The lure of six figure salaries tempts thousands of British oil workers to abandon home comforts to work in Libya's often 'inhospitable' conditions say industry experts.

Oil companies rushing to tap in to the country's underexploited natural resources are desperate for qualified and experienced staff, many of whom may have cut their teeth on 'softer' Western oil fields like the North Sea or Gulf of Mexico.

There are some 2,000 Britons working in the Libyan oil industry, many of whom are based at the massive petrochemical centre in Marsa el Brega.

Nick Black, editor of industry periodical Petroleum Argus, says many will have been lured by salaries topping £100,000 a year.

"For the companies themselves the attraction is that Libya is a significant oil producer - it is a member of Opec.

"But oil resources in the country have been underexploited in the past - and it also has massive gas potential."

'Black gold rush'

Libya is a major gas supplier to Italy, so it attracts a lot of gas experts, said Mr Black.

"Companies also need people with drilling or engineering expertise," he added.

"For the individual, the money is particularly good. It does tend to attract a lot of the pioneering, cowboy type of person.

"People with the right skills can make a lot of money. You are certainly talking over £100,000.

"That is more than the same people would be making in safe havens like the North Sea, or the Gulf of Mexico - prime Western exploration spots.

"But make no mistake, Libya can be a pretty inhospitable place for Westerners. The conditions of life are not good. It is a challenging place to work in."