Piping and mechanical
The bulk of most plant orders. Pipefitters especially.
Oil and gas manpower recruitment for the Gulf
On a refinery shutdown, every day costs money, and you can't afford a pipefitter who's never read an isometric. We recruit plant trades and HSE staff from India for Gulf contractors. Before we put anyone forward, we've checked their certificates and watched them work.
- Shutdown crews
- Certificates verified
- 90-day replacement
Planning a turnaround in the cooler months? Good crews get booked early.
Overview
What does oil and gas manpower supply include?
For us it means recruiting the people who build and maintain plants. Pipefitters, welders and riggers make up most orders. Instrument technicians, inspectors and HSE officers come up too, along with the support crew a shutdown needs.
KDA Hiring is an MEA licensed agency in Lucknow. We supply these workers from India to contractors and operators in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Oman and Bahrain. Trades are tested in person and certificates are verified. The employer pays our fee. Workers pay nothing.
- Pipefitters
- 6G welders
- Riggers
- Instrument techs
- HSE officers
₹0Worker fee
6GCC countries
Plant work
Plant work is a different world
A good building-site welder isn't automatically a good plant welder. People who haven't worked under plant rules can be a real risk, to themselves and to everyone near them.
India has a large pool of people with exactly this background. Many have worked at Indian refineries and fertiliser plants. Quite a few have done Gulf shutdowns before and know the routine.
- Live hydrocarbons
- Permits to work
- Gas test before every job
What we ask every plant candidate
- Have you worked a shutdown?
- Which plant?
- Who was the main contractor?
- Can you show us the real certificate, with a number we can check?
For oil and gas orders we ask different questions than for a building site.
Roles
Oil and gas roles we recruit
Grouped the way most shutdown planners split their crews. Need something that's not here? Ask us.
Always in short supply
Welding
Pipe welders with 6G experience are always in short supply. We look for them constantly.
Lifting and access
Nobody gets near a crane on our say-so without the right certificate.
Book early
Instrumentation and electrical
Harder to find than mechanical trades, so tell us early if you need them.
Inspection and quality
Paperwork matters more here than anywhere. We check every certificate number.
HSE and support
Safety staff plus the support crew every shutdown needs.
Trade tests
How we test plant trades
Every test gets adjusted to your scope. Pick a trade to see what it usually looks like.
Your supervisor is welcome to watch, in Lucknow or over video.Test 01 of 06
Pipe welder
Welds a pipe coupon in the 6G position. We check it closely by eye, and if you want it X-rayed by an independent lab, we can set that up.
- 6G position
- Visual inspection
- Optional radiography
Tests are adjusted to your scope, so these are examples, not a fixed script.
Certificates
Certificates we check
We don't take a photocopy at face value. Where the issuing body offers a way to verify, we use it.
H2S awareness
Lots of Gulf plants won't let anyone on site without it. We check it's current, or arrange it before travel.
NEBOSH or IOSH
Most HSE roles ask for one of these. We verify the certificate number with the issuing body.
ASNT Level II
The usual requirement for NDT technicians. We look at the method, the expiry date and who certified them.
CSWIP or AWS
For welding inspectors. Same checks as above, every time.
Third-party lifting
Riggers and crane operators need recognised certificates. Copies made at a photo shop don't count.
Fake or expired certificates are a real problem in this industry. Nobody goes on your list on the strength of a copy alone.
Where we supply
Gulf oil and gas hubs we supply
Our workers have gone to plants and fields right across the region. These are the main industrial areas.
Saudi Arabia- Jubail
- Dammam
- Ras Tanura
- Yanbu
Kuwait- Ahmadi
- Southern oil fields
Qatar- Ras Laffan
- Mesaieed
UAE- Ruwais
- Abu Dhabi
Oman- Sohar
- Duqm
Bahrain- Sitra
More on each country's visa and medical rules on our GCC countries page.
For contractors
What helps us staff your job
Oil and gas orders move fastest when we know these things from the start.
Give us shutdown dates early
Six to eight weeks' notice is comfortable. Less than that, and we'll still try, but we'll be honest about numbers.
Tell us the operator's rules
Some operators approve every CV themselves and want a set format. If we know that upfront, nothing gets bounced back.
List the certificates you need
H2S, NEBOSH, a particular welding code. Write them down so we screen for them from day one.
Agree on short contracts
Shutdown crews often go on short-term contracts. Make sure the terms are clear so emigration clearance goes through smoothly.
From demand letter to plant gate
You send the demand letter and we test and check certificates. Once you or the operator approve the crew, they do medicals, and we look after visa stamping and emigration clearance. See also semi-skilled and skilled manpower.
- Demand letter
- Tests and certificates
- Operator approval
- Medical
- Visa and eMigrate
- Plant gate
3–6weeks is normal
See the full processFAQ
Questions about oil and gas manpower
Can't find your answer here? Write to us and we'll reply within 24 hours.
Planning a shutdown or a new project?
Send us the trades, numbers and dates. We'll come back within a day and tell you honestly what we can do.
hr@kdahiring.comWhich oil and gas trades does KDA Hiring recruit?
Pipefitters and riggers are the most common. We also recruit welders, scaffolders, instrument technicians, NDT staff, HSE officers and the support crew for shutdowns.
Can you supply manpower for a plant shutdown?
Yes. Give us the dates and the trade mix as early as you can. With six to eight weeks' notice we can usually test and deploy a full crew.
How do you test pipe welders?
They weld a 6G pipe coupon at our test session. We check it visually, and if you'd like radiography done by an independent lab, we can arrange it.
Which certificates do oil and gas workers need?
It depends on the role and the operator. H2S awareness is common for site access. HSE staff usually need NEBOSH or IOSH, NDT technicians need ASNT Level II, and riggers need third-party lifting certificates.
Do operators approve workers before they're hired?
Some do. Large operators often review each CV themselves. We prepare profiles in whatever format they want.
How long does oil and gas recruitment take?
Usually three to six weeks from your demand letter. Certificate checks add a few days. Operator approval can add more, depending on the company.
What if a worker doesn't perform on site?
Let us know. If they leave or are sent back within 90 days, we provide a replacement and don't charge a second fee.
Do oil and gas workers pay a recruitment fee?
No. The contractor pays us. Workers don't pay anything.