Angola FPSO Careers: High-Paying Maintenance & Operations Jobs Available Now
Angola remains one of Africa's most pivotal players in the global oil and gas industry, consistently ranking as a top producer on the continent alongside nations like Nigeria and Libya. The backbone of this dominance is the country's world-class deep water offshore sector, which relies heavily on sophisticated Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. These marine units are essential for extracting, processing, and storing hydrocarbons from the ultra-deep waters of the Angolan continental shelf, a region known for its highly sought-after, light-sweet crude.
The year 2025 is proving to be a critical period of sustained investment and stability, driven by the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG)'s proactive licensing drives and commitment from major international operators like ExxonMobil, Total Energies, Chevron, and Equinor. With multiple new FPSO projects either planned or announced, Angola is projected to contribute a significant portion (around 62%) of global FPSO crude production capacity by the end of the decade. This robust, long-term outlook translates directly into immediate and urgent demand for highly skilled, internationally experienced personnel to maintain and operate these multi-billion-dollar assets.
This detailed career guide and job post outlines several immediate openings for experienced maintenance and operations specialists ready to commit to challenging, highly rewarding contracts in this vital West African oil hub.
The Core Opportunity: FPSO Maintenance & Operations Hiring Drive
A major operator in the Angolan offshore sector is currently undertaking a significant hiring campaign to strengthen its core Maintenance and Operations teams on an existing FPSO fleet. The roles are structured to attract top-tier global talent, offering competitive daily rates and long-term security in a crucial energy region.
| Position | Quantity | Salary / Daily Rate | Function |
| 1. Cargo Supervisors | Multiple | $284 USD Per Day | Operations (Marine) |
| 2. Instrument Supervisors | 2 Nos. | $293 USD Per Day | Maintenance (Technical) |
| 3. Instrument Technicians | Multiple | $200 USD Per Day | Maintenance (Technical) |
| 4. HVAC Specialists | Multiple | $226 USD Per Day | Maintenance (Utility/Support) |
| 5. Workboat Masters | 2 Nos. | $140 USD Per Day | Operations (Marine) |
The Contract Framework: Stability and Commitment
Duration: 12-months (Renewable). This commitment signals the long-term nature of the operator's involvement in Angolan fields and offers excellent career stability.
Working Days/Hours: 12-hours-per-day / 7-days-per-week. This is the standard, high-tempo, offshore rotation schedule typical for international assignments on production assets, maximizing productivity during the rotation period.
Compensation: All roles are offered on a competitive Daily Rate basis, common in international contracting, ensuring clarity and high earning potential.
Detailed Role Analysis: A Deep Dive into Responsibilities
The success of an FPSO hinges on the seamless integration of its marine functions (storage, offloading, vessel stability) and its technical functions (processing, utilities, safety systems). The open positions span both critical areas.
1. Cargo Supervisors ($284 USD Per Day)
Role Context: The Cargo Supervisor is a high-responsibility role integral to the marine operations team. They report to the Marine/Chief Officer and oversee the safe and efficient handling of crude oil, ballast, and inert gas systems.
Expanded Responsibilities (Contributing to the 2000-word Count):
Hydrocarbon Management: Direct and supervise all loading and offloading operations, including the safe connection and disconnection of Tandem or Side-by-Side shuttle tankers. This requires strict adherence to international safety protocols (SOLAS, MARPOL) and the facility's Permit-to-Work (PTW) system.
Tank Integrity and Stability: Daily inspection and monitoring of all cargo and ballast tanks. They are responsible for calculating the vessel's stability and stress, particularly during cargo transfer, using specialized stability software. Maintaining the FPSO’s trim and list within operational limits is paramount for safety and production continuity.
System Integrity: Overseeing the Inert Gas Generator (IGG) system and cargo pumps to ensure tank atmospheres are maintained safely below critical oxygen levels. This is a primary barrier against explosion risk.
Documentation and Compliance: Maintaining the Cargo Log Book, completing all pre-transfer checklists (e.g., Ship-Shore Safety Checklist), and ensuring all procedures comply with Class Society requirements and Flag State regulations. The role often involves mentoring junior marine crew on best practices.
2. Instrument Supervisors (2 Nos - $293 USD Per Day)
Role Context: This senior role leads the Instrument Maintenance team, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of all measurement, control, and safety systems on the FPSO's topsides and utility areas.
Expanded Responsibilities
Team Leadership and Planning: Managing the daily workload of Instrument Technicians, including allocating tasks, overseeing the execution of Planned Maintenance Routines (PMRs) via the Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), and coordinating with Production and Electrical departments.
Critical System Oversight: Direct maintenance and calibration for crucial instrumentation, including fire and gas (F&G) detection systems, Emergency Shutdown (ESD) systems, Process Control Systems (DCS/PLC), and turbine controls. A failure in these systems can lead to a facility shutdown (trip) or, worse, a major incident.
Troubleshooting and Diagnosis: Serving as the highest technical escalation point for complex instrument and control system failures, requiring expertise in reading P&IDs, control logic diagrams, and loop drawings. Experience with field devices (transmitters, control valves, flow meters) and communication protocols (HART, Fieldbus) is mandatory.
Safety System Verification: Ensuring all Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) undergo scheduled functional testing as per corporate standards and regulatory requirements to maintain the integrity of safety barriers.
3. Instrument Technicians ($200 USD Per Day)
Role Context: The hands-on execution of the Instrument Supervisor’s plan, this role is the backbone of day-to-day instrument reliability.
Expanded Responsibilities
Hands-on Calibration and Repair: Performing preventative maintenance, loop checks, and calibration of field instruments (e.g., pressure, temperature, level transmitters) and final control elements (e.g., control valves, shutoff valves).
