Please don't tell my Momma I work in the oil fields. She thinks I am a piano player in a whorehouse. People, here is an opportunty to make some money. A varied opportunity. If you are a truck driver, you will soon be driving for the wrong company, money wise. If you are a welder, same thing. I started playing the piano during such a time. I had to teach myself. I am a much better teacher now and if anyone wants to give it a go, I will council you. I am gonna cut and paste my posts from 8Ball's thread for anyone that might want it. I believe a few might be interested and instead of multiple threads this one can be my tutorial. Boondawg, there are rigs in Alaska. You will be able to get all the 55 gal drums you want.
[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 08-30-2006).]
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09:04 AM
PFF
System Bot
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Randy, and others who have been looking for a financial "leap frog". An Opportunity The story deals with an area called the Permian Basin. It will be true of all oil rich areas. Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Alaska, Canada, the Gulf Of Mexico, and many more areas. The boom of the late 70's which the story talks about ending in the early 80's is what got me into "roughnecking". I was a young dumb 19 year old, single, with no kids. Three years later, married with two kids, the boom died. I've taken some pretty good whoopins from life but I will not be beaten. I moved on. Never to trust the "oil patch" again. As I said, I was young and dumb. I probably deservred some of those life whoopins. Ehh....make no doubt about it, I did . When I started in the oil fields, I left on borrowed money on a Greyhound bus. On the word of a friend that I could make some good money. I left the safety and security of life as a young man fresh from high school knows it, with a carry on bag (basically the clothes on my back), and traveled what felt like half way around the world. With out a clue as to what I would be doing or what life would be like. Really, all I had was determination. I learned alot about myself and life taught me some more lessons. As many do, I wish I could start all over again with the knowledge that I have now. Or at least with some guidance and perspective of someone who had that knowledge. If not, I would still do it again. From my perspective, this is a good time to jump into the oil patch. Everyone is gonna do it.
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09:09 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by cliffw: I bet they also use the words "can not", "to hot", "to cold", "to wet", "to dirty", "I'm tired", "fill in the blank". Oh, the inhumanity. Do you know how to spell hard ? W-O-R-K. A guy that can bench press 175lbs mighty find that hard. 220lbs would be what? Hard? What is hard? I really don't believe such a word exists. Well, maybe only in a relative sense. Define "rich". They said the work was hard ? First thing I was told was that is was dagerous. Pffffhhhtttt. I have seen my share of dumba$$ses get hurt but safety has come a long way.
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09:13 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by cliffw: I am not sure in your area. I'll answer generally. You need to be ready to go. When called you need to be able to say your on the way. With the shortage of personnel they have had an extra man, a trainee. That would be a more coordinated arrival at the job site. To be ready to go you will already need to have steel toed boots. I know you are budget conscious so some cheapies will do but you will want to throw them away as soon as you can. To the man, everyone wears Red Wing boots. The Pecos pull-ons the most popular. About $150.00 but worth their weight in gold. Most companies supply gloves, hard hats, and safety glasses (ANSI Z-87 rated) but you might need them. Many companies have washer and dryers but you might need enough cloths for the "hitch" (work week). This would be two sets of clothes. One for the street and one for work. The ones for work will get dirty. DIRTY. I use two different duffle bags. The rigs I work on, with their seven twelve hour days (hitch), have crew quarters. With washer/dryers, stove, microwave, fridgerator, bunks, and satalite TV. It may or may not have pots and pans. I have a foot locker with food stuffs. Now you are ready to look for a job. They used to hire on the rigs here. Now it is mainly out of the "office". If you get hired from the office they will send you to a rig. The location can vary greatly. Someone on a rig can send you to the office to be on their crew. Knowing someone is important if you want to pick your rig. Whether you really know them or not. By not really knowing them I mean just going to a rig and asking if they are short handed. If they are, they will send you to the office. Finding the rigs...hmmm. I don't know your location nor the rigs in your area. Nor the office locations. There are different rig locator guides. Hmmm........ This is not as simple as I thought. I can provide a lot of more valuable information. Typeing is a chore for me so let me keep it simple for now. You can Google "oil and gas drilling contractors" and get company contact information. A few calls can get you information. I am sure e-mail will get 'er done also. First thing you need to know is if they are hiring inexperienced workers. Nabors Drilling was paying people to go to "roughneck school", putting them up in motels, and then having them as an extra hand (trainee). Heck, this is a start. Let me know and I will go further. I can not anticipate every question. Randy, I don't know what to say. Get into roughnecking and I would imagine you would lose the opportunity you have four years invested in. I have not answered your thread's question. Most likely compounded it. I will say that if you are gonna do something different, roughnecking should be tried first. I will tell you that roughnecking is not for just anyone. Even if it is not for you, you can suck it up for a few years and get a financial jump start. I will for warn you. The oil field booms and busts. Just because you make good money, do not spend like you do.
[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 08-30-2006).]
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09:19 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
I don't work in the oil patch but the oil field is big business here. I have worked in it part time back years ago (in the '70's) pumping and floorhand, just fill in stuff. I have a LOT of friends that make their living in the oil patch. Pumpers, roughnecks, pulling units, steamers, even some in the seismograph industry.
I would just like to tell Randy and anyone else interested in going into the oilfield industry to really read what Cliff wrote. From my experience and talking to my friends, he's pretty much telling you just exactly what you're getting into. Do keep in mind, though, that you will be OUTDOORS ALL THE TIME WHEN ON THE JOB, for the most part. And those hours are LONG. The rig doesn't shut down because it's snowing, or 115°F, it keeps on drilling. The wells don't stop pumping because there's been 5 inches of rain and it's still raining.
