Shell Tops Ranks Of Ideal Oil, Gas Employers

Shell has emerged as the number-one employer in the energy industry, according to a Rigzone survey among 8,400 respondents in more than 100 countries. This is the first survey of this kind since the start of the price slump.

The top 10 of the best employers in the industry, according to the survey, is occupied by Big Oil and Big Oilfield Service, with Chevron at #2, Exxon at #3, and BP at #4. Halliburton was fifth, followed by Schlumberger, Aramco, Total, Baker Hughes, and Weatherford International at #10.

Rigzone said there were regional variations in the ratings, with BP, for instance, taking the top spot in the UK and Chevron doing the same among African respondents.

So what makes an ideal oil and gas employer? Per the survey’s respondents, safety came first, with as much as 90 percent of the respondents’ pool ranking it the most important factor. Adequate salaries came second, along with the consideration that the work is interesting and challenging, and that the employer had corporate integrity.

A Shell regional head of HR commented that the acquisition of BG Group had done a lot to increase loyalty among employees as it took place amid the downturn, when nobody was buying anything and everyone was laying off employees. Although Shell did have its share of layoffs.

Related: This Is What It Will Take To Seal The OPEC Deal

Between January 2015 and May this year, Shell laid off as many as 12,500 people, some of them as part of the merger with BG Group, others as a direct consequence of the lower oil prices. Total Shell layoffs for 2016 are seen at up to 5,000 people. For those remaining in employment – around 80,000 as of May 2016 – the Anglo-Dutch supermajor obviously ticks all the important boxes.

Rigzone’s survey respondents mentioned a total 3,000 companies in all, the bulk of them much smaller players. Size is one obvious reason why the top 10 is occupied by Big Oil rather than independent shale producers, for instance. Big Oil has the most employees, in five- and six-figure territory.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

• Iran Surprises OPEC With A Further 250,000 Bpd Increase
• The Catastrophic Consequences Of Peak Oil Demand
• Wall Or No Wall: Trump Needs The Mexican Oil Industry