To get an offshore oil and gas job in Guyana in 2026 you need three things: a recognised technical qualification (a trade certificate, the Guyana Technical Training College diploma, or an engineering degree), a valid OPITO Tropical BOSIET certificate plus an offshore medical, and a profile on the Local Content Register at lcregister.petroleum.gov.gy. Then you apply to the contractors that run the vessels and rigs, not only to ExxonMobil, because that is where most of the roughly 1,800 offshore seats actually sit.
This guide walks through who is hiring, what the papers cost you in time, which local training routes produce job offers, what the roles pay, and a 90-day plan to get your first rotation.
Why 2026 is the year Guyana’s offshore hiring peaks
Guyana was producing about 888,000 barrels of oil a day at the end of May 2026 from four FPSOs (floating production, storage and offloading vessels) on the Stabroek Block. The fifth and largest vessel, the MODEC-built Errea Wittu, arrived in Guyanese waters in August 2026 for the US$12.7 billion Uaru project. Once it is moored about 200 km offshore in 1,690 metres of water and reaches capacity, it adds 250,000 barrels a day and pushes the country past one million barrels a day. First oil is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Every FPSO needs two full rotating crews, plus the drilling, subsea, supply-vessel and helicopter support that keeps it running. That is why the pipeline of projects matters more to a jobseeker than the headline production number:
- Uaru (Errea Wittu FPSO) – start-up Q4 2026, crews already being hired and trained.
- Whiptail (Jaguar FPSO, built by SBM Offshore) – US$12.5 billion, 48 wells, 250,000 bpd, online in late 2027.
- Hammerhead – US$6.8 billion, 150,000 bpd, start-up in 2029.
- Longtail – a gas-heavy development (1.5 billion cubic feet of gas plus 290,000 bpd of condensate) with a final investment decision expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
- Wales Gas-to-Energy – the 300 MW plant in Region 3 targets first power by the end of 2026 and full combined-cycle operation by mid-2027, with construction employment peaking at around 1,600 workers in 2026.
On the labour side, ExxonMobil Guyana and its contractors employed more than 6,200 Guyanese by mid-2025, about 70% of their workforce, with roughly 1,800 of those offshore. Government has approved 2026 Local Content Plans for more than 40 operators, contractors and subcontractors, and the Minister of Natural Resources is publicly pushing for pay parity in 2026: a Guyanese with the same certification and experience as an expatriate should be paid the same for the same job. The direction of travel is clear. What is in short supply is certified, documented Guyanese talent.
Who actually hires for offshore jobs in Guyana
The most common mistake first-time applicants make is sending one CV to ExxonMobil and waiting. The operator employs engineers, planners and HSE professionals, mostly in Georgetown, but the bulk of offshore rotation jobs are on contractor payrolls.
| Company | What they run in Guyana | Typical roles they fill with Guyanese |
|---|---|---|
| ExxonMobil Guyana (EEPGL) | Operator of the Stabroek Block | Operations and facilities engineers, HSE advisors, planners, logistics, graduate programmes |
| SBM Offshore | Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, Prosperity and ONE GUYANA FPSOs; building the Jaguar FPSO for Whiptail | Production technicians, control room operators, mechanical/electrical/instrument technicians, marine crew, maintenance planners |
| MODEC | Errea Wittu FPSO (Uaru), starting up Q4 2026 | Same FPSO disciplines; crews ramping through 2026 |
| Stena Drilling, Noble | Drillships working the Stabroek development programme | Roustabouts, roughnecks, derrickmen, assistant drillers, rig electricians and mechanics, medics, radio operators |
| SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes | Well services | Wireline, MWD/LWD and cementing field engineers, mud engineers, completions technicians, lab and workshop technicians |
| Saipem, TechnipFMC | Subsea installation and subsea production equipment | Riggers, welders and fabricators, ROV and subsea technicians, project and field engineers |
| GYSBI (Houston, EBD) and VEHSI (Vreed-en-Hoop) | Shore bases feeding every vessel offshore | Crane operators, riggers, materials coordinators, warehouse, HSE, security, customs and logistics |
Add to that the offshore catering, accommodation and helicopter providers, and the more than 1,200 Guyanese businesses now registered in the sector. Under the First Schedule of the Local Content Act, 90% of catering, janitorial, laundry, office rental and accommodation services must be supplied by Guyanese companies, and 100% of immigration and local insurance services. Those percentages translate directly into jobs at Guyanese-owned firms that you will not find on a multinational careers page.