You absolutely HAVE to love working outside, if you don't like that, then don't even think about it. It's also very much a "team sport". Any one person can get others killed at almost every time. Everybody has their job to do and you have to TRUST THEM TO DO IT. If you have trust issues with co-workers, then this isn't something you want to get into.
You also have to be able to take your share of being the butt of jokes. There is an initiation process for the "new guy" and you have to be able to deal with that kind of thing (which from your posts I think you'd be OK with), at least on the crews around here. They are a tight knit group that depend on one another. They work hard, and play hard. Curiously, many of them don't play together on their down time. Maybe it's different in Cliff's area, but my feeling is they spend so much time together on the job they need time apart (and they also need time with their families, who they've been away from).
John Stricker
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09:21 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Thank you John. I have not told it exactly because I have not anticipated every thought or question. I can answer them though. I will add more as it comes to mind. Never would I have thought I would be advocating anyone getting into the oil fields. Even though it is in my blood and I would rather do nothing else. I am widely skilled also. This would be a time to roughneck. I have some old posts answering questions about roughnecking. Time to try our new and improved search resource.
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09:28 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
8Ball I was wondering if anyone here has worked the oil fields befor? After watching the news today, they were talking about a Roughneck school in Wyoming, and the fact that you make 50k a year to start. I must say I am STRONGLY considering moving to Wyoming. Have any of you done this for a living? What is it like?
quote
cliffw I just got back last night from working 132 hours in the last ten days, in 100 degree heat for more than 12 hours a day. It really is an easy job, to me anyways. I love working the rigs. It is in my blood. 8Ball, it takes a man of a different metal to be a roughneck. You will never know if you have it unless you try it. I think you might. Do not be so quick to move your wife. The rig will not be where "roughneck school" is and the rig is always gonna be moving. Roughnecks have been said to chase the oil patch. I started near Amarillo Texas, brought my gal friend up and things seemed good. I was working seven days a week 365 days a year and she was stuck in this very small town which could not support the oil field bunch so rent was at a premium. Not much for her to do either. Everyone wanted some of your big money so all prices were high. I migrated with the holes being drilled eastward to Oklahoma City (Moore) and life was better. I married, had two children and the bottom fell out of the oilfield. I sold everything I had over the next year thinking it would come back but it took longer than that. I did not manage my money wisely because so much of it came so fast so easy (not talking about the work). I did not manage my money wisely because so much of it came so fast so easy. This is your first lesson ! I say leave your wife there or move her home and go by yourself to "roughneck school". You will be payed to go and can fly her up at times. Then get you a job and see how you like it. If nothing else, it will be a good short term income to give you a jump start which you can come back to when you need to. It is rare for a man to retire from a company for many reasons. Unless you get on the corporate ladder and that sucks. (That is most likely situational to be fair....the sucks part). Your rig may not have a next well and you jump rigs/companies, you may not like your driller or crew, you may not like you location, you may not want to move when,where the rig moves..............there are many reasons the turnover ratio is high including being fired although you gave it your all. We have a saying. "If you cain't do it, you cain't stay". This is likely relaxed now due to the high demand for warm bodies...a shortage of hands. When work dries up, those with little experience will be gone....along with the ones with experience that do not work. You will need a well rounded work experience to get you through the dry times, along with the wisdom of lesson number one. Ok, you got your first job. Here is what it is like. You are part of a five man crew (could be four). You are gonna get yelled at a lot. For one, it is a loud environment. More likely it will be you are holding up progress because you do not know what to do next. One has to stop what he is doing to teach you, that is two men down. Time is big money in the oil field. Inaction can get your pipe stuck in the hole or allow the well to blow out. Niether one pretty. Each man on the crew has an area of responcibility with all areas overlapping. You need to have good chemistry with your crew because you are dependent on each other. Mainly for safety. Another man can be as likely to get you hurt, or worse, as you will be. Each man has to be trusted to do his job right, on time, the first time, for safety and ease in the task. A different "hand" (employee) affects the rhythm of the crew. You are likely to spend as much time with your crew as your family, another reason why you need good chemistry with your crew. You need to have good chemistry with your crew because you are dependent on each other ! Lesson number two. Of course, just breaking out, you will have to take what you get. Keep your eye out for a crew you like. You will get a chance to get on it. Now you have some experience. You will know if it is for you or not. You will know if you like working in a blinding snowstorm at 3:00 AM, your hands and toes freezing while handling freezing metal with wet gloves. Or like I just did, 10 days straight, 100 degrees, over 12 hours a day. You will know if you like getting filthy dirty, often walking in mud, slick mud, while most likely packing tools, supplies, 100 lb sacks of drilling mud additive. 48 and 60 inch pipe wrenches are not light. Neither is a twenty pound sledge hammer. You will get used to using them at odd angles and balances with poor footing and maybe while hanging in the air. The drilling floor (land rig) is 30 feet high or better, shorter for smaller rigs. You will be up and down these steps all shift long, again often packing. The steps themselves would wear many out. You will know if you like being pressured to work a double shift because the relief crew is shorthanded. With this experience, you can decide where you want to work and what schedule you want to work. The schedule can vary. The most common in my patch are : Land based - week on, week off. Offshore - two weeks, two weeks. Overseas - 28 days, 28 days. All 12 hour shifts. The best being one week on, one week off. Anything more is too long to be gone from home at a time. Land based is best, you can go places/do things on your off hours. Offshore seems like prison to me. You work to live, you do not live to work. That is lesson three. With lessons number one and three, see if you can find a large patch and move somewhere you like in the middle of it. I am almost in between three different patches. This plus my schedule allows me to have a stable home life and not chase the patch. I consider myself self employed and work for who I want, where I want, when I want. As with the work and the off time, you can work the iron or let the iron work you. A lot has been said about safety. The oilfields have never been safer. I think the most dangerous thing I face are paper cuts. From filling out safety bullsh!t paper work My opinion is the insurance companies are mandating it. We have to fill out a pretask safety analysis of every step of the task, any hazard we just might encounter, and list steps to counter it. If the task does not go according to the analysis, it is to be ammended. I do not know how we get anything done The safety Personal Protection Equipment is cumbersome and in some cases creates hazards also to be dealt with. Do not get me wrong. I am glad it is not always "sh!t n git" and that they are taking time for safety but some safety guidelines seem to over ride common sense at times. That and I have never seen a safety program worked as designed. They basically are paying it lip service.
