In the recent months, offshore oil rig jobs have become something that almost no one wants to do and with all of the media attention with the Deep Horizon oil spill ion the Gulf of Mexico, it is easy to understand why. The spill, which started on April 20 2010, has left many workers who cannot help with the cleanup looking for other jobs. This is leaving many openings and many offshore oil rig jobs are going unmanned. This high demand field is in need of some great and dedicated workers and if these jobs are not filled soon, oil production and refining may suffer.

However, despite what the media would make people think, the Gulf of Mexico is not the only place where there is this type of work available. Offshore oil rigging jobs are available all around the world including places and waters such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Algeria, Australia, Egypt and many areas in the United States as well as other countries.

Some of the most prominent jobs in this field require that the worker be in excellent physical shape and have the stamina needed to work long hours. In addition, the potential employee must know something of the oil industry and how the product is recovered, refined and sold. For example, does the potential employee understand how the drilling process works? Is he familiar with the names of the equipment and how to use it? What about the refining process, is the potential employee familiar with it and how it works?

If the potential employee can answer yes, he does not mind getting dirty and is ready to work in a labor-intensive environment where timing and knowledge are crucial, there are hundreds of offshore oil rig jobs available to them. Some of the most in-demand jobs available right now include those in the fields of oil production, which entails drilling for and recovering crude oil before it goes to the refineries. While this job is considered an entry-level position, it pays very well, which is a product of the demand being greater than the supply of workers available for this type of job.

Another condition of becoming employed in the oil industry is the travel requirements. In many cases, especially with off shore drilling sites, the employees must live close to the drilling site or they must relocate somewhere close to it at least for the duration of the project. While travel requirements can vary with the type and length of the project required, sometimes, an employee may need to relocate or travel hundreds of miles away from their homes for six months a year or more. If this is something a person cannot do, then this job is not for them.

If anyone can meet all of the conditions listed here and are looking for a good paying job, the oil rig jobs may be perfect. Not only do offshore oil rig jobs pay well, but these types of jobs offer many opportunities for advancement and substantial pay raises, not to mention the jobs give most employees the chance to see the world if they have the ability to travel to other oil rig drilling sites.

Although oil gets the media attention, natural gas also plays a major role in the energy needs of the world. So, how much natural gas is left in the world? The answer may surprise you.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is non-renewable. Although called "natural gas", it could also be called methane for all intents and purposes since methane comprises the vast majority of the gas. Natural gas is found in oil fields, coal minds and its own unique locations.

Natural gas is more of a direct use energy in our daily lives. By direct use, I am referring to actually seeing it. You see it in action when you turn on your gas stove. You also see it when you spend 20 minutes burning your fingers while trying to light the pilot light on a heater. Beside residential use, natural gas is also used by industries for a wide variety of manufacturing applications. A less known use is as an ingredient in the production of ammonia.

Interestingly, and perhaps unfortunately, the countries with major natural gas resources are mostly those that also have significant oil reserves. Iran and Russia have some of the largest fields, as do many other Mideast countries. Fortunately, natural gas is also found in oil-deficient countries such as Australia, Argentina and Mexico.

So, how much natural gas do we currently have to fill our energy needs? The most current estimates put the reserves at roughly six thousand trillion cubic feet. My, that certain sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Given our current rate of use, however, it equate to between 60 and 65 years worth of supply.

As with oil, there are two issues that can throw the estimate of the number of years completely off. The issues are economic growth and further reserves.

The first is the emerging economies of China and India to mention to of the bigger ones. The economies of these countries are expanding like crazy and natural gas is one of the energy sources they live off of. In the next 10 to 20 years, the amount of natural gas needed by these countries should multiply, putting strain on the supply.

The second issue is more positive. Simply put, we should find more natural gas fields in future years. The prospects for finding more are, in fact, much better than those for oil. The reason has to do with transportation. Simply put, oil is easy to transport while natural gas is not. Recent innovations have solved many of the transportation issues, so exploration efforts are picking up.

Natural gas plays a fundamental role in the overall energy supplies of most economies, particularly first world ones. While natural gas supplies seem strong for the foreseeable future, it is important to understand it is not a renewable resource, to wit, it will run out one day.