The five documents you need before anyone flies you offshore
1. Tropical BOSIET with HUET
Tropical BOSIET (T-BOSIET) is the OPITO-approved Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training adapted for warm-water regions like Guyana. It covers helicopter underwater escape (HUET), sea survival, firefighting and first aid, takes about three days, and is valid for four years before you renew with the shorter Tropical FOET.
You no longer need to travel to Trinidad for it. Guyana has two OPITO-approved centres: the ODITC / 3t EnerMech Training Centre at Lusignan on the East Coast Demerara (next to the Orinduik heliport, with a 14 ft survival pool, welding and rigging halls) and the Atlantic Alliance Maritime and Offshore Training Institute at Friendship, East Bank Demerara. Ask the centre and your target employer about sponsored seats; many contractors pay for BOSIET once you have a conditional offer.
2. Offshore medical
Operators and drilling contractors require a fitness-to-work medical to the OEUK (formerly OGUK) standard, typically valid for two years. It includes vision, hearing, BMI, blood pressure and a fitness assessment. Book it after BOSIET, not before, so the two expiry dates line up with your first rotation.
3. Seafarer papers for marine roles
Marine positions on an FPSO or supply vessel (able seaman, deck cadet, dynamic positioning operator) require STCW basic safety certificates and a seafarer’s record book issued through Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). If you are choosing a lane and like the sea, this is the least crowded one.
4. Identity and clearance
A passport with at least 12 months’ validity, a police clearance certificate, your TIN and NIS numbers, and certified copies of every qualification. Recruiters in this sector reject incomplete files without follow-up.
5. A Local Content Register profile
The Local Content Register is the Local Content Secretariat’s official platform where Guyanese nationals register as jobseekers and Guyanese companies register as suppliers. Registration is free. Its most under-used feature is the Notices for Individual Employment page: contractors must advertise there before they can justify hiring a non-Guyanese for a role. Every notice you see is a position a company has been unable to fill locally, with the pay and requirements listed. Check it weekly.
Training routes that actually lead to job offers
Guyana Technical Training College, Port Mourant
The US$120 million Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI) at Port Mourant, Region 6, was commissioned in February 2026 and is now the single most direct route into a production technician job. It runs an 18-month residential programme leading to an Advanced Diploma in Oil and Gas across four disciplines: production operations, instrumentation, electrical and mechanical. Training is built around The FacTor, a US$13 million simulator that replicates a working FPSO, and on-campus housing means Berbice, hinterland and Essequibo students are not disadvantaged. Two cohorts had already completed the programme and secured employment before the campus formally opened, and enrolment for the full campus began in January 2026. If you are 18 to 30 with CSEC Mathematics, English and a science, this is the application to prioritise.
University of Guyana
The Faculty of Engineering and Technology at Turkeyen offers degrees through its Department of Petroleum and Geological Engineering alongside mechanical, electrical and civil engineering. A four-year engineering degree is the entry ticket to field engineer, subsea and reservoir roles that command US-dollar salaries. Government-funded GOAL scholarships cover many online degree and certificate programmes; the 2026 intake closed in early 2026 and the next call has historically opened around October, so prepare transcripts now.
Technical institutes and apprenticeships
The Government Technical Institute in Georgetown, the Linden and New Amsterdam technical institutes, and Board of Industrial Training apprenticeships remain the standard path for welders, electricians, instrument fitters, diesel mechanics and pipefitters. A Craft Certificate plus two years of documented workshop or shore-base experience is enough to be shortlisted for offshore maintenance roles.
