In Atyrau, saying you "got onto Kashagan" sounds a lot like saying you got into a top university. Jobs at Kashagan are among the most prestigious in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry: the country's largest offshore field, an international consortium, uncompromising safety standards and pay that sits well above the regional average. The field is also surrounded by myths — from "they only hire people with connections" to "everyone there earns millions". Let's set the legends aside and look at who is actually hired, how the rotation works, what people earn and where candidates most often stumble on the way to a site pass.
This piece draws on what we see every day: FSSA recruits and mobilises personnel for contractors on oil and gas projects in the Atyrau region, and our recruiters review hundreds of applications from people who want to work at Kashagan. So this is not a rewrite of press releases — it is about what really decides the outcome of selection.
What Kashagan is and why it is hard to get in
Kashagan is an oil field on the North Caspian shelf, roughly 80 kilometres from Atyrau. The operator is the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), backed by seven shareholders: KMG Kashagan B.V., Shell, TotalEnergies, Eni and ExxonMobil with about 16.8% each, CNPC with about 8.3% and Inpex with about 7.6%. In summer 2025 the field produced its billionth barrel, and full-year 2025 output reached about 18.2 million tonnes, up 4.6% on the previous year.
The project has several links. Offshore, there are artificial islands in the shallow Caspian where the wells and process equipment sit — the main one is Island D. The oil and gas mixture flows by pipeline to the Bolashak onshore processing plant near Karabatan. That is why job ads are confusing: "work at Kashagan" can mean an offshore rotation, an onshore rotation or even an office role in Atyrau.
Why is selection so strict? First, the field's gas has a high hydrogen sulphide content, which makes it one of the most demanding fields in the world in terms of process safety. Second, the northern Caspian is shallow and freezes in winter, so moving people and cargo is very different from a typical land-based rotation. Third, international standards: documents, permits and training are checked line by line, not as a formality. An experienced onshore worker without the right certificates may fail selection simply because they cannot be cleared for site.
One thing many people miss: only a relatively small share of the workforce is employed by NCOC directly. Most rotational workers are employees of contractors and subcontractors — service, construction, maintenance, logistics, cleaning and catering companies. Looking for jobs at Kashagan only on the operator's website means seeing just the tip of the iceberg.
Who Kashagan hires: roles and requirements
Demand rests on several groups. Operations: oil and gas production operators, process unit operators, pump and compressor station operators, chemical lab technicians. Maintenance: fitters, electricians, instrumentation and control technicians, mechanics, certified welders. Construction and turnaround work during planned shutdowns: riggers, insulators, slingers, scaffolders. Support services: cooks, kitchen staff, housekeeping, drivers, storekeepers. And a separate group of engineers and technical staff: process, HSE and planning engineers, supervisors.
The overall picture of requirements: for blue-collar roles — a vocational diploma or qualification certificate, documented experience (usually two to three years, and for operators often specifically on sour-gas facilities), valid occupational and industrial safety certificates. For engineers, add English: working level for daily communication and documentation, fluent for leadership roles.
On permits: offshore sites require sea survival and safety courses, and every site requires H2S training and breathing apparatus use. The good news is that contractors arrange part of the training after selection. The bad news is that if you don't have it and the next candidate does, all else being equal, they get the job.
On experience: "Kashagan with no experience" is rare but not impossible. The usual way in is through service roles or less critical onshore work for a contractor. You spend a year or two on a land site, build up experience and certificates, then move to a more demanding site. We described this path in detail for the neighbouring field in our article on Tengiz jobs — the logic is much the same.
What does selection look like? Usually several stages. A recruiter checks your CV and documents: trade, grade, experience and certificate expiry dates. Then a phone interview about your background — which sites, which equipment, whether you have worked in an H2S environment. Next comes a technical interview with the client's foreman or supervisor, who may ask you to walk through starting a pump, what to do when a gas detector alarms, or to read a diagram. After approval: medical, security check, training, and only then your first rotation. From application to first day typically takes three weeks to two months, and most of that time goes on paperwork and training rather than decisions.
A real example: an electrician with five years on an onshore field applied to a Kashagan contractor and passed the technical interview first time. Then he was stuck for a month — his electrical safety certificate was due to expire in two weeks and he could not be cleared for site. Candidates who track their document deadlines save themselves exactly those weeks.
Jobs at Kashagan: pay and rotation schedule
Let's be honest: there is no single "Kashagan salary". Pay is set not by the field but by the employer, trade, grade and schedule. As a benchmark, hh.kz data shows the most common range for rotational vacancies in Kazakhstan is 300,000–400,000 tenge a month. Kashagan roles, especially offshore and in sour-gas environments, usually pay above that range thanks to hazard allowances, rotation allowances, night shifts and overtime under summarised working time. For comparison, Kazakhstan's minimum wage in 2026 is 85,000 tenge, so even entry-level rotational roles pay several times more.
A typical candidate mistake is comparing take-home numbers overheard in the smoking area. One person earned a big sum in a month that included a turnaround and overtime; another was paid for a normal shift. Look at the structure: base rate, allowances, rotation pay, what is gross and what is net. Deductions still apply — individual income tax, pension contributions and medical insurance contributions.
Now the schedule. Article 135 of Kazakhstan's Labour Code says a rotation should generally not exceed 15 calendar days and may be extended to 30 days with the worker's consent, with summarised working-time accounting. In practice, North Caspian projects often use 28/28 — it appears in contractor ads for Karabatan. You will also see 14/14 and 15/15, especially onshore. Shifts are usually 12 hours, accommodation is in a camp or living quarters, meals are provided and the company organises transport from the assembly point.
Employers often get this wrong from the other side: they advertise "28/28" but never explain how overtime is counted or what happens if a crew change is delayed by weather or ice. A good contractor covers this at the interview. Ask too who pays for travel between home and the assembly point — trivial for Atyrau residents, a real cost for someone travelling from Shymkent — and how travel and pre-mobilisation training days are paid.
The pitfalls: what to know before you apply
The first risk is middlemen selling a "guaranteed place at Kashagan". The scheme is simple: they charge the candidate for "processing", "the medical" or "the pass" and then disappear. A legitimate employer or recruitment agency never charges job seekers for employment. If you are asked to pay, you have your answer.
The second is inflated expectations. Kashagan is not a place where a newcomer is paid like an experienced operator from day one. The first rotations may be at an entry grade, with training and a mentor. But after a couple of years, experience on such a site becomes a strong argument on your CV for any project in Kazakhstan and beyond.
The third is health. The medical is stricter than usual: lungs, heart, eyesight, hearing and sometimes fitness to work in breathing apparatus. Chronic conditions people "didn't mention" come to light and block clearance. Get a basic check-up in advance and know your limits.
The fourth is isolation and climate. An offshore rotation means confined space, a strict regime and no trips to town. Winters are cold and windy, summers hot and humid. People who struggle with being away from family find the first long rotation hard, and some leave after the first cycle. That is no reason to give up, but it is a reason to ask yourself honestly whether you are ready.
The fifth is paperwork. An expired safety certificate, unconfirmed experience in the employment record, missing military registration documents for men of conscription age — all trivial, yet a noticeable share of almost-finished hires fall apart exactly here.
So how do you move towards the goal? Build your file: diploma, certificates, proof of experience, medical book. Write a CV for a specific role rather than "anything". Watch contractor openings and the Atyrau job listings, where roles for North Caspian and Tengiz projects appear regularly. And consider a partner who handles the whole route to site: personnel mobilisation covers the medical, training, passes and transport, so your first trip has no surprises.
Kashagan is not for everyone — and that is exactly its value. Whoever passes selection here and completes a few rotations gains not only good money but experience valued on any oil field in the world.
FAQ
Can I get a job at Kashagan with no experience?
Not directly into process roles: operators, mechanics and electricians are hired with proven experience. But there are entry points — service roles (catering, cleaning, warehouse), onshore support work for contractors, and internships for graduates of technical colleges. After a year or two there, with certificates in hand, you have a real chance to move to a more demanding site.
What rotation schedule is used at Kashagan?
The most common is 28/28, both onshore and offshore; 14/14 and 15/15 also occur. Under Kazakhstan's Labour Code a rotation is generally up to 15 days and may be extended to 30 days with the worker's consent, so the longer schedule is set out in the employment contract. Shifts are usually 12 hours with summarised working time.
How much do Kashagan jobs pay?
There is no single figure — it depends on trade, grade, schedule and employer. The market benchmark for rotational roles in Kazakhstan is 300,000–400,000 tenge a month, and Kashagan roles offshore and in sour-gas environments usually pay more. Ask for the exact amount and pay structure at the interview and check it in the contract.
Do I need English to work at Kashagan?
For blue-collar roles, usually not, although basic English helps during briefings and with documentation. For engineers, supervisors and HSE specialists English is often mandatory: the project has international teams and much of the documentation is in English.