Looking for oil rigs employment always feels like a major challenge even for someone experienced. But the task facing new workers in the offshore oil and gas industry is especially overwhelming. You have to look for oil rig job vacancies, write your cover letters and resume, and attend the interviews. There are so many tasks to complete and so many things that can go wrong. However, appearances can be deceiving. Statistically, unless an industry is dying, you will always be able to get a job. And the oil industry is still going strong. Unless the world suddenly stops guzzling oil, there will be plenty of oil rig jobs for the next few decades.

You need to keep one important point in mind when looking for oil rigs employment. You should be receiving at least one job offer for every five interviews you attend. Why? Because oil companies won't call you for an interview unless they are seriously looking for people. Conducting an interview is an expensive process. Once an employer calls you for an interview, you are already halfway towards getting hired.

When the economy is going strong, you could find yourself attending two interviews on Monday and both oil service contractors will call you back the next day asking you to start immediately. If you attend 20 interviews and are rejected for all of them, you may want to consult a psychiatrist or therapist. Unless you were discovered for lying on your resume, or keep on asking for too much money, this kind of rejection shows that you are sabotaging your own interviews. There is a term for this, and it's called "self-sabotage". You should look for professional help to cure your problem.

But what if you aren't getting any interviews? Does this mean there is something wrong with you? Maybe, maybe not. You'll often see many job vacancies on the popular job boards like Monster. But sometimes more than half of those job vacancies advertised do not exist. These are some of the tricks used by human resource managers to find out if there are many unemployed and desperate workers available. It is a dirty trick they use to cut the salaries of their existing workers. Basically, they want to know if they have a strong enough hand to say, "Take a 10% pay cut, or I'll give your job to someone else willing to work cheaper."

The secret to acing your offshore drilling jobs interview is to give the interviewer what he expects. Part of that is to show a good attitude - tough and independent, have initiative but still a team-worker, not a trouble-maker. On top of that, you also need to show the interviewer that you have relevant skills for the job. Remember that your resume is for HR, while the interviewer is for the boss you'll be working under.

If you are serious about oil rigs employment, brainstorm your relevant experiences before your interviews. When HR calls you to arrange the interview, ask them what to wear. Stay calm during the interview - remember that most people get at least one job offer for every five interviews they attend. Go back after your interview and conduct a post mortem while the details are still fresh in your mind. What did you do well, and what did you do wrong?

We all brush our teeth at least once a day, and most of us do it at least twice a day. But did you know that unless you are brushing properly with the right motion, the right toothbrush and the right product, your teeth may not be as healthy as you think they are.

Gum disease, also called gingivitis, is inflammation that destroys the tissue that supports the teeth including the gingiva or gums. There are a number of causes, but by far the leading cause of gingivitis is the buildup of plaque. Plaque is a sticky material that is created when we eat. If not removed in a relatively short period of time, it can harden into tarter. Tarter is a very hard substance that sticks to the teeth at the gum line like cement and is extremely hard to remove. Usually this requires several expensive and painful trips to the dentist, but you can avoid this by removing the plaque before it has a chance to harden.

Some of the symptoms of gingivitis include gums that are red, swollen and bleed easily. Sometimes there is bad breath too, but most people are too polite to mention it. At this stage there is still no damage to the surrounding tissue that supports the teeth, and inflammation will usually pass after a good brushing and flossing to remove all the plaque. Although regular checkups at the dentists are always recommended, you want to avoid the need for repeated visits for periodontal treatment. It's painful and expensive.

So what can you do to treat and prevent gum disease? First, don't neglect your teeth and gums. Maintaining oral hygiene is the best way to prevent gum disease in the first place. Brush teeth at least twice a day, but use care if gums are bleeding. This is a sign that inflammation and irritation are already present. Brush with a natural toothpaste that has a blend of essential oils. This will not only clean the surface of the teeth, but the essential oils are also antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory, so they will help clear up any infection or inflammation that may be present.

Be sure to floss twice a day as well, although if you're teeth are tightly crowded or your gums are inflamed, you will need to be very careful that the floss doesn't cut into your gums. You can use a blend of any of the essential oils we list here and coat your dental floss with it to really help get it down between your teeth. You can also mix essential oils with some water and make a mouth rinse to help clean and heal as well.