quote Originally posted by maryjane: I'm one of the few that worked that long--in those times--that still has all my fingers and toes.
Same here Don. Because of common sense. By the way, "roughneck school". Nabors Drilling, right 8Ball ? It's a safety thing that Nabors did in Houston at one time when hands were in short supply. They had a working rig on a predrilled hole. They would mass hire the inexperienced, class room them a little and give them some hands on experience of connections, tripping pipe and what not without the pressure of a well timeline. Then they would stick them on a rig as a trainee/extra hand doing grunt work untill they could "be a hand". Oh yeah, the term "worm" has all but disappeared. Politically incorrect ya know Also all but disappeared are cat heads and spinning chains. No one knows how to use them anymore. Spinning tongs rarely work right when you need them. Ever trip 18,000 foot of pipe with chain tongs ?
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09:41 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
I just got back last night from working 132 hours in the last ten days, in 100 degree heat for more than 12 hours a day.
I have a question. It may be important for someone deciding to do this job. How much $$ would a person make using JUST the quoted example above? Apologies if you already answered this in the previous posts. If it is none of my business I can accept that too!
Tim
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03:28 PM
84fiero123 Member
Posts: 29950 From: farmington, maine usa Registered: Oct 2004
Originally posted by FrugalFiero: How much $$ would a person make using JUST the quoted example above?
I really don't remember what I made on that check. It was over a year ago. That example is not likely to repeat it'self exactly the same way. The amount of pay would depend on when the days fell within the pay period and also within the work week. There are two work weeks in each pay period. That example is complicated now because I do not know how many of those hours were overtime. I am in Corpus Christi and can not check my records. I bring home $2500.00 for a normal work week. Seven twelve hour days. 40 hours of regular time, 44 hours of overtime, and per diem. One might also get an oil base mud allowance.
Washington, D.C. – Wyoming needs workers by the hundreds to fill vacancies in the oil and gas industry. U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, Chair of the Senate Labor Committee and Department of Labor Secretary, Elaine L. Chao announced today a $2.4 million federal grant to establish a training program in Casper for workers to meet this need.
“We need to put the right people in place in order to realize the state’s full potential. Current workers are retiring and many training programs put in place during the last energy boom have been dismantled. We need the ability to put skilled workers in place as fast as possible. Opportunity is knocking. This grant and the training program it will help establish will help us open the door,” Enzi said. “The skill and literacy requirements of today’s and tomorrow’s workplace cannot be met if we do not provide everyone access to lifelong education, training and retraining. Competition is fierce in the world and I will continue to work on more initiatives like this one for the good of Wyoming and the country.”
“The increasing demand for energy resources is creating new jobs in the oil and gas industry and this means good career opportunities for Wyoming workers who have the right skill sets,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “Today’s $2.4 million grant provided under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative helps workers who are interested in accessing these new job opportunities to get the job training they need to succeed.”
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services through the Wyoming Contractors Association in partnership with the Wyoming Business Council, Casper Area Economic Development Agency and the McMurry Foundation plan to use the money to build the capacity of workers to obtain quality jobs with high wages and establish a basic safety training program for 1,500 new workers for Rocky Mountain oil and gas industry jobs. The program is part of President Bush’s High Growth Job Training Initiative to make sure that we have the trained workers needed for jobs critical to our economy.
Training program organizers plan to train 30 workers each week for 50 weeks at the McMurry Regional Training Center on 76-acre simulated oil and gas field worksite near Casper. The course can span anywhere from five days to four weeks depending on skills the worker will be learning. The course will teach workers basic safety and skills in an industry that is challenged with increasing workload and too few workers. Some workers have already been trained and this grant will increase the capacity. Safety training for heavy equipment operators, truck drivers, crane operators and safety coordinators will also be part of the training program.
Industry stakeholders have conservatively estimated that the industry needs 1,500 workers in Wyoming and 5,000 in the region.
July 7, 2006 · The oil and gas industry is worried about having enough workers for future expansion in the United States. Petroleum engineering hasn't been a popular profession among young people. Companies are even having trouble finding enough rig workers. But outreach efforts are beginning to pay off a little bit. An industry training center for rig workers is beginning to see a surge in enrollment.
Here we are, starting week two of the CBS News Cross-Country Price Patrol in Wamsutter, Wyo. The spiking price of oil is breathing new life into boom towns long gone bust such as Wamsutter. Well, if not exactly new life into the town, at least into the oil fields surrounding the town.
Oil companies are turning over every last stone looking for oil in fields that were thought to be tapped out. They are not only uncapping old wells, but using new technologies like injecting carbon dioxide into the ground to try to push the last bits of oil out of the ground.