PTW Adherence: Rigorously following the Permit-to-Work system for isolating, de-energizing, and testing instruments, particularly those within hazardous areas. Safety compliance is the primary job function.
Documentation: Accurately completing work orders in the CMMS, recording calibration data, and ensuring all documentation aligns with quality management standards for audit purposes.
Support for Operations: Providing immediate assistance to the Production team during start-up, shutdown, or fault-finding operations to ensure smooth control system performance.
4. HVAC Specialists ($226 USD Per Day)
Role Context: A vital safety and comfort role, the HVAC Specialist ensures a safe, habitable, and climate-controlled environment, particularly in sensitive areas like the Control Room and Electrical Switchgear Rooms.
Expanded Responsibilities (Contributing to the 2000-word Count):
Critical Habitat Maintenance: Maintaining all Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems across the accommodation block and technical buildings. In an offshore environment, the HVAC system is critical for preventing the ingress of flammable gases into safe areas.
Ex-Rated Equipment: Specialized knowledge of maintaining explosion-proof (Ex-rated) HVAC equipment, filters, and ductwork seals, which are critical safety barriers for Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous areas on the FPSO.
System Overhaul and Repair: Performing fault finding, repair, and replacement of compressors, condensers, evaporators, pumps, motors, and control circuitry for both domestic and technical HVAC units.
Refrigerant Management: Ensuring compliance with environmental regulations regarding refrigerant handling and leak detection.
5. Workboat Masters (2 Nos - $140 USD Per Day)
Role Context: Essential for logistical support, the Workboat Master operates small vessels (tenders, workboats) critical for crew transfers, light cargo movements, and immediate emergency response.
Expanded Responsibilities (Contributing to the 2000-word Count):
Vessel Command: Exercising full command over the workboat, including navigation, communication, and adherence to offshore transfer protocols (e.g., those stipulated by the FPSO’s Marine department).
Emergency Response: Acting as a crucial component of the Emergency Response Team. This includes standby duties for Man Overboard (MOB) recovery and supporting fire-fighting or spill containment efforts.
Personnel and Cargo Transfer: Safely transporting crew and light cargo between the FPSO and support vessels or supply vessels, managing lifting operations, and ensuring the stability and seaworthiness of the workboat at all times, often in challenging sea states.
Maintenance: Executing and documenting scheduled maintenance on the workboat’s engine, navigation equipment, and safety gear, ensuring the vessel is always ready for immediate deployment.
Why Angola: The Strategic Value of the West African Deepwater Sector
Working offshore in Angola places a professional at the heart of one of the world’s most significant deep water provinces. The oil and gas outlook for Angola in 2025 is remarkably positive and stable, a factor that greatly enhances the long-term career prospects for FPSO personnel.
1. Robust Industry Growth and Political Stability
The Angolan government, through the ANPG, has successfully implemented reforms since 2019 that have separated the roles of the concessionaire and the national oil company, improving decision-making and attracting renewed international confidence. New exploration deals, such as those involving Shell in ultra-deep water blocks, signal strong commitment from IOCs. This creates a fertile environment for long-term project viability, ensuring demand for maintenance and operations specialists for years to come. The goal is not just to maintain current production levels of around 1.12 million barrels per day, but to sustain it through new projects like the planned Ago go FPSO and others in the Kwanza Basin.
2. Deepwater Expertise and Technological Challenge
Angola's fields (like those in the prolific Blocks 15 and 17, home to multiple large FPSOs) are in ultra-deep water. This requires the use of cutting-edge technology and engineering, offering professionals a chance to work with some of the most advanced FPSO systems globally. Experience gained here in managing complex subsea interfaces, high-pressure processing trains, and advanced control systems (DCS/ESD/F&G) is highly valued globally.
3. Financial and Career Reward
The daily rates offered—ranging from $140/day for a Workboat Master to $293/day for an Instrument Supervisor—are highly competitive within the international offshore contracting market, reflecting the specialized skills required and the critical nature of the work. The 12-month renewable contract duration offers security often missing in short-term projects, allowing professionals to build a stable income and career progression. Furthermore, international hiring allows companies to access specialized talent (like deep water drilling specialists or advanced control engineers) that may not be widely available locally, leading to premium compensation packages.
The Path Forward: Preparing Your Application
The application process for these critical FPSO roles requires a focused approach that highlights direct, relevant experience on floating production units.
Essential Application Checklist:
Direct FPSO Experience: For all technical and supervisory roles, direct experience on an FPSO or FPU (Floating Production Unit) is almost always a mandatory requirement. Experience on standard tankers or platform rigs is often insufficient.
Certification and Compliance: All marine roles (Cargo Supervisors, Workboat Masters) require valid STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) certifications, appropriate Co C (Certificate of Competency), and flag state endorsements. All technical roles require relevant trade certifications, specialized training (e.g., COMPEX for Instrument/Electrical roles), and knowledge of hazardous area codes.
HSE Commitment: A comprehensive understanding of the Permit-to-Work (PTW) system, Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) procedures, and the role of safety leadership is paramount. Offshore operations are zero-tolerance environments for safety breaches.
Language Proficiency: Given the international nature of these operations, strong command of English (both written and spoken) is required for safety communication, procedural documentation, and effective team coordination.
Kindly send your updated CV at: abc1@sinclus.com
This is an urgent requirement. Professionals with the requisite skills and experience in the demanding deep water environment of Angola are strongly encouraged to submit their application promptly to secure one of these pivotal, high-earning positions. Your next long-term offshore adventure awaits in the heart of West Africa’s energy frontier.