We strongly recommend that you brush your tongue also, as this is where the bacteria accumulate from leftover food. Tongue cleaning is simple and can be done with your toothbrush while brushing daily or you can use a special tongue cleaner that is available at any drug or discount store. Many toothbrushes are now including a small tongue cleaner on the back of the brush to be sure that you undertake this important step in dental health.

Several essential oils can help with treating gum disease. Peppermint oil and Wintergreen oil are two very common oils used in natural toothpastes and give it that minty taste, but they are excellent for treating gum problems. Tea tree, oregano, clove bud, and juniper are also excellent for treating gum disease and there are blends of these oils on the market to take the guess work out of choosing oils.

The basic definition of an Independent Oil and Gas Company is a non-integrated company which receives nearly all of its revenues from production at the wellhead. They are exclusively in the exploration and production segment of the industry, with no downstream marketing or refining within their operations. The tax definition published by the IRS states that a firm is an Independent if its refining capacity is less than 50,000 barrels per day on any given day or their retail sales are less than $5 million for the year. Independents range in size from large publically held companies to small proprietorships.

Many independents are privately held small companies with less than 20 employees. The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) recorded in a 1998 survey that "a large percentage of independents are organized as C Corporations and S Corporations at 47.6% and 27.7%, respectively. A total of 91.4% of responding companies are classified as independent (versus integrated) for tax purposes. More than one fifth of responding companies reported their stock is publicly traded."

Independent producers derive investment capital from a variety of sources. A 1998 IPAA survey reports that 36.2% of capital is generated through internal sources followed by banks 27.8 % and outside investors (oil & gas partners) at 20.3 %.

Supplying Future Energy Needs

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) states in their Annual Energy Outlook 2007, "Despite the rapid growth projected for biofuels and other non-hydroelectric renewable energy sources and the expectation that orders will be placed for new nuclear power plants for the first time in more than 25 years, oil, coal, and natural gas still are projected to provide roughly the same 86-percent share of the total U.S. primary energy supply in 2030 that they did in 2005." In this report the EIA also predicts consistent growth in U.S. energy demand from 100.2 quadrillion Btu in 2005 to 131.2 quadrillion Btu in 2030.

Maturing production areas in the lower 48 states and the need to respond to shareholder expectations have resulted in major integrated petroleum companies shifting their exploration and production focus toward the offshore in the United States and in foreign countries. Independent oil and gas producers increasingly account for a larger percentage of domestic production in the near offshore and lower 48 states. Independent producers' share of lower 48 states petroleum production increased form 45 percent in the 1980's to more than 60 percent by 1995. Today the IPAA reports that independent producers develop 90 percent of domestic oil and gas wells, produce 68 percent of domestic oil and produce 82 percent of domestic gas. Clearly, they are vital to meeting our future energy needs.

A crude oil ETF is a recent entry in the oil investment market that embraces advantages of both long-established commodities futures with a new approach of real-time Internet trading. From newbies to long established oil trading professionals, everyone is searching for methods through which they can access a variety of funds and equities to enrich their investment portfolio. One such technique is investing in oil ETF that is gaining popularity amongst investors over a period.

A crude oil exchange traded fund (ETF) is similar to a stock as it is traded in national exchanges. They carry the same characteristics as a stock such as fluctuating prices graphed through out the day on the chart. However, the main difference is that an ETF is made up of separate securities and equities unlike a stock.

Trading in oil ETF involves a commodity, which in this case is crude oil. Commodities have physical presence and assembling commodity values into an ETF is suggestive of crude oil value, investment opportunities available, and the total resultant of an investment basket. It means, though crude oil is a physical product, oil ETF is a financial product that is bought and sold real time by trading it a fixed volume.

The underlying question is why investors should trade in oil investments considering that the value of oil is potentially volatile. Speculation of prices is also one of the major driving forces behind the volatility. Where there is everyday news coverage on the speculative prices and volatility of oil prices, why an investor should put in his money into intraday trading of an ETF that is exposed to significant risks?

Investors who are playing a large game in the trading market are well known of the fact that oil is one of the largest commodities in the market today. A few major factors like the role United States as the largest consumer of oil and OPEC's actions in getting together like-minded oil producing countries together to protect their interests are also important while deciding upon the tricks while trading in the market. The value of oil is largely dependent on global politics involving major oil producing and oil consuming countries. According to some traders, one should not underestimate the political involvement in the fluctuation of oil prices and trade keeping in mind the same. Those who want to invest in oil ETF's should do a good amount of technical and risk analysis research before putting in their money in this volatile yet rewarding commodity.

