Im a geologist/geomodeller.

hmmmm... didnt know its sunsetting right now. Been receiving many calls from headhunter locally and abroad.

True. And even if ONG is sunsetting, there is still other unconventional resource that currently picking up rapidly, like coal bed methane and shale gas. So its always opportunity out there. Just you need to be in the right discipline.
Even right now im working in cbm field for client in Australia. A bit different but quite interesting.

Really? Well I might know you also than. Can give me a clue where are you working at?

I've been working in service company (early days), operator (not so long ago) and consultant company (current) (shit, I just realized that!). My take is in service company you are not going to know much besides your work discipline. Your work is only a portion of the entire project.
Operators give you a better understanding on how the entire unit works. You get to know more besides your discipline (drilling RE, pp, etc). My experience with operator, sometimes its a bit laid back/got nothing much to do. But its really a good platform for you to understand and learn ONG world much better.
Consultancy, its similar to operators, but its way hectic. Works need to be in high quality and in shorter time frame (most of the time). Most of the time you have two party to satisfy, your client (operators) and PMU. I also found out that I engage more with RE, pp, ptech, etc. compared to when I was in operator. Good thing about consultancy is you learn how to defend your own work (meaning that you have to make sure your work is up to standard), how to give a convincing presentation and how to manage your work.
Which one is better to start with, i dont know. But Im glad that i joined operator in my early days. I learn all about ONG and subsurface and drilling etc. I have a proper and structured training. And once I have a bit of confidence, I join consultant to sharpen my skills and increase my knowledge.

Currently in Abu Dhabi for interview with adco. Right now they have a recruitment drive to hire new people. There are lots of people (mostly asian, african) here from many discipline, from subsurface to maintenance and even IT and safety officer. Met afew malaysian also.
And lucky for me is I got the job, yey!

Ha ha... thanks! I was called to be interviewed as geologist, but during interview I told them Im a geomodeller. So they interviewed me as geomodeller instead.
Met many petronas staff during this recruitment drive. And many of them also successful. So petronas will loose abunch of good guys again.
But I have to say, the adco payscale is not that good. I reject their offer twice before they gave me a number that I can consider.

For my grade they have both school and housing allowance. School is aed35k per annum (which is not quite enough) while housing is aed150k per annum (which I read is decent enough) .
By the way you are right about the cap for each grade. But I think they many people didn't (including myself) is what they call market adjustment. So even if its max, they can put some amount for market adjustment. For me I only manage to push my adjustment untill aed5k permonth only.

My role would be at the headquater. But I met few guys which their rotaion likes 5/3, 46/24. These guys im not sure about the housing allowance though.

Yes, school is one turn off point that I have right now. I know agood school the fees will be from aed40k-aed70k. Im not sure with aed35k, what is the quality of the school. Maybe will try to locate malaysian/indonesian expat there and ask their opinion.
Still thinking to take or not.

those are net or gross?

To tell you you the truth, I was never intended to take geology during my uni. I was force to do so (kind of) by my sponsor. But heck, I guess it turn out ok after all.
Those kind of events take makes you realized later in your life that there is this thing call destiny.

Guys, if you received two offers, one is in middle east and the other one is in Australia, both with a similar package and job scope, which one do you consider? say if you have a family to take along.

Thanks mate. Any particular reason for that?
I assume both give the same net.

Some small o&g consultant paid big, even bigger than what operators offer.
A very good place if you want to learn and working with different discipline. Dont have a structured
training method though. Also you will miss the operation side of work.

Quite a few. But again, the reason you being paid big is because you earned it.
Just because the company is small doesnt mean they are less emphasized on quality.

They are operators, the big boys.

Well, I guess if they have to teach you from beginning since your background is not ONG, than its better to hire fresh grad.
Unless your work is similar to the jobscope that they have, except its in ONG filed.

No. Reservoir engineer is also high on demand. So does completion engineers, production technologist, etc.

Of course. Petroleum engineer. UTP, UTM, have those.