Post: #1

As a young man (27), I am looking to work hard and make the most money I can right now while im young and strong, I keep on hearing about oil rig work and its pay out, can anyone give me any advice on this type of work, hard to get into? Do you really make big bucks etc?

Post: #2

I am living Pennsylvania btw if that matters at all.

Post: #3

The price of oil is currently less than 50 dollars a barrel and it typically costs 60 to get it out of the ground.

The industry is in a downturn and no one is hiring.

I'm not sure how the inspection industry is these days, but you could knock out a 40 hour radiation safety cert in a weekend and start making some decent coin.

Or you could join a union if you're desperate.

Post: #4

Oil is down right now and people are getting laid off. Not a good industry at the moment.

To be honest, 27 isn't super young to want to start beating up your body - as it were, ball busting labor isn't the best paying work in the world either.

If you are looking to start a new career and you want to use your hands, I recommend getting into a high paying trade. Look into elevator repair apprenticeship, large engine repair/technician, or crane operation.

EDIT: You could also join the military.

Post: #5

Here's a 176 page thread on it.

/thread-9826.html

Post: #6

Don't become a rig pig, take a trade instead. Jobs on rigs and other upstream exploration operations are highly susceptible to the up and downswings of oil prices, guys were making lots of cash a few years ago in the $100/barrel days but found themselves laid off without a job because their skills weren't transferable to other industries. Contrast that with a welder, pipefitter or boilermaker who also work in the oil industry (mostly downstream in refineries) but if they slow down, they can work elsewhere such as nuclear power, ship yards, power plants, etc.

Here's a list of oil refineries in the US, all of them have maintenance workers who have "normal schedules" and work all year around, unlike rig pigs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oi...ted_States

Exxon just announced a $20 billion, ten year expansion at 11 sites in the Gulf region, now may be a good time for a young guy to move down to Texas or Louisiana and get into the trades: http://news.exxonmobil.com/press-release...ulf-region

Quote:Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is expanding its manufacturing capacity along the U.S. Gulf Coast through planned investments of $20 billion over a 10-year period to take advantage of the American energy revolution, Darren Woods, chairman and chief executive officer, said Monday.....ExxonMobil is strategically investing in new refining and chemical-manufacturing projects in the U.S. Gulf Coast region to expand its manufacturing and export capacity. The company’s Growing the Gulf expansion program, consists of 11 major chemical, refining, lubricant and liquefied natural gas projects at proposed new and existing facilities along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Investments began in 2013 and are expected to continue through at least 2022.....Importantly, Growing the Gulf also creates jobs and lasting economic benefits for the communities where they’re located,” Woods said. “All told, we expect these 11 projects to create over 45,000 jobs. Many of these are high-skilled, high-paying jobs averaging about $100,000 a year. And these jobs will have a multiplier effect, creating many more jobs in the communities that service these new investments.”

Post: #7

27 isn't that young. At your age, I would find a safer hourly job where you can work a ton of overtime.

I made the mistake of getting the shit kicked out of me at a salary job at that age.

Post: #8

My two cents as I do a fair amount of work with the energy industry - get into maintenance. Those guys work 7.5 hours, generally get paid for 9 or 10. Sometimes odd hours during shut down which only means double time. They never have to do anything dangerous or retarded or rushed like riggers.

Maintenance can be power (generator), electrical, mechanical, fitter, AC or any other number of trades. Point is, the work never goes away - even when there is no drilling or even production - maintenance guys are always working at plants.

Post: #9

Another great thing about the Gulf region is a very good cost of living relative to the wage. You can get a nice piece of land AND a condo on the Gulf.

Post: #10

They are hiring. Most of my friends are in oil. Friend snagged a job yesterday and people are posting on facebook about opportunities.

My friend went to a bunch of job fairs for frac hands and they were picking people up left and right.

OP PM me I can help.

Post: #11

(03-09-2017 11:25 AM)renotime Wrote:  I'm not sure how the inspection industry is these days, but you could knock out a 40 hour radiation safety cert in a weekend and start making some decent coin.

The inspection gig is in the shitter, too. Tons of Oceaneering, Global X-Ray, etc workers got laid off. Not much hiring whatsoever except for the occasional level 2 experienced tech for a few of the lesser known companies.

Post: #12

A job in oil and gas doesn't have to be that hard.
I really see guys on the rig do much heavy work. We got cranes and forklift for that.

I'm I'm a service company, and beside the night work, it's not hard at all.