The high price of gas may mean bad things for a limo driver in New York, a farmer in Nebraska, or an RV owner in Indiana. But in Wyoming, the oil spikes mean jobs. They want to drill between 300 and 600 new oil and natural gas wells in Wyoming. Each one requires a minimum of 22 workers. To make sure there are enough roughnecks — the oil business term for the rig workers — the state of Wyoming has started a school to train them. It's a one week course with 100 percent placement in jobs with starting salaries in the $40,000 or $50,000 range.
I just spent the morning in class, including getting training in climbing a rig. We'll show you that tonight on the CBS Evening News. It was much harder than I could have imagined — although I'm not exactly what you'd call mechanically inclined. I consider changing a roll of toilet paper a home repair.
We are 2,235 miles into our trip. We've spent $331 on gas so far. Wyoming today is where we've seen our trip's cheapest gas ($2.39 per gallon). Utah tomorrow, Nevada Wednesday. Then we head for California and a story on hybrids. The big finale, Gorda, Calif. — and gas that was pushing $4.00 a gallon — is Friday.
It's been an amazing trip. Every reporter who works for a national broadcast ought to be required to drive the country. There's just too much America between the coasts to simply fly over — too many different kinds of people, too many different issues that you can't understand unless you've talked to the folks they effect personally. You want to understand America? Drive
ROCKY MOUNTAIN OIL AND GAS TRAINING CENTER Training the Industry's Oil and Gas Workers History In September 2004, Governor Freudenthal and the Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission approached WCA about the possibility of conducting training for the oil and gas industry. WCA's Executive Vice President and Chairman of the state Workforce Development Council, Charlie Ware was intrigued with the idea and as with everything Mr. Ware is involved with, he ran full steam ahead. After colaboration with JR Justus Shell Rocky Mountain Division and Chairman of the Rocky Mountain Health, Safety, and Environment Council (HSE), Don Likwartz, Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Director, and many oil & gas industry leaders, after only four months, the first class was scheduled for March 2005. Without the Founders, who donated, time, money, and equipment; the WCA staff and Board of Directors, and a committment from the oil & gas industry to hire graduating students, none of this would have been possible. WCA has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans' Employment and Training Service to train soldiers returning from Iraq and other areas of deployment.
This training program is designed to train oil and gas workers in various occupations. the training will be held at the Wyoming Contractors Association, Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Training Center, located in Casper Wyoming. This Training center has 76 acres of land to conduct the training. For this program, oil & gas companies will donate the necessary equipment and cash to start this program. Industry representatives will identify potential instructors working within the oil and gas industry. The Construction Careers Foundation, the Wyoming Contractors Association, the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Training Center are prepared to produce quality, well trained, and safety sensitive workers for the oil and gas and construction industries.
About Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Training Center This training program is designed to train oil and gas workers in various occupations. The training will be held at the Wyoming Contractors Association, Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Training Center, located in Casper, Wyoming. This training center has 76 acres of land to conduct the training. for this program, oil & gas companies have donated the necessary equipment and funding to start this program. Industry representatives have identified the instructors working within the oil and gas industry. Instructor ratio at the training center will be one instructor for every 10-12 students.
Phase I Began March 6, 2005, will train drilling rig floor hands for the oil and gas industry. The goal is to train up to 30 floor hands each week for 50 weeks a year. The training will be five days, 10 hours each day. This training regimen will give students an opportunity to experience real life conditions. Training will be designed to meet the International Association of Drilling Contractors Rig Pass standards and include safety, hazard communication and identification, basic well construction, H2S awareness, BOP, Rig Moves, basic nomenclature, personal protective equipment, mixing fluids and working with tongs and slips. Training will include classroom and hands-on training.
Phase II
Scheduled to begin January 8th, 2006 will train heavy equipment operators, truck drivers, crane operators, and safety coordinators. WCA has conducted truck driver training for individuals wanting to obtain a CDL. Additionally, WCA has provided CDL training for oil and gas industry personnel through the U.S. Department of Energy and Key Energy Services, Inc.
Benefits This varies from company to company. However, the companies represented in this oil and gas training initiative have given this information for their employees:
Drilling Contractors:
Hourly wage rates - $19.25 to $26.00 starting. Per Diem of $20 - $50 a day is paid for being away from home in addition to wages. Most offer various types of bonuses in addition to wages and per diem. Housing is provided either in a man camp or motel close to the rig. If housing is not available the company pays additional $40 - $50 per day per diem. Most drillers are willing to work with transportation to and from the rig location. After 90 days of employment, insurance (medical, dental, vision) is offered. Vacation, retirement, and other benefits vary from company to company. Service Companies:
Hourly wage rates - $11 to $18 starting / overtime @ 40 hours paid at time and a half. Housing is provided when needed by the company or per diem is paid. Meal Allowance is offered 4 times a day while on the clock @ $7.50 After 90 days of employment, insurance (medical, dental, vision) is offered. Vacation, retirement 401(k) and other benefits vary from company to company. Various company associated discounts (Ford / GM / Panasonic / Dell / etc.)
For questions about classes call the Training Center at (307) 237-4400 or for questions about the website e-mail Arla or call (307) 632-0573
This is all legitimate information. This school really exists and really is free. The current wait is 10-12 weeks. I know all this because I applied 3 weeks ago. Hopefully it all works out for me. I'll keep you updated.
Oh, and thanks for everything CliffW.
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11:19 PM
Dec 28th, 2006
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by FrugalFiero: I have a question. It may be important for someone deciding to do this job. How much $$ would a person make using JUST the quoted example above?
It is really not about the money. I make less than a high cost escort. hmmm....I am really surprised that just the thought of the money did not interest anyone. I don't do it for the money. There is more.
