According to UK-based Recruitment International, short-term senior personnel specialist Interim Partners says high demand has pushed up the average rate for interim project engineering directors to 1500 pounds per day, up from 1,000 pounds a year ago.

"North African governments are under intense pressure to grow their economies and cut unemployment - it's imperative for them to get money into their coffers," Interim Partners senior consultant for energy and utilities Jonathan Mooney told Recruitment International.

"This has generated lots of fresh opportunities for energy executives as new governments seek to bring online and exploit their natural resources to boost their income."

Mooney reportedly said post-Arab Spring countries preferred to control their energy projects rather than using major overseas contractors.

"Using interims is an astute way to rapidly ramp up production to pre-conflict levels whilst training up local talent, leaving them to maintain high production once the interim's engagement ends," he said.

Mooney said the UK was viewed as a "centre of excellence" for energy production and oil and gas professionals found the short-term, high-pay work as an interim in North Africa "very tempting".