Short certifications that change your shortlist position
- NEBOSH International General Certificate or IOSH Managing Safely – the two credentials HSE recruiters filter on.
- IWCF or IADC WellSharp – well control, essential for drilling crews moving above roustabout level.
- Coded welding (AWS or CSWIP) and API inspection certificates – fabrication and integrity work for Saipem, TechnipFMC and the shore bases.
- Rigging, banksman and crane operator certification – the fastest-hiring category at GYSBI and VEHSI.
- SAP or CMMS maintenance systems – a quiet advantage for planner and materials coordinator roles.
What offshore jobs in Guyana pay in 2026
Treat the figures below as indicative bands drawn from 2026 salary guides and advertised vacancies. Pay is frequently quoted in US dollars for engineering and supervisory grades, and most FPSO and rig positions run 28 days on, 28 days off (drilling crews sometimes 21/21 or 14/14). For context, the public-sector minimum salary is now GYD 100,000 a month and the private-sector minimum wage is GYD 60,147.
| Role level | Indicative 2026 pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HSE officer with NEBOSH/IOSH and 2 years’ experience | GYD 350,000 to 600,000 per month | Most accessible high-paying route without a degree |
| Offshore technician and rig crew roles (all trades) | GYD 8 million to 20 million per year | Roughly GYD 670,000 to 1.67 million a month depending on trade and seniority |
| Experienced petroleum, drilling, subsea and HSE managers | US$90,000 to US$180,000-plus per year | Usually USD contracts with housing, transport and insurance allowances |
Two 2026 dynamics work in your favour. First, the pay-parity push means contractors are being told to close the gap between Guyanese and expatriate salaries for equivalent roles. Second, the Local Content Secretariat is cracking down on “rent-a-citizen” arrangements, where a Guyanese name fronts a foreign company; that raises the value of genuinely qualified locals. Never lend your name or Local Content certificate to such a scheme. It can end your career in the sector.
A 90-day plan to your first rotation
- Days 1 to 7 – pick one lane. Technical (production, electrical, instrument, mechanical), drilling, HSE, marine, or support (catering, logistics, materials). Applications spread across all five read as unfocused.
- Days 7 to 14 – build the offshore CV. Two pages. Certificates with expiry dates at the top, then rotation availability, passport validity, and the words “Guyanese national” in the header, because local content reporting makes that a hiring factor. Quantify: “maintained 12 diesel generators to a 98% availability target” beats “responsible for maintenance”.
- Days 14 to 21 – register. Create your Local Content Register profile and upload everything. Set up accounts on the careers pages of SBM Offshore, MODEC, SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Stena, Noble and ExxonMobil Guyana.
- Days 21 to 45 – book T-BOSIET and the medical. Lusignan or Friendship. If money is tight, apply first and negotiate a sponsored seat; if you already have a trade certificate, pay for it yourself so you are deployable the day an offer lands.
- Days 45 to 75 – apply and show up. Job fairs matter here: a 2026 fair for the Wales Gas-to-Energy project at Leonora registered about 400 applicants and hired ten on the spot. Bring certified copies and be ready for a same-day HSE interview.
- Days 75 to 90 – take the onshore stepping stone if offshore does not land. Shore-base rigging, warehouse or HSE assistant work at GYSBI or VEHSI, or a trade role on the Wales site, gives you the “12 months in the industry” line most offshore recruiters want.
How to pass the interview
Offshore interviews in Guyana are safety interviews first and technical interviews second. Expect questions on stop-work authority (every worker has the right and duty to halt unsafe work), permit-to-work systems, isolation and lock-out, and a behavioural question about a time you raised a concern. Answer with a real example, the action you took, and the outcome. Contractors are also listening for how you communicate over a radio: clear, short, confirmed instructions. Candidates who describe hazards vaguely lose seats to those who can name them.
The mistakes that keep good candidates onshore
- Only applying to ExxonMobil. The operator has a fraction of the offshore headcount.