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01:06 PM
Jan 2nd, 2007
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
I bring home $2500.00 for a normal work week. Seven twelve hour days. 40 hours of regular time, 44 hours of overtime, and per diem. One might also get an oil base mud allowance.
quote
Originally posted by cliffw:
It is really not about the money. I make less than a high cost escort. hmmm....I am really surprised that just the thought of the money did not interest anyone. I don't do it for the money. There is more.
I would have to agree that based on the above example, you aren't roughnecking for the money. My way of thinking regarding a job is, if you can use your mind instead of your body, you'll be glad you did when you are 50+ years old. You don't see too many 60 year old roofers.
Tim
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08:53 AM
iced_theater Member
Posts: 1755 From: Green River, Wyoming, United States Registered: Jun 2003
I don't work in the oil fields but that is the most prominent job here now. Those guys work very hard for a living, but are making far more than I am just because of OT even though they get paid less hourly. I think some of them work 12-16 hours a day 14 days on, 7 days off with 40 hours pay during the 7 days off.
Has anyone from here actually moved from another state to Wyoming for the oilfield?
I don't work in the oil fields but that is the most prominent job here now. Those guys work very hard for a living, but are making far more than I am just because of OT even though they get paid less hourly. I think some of them work 12-16 hours a day 14 days on, 7 days off with 40 hours pay during the 7 days off.
Has anyone from here actually moved from another state to Wyoming for the oilfield?
I plan to. I was offered a start date at the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Training Center of January 8th. Unfortunatly I can't save the grand required to get out there that fast. All I had to do was fill out a one page application, get a letter from my Veterans Administration called a SIGBAR (Says due to lack of training I have SIGnificant BARriers keeping me from obtaining entry level employmeny in the energy field), and provide a copy of my dd-214. Took me straight to the top of the line. I'll prolly go in February. ANY info you can PM me on the Casper area would be greatly appreciated! I have never been further west than Texas.
I ended up in Vernal Utah for work, and I moved into an apartment in Salt Lake today, typing this at the library but I'll update this in a week or two. I pull another week of work starting tuesday. NEED SLEEP!!
Hell 132 hour- 12 hour days were just regular days in construction.
Wish we could have gotten off that easy on the Kennedy during the '73 Middle East War. 18 and 19 hour days were the norm, with occasional 28 hours straight. And that included the kids working on the flight deck, considered to be the most hazardous workplace in the world. Got the greatest respect for them. 93 straight days, with flight ops 18 of 24 hours a day.
------------------ 86 SE 2.8 4-Speed
[This message has been edited by Mike Marden (edited 03-17-2007).]
Wow, never saw this come back up. I still toss this idea around in my head regularly. so lets get to the real meat and potatoes. As a green horn WBailey1041, what are you making? I know I know, rude question, but it is also the important one.
Randy
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08:50 PM
Mar 18th, 2007
iced_theater Member
Posts: 1755 From: Green River, Wyoming, United States Registered: Jun 2003
Utah would be alright, definitely much nicer weather. We're on average 10-15 degrees colder than Salt Lake City. Also curious on your wages. I've somewhat toyed with the idea of going to the oilfield, but I have a very good chance of becoming a foreman here by the end of next year.
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12:29 AM
thismanyfieros Member
Posts: 3468 From: Red Deer, alberta,canada Registered: Dec 2002
the oil fields is not an easy job...trust me i know after 5 years...luckily i went with a smaller company and worked my way up to driller in less then a year...not exactly the norm in the oil field but i am a quick learner, and i can think two steps ahead, which sure helps...basically roughnecking is going to be an intense training of any and all oil field operations...you are not payed to think as a roughneck you get payed to be a human tool...as in go get this,work this(chain tong) pick this up, put this here, measure this,and run the drilling floor..pay attention but dont speak up like you know whats going on.. anything if you have any suggestions put them in the form of a question...safest way to not look like an idiot.. dont put your hands in any place you wouldnt put your private part...if you ask yourself that question in your head before you do any and all jobs it just might save your fingers, a hand or even your life...i have seen way too many eager newbies just about take themselves out on the first day even after multiple explainations of why we dont do something that way...but i gues sometimes natural selection has a way of taking people out no matter what... myself i ended up on the wrong end of a bad situation and the result was a broken arm...basically i took someone elses word that they had tightened something up when i reality it was only hand tight..so another lesson double check everything if your not sure check it again it could save someones life maybe even your own.. working rigs is in your blood..some few have many others just dont...we do two weeks on, one week off...if you make it through your first hitch(2 weeks) you WILL make it the rest of the way if you have the drive to do so..if you cant make it dont kid yourself, there is no shame in quitting or admitting its not the lifestyle for you...and it IS a lifestyle...anyone who says it isnt is full of **** ...the patch dictates how we live,what we do and the rewards we get for our sacrifices.... be srong, think quick and play safe....tim...
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02:13 PM
Mar 19th, 2007
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by twofatguys: How is everything working out? Brad
I have talked to WBailey1041 since he has been in Utah. (William, I got a new phone and I did not save your #) He is doing good. I will not speak for him but I am under the impression that he likes it and that he is impressed with his earning potential.
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Originally posted by 8Ball: As a green horn WBailey1041, what are you making? I know I know, rude question, but it is also the important one. Randy
I believe he told me he was started off a $22.00 an hour. It is not secret information. The only thing is, is that they split his work week. Meaning his pay period. Which cuts down on his overtime pay. He will work seven 12 hour days and makes 76 hours of regular time and only eight hours of over time. If I am correct in my figures. I work the same hours and make 40 hours of regular time and 44 hours of overtime. A big money difference.