The stainless steel pump is the most preferred option in a wide range of industry segments for an equally wide number of purposes. But due to space constrains, in this article, I would provide information on only the use of these pumps in handling of oil spillage and recovering in the relevant sectors.

Utility Areas

Stainless steel positive displacement (PD) pump is the variety used for this purpose and you would find its use mostly in oil drilling and refineries. Among the various applications of this PD pump for oil recovery are:

Oil skimming
Oil Transfer
Loading and unloading operations

Apart from these functions, you can get hydraulically driven submersible pumps made from stainless steel, which is used in to pump thick oil sludge that accumulates at tank bottoms and ship bilge areas. If you planning to get one such pump for yourself always make sure to get pumps that perform in the shortest turnaround times.

Traits of a Good Pump

Now, that you know the various processes used in oil recovery using the stainless steel pump, it is important that you know and can judge a good quality pump from a low quality options. So, what are the traits you should look for? Well, here are a few tried and tested tips that would help you to get the best pumps for your needs in oil drilling and refineries:

It should have high capacity to handle mixtures of air, water, and thick oily sludge
It should have low-shear pumping qualities so that it does not homogenize or emulsify the liquid, thus offering better oil/water separations
It has the capability for reversible flow without piping changes for loading/unloading operation (AC motor & hydraulic drives).

Though the traits vary from one manufacturer of pump to the other, yet it should be kept in mind that the basic capabilities should be same- that is efficiently serve the respective purpose of its use. Apart from these capabilities, nowadays you can also get customized options, as per your specific industry sector. Additionally, all good stainless steel pumps used in oil spillage and recovery offer a small footprint, pulsation free pumping, strong suction lift & vacuum at inlet, low shear, as well as forward and reverse operation.

Dos and Don'ts for Pumps

Though stainless steel PD pumps have the ability to perform even during heavy duty working conditions, it is important that you maintain them well. This involves reading the user instruction manual carefully and operating your oil spill and recovery pump only with proper knowledge. Also, it is important that you clean your pump regularly so that it can function properly, with high efficiency for better productivity.

Always, get a stainless steel pump for the oil industry from a reliable manufacturer to get the best from it, and for longer shelf life.

The job of working on a rig can be a dangerous one. While it is lucrative, no one will deny that there are times when medical help is necessary there and that sometimes circumstance may arise where you will be injured on the job.

In fact, nearly every rig job in the world has a few risks involved in it. To assure that you're always well taken care of, most oil rigs, but particularly the offshore variety of oil rigs will supply some type of emergency medical help. Depending on the rig that is involved that may range from a paramedic to a nurse and sometimes even a physician will be on board for some period of time.

Oil rig medics typically need some experience in their craft prior to being hired onto the rig jobs. Most of the time, the oil rig medic will be someone who has worked in their craft for a period of a year to two years and who has all of their training behind them.

Paramedics generally train about four months for a full time training class, to one year for those who train part time. Once that training has been accomplished they will also be required to do about 1500 clinical hours in a hospital or emergency room in order to be able to treat the injuries that they may be required to work with.

Most paramedics work in ambulances or rescue squads, where they are paid an average of 10-20 dollars an hour to begin. Paramedics who are working in the oil rigs may be salaried and will often begin at about 45-50 thousand dollars per year.

For their money they are going to be working long hours-generally 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off. The pay is lucrative but the injuries that you may see in your oil rig paramedic job can be serious, or life threatening and your work will not be without risks of its own.

If you're in love with the idea of being a paramedic on an offshore rig, or of working on a unique field that is out of the ordinary for a paramedic, why not consider the paramedic jobs in the oil.

By now, anyone who hasn't been paying much attention to the national news will find this article a bit over their heads. Of course, it is assumed that in fact anyone and everyone who is involved in the real estate market at some level, be it mortgage brokers to agents or anyone in between, knows about what has happened in the Gulf of Mexico and the cleanup efforts that have led to many financial burdens for the people of the Gulf Coast region.

