07 May 05/07/2019

Oil and Gas Drilling Equipment & Services Pipeline Transportation Refinery

Who's Who in Oil and Gas: Jobs, Contractor Safety, and the PPE Required

Edwin Drake, the“Father of the Petroleum Industry” was the first person to drill a commercial oil well in the United States. His drilling technology revolutionized how crude oil was produced and launched what we know today as the U.S. Petroleum industry. From its humble beginnings in Titusville, PA, the oil and gas industry today employs workers across all 50 U.S. states.

FF2930 impact gloves being worn at the first oil well ever drilled back in 1859. MCR Safety is transforming oil and gas PPE, some 160 years after that initial oil well was drilled.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 148,300 workers employed in the oil and gas extraction industries in the United States in December 2018. Preliminary numbers (with seasonal adjustments) for January and February of 2019 increased to 149,800 and then 150,600, respectively.

We’d like to spotlight the Who's Who working today in the most populated occupations across the modern oil and gas industry while also emphasizing the importance of safety. We first highlight all the current oil and gas jobs open across the industry.

Also, if you count yourself among those working as oil and gas professionals, you will need protection. No matter what occupation you’re in, we have the right PPE for you. At MCR Safety, We Protect People!

Oil and Gas Jobs

You might be thinking that the best place to find an oil and gas job is in Texas. And you would be correct. As we highlight on our Oil and Gas Industry page, Texas leads the U.S. in both crude oil production and natural gas production. Houston oil and gas jobs are where many people find work. Indeed.com is an excellent resource for starting a job search in Houston or any other oil and gas production areas. We also recommend oil and gas professionals to check out us.oilandgasjobsearch.com. Many of the occupations we highlight below are the jobs you'll find with open positions on both Indeed.com and us.oilandgasjobssearch.com.

Here are some of the top Indeed.com links for regions, occupations, and companies where one can find oil and gas jobs:

Oil and gas jobs Denver
Production records hit all-time highs in 2019. Here is the link to current openings.

Oil and gas jobs Tulsa
Home to some of the largest energy companies in the world. Here is the link to current openings.

Oil and gas jobs in Alaska
One-third of all jobs in Alaska are in the oil and gas industry. Here is the link to current openings.

Oil and gas jobs in WV
There are over 144,000 oil and gas wells in West Virginia. Here is the link to current openings.
Entry level oil and gas jobs
Jobs that require minimal professional work experience. Here is the link to current openings.
International oil and gas jobs
Are those jobs that are found all over the world. Here is the link to current openings.

GE oil and gas jobs
A GE division that merged with Baker Hughes back in 2017. Here is the link to current openings.
Oil and gas safety jobs
Safety is important to everyone working in this industry. Here is the link to current openings.

Here are the top 10 states for oil and gas production, which would be the areas employing the most workers.

Check out our Oil and Gas industry page for more in-depth stats.

Before we move on to highlighting specific occupations, here are some common questions from those seeking oil and gas employment:

How to get a job in oil and gas?
We hope the above information has you soon on your way to a new oil and gas job. You might want to also check out the nestg.com blog. Also, consider other top websites for oil and gas jobs, such as monster.com and ziprecruiter.com.
How many jobs are in the oil and gas industry?
We mentioned 148,300 workers above. The BLS periodically updates this number. Here is a link to each sub-industry: Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream.
How many new jobs in the oil and gas industry?
The BLS' current employment statistics is an excellent starting location to retrieve the most up to date data.
How can you find oil and gas jobs in East Texas?
Here is a listing of current openings for this part of the U.S.
What are the highest paying jobs in oil and gas without a degree?
We recommend O*NET OnLine for job seekers needing specific details on any oil and gas job. We cover the top occupations below, but even more precise information like education level required can be found on O*NET OnLine.

Next, we dive into the professions with the most employment found across the oil and gas industry.

Top Occupations in Drilling and Production

Drilling and production work, referred to as “Upstream,” involves finding and producing crude oil and natural gas. Of the nearly 20 categories of occupations in the drilling and production sub-industry, the two with the highest concentration of workers are Construction Laborers and Extraction Occupations and Control and Valve Installers and Repairers.

Construction Laborers and Extraction Occupations

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists Construction and Extraction Occupations as one of the major occupation groups within the oil and gas industry. The most recent statistics from May 2017 indicate that 21,760 workers are employed in Upstream. The BLS has a breakdown of the wide variety of nearly 60 different jobs that these workers do, including service unit operators, pipefitters, derrick operators, and roustabouts. Helper, Laborer, and Construction Worker are among the job titles that people in this group are likely to have.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Constructing an extraction site is a major part of oil and gas operations.

In addition to MCR Safety’s dedicated Oil and Gas Industry page, our Construction Industry page is an excellent resource for these workers. Click the image to learn more.

Construction Industry Page

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers

In May 2017, 510 workers were listed as being employed as control and valve installers and repairers. These workers repair mechanical control devices, lubricate mechanical parts, and install electric meters. They are responsible for the installation, repair, and maintenance of regulating and controlling devices including electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, and safety and flow valves. Control Valve Technician, Service Technician, and Valve Technician are three of the more prevalent job titles.

Valve installers and repairers are heavily employed across all oil and gas sectors.