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Originally posted by iced_theater: I've somewhat toyed with the idea of going to the oilfield, but I have a very good chance of becoming a foreman here by the end of next year.
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from my first linky "The money is astounding. I lost a guy who had worked for the city for 10 years in our gas department. He went to work for an oil company at nearly $10 more an hour than I could pay him," Big Lake City Manager Evelyn Ammons said.
iced_theater, I do not know your particulars.
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Originally posted by thismanyfieros: ...luckily i went with a smaller company and worked my way up to driller in less then a year...
The driller...the foreman. A job I have not taken. A job I have trained many to do. iced_theater, why do you want to be a foreman? I bet you will make more money in the oil patch. You want to be the boss? No one tells me what to do. Least of all the driller.
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Originally posted by thismanyfieros: tim...
Interesting. Tim, I have been roughnecking for twenty plus years. You have a valid assesssment but I do not agree with it. I do not want to pick it apart but I guess I can come back to it later and give my thoughts. Besides, shhh.....I am working a scam . Any good scam needs an ulterior motive. I am soon gonna be 48 years old. I feel fine and to me the work is easy, but, it soon may be time for me to take a drillers job. I do not want any of the roughnecks that are available from the industry. I want to train my own people.
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Originally posted by thismanyfieros: ...you are not payed to think as a roughneck...
I want people who will think.
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Originally posted by thismanyfieros: ...myself i ended up on the wrong end of a bad situation and the result was a broken arm...basically i took someone elses word that they had tightened something up when i reality it was only hand tight..so another lesson double check everything if your not sure check it again it could save someones life maybe even your own...
Which requires thinking. You are right Tim, they do not want you to think. Their wages, although good, reflect that. In an industry in which you do depend on those around you, I want to be surrounded with thinkers. Back to my scam. I had not a friggin clue about the oil field when I started. Now, I believe I can mentor people on being more sucessfull than I was. The easy way. Then, when I am old and decrepit, they will give me a job as a door greeter for more than Wal-Mart pays, . Also, the oil field is often short handed. I think I see an opportunity to create a staffing agency. Just as in any staffing agency, the employees will cost more. In this case it will be because they make more. Sort of a back door union since the oilfields have always blocked such attempts. No, I am not scamming, I am kidding about that. This is a good opportunity for some, it is not for others. I believe it is worth a try to any who wish to find out. A staffing agency is just a pipe dream. There are many industries which sprout from drilling activity which may interest some more. All well paying.
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03:55 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Also, I have had some PMs asking about how to get a job. The first thing is to get ready for one. If you get an opportunity, you need to act on it quickly or they will call someone who is quicker. Time is big money in the oil patch. Here, I am gonna post my advice to WBailey1041. (He already has transportation. Remember, you will be working in remote locations. Ride sharing is definitely possible though.)
Since you have a P/U that is a plus. You can comfort yourself with any gear you need without worries of transporting it. You are also not stuck at a job you do not like except for now due to inexperience needed to be overcome. I NEVER leave any of my gear at the rig. I also PROTECT it while I am there. Not a big worry but one day without a rainsuit that is missing or damaged will piss you off because of the misery from the lack of comfort you had. I carry a street bag...clothing for a week, **** /shower/shave pack, etc. I carry a work bag....which considers all possibilities. You will likely have a washer/dryer...it might break down. You might get really dirty or wet and need an immediate change of clothes. You will need clothes you might not need. It could get colder or warmer, you need options. I also pack a foot locker for my foodstuffs. My personal spices my own pots and pans, plates, whatever floats my boat. There will be stuff there but it will usually be dirty, in use, or whatever. I keep a lock on my footlocker. Just because we make money does not mean some have no shame. Bedding. heh...get you a sleeping bag and a pillow. don't bother with sheets, blankets, and such. You will be bunking with five guys in a room. Beds against the walls. Not easy to make. Bedding usually gets balled up and is hard to keep comfortable. When it is time to leave it gets no easier (spelled faster) than rolling up your bed roll. Defiitely a good pair of sandals for the crew quarters, especially the shower area. Roughnecks are used to being dirty. The floor will not be spotless and mud/dirt is tracked in hourly. Specialized work clothing. A zero hood. A quality slicker. PROTECT IT. The slicker needs to be sized so it fits somewhat loosely over your other clothes. So it does not stretch and rip. A pancho type or rancher/duster type will not work. Water will drip off it and go inside your boots. You will be using your feet and their comfort is immensely important. Get the boots I told you to. Do not cheap out on other approved boots! Gosh, you might want two pair because it is so cold up there. For extra layers of socks or thicker winter woolen socks. Layered clothing keeps you warm. Also, they do have battery powered socks which are heated. Long underware...YES. The stuff you can get up there is probably better suited for that climate. The stuff here is as thick as a T shirt . I will probably be hitting you up to send me some of that stuff . Insulated coveralls. The Walls brand Blizzard Proof model work well. Again, slightly oversized to fit over the layers of clothing. Coveralls in general. New is stupid. They will look old in a week. Get what you can at a Goodwill or similar store. Wal-Mart prices will be pretty much fair if there is one near where you are working. Work jeans. You will be doing some climbing. Tight jeans make it more strenuous. Roughnecking does not just mean perservereing. In a way it does. It really means getting the job done no matter what. Success is what will keep you employed. I spoke of attitude. It needs to be displayed. Show that you are ready by always having a 10 inch crescent wrench in your back pocket.
Well given my last upset... My brother in Law promised to pay for my immigration to Canada, set me up with a lawyer and all, then neglected to pay him I am more than ready to start looking for a job on the rigs. I thank you all for the info thus far and I will keep an eye on this thread as I continue my search.
