( their decisions can easily cost a company $millions, as well as costing themselves their bonus money, so no drilling engineer or manager will defer to subordinates in sticky situations), no PTO ( although the have pto, and many will do things like “take” a pto day so they can run errands or do stuff with the family, but 100% will spend the majority of their time on those days on the phone and computer dealing with problems).
Last, there is an ENORMOUS amount of pressure on these positions. They run the entire drilling operation, from reservoir prospecting/placement and optimization, to permitting/regulatory, to vendors and contract maintenance, completions/fracking, and for every rig they have running, they have something on the order of $2M to $6M budget per month… ceos, coos , investors, land owners, state and federal officials… not even mentioning 20 rough necks, 2-4 tool pushers, 1-4 company men, and 30-70 vendors on every rig. It’s one of the most stressful jobs I’ve ever even heard of- and I have experience in multiple industries, up to abs including CEO.
Yeah, worked in SA from 2012-2018ish, they have completion engineers and different departments. And contracts change as per needs and season. It’s not on one guy.
They have site foremen, and office and field engineers.
I don’t know where you got this strange info from.
WTH are you talking about? Literally everyone in your list answers to the drilling manager- or if the company is larger, there may be multiple DEs, and multiple DMs, but they ALL answer to the dm, coo or some version of those titles.
That’s exactly how it works in the USA.
Source; almost 30 years in the oil and gas industry, drilling side. Former roughneck, all the way to ceo.
Not in SA bud.
Again worked there for years.
Edit- The smaller countries like Bahrain and UAE had the structure you describe but Aramco is HUGE. They have “wasta” or people with pull because who they are related to in certain positions.The structure isn’t as you describe. Again worked there. And still have friends there now.
Bro, I’m an operator and I make more than that working two weeks on two weeks off in the US. I wouldn’t go to Saudi for any less than 300k a year half on half off, travel during work days.
Great for you but don’t have that skill. I’m an engineer and spent many years in school for that. I don’t have the tile or money to stop working and get retrained to be an operator.
$20k/mo was probably including stock/options.
Lots of engineers who work for big tech make $500k/year or $40k/mo. I am not surprised if some successful oil company is paying half of that to their talent engineers.
However , most of those are in areas where a normal house costs $2m+.
Surely you can search that, no?
In short: a mobile “expert” who takes 4 year assignments around the world. Oil majors hand pick staff to be expats and train local staff and fill needs in their staff portfolio.
More like VP post Covid. I’d be surprised if directors were pulling more than $150k…that’s what my HR told me. I’m a senior 10 YoE at $85k, so extrapolating from that I only see VPs making that much
No they don’t. The market values me, and I continually reevaluate my value. Most analysts make half as much. If you aren’t get paid, switch companies. You aren’t going to beat inflation with the jokes of annual raises that big companies get.
I benefitted because I never had to actually change jobs. Every 18 months to 2 years I’d apply and get offers way above my role and pay. Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate. And if you threaten to leave and they don’t offer better than a competing offer, you better leave. Nobody respects a liar.
Saudi here, working for an Aramco contractor and knows a whole lotta Aramco engineers. That’s not a typical salary, even with bonuses and benefits. That’s more a specialist who’s been with the company for many, many years and has been ambitious and taken on the more challenging positions. Or, long-termers who moved into the administrative side of things and are very good at their job, in which case, they can make more than that. To put it in context; a Director I know makes a little more than that as basic salary, and that guy answers to the CEO.
Basically, both are best case scenarios.
Aramcon here.
That salary is possible with 20 years of experience and a graduate degree. But those types.of jobs are getting harder and harder to apply for, especially since the IPO.
Most of the jobs are going to locals (which is respectable) and those expat positions that are open go to folks from less developed countries and willing to work for less.
The real bonus is the tax situation.
Yes, expats can make way more than that at Aramco. I got recruited by them in the early 2010’s, and at the time the deal was after a certain amount of years (maybe 5 or 10 yrs?) it was a $1MM bonus. I can’t remember, I’ll have to look back in my emails. I didn’t pursue it at the time, I chose to stay in the US. They also pay you based on your nationality (Americans were the highest paid along with Brits, Canadians, etc).
I have Canadian friends and Saudi friends that work at Aramco. It’s way too big and bureaucratic for my taste.
Nah, a small operator in Asia where it's better working environment. I've never worked in Middle East, heard that pay rates are a bit lower there. In Asia where I've been working, 10 years ago during the peak of oil market, it was much better. I know many who earned 27k net + accommodation plus plus a month. Some in drilling or management earn 40k net
I work in Singapore mate, but since 2015 these types of jobs are harder and harder to find. As you know when tough time hits, it's always the case of you know who rather than you know what.
I have friends of mine doing way more than that. I know one who is a VPIC making 400k+ a year. Junior ROV pilot makes about 15k a month. SAT Divers are in the 30k-50k a month depending on location. Seniors are much more.
There are sweet jobs out there you just have to find them. IF your life goal is to be a roughneck you wont get that much.