Drilling Service Contractors

These contractors service drilling rigs to address problems and to ensure that they are working efficiently and safely. Removing the wellhead is a common service activity for drilling service contractors. Being struck by wrenches and hammers while removing bolts and fittings is a definite hazard for this activity.

Wellhead

Like all continually used equipment, oil wells often require servicing or maintenance on the surface or down-hole equipment to ensure that the well keeps performing efficiently. Be sure to check out OSHA’s oil and gas eTool for all the hazards these workers face. Click the below image to learn more.

Top Occupations in Pipeline Transportation and Storage

Midstream work involves the collection and transportation of crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum products, and slurry. 49,000 workers were engaged in the transportation and material moving occupations of crude oil, natural gas, and other materials in May 2017.

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

In 2017, there were a total of 7,200 of these workers in Midstream. These workers lubricate machines, change parts, and perform machinery maintenance. Common job titles for this occupation are Lubricator, Maintenance Man, and Oiler.

Oil and Gas maintenance worker wearing the 951 "Hyperfit" multitask glove.

Petroleum Pump System Operators

The most recent BLS statistics indicate that 6,380 workers are employed as petroleum pump system operators in the U.S. They are the ones monitoring gauges, opening valves to regulate the flow of oil, and operating pumping systems. Common job titles for this position are Gauger and Pumper. for this position are Lubricator, Maintenance Man, and Oiler

Gauges and valves are found in all Upstream, Midstream and Downstream operations.

Top Occupations in Refining

The focus of Downstream work is the manufacturing, refining, and marketing of petroleum products. As of December 2018, with seasonal adjustments, there were 112,870 total employees in manufacturing positions. 46,570 of these were production occupations.

The top two occupations found in Midstream are also the top two occupations found in Downstream. There are 20,310 Pump System Operators and 10,400 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair occupations working in refineries.

Contractor Safety

Contractors make up 77% of the entire Upstream workforce. Whether you are a contractor yourself or you routinely hire contractors, you know that these workers are especially vulnerable to workplace hazards. According to Joe Eastin, CEO of ISN, contractors have a 30% higher total recordable incident rate than other company employees that year.

In his article published in March 2018, Eastin noted one of the findings from a recently conducted contractor-management strategy survey: 60% of the 34 organizations in the upstream oil and gas industry reported that they expected to see an increase in their outsourcing of work to third-party contractors over the subsequent 12 to 18 months. If you visit the links to the Bureau of Labor Management and Statistics listed above, you’ll see that there have been increases in the number of employees in the oil and gas industry.

Contractors need to be seen at all times with Hi-Visibility PPE.

More workers being hired is great news for the oil and gas industry and its employees, but the increased risk for serious injury or death is one that companies need to take seriously. In 2015, of the 4,836 fatal work injuries in the United States, 17% were sustained by contracted workers. One fatality is one too many.

Managers of the owner company need to clearly define expectations, safety regulations, and the scope of work so that contractors have established policies to follow and don’t need to guess what they should be doing. Managers also need to outline the chain of command so that contractors know to whom they should report and of whom they can ask questions. Roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities should be clearly defined. And, most importantly, managers must be consistent in their enforcement of expectations and contractual obligations, and work with the contractor on all aspects of safety on the job site.

Common Hazards Encountered by Contractors

For every 100 employees, there are 3 incidents. Pump maintenance in and of itself can be hazardous. Here are some of the hazards contractors must guard against:

Abrasive handling when transporting or working with tools, pipes, and rigging.

FF2930 moving abrasive pipes.

Chemical and liquid spills and splashes
Repelled water, drilling fluids, and water-based mud and oil
Dropped objects and tools
Can easily injure hands and feet, while water and other liquids can cause workers to slip and fall.
Fire and explosions
Are responsible for 16% of all oil and gas fatalities
Flying projectiles
Can irritate eyes due to liquids, dust, or debris getting into them.
Crush and impact injuries
From tongs and spinning chains while moving heavy objects; unloading, assembly, and disassembly of pipes; lifting gear with chain hoists; sledgehammering; working around equipment and loads that swing, as well as around motor-operated valves, are all dangers that must be protected against so workers stay safe.

Contractor PPE Required

We supply contractors with PPE that keeps them safe from the hazards mentioned above. Take a look at our gloves, glasses, and garments to find the PPE that’s right for you. Not sure where to start? Try consulting some of our blogs, including:

Midstream

Pigging and Piping and Pumping, Oh My! Midstream PPE and Safety Gear

Refineries

MCR Safety is devoted to creating educational resources that help oil and gas workers understand the PPE needed on a job site, no matter the task.

MCR Safety - We Protect People!

Every day, MCR Safety works with our motto in mind: “We Protect People.” No matter what job you perform across the oil and gas industry, MCR Safety is dedicated to providing you with the best PPE available. Click the below image for all of MCR Safety's Oil and Gas resources.

Do you have questions about MCR Safety’s products? Contact us! We’re happy to answer your questions and we’ll be happy to help you find the perfect PPE gear for your needs. You can leave us a comment here too.

For over 40 years, MCR Safety has proven to be a world-leader in gloves, glasses, and garments. Whether it’s on a shop floor, an oil rig, or a construction site, we are there providing solutions to workplace hazards. We Protect People!

Learn more about MCR Safety by checking out our most recent video. For more information, browse our website, request a catalog, find a distributor, or give us a call at 800-955-6887

Contractor Oil and Gas