OIL and gas professionals enjoy average salaries more than twice the typical national wage, according to recruitment firm Hays.

Its latest global salary guide for the oil and gas sector showed average UK wages in the industry came in at £55,850 – well ahead of the £26,244 average.

The survey also found contractor day rates for those in the North Sea average £540 a day for engineers and managers with directors getting around £900.

The average UK oil and gas salaries are around 8% greater than the worldwide average, the study found.