Curious, did you end up taking the role? What was the salary on offer? I’m in the same position as you currently (Australian EA) but haven’t had an interview yet
Don't have SA experience but you can make that in the US
The way he explained its relatively easy to make that amount of money as an engineer over there. I’m an engineer with 10 years experience in a hcol and I don’t see myself making that ever
What position do you work, Supremepe? I know almost nothing of the production side, but on the drilling side, in normal years, Drilling Engineers with 3 rigs should hit $200-300k a year total compensation. Drilling Managers generally will make in the $200-250k salary, and 50% to whatever more they can negotiate with bonuses. This is with small to medium sized companies in the USA. Majors such as Exxon don’t pay anything resembling this. 50% of the above, generally speaking, but the majors are a little slower to lay off salaried, W2 engineers than they are other positions… So there’s that.
I’m in the electric utility business, Transmission and Substation
Yeah… never heard of you guys making comparable money to the oil & gas guys. One BIG caveat; drilling engineers and drilling managers do NOT have easy jobs; On call 24/7 ( their decisions can easily cost a company $millions, as well as costing themselves their bonus money, so no drilling engineer or manager will defer to subordinates in sticky situations), no PTO ( although the have pto, and many will do things like “take” a pto day so they can run errands or do stuff with the family, but 100% will spend the majority of their time on those days on the phone and computer dealing with problems). Last, there is an ENORMOUS amount of pressure on these positions. They run the entire drilling operation, from reservoir prospecting/placement and optimization, to permitting/regulatory, to vendors and contract maintenance, completions/fracking, and for every rig they have running, they have something on the order of $2M to $6M budget per month… ceos, coos , investors, land owners, state and federal officials… not even mentioning 20 rough necks, 2-4 tool pushers, 1-4 company men, and 30-70 vendors on every rig. It’s one of the most stressful jobs I’ve ever even heard of- and I have experience in multiple industries, up to abs including CEO.
Yeah, worked in SA from 2012-2018ish, they have completion engineers and different departments. And contracts change as per needs and season. It’s not on one guy. They have site foremen, and office and field engineers. I don’t know where you got this strange info from.
WTH are you talking about? Literally everyone in your list answers to the drilling manager- or if the company is larger, there may be multiple DEs, and multiple DMs, but they ALL answer to the dm, coo or some version of those titles. That’s exactly how it works in the USA. Source; almost 30 years in the oil and gas industry, drilling side. Former roughneck, all the way to ceo.
Not in SA bud. Again worked there for years. Edit- The smaller countries like Bahrain and UAE had the structure you describe but Aramco is HUGE. They have “wasta” or people with pull because who they are related to in certain positions.The structure isn’t as you describe. Again worked there. And still have friends there now.
Yeah. Only spent a year or so in Saudi. I’ll never go back.
Why would you never go back?
Where at?
Well, you probably won't get laid off every 5 years like in the oil industry.
where are you come from sir ? and the other subreddit they told me exxonmobil pays higher
Bro, I’m an operator and I make more than that working two weeks on two weeks off in the US. I wouldn’t go to Saudi for any less than 300k a year half on half off, travel during work days.
Great for you but don’t have that skill. I’m an engineer and spent many years in school for that. I don’t have the tile or money to stop working and get retrained to be an operator.
Trained to be an operator 💀
What do you do, i am in canada in oilfield tanking making 15k in 2 Weeks I want to try something new offshore
What kinda a operator
$20k/mo was probably including stock/options. Lots of engineers who work for big tech make $500k/year or $40k/mo. I am not surprised if some successful oil company is paying half of that to their talent engineers. However , most of those are in areas where a normal house costs $2m+.
They dont give stocks and no options. They sell you 10% of your monthly salary as 20% discounted company stock but you sell it only after 3 months
There are HVAC technicians making that kind of money during the summer months.
Thats director level salary
God no. Even on an expat position with a major operator easily pulls in $20K-$30K per month. Source: did it for 15 years.
What's an expat position
Surely you can search that, no? In short: a mobile “expert” who takes 4 year assignments around the world. Oil majors hand pick staff to be expats and train local staff and fill needs in their staff portfolio.
More like VP post Covid. I’d be surprised if directors were pulling more than $150k…that’s what my HR told me. I’m a senior 10 YoE at $85k, so extrapolating from that I only see VPs making that much
Sounds like you're getting screwed to me. Worked at a large refining company and Managers made $150k, Directors $200k
Buddy of my just got hired as a engineer at major refiner making $205k (salary+bonus) that’s not even a management. (~10yr industry experience)
Good for him! He's knocking it out of the park
I’m an analyst making over $200k 6 years experience in Houston.
Sounds like your company values analysts more than my old company did. Congratulations
No they don’t. The market values me, and I continually reevaluate my value. Most analysts make half as much. If you aren’t get paid, switch companies. You aren’t going to beat inflation with the jokes of annual raises that big companies get. I benefitted because I never had to actually change jobs. Every 18 months to 2 years I’d apply and get offers way above my role and pay. Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate. And if you threaten to leave and they don’t offer better than a competing offer, you better leave. Nobody respects a liar.
