The global oil and gas industry is facing mounting workforce challenges as an aging labor pool, reduced international mobility and slower adoption of artificial intelligence constrain the sector’s ability to attract and retain talent, according to the 2026 Global Energy Talent Index (GETI).

The annual workforce survey, produced by Airswift and supported by Energy Jobline, shows that experienced professionals are becoming harder to replace while fewer younger workers are entering traditional energy roles.

Professionals aged 45 and older now make up 48% of the traditional energy workforce, while the share of workers aged 25 to 34 has fallen to 19%, highlighting a widening generational gap. At the same time, only about one-third of hiring managers reported actively recruiting graduates to build future talent pipelines.

Global mobility continues to decline, with 75% of oil and gas professionals willing to relocate for work in 2026, down from 80% in 2025 and 89% in 2022. The Middle East and Europe are now tied as the most preferred destinations, reflecting sustained project investment in those regions, while Asia remains steady.

Compensation trends show mixed signals. While 50% of professionals and 60% of hiring managers reported pay increases in 2025, salary growth has slowed compared with previous years. Expectations for future pay increases also softened, with 67% of professionals anticipating higher wages in 2026, down from 71% a year earlier.

The report also points to growing, though uneven, adoption of artificial intelligence in traditional energy roles. About 45% of professionals now use AI in their work, a sharp increase from 2024, but uptake still lags other industries. Despite concerns around automation, hiring managers cited engineering and technical operations roles as the most difficult positions to fill.

According to the survey, companies are increasingly adjusting recruitment strategies by investing in training, revising role requirements and using digital tools to address skills shortages. However, GETI concludes that without stronger efforts to retain experienced workers and attract younger talent, workforce constraints could become a limiting factor for oil and gas project delivery in the years ahead.