- Paying a “recruiter” a fee. No legitimate employer or agency in this sector charges jobseekers. Foreign job blogs advertising “urgent hiring, Guyana offshore, apply by WhatsApp” are almost always scams.
- Letting certificates lapse. A BOSIET that expired last month puts you behind a candidate with no experience but a valid card.
- Ignoring the Notices for Individual Employment. Those roles come with the strongest legal pressure to hire a Guyanese.
- No logbook. Keep a signed record of every project, equipment type and hours worked. Offshore HR verifies experience against it.
- Skipping the medical until the offer. A failed medical after an offer costs the employer a rotation; a passed medical on file gets you moved to the top of the mobilisation list.
The skills Guyana’s offshore sector cannot fill fast enough
Based on 2026 vacancy patterns across the Stabroek contractors and the Wales project, these are the disciplines where a certified Guyanese candidate is shortlisted quickly: instrumentation and control technicians, high-voltage electricians, rotating-equipment mechanics, production and process operators, coded welders and fabricators, riggers and crane operators, ROV and subsea technicians, dynamic positioning and deck officers, maintenance planners with SAP experience, and bilingual logistics coordinators. If you are choosing what to train in, choose from this list.
Guyana’s oil sector will cross one million barrels a day before the end of 2026, with three more projects behind it. The companies are obliged, by law and by their approved 2026 Local Content Plans, to hire Guyanese first. The gap between you and an offshore rotation is a certificate, a medical, a register profile, and a focused application to the right contractors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a university degree to work offshore in Guyana?
No. Most seats on an FPSO or drilling rig are technician, marine, catering and deck roles that require a trade qualification (electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, welding), a valid Tropical BOSIET and an offshore medical. Degrees are needed for engineering, geoscience and most supervisory roles. The 18-month Advanced Diploma at the Guyana Technical Training College in Port Mourant is now the most direct non-degree route to a production technician job.
How much does an offshore job in Guyana pay in 2026?
Published 2026 salary guides put offshore roles at roughly GYD 8 million to GYD 20 million a year (about GYD 670,000 to GYD 1.67 million a month) depending on trade and experience, with an HSE officer holding NEBOSH or IOSH plus two years’ experience typically earning GYD 350,000 to 600,000 a month. Experienced petroleum, drilling and subsea engineers are often paid in US dollars, in the US$90,000 to US$180,000-plus range with housing and insurance allowances. Always compare against the pay listed in Notices for Individual Employment on the Local Content Register.
Where can I do BOSIET in Guyana and how long is it valid?
Two OPITO-approved centres operate locally: the ODITC / 3t EnerMech Training Centre at Lusignan on the East Coast Demerara and the Atlantic Alliance Maritime and Offshore Training Institute at Friendship on the East Bank Demerara. Both deliver Tropical BOSIET with HUET. The certificate is valid for four years and is renewed with a shorter Tropical FOET refresher course.
Is registering on the Local Content Register compulsory for jobseekers?
It is not legally compulsory for an individual, but it is the single most useful free step you can take. Contractors use the register to prove they have prioritised Guyanese nationals, and vacancies they cannot fill locally are published there as Notices for Individual Employment before any expatriate hire can be approved. Register at lcregister.petroleum.gov.gy with your CV and certificates.
Which companies actually hire for offshore work in Guyana?
ExxonMobil Guyana operates the Stabroek Block, but most offshore headcount sits with its contractors: SBM Offshore (Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, Prosperity and ONE GUYANA FPSOs), MODEC (the Errea Wittu FPSO for Uaru), drilling contractors such as Stena Drilling and Noble, and service companies including SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Saipem and TechnipFMC. Apply to the contractors directly, not only to the operator.
What is the fastest way in if I have no offshore experience at all?
Take an onshore role that sits inside the supply chain and rotate out within 12 to 18 months. The Guyana Shore Base at Houston, the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base, and the Wales Gas-to-Energy construction site (peaking at about 1,600 workers in 2026) all hire riggers, crane operators, warehouse staff, HSE assistants and trade helpers. That experience, plus a T-BOSIET, is what offshore recruiters want to see.