Fishing ships in some locales and vacation regions have endured an enormous economic burden from this disaster and while it may not make lead headlines every night on the news any longer, it doesn't mean that the issue is resolved. In fact, the stress on the communities that have been most impacted continues to mount. Now the next victim is expected to be the housing industry of homes that are directly affected by the oil spill.

71,000 homes could be affected

The estimates are only just now being put together and the numbers are staggering. More than 71,000 homes along the Panhandle of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi can expect their value to drop as a result of the oil spill. An incredible number of homes and there is, as of yet, no plan in place or any indication from BP or its affiliates to compensate these homeowners for their lost assets, if it comes to pass.

The total estimates at this point for the value that could be lost as a result of this oil spill is approximately $3 billion. When you calculate the number of projected homes being affected and that total tab, the average homeowner in these regions along the water could expect their average home price to suffer to the tune of just over $42,000.

Any relief in site?

While there are efforts in place to help cleanup to Gulf Coast and all of the affected regions, there has been no indication that any of these homeowners will receive any monetary compensation. Of course, there is a major dilemma involved in this issue. It isn't that the government is negligent in its addressing -or, more appropriately, not addressing- home values in the affect Gulf region, but that there are many unanswered, and unanswerable questions at present.

The first is whether or not any of these homeowners would be willing or looking to sell within the next year or two. If so, then they would in fact be directly affected by the oil spill as their home value will be greatly depreciated. Another question would be how to determine the true effect of the Gulf oil spill on home values over a period of time. For example, if a period of time is determined as five years, wouldn't it stand to reason that twenty years would balance out the damage done, and that these homes would then recoup whatever lost revenue or value that they currently experience? If that is the case, then should there be an escrow system set up for homeowners so that they can tap into it should they decide that it's time for them to sell and leave the region?

Unprecedented

The disaster in the Gulf is an unprecedented naturally and economic disaster with many economic repercussions that may not be felt yet, and may not be felt for years to come. A second factor that is important to consider is that a driving force in the depreciation of home values is the buyer and after any disaster, whether it's a hurricane or this oil spill, buyers will be determined to undervalue homes, anyway. The psychology of this phenomena isn't easily predictable and the best bet for homeowners in these regions is to state that if they don't need to sell at this time, it would be best advisable to hold onto their property until the teeth of this disaster have become a bit duller.

David

An oil rigjob has always been an interesting line of work. The chance to work abroad in various locations all over the world in a job that is both challenging and rewarding, is very appealing to many.

The great thing about working abroad on oil rigs is that there are plenty of opportunities for work, that cater for a wide range of skills and job requirements. There is also, despite tough times in many industries, a wide demand for workers.

Many workers looking for a career in oil and gas on offshore rig should know that experience is key, and so people trying to develop an oil or gas career may find it difficult to start out.It is important that you do not misrepresent yourself. If you have no prior experience it is better to admit this straight from the off, with honesty being key. The first point of contact is usually a CV and it is important that you make yourself stand out from the crowd.

The job is demanding in that you will need to sometimes work on the rigs for long periods of time, but the rewards are very gratifying and the pay is very appealing. You will usually work two weeks on the rig followed by two weeks off, and so you will be working six months spread out over a year.

The positions that are open to people that decide that a career on an oil rig is for them are also very intriguing. When looking for a potential entry to an oil career, there is a wide variety of starting points. There is something for everyone with plenty of opportunities for jobs on oil rigs, from general labourers to BR hands.

It is also valuable to note that oil companies want you to develop and progress in your oil rig career. Many oil rigs have very good training facilities and want you to advance and develop new skills. This will allow you to progress with the company advancing your career in oil. This comes down to the company you work with but opportunities there are plenty of chances to advance your skills.

So do you think you could handle a job on an offshore oil rig? The average age of people with a job on oil rigs is 27 and is expected to be physically fit, with the nature of the job being quite demanding. You will need to take a medical examination to ensure that you are in good condition and be suitable for the job.

People looking for a career in the oil and gas industry are benefited by a degree or past experience though it is not essential. If you're struggling as to where to make a start in terms of finding your job abroad, there are many sites on the internet that can provide more information on how to get into the industry. Simply, search oil and gas jobs and you will be given a list of various sites that can get you started in the industry.

The industry is definitely looking for workers, and if you can handle to pressures from being away from home for long periods of time as well as being hardworking and reliable, perhaps working on an offshore oil rig is right for you.