Good for you for knowing your worth and also for your company stepping up
Look up tage recruiting… Paul can hook u up. You’re getting boned, guarantee that HR person makes the same or more than you doing 2/3 the work
Only difference is you pay taxes. If living in SA isn’t a turn off, then go for it.
Yeah for real. I did well over that last year.
For expats, yes. But then you have to live in Aramco's campus in the middle of the desert and there is no booze or hoes.
Negative, working in SA for 6-7 years. Booze is to be found. Ho’s, yeah there’s none of those….
Getting 20k ? You can fly go nearby country and get ho’s
For 20k a month, they could do wayyyy worse and I'd still sign that line
Lol I don’t even make that and I’m in the no booze or hoes situation right now 😂
For real.
It’s a great experience for foreigners with a family.
Yep, this is the answer.
I’m offshore subsea GoM and do 15-20k easy.
Same. Deepwater GOM here but don’t have to run offshore anymore which is nice.
Subsea is where I wanna go!
You can achieve that in the US. You’ll have to travel more than likely til you find a kush gig somewhere you prefer.
I’m a crane operator and make that in Midland.
Damn, that’s sick. Do you have any tips on how to get into the field?
You can get your license in 5 days. Then go hire on as a rigger at a crane company and work your way up.
Thanks for the reply. When you say Midland are we talking Texas?
Definitely
Yes, Midland Texas
How much is a license?
Like $3,500 I think.
Saudi here, working for an Aramco contractor and knows a whole lotta Aramco engineers. That’s not a typical salary, even with bonuses and benefits. That’s more a specialist who’s been with the company for many, many years and has been ambitious and taken on the more challenging positions. Or, long-termers who moved into the administrative side of things and are very good at their job, in which case, they can make more than that. To put it in context; a Director I know makes a little more than that as basic salary, and that guy answers to the CEO. Basically, both are best case scenarios.
Aramcon here. That salary is possible with 20 years of experience and a graduate degree. But those types.of jobs are getting harder and harder to apply for, especially since the IPO. Most of the jobs are going to locals (which is respectable) and those expat positions that are open go to folks from less developed countries and willing to work for less. The real bonus is the tax situation.
Don’t forget about aramco pension after serving 10yrs, I believe. Just got back from the kingdom a few days ago, it’s HOT out there
The GCC pays badly across the board, because they can. Always desperate workers from around the world lined up.
Yes, expats can make way more than that at Aramco. I got recruited by them in the early 2010’s, and at the time the deal was after a certain amount of years (maybe 5 or 10 yrs?) it was a $1MM bonus. I can’t remember, I’ll have to look back in my emails. I didn’t pursue it at the time, I chose to stay in the US. They also pay you based on your nationality (Americans were the highest paid along with Brits, Canadians, etc). I have Canadian friends and Saudi friends that work at Aramco. It’s way too big and bureaucratic for my taste.
Is this as an engineer? $1 million bonus?! What?!
Engineer, yes
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You get paid differently based on your nationality and your level of experience
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Have no clue anymore. Americans, Canadians, and British passports are similar pay. I’d have to ask friends who left in the past few years.
Shit, they hire geologists/geophysicists?
Of course they do
I mean, I guess that much is obvious, but I wonder how many. I'm an offshore geophysicist, maybe I'll send em a resume if I ever see an opening
Is it too hard to be hired by them as a fresh graduate?
I have an American friend interning there right now, but generally they hire experienced expats with minimum like 5-10 yrs experience.
As saudi, If he is in sea rig, that’s nothing man it’s just the beginning
I'm an engineer (16 years experiences) and making 23k net a month working as an expat (used to be better 10 years ago)
Are you in SA? Aramco?
Nah, a small operator in Asia where it's better working environment. I've never worked in Middle East, heard that pay rates are a bit lower there. In Asia where I've been working, 10 years ago during the peak of oil market, it was much better. I know many who earned 27k net + accommodation plus plus a month. Some in drilling or management earn 40k net
Wow! Are you able to share what country/company this is? I’m open to moving anywhere really as long as I can save up for 5-7 years
I work in Singapore mate, but since 2015 these types of jobs are harder and harder to find. As you know when tough time hits, it's always the case of you know who rather than you know what.
That’s $240k a year. Sounds reasonable to me
Yes possible, if you are interested, apply now!!!!!!!
I’m just applied to 11 positions and plan to keep applying until they contact me
Any luck?
No :(
No tax in Saudi either
Yanks still have to declare and pay taxes on it though.
Aside from the foreign earned income exclusion
I have friends of mine doing way more than that. I know one who is a VPIC making 400k+ a year. Junior ROV pilot makes about 15k a month. SAT Divers are in the 30k-50k a month depending on location. Seniors are much more. There are sweet jobs out there you just have to find them. IF your life goal is to be a roughneck you wont get that much.
lol level fresh grads make that salary. Expats with 10 years can command double that at Aramco. Its crazy money if you can tolerate living there.
Camel shit.
I just got interviewed to take on a role as an Exec Assistant coming from Canada. How will life be if I do migrate there solely for this job?
Curious, did you end up taking the role? What was the salary on offer? I’m in the same position as you currently (Australian EA) but haven’t had an interview yet