Oil sands companies provide direct employment for a workforce with engineering, technological, management, trade (often needing Interprovincial Red Seal), and administrative skills. Other kinds of workers are employed by contractors, especially construction.

The plants operate year round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so many of the jobs consist of shift work. Buses transport workers from Fort McMurray to oil sands surface mines and plant sites, but employees may also work off-site.

For general information on getting a job with an oil sands company, read the Employment in the Oil Sands and In-situ Oil Sands Jobs.

For information on current oil sands sites that are in production or under construction, read the Oil Sands Project Report.

Workers do not start as labourers and work their way up in oil sands companies. Skills are acquired by completing certificate, diploma or degree programs. For Labourer jobs, look at the February 2008 Labour Market News, or the document The Life of an Oilsands Construction Project.

Power engineers and process operators are employed at oil sands plants. For information on Process operators, view the October 2008 Labour Market News.

For employers in oil and gas, visit our Employer Websites section and search for the occupation you are looking for.

Open Pit / Surface Mining
Companies that operate open-pit mines employ between 800 to 4,000 workers. Heavy equipment operators are required at mining sites. Experience is required and in some cases, courses such as Keyano College’s Haul Truck Operators Program is highly recommended.

In-situ (e.g. SAGD)
In-situ plants currently employ between 30 to 65 workers. Heavy equipment operators are seldom required at SAGD oil sands plants. Companies contracted to drill the SAGD well pairs are generally based elsewhere in Alberta. Although well pairs for SAGD operations can be drilled throughout the year, most core drilling is conducted during the winter between freeze up and spring thaw. There are more in-situ operations in development than surface mines.

Gas
Gas is produced from shallow wells in this area; however, more are located in northwestern Alberta. Fewer wells operate now as the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board ordered gas production wells shut-in on leases adjacent to deep oilsands deposits. The resulting low pressure created by the removal of natural gas is thought to hinder oil production at SAGD projects.

Conventional Oil
Conventional oil is defined as "petroleum found in liquid form, flowing naturally or capable of being pumped without further processing or dilution" by Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). While drilling companies are contracted to drill core samples to assess oilsands deposits and to drill wells for SAGD oilsands projects, there is not much work here. Look to northwestern Alberta.

For a list of drilling companies that operate in the area visit (NOC 8) Occupations Unique to Primary Industry and look under Drilling Rigs. Also, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service for more information on specific jobs, wages and education needed. Another good resource for wages is the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors.