The UAE has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the most active centre in the Middle East for UK oil & gas contractors, according to international professional services consultancy Procorre.

Analysis of 1,591 jobs available to UK oil & gas contractors showed that 689 (43%) were based in UAE, despite it only producing 14% of the area’s oil & gas.

Many head offices of global oil & gas companies are based in the UAE, meaning there are more managerial and financial roles, in addition to technical and operational ones. That, therefore, limits the overall number of jobs available in Saudi Arabia, Procorre said.

Procorre relationship manager Lisa Mangan said in a statement that businesses set up head offices in the UAE because contractors are attracted there due to the more Westernised culture.

“Contractors are now increasingly choosing to base themselves in UAE rather than live in compounds in Saudi Arabia,” Mangan said.

She said it was a common trend for contractors based in the UAE to spend a couple of days or weeks in Saudi Arabia working on projects.

Saudi Arabia represents 27% of the jobs available to UK contractors in the Middle East, but produces almost 40% of the area’s oil & gas.

Qatar is also ahead of the UAE in oil & gas production (25%) but only represents 16% of the jobs available.