Life sucks some days.
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09:00 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
True, and some days it sucks more . I can say, roughnecking, for me, has been good at preventing that from happening. I am not talking about just the money. I can also say, roughnecking sucks in some ways. Mainly being away from home. You gotta have a good woman if you have a woman. It can be tuff with kids. However, you can live close to the rigs and go home everyday. The reason I never took this job on career minded was, because I started single, got married, had a son, and then the bottom fell out of the oil market. I had no guidance. I never trusted it again or took it seriously. Only my work. I now see how to survive these type pitfalls.
[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 03-19-2007).]
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09:17 AM
thismanyfieros Member
Posts: 3468 From: Red Deer, alberta,canada Registered: Dec 2002
in canada if its not flame retardent you cant wear it...that goes for coveralls, hardhat liners,boots and hoodies..so if your going to work in the oil fields of canada DONT go to walmart and cheap out cuz you WILL NOT be allowed on site with cheap ass gear... when i stated as a roughneck your not allowed to think i guess i should have been more specific to state until you know wtf is going on all thought processing abilities are revoked...once you get the hang of **** by all means ask away...i have just seen to many know-it-alls makes asses of themselves over and over again...although slightly amusing i like things done RIGHT the first time...like you said time is money in the patch...tim..ps if wondering what else applies to the canadian oil field chck out the CAODC web site(Canadian Association of Drilling Companies)... our rules and regs way differ from those in the USA...
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10:33 AM
PFF
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thismanyfieros Member
Posts: 3468 From: Red Deer, alberta,canada Registered: Dec 2002
I work for the Union Pacific Railroad as a carman. I currently make $21.81 an hour, hopefully we'll be getting a raise here soon though. As a foreman I'd make a little over $26 an hour. What's nice about my job is it's not really hard at all and I work right in town so I don't have a long commute at all.
I guess it's time to update this thread with my experience. I wanted to wait until I knew what I was doing before I went off running my mouth about the oilfield. For those of you that havent followed this thread the deal is I left NC 8 weeks ago to work the oilfield in the rockies.
After 5 days at roughneck school (A watered down week of learning the lingo and a bunch of safety stuff that is moderatly helpful.) I ended up in Vernal, Utah working for Ensign Drilling on Rig 82. It turns out this job isn't nearly as tough as most folks think. I'll use this reply to touch on all the questions I had before I started this job.
First of all I'm the worm that makes me a human tool as someone else put it. If a tool needs cleaning or carrying I'm the guy that does it. If something breaks a hundred foot in the air I hook up and fix it. If its muddy I'm usually standing in it. For twelve hours a day seven days in a row I have a shovel a wrench a hammer or some other tool in my hands. My responsibility is to do what I'm told. I spent my first 6 hours on the job watching a flare line yelling when I "thought" the flame was getting higher that 20 foot...... I have no task that really requires any brain power at all. The hardest thing I do is figure out if my boss wants a 36 or 60 inch pipe wrench.... for the most part they pay me 22 bucks an hour plus safety pay, plus bottom hole pay to scrub buildings, paint, and swing a hammer. (and in 45 days I move up to 24.75 an hour) (After my upcoming raise I should make about 70k with out bonuses and thats working 6 months of the year)
A TYPICAL DAY
Wake up at 330am in a man camp (4 trailers connected that a few guys sleep in while working a week straight) Eat and leave for the rig at 4am Drive about an hour and a half on the worst roads know to man kind to the middle of the high desert to a rig. Change into coveralls, boots, hard hat, ect and have a safety meeting. Relieve the opposite crew and send them home (or to the camp if they dont live in town) Make connections of drill pipe, scrub buildings, paint buildings, load tools, and other stuff, clean some more, make more connections, scrub some more, paint some more, run up and down the stairs about a million times, fetch tools, run errands, dig ditches, scrub some more, well you get the idea right?? After 12 hours change back out, go home sleep about 6 hours if I'm lucky and then do it all over again.
As far as safety goes the oilfield is a pretty safe place. we have meetings on every possible task that might hurt someone. The crew I work on won't let me do something stupid. Anyone can stop any task at anytime for any reason if they think its unsafe. That doesn't mean we don't have close calls. I stopped the whole rig and a casing crew my third night. A cotter pin had a rope tied to it and the person pulling the rope yanked the cotter pin out by accident. I was on the other side of a line with a few thousand pounds on it and I yelled before the guy with the cotter pin in his hand. Not a big deal, new cotter pin and two minutes later we were putting pipe in the hole again. (Even then I had to fill out a "near miss report")
Overall its a fun job, when I'm not playing janitor I'm working with huge stuff. Everything on a rig weights more than me. Its a cool feeling to be standing over 7000 foot of pipe in the ground and know I touched every joint personally. It's nice to get a decent paycheck that isn't minimum wage. It's nice to work your tale off for a week and get a week off.
Questions?? I'm here til tuesday morning so ask if you like if not maybe this will be helpful to some of you guys. Im in salt lake now so if any of you want to go on a rig or want to get into this let me know, I can get you in the school and hired pretty easy. Most companies are really short handed right now.
Thanks CliffW, it took 2 years but I'm glad I took your advice on this.
[This message has been edited by WBailey1041 (edited 04-08-2007).]
