Britain's North Sea rig workers are in the money as oil pay gushes up

Workers in the UK oil and gas industry enjoy some of the highest wages paid by the sector across the world.

A typical North Sea worker earns an average of £540 a day, while someone at director level employed on a rig there can command around £900 a day, according to the recruitment group Hays.

The company's annual survey of pay across the oil and gas industry shows rates have risen by a staggering 30 per cent over the past year, as more and more firms are prepared to explore and develop fields in harder-to-reach places.

Full-time UK oil professionals are enjoying average salaries of £55,850 a year, which is more than twice the national salary average of £26,244.

Matt Underhill, managing director of Hays Oil & Gas, commented: "Last year we reported a 30 per cent rise in contractor wages for UK professionals. This was particularly encouraging for UK-based oil andgas professionals as the rates are a good indicator of the state of thejob market, being more reactiveto short-term changes in demandfor skills."

Hays said that UK wages acrossthe sector are some 8 per cent higher than the global average. The company also said that it expects buoyant demand to persist throughout 2012as North Sea activity continues to build up.