The Labor Dimension of the Oil and Gas Industry in the Gulf: Role of Migrant and Expatriate Labor Force

This paper highlights the role of the migrant and expatriate labor force and their contributions to the oil and gas industry in the Gulf. It would be instructive to acknowledge and learn from the working experiences and challenges faced by these migrant workers. Their backgrounds, skills, knowledge, and technical and managerial know-how have helped develop the oil and gas industry and, to a large extent, the economic development of the Gulf. Understanding their roles and contributions would serve at least two things. First, to appreciate the important part they took in the development of the Gulf oil and gas industry and hence to ensure the protection of their rights under local laws. Second, to tell a complete story of the Gulf's oil and gas industry and the country's development. In addition, multiple themes were examined, such as the challenges and rewards of working in the oil and gas industry in the Gulf, sustainability, and the work environment. The main method used to acquire information regarding the labor dimension in the oil and gas industry in the Gulf was through semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were selected through a sampling technique known as snowball sampling. The interviews were then audio and video recorded with the interviewee's permission. After that, the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a corpora analysis software, Lancsbox. The various themes were identified and used to write this research paper. Some themes identified are the interviewees' narratives and reasons for choosing to work in Gulf's oil and gas industry, their workplace challenges, their mentorship experiences, and their advice for young aspirant engineers. They also discussed and compared their professional and personal experiences in Gulf to other places they have worked. Knowing what they do and how they contribute would be beneficial for at least two reasons. First, to recognize the crucial part they play in the growth of the Gulf's oil and gas sector and, as a result, to ensure that their rights are protected by local legislation. Second, to provide a more thorough account of the country's gas and oil sector development. Many international workers find satisfaction in the privileges and comfort their jobs, their host nation, and its thriving oil and gas industry offer them. They are drawn to the nation's multiculturalism, language, opportunities, and safety and want to keep giving back. That, however, does not come without the special difficulties highlighted in this research.