The oil and gas industry in Canada is growing, and offers many great careers in the trades for those who are interested in the petroleum sector.  Tradespeople working in oil and gas typically perform the hands-on, day-to-day tasks involved in running the equipment and facilities necessary for the drilling, mining and refining of petroleum and natural gas products.

Some of the trades careers available in oil and gas production include:

Boilermaker

Also known as Boiler Fitters or Pressure Vessel Fabricators, these tradespeople build or repair heat exchange systems, stationary steam boilers, and metal tanks or other vessels using skills such as welding, metal fabricating and pipefitting.

Crane Operators

Crane operator tradespeople can specialize in a number of crane types, including boom truck cranes, bridge cranes, tower cranes, hoists and hydraulic cranes. They will use these cranes to move and position large loads, equipment or vehicles involved in the operation of oil and gas facilities.

Heavy Equipment Mechanic

All the machinery and equipment in the oil and gas industry needs to be maintained and repaired, which is where heavy equipment mechanics are vital. These tradespeople use skills such as welding and soldering, and work with computer electronics to troubleshoot machinery.

Industrial Electrician

Electricians are needed at drilling sites and processing facilities to install and repair electrical systems and equipment, including controls, sensors, transmitters and lighting or heating.

Machinist

Tradespeople working as machinists operate machine tools such as drills and milling machines in order to produce the parts and instruments needed for the petroleum industry. They also use computer programs to design and operate these machine tools.

Welder

Much of the oil and gas industry relies on metal machinery, tanks, pipes and building facilities.  Welders are the tradespeople who can install and repair all types of metal equipment, using blow torches, hand welding, flame cutters, and even computerized tools for highly precise work.

Carpenter

Carpenters in the oil and gas industry assist in construction of facilities, build scaffolds and braces, and install windows, doors and flooring for temporary and permanent structures.

These are just a few of the trades employed in the oil and gas industry.  If one of these isn’t quite to your interest, there are also jobs in transportation, mining, site remediation and cleanup, and working within refineries and other production facilities, as a few examples. Take a look around and you’re sure to find a trades career in the oil and gas industry that will be right for you!

SOURCES:

http://www.careersinoilandgas.com/explore-job-categories

http://www.trade-schools.net/trades/oil-gas.asp