Oil and gas worker survey reveals insight into us oil and gas industry

September 2023

Oil and gas worker survey reveals insight into U.S. oil and gas industry: A survey by True Transition, an organisation based in the United States led by former oil and gas industry workers, has revealed insight into the sector and some of the difficulties experienced by oil and gas employees.

Amongst the key findings the research highlighted that more than 50% of survey respondents had lost their jobs at least once before 2020 (17.8% answering 'more than once’) and 50% lost their jobs during the Covid-19 induced energy shock of 2020. It also found that wages in emerging alternative energy industries are not competitive enough to attract oil and gas workers.

The survey polled 1,635 respondents which resulted in the accompanying report: The Future of Energy and Work in the United States: The American Oil and Gas Worker Survey. The purpose is to better understand employment trends, the experiences and desires of oil and gas workers, and the options most readily available to them to play a role in the energy transition.

When it comes to future opportunities available to oil and gas workers, the survey found that 37% of respondents believe that the government (despite a deep distrust felt by many) should provide wage replacement if oil and gas companies do not rehire them to previous levels. Just over a third said the government should provide health insurance benefits in these circumstances (35%) while two-fifths said there should be funding for finding new employment (42%).

Currently, almost three-quarters said they have health insurance in their job, or most recent job (73%), with just over a quarter having no employer health insurance. Healthcare and its associated costs are one of the primary drivers of the nation's cost of living crisis, according to the report.

Around six in 10 (58%) reported that their employer offered paid time off or sick leave, although 36% of full-time salaried employees did not have access to this. Similarly, while 56% said they have retirement benefits provided by their employer, 44% do not. A further 44% said they receive training or accreditations paid for by their employer, while 56% are not offered training, which says the report can leave inexperienced workers vulnerable to 'dangerous consequences'. The research also found that around one in 10 (9%) oil and gas workers receive none of the benefits listed above from their employer.

When asked about how they feel about their current job security, 62% rated it at varying degrees of 'good', while the remainder (38%) at varying degrees of ‘not good’. Just under two-thirds of respondents said they were satisfied with their pay, which another survey question revealed was one of the key drivers for staying in sector.