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02:40 AM
thismanyfieros Member
Posts: 3468 From: Red Deer, alberta,canada Registered: Dec 2002
yup your hooked...good job..but i think you proved my your not allowed to think theory...but now you do have a clue as to whats going on so its good you speak up..you never know when it could save a life..congrats on the raise.. roughnecking was a fun dirty fast paced job on my rig..we moved every two days..so it was go at full speed at all times..we would rig up spud,drill surface, wiper trip, run casing and maybe get the cement job done too...all in 12 hrs..thats moving fast...all the while we were drilling we would be prepping the bop bolts, doing a casing tally, and running out two flare lines plus one air line(drilling for CBM with two air compressors...mind you these holes were only 400 to 900 metres deep...regardless in the hot summer its still takes a toll on a guy after two weeks straight...but it was fun...taught me to think fast and work two steps ahead..thats how i got to be a driller so fast...again congrats and good luck...tim
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04:50 PM
Apr 9th, 2007
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by thismanyfieros: ...we moved every two days..so it was go at full speed at all times..we would rig up spud,drill surface, wiper trip, run casing and maybe get the cement job done too...all in 12 hrs..thats moving fast...all the while we were drilling we would be prepping the bop bolts, doing a casing tally, and running out two flare lines plus one air line(drilling for CBM with two air compressors...
, slackers,
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12:38 AM
thismanyfieros Member
Posts: 3468 From: Red Deer, alberta,canada Registered: Dec 2002
hey hey now..it was the best waistline diet i ever was on..lost 25 pounds first two weeks out..after a long winter of coring and packing on 35 lbs it was a nice change of pace.. i use to have guns too..sad...drilling makes a guy turn into the stay puff marshmellow guy...hehe sometimes i let my derrickhand run the controls and i play pulling the slips and running the tongs..teach my new guys how to run the floor...i love tripping...pipe that is....tim..
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02:37 PM
Apr 13th, 2007
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by thismanyfieros: cliffw, you on a single, double, or a triple???? I am working on a little carrot pulling single crane carrier rig...tim..
Tim, sorry for no acknowledgement to your questuion. Been busy. Did you say carrot pulling or did you mean Cabot. I have worked some scope up Cabots. I believe Cabots are made in Canada by IRI. In answer to your question, I work a triple. I always have, we drill deeper wells. I have been on crews which held the record for the deepest wells drilled (I guess at the time). I have drilled five miles straight down. Got me some paraphanelia for that, then did five miles and a quarter. These rigs, they would be on the drilling location for over a year. It was in Oklahoma. I was on a rig at which I saw one million pounds on the weight indicator once. I worked derricks on this rig and have racked back 212 stands of five inch pipe on the right hand side. The substructure of that rig was on a cement pad with cement ditches. The same with the three Gardner Denver triplex pumps. I think it was forty eight steps up to the rig floor, or we would take an elevator which traveled like steps, not straigt up and down. It was an amazing experience. At present I work on a triple capable of 12,000 feet with 4 1/2" pipe. It is a power rig. I also have worked diesel electrics. I have been on rigs with every type of substructure, the sling shot is my favorite. I built new rigs in Houston from 01 to 04 and have seen all the modern bells and whistles. Iron Roughnecks, Top Drives, Rotating Mouseholes, remote controlled by operator Man Lifts, hydraulically powered tongs, drawworks with disc brakes. I have not been off shore. Main reason being the schedule is two weeks on/two weeks off. That is too much time to be away from home and too much time to be home. I like one week each better. Plus, you get bored during off duty hours. Fishing gets old. I like to get away from the rig when I am off. I have met many interesting people in many interesting places. I do plan on doing on off shore stint before I retire from the patch. It has been an interesting career. Never boring. Well paying I suppose. Actually, I think the pay sucks although I always say I am overpaid and underworked. Sometimes I think I steal my check. heh.
[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 04-13-2007).]
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11:15 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by iced_theater: I work for the Union Pacific Railroad as a carman. I currently make $21.81 an hour, hopefully we'll be getting a raise here soon though. As a foreman I'd make a little over $26 an hour. What's nice about my job is it's not really hard at all and I work right in town so I don't have a long commute at all.
iced_theater, knowing what I know, and from what I have heard about the railroads, I would not trade your job for the oil field. You have a good thing going. I do not know the oil fields would be better. Very few drilling companies are around in their present form twenty years later. Retirement is possible but....I don't know what to say. I take care of myself. I can still get matching 401k funds but do not count on being with the same company for twenty years. Experience taught me this. The summer of 01, I was in Casper. We built part of a rig in Houston, the other part was built in Oklahoma City. I went to Casper to tie it together as it was designed to work that area. Best of luck to ya. If I get back up there to Wyoming I will look you up.
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11:24 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36759 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by WBailey1041: I guess it's time to update this thread with my experience. I wanted to wait until I knew what I was doing before I went off running my mouth about the oilfield.
You should have waited a little longer. I still don't know what I am doing, Glad you are enjoying it William. I will send you a scrub brush with your name engraved into it. It will get better. By the way, I am sure the hands collect stickers and such. I have none from that area. Get me some. Also, it would be nice to get a cap from your drilling company. I know that is a tall order to fill but if you get a chance. Heck, give me their website, address, and phone numbers. I have not been to Utah. You have told me by phone that it is beautiful. I know Wyoming was. I might come out there and work awhile. I hate it when people tell me to be carefiul. It is my job. Be safe friend. oh yeah.....
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Originally posted by WBailey1041: Make connections of drill pipe, scrub buildings, paint buildings, load tools, and other stuff, clean some more, make more connections, scrub some more, paint some more, run up and down the stairs about a million times, fetch tools, run errands, dig ditches, scrub some more,....
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. I will probably be hitting you up to send me some of that stuff 
You should have waited a little longer. I still don't know what I am doing, 