Isn't solar the new gig?

Post: #13

(03-11-2017 09:23 AM)pants Wrote:  A job in oil and gas doesn't have to be that hard.
I really see guys on the rig do much heavy work. We got cranes and forklift for that.

I'm I'm a service company, and beside the night work, it's not hard at all.

Isn't solar the new gig?

Things must be different in Norway because I've never seen very many easy days for your average roughneck in North America.

Here's a top five all time Oil Sands thread post on the day in the life for the floorhand on a Canadian rig -- same experience anywhere in North America. Relevant for OP since he said he is from PA.
/thread-9826-...#pid847945

Quote:trip pipe for 6 hours in 35C weather, sweat soaked in invert dripping in your eye. Cant wipe it with anything since you are covered in invert. O great finally BHA. MWD just chillin in the dog house or in the corner by the rails. Pipe spinner too small to grip BHA assembly, using chain tongs running around, putting out. All eyes on you and the other floorhand. Driller yelling. MWD tool shocking you. Moving heavy as fuck mud motor to v-door. Heavy dog collar on each connection for BHA. Atleast the BHA slips are lighter. O nm you gotta pull and thow them on your own, other floorhand is getting the thread protector. Changing drilling bit, running tongs from your knees. O I forgot, pull bushings out. Driller screaming. Coveralls drenched in sweat. Shin and knee get hit against steel in the hectic running around. Hide the limp, run get the dog collar again. Hole is open, run get the hole cover. Nubbin. Dehydrated, wrist cramping out with the tongs. Mwd comes, latch to mwd tool, pull it out, send it out the v door. Hook new one, bring it to floor, toss it in. MWD claps his hands and head to the shack. Run her back in for the next 6 hours. With a slip and cut at some point. Boots slurping with all the sweat inside them.

Post: #14

Difficult time to get brought on as a rig hand or in the oilfield in general. While it may be possible if you hit the right company while they're on a hiring spree, nothing is guaranteed and your job security is non-existent given the market. I would recommend a trade that is not oil dependent for this type of pay/lifestyle.

Post: #15

Im gonna pick up a trade soon, welder, electrical, maintenance like soneone said, I just want to make some decent money, I went from $250 week to close to $600 now, still that isnt a lot of money, I want at least $1000-$1500 a week, its not even that I want this crazy lavish lifestyle but I want nice thins and I want to enjoy my job as well as feel like im accomplishing things in life.

Post: #16

^what do you do now?

Post: #17

(03-15-2017 03:54 PM)TheDuncan Wrote:  Im gonna pick up a trade soon, welder, electrical, maintenance like soneone said, I just want to make some decent money, I went from $250 week to close to $600 now, still that isnt a lot of money, I want at least $1000-$1500 a week, its not even that I want this crazy lavish lifestyle but I want nice thins and I want to enjoy my job as well as feel like im accomplishing things in life.

1. Get a CDL A with tanker endorsement (I know guys that made 100K+ doing nothing but driving when it was booming, plus it is a highly transferable skill outside the industry during slower times).
2. Become a certified welder, get good at pipes/cylindrical fittings, etc. There are some local community colleges in appropriate parts of the US that have excellent programs designed to put men into the industry.
3. Start knocking on doors - Permian basin (Wolfcamp is hot right now, google it), wherever there is ACTION.
4. MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL wherever you are. I don't care if it is cleaning up tools and debris or checking land records, make your ass useful. The old hands will notice and want to bring you to the next jobsite. The guys that ride the paycheck MIGHT make it thru the first job, but they sure don't get invited to the next.

Post: #18

1 - At 27, you're old. There are guys that are 21 in the game. Well, you're not old but you're definitely not young.
2 - The trades are meh right now. The out of work pipeliners are filling up refineries. Even then, the industrial work is kinda iffy. Some companies don't want to pay per diem and the work is all over. So better be ready to live off a 5th wheel or in long-term motels.
3 - Get a CDL
4 - Midland and Pleasanton are picking up again. PA is kinda slow, Ohio has more activity going on. Some frac activity going on there.
5 - The pay is 13-14/hr with 84 hours average and housing during your rotation, for frac. Some companies might try splitting your check in the middle of the week and fucking you over by only giving you 4 hours of OT instead of 44.
6 - Rig pigging is around 19-21 an hour for floorhands.

Most importantly, can you pass a hair follicle test? If I had a penny for every moron who kept asking if a company does a hair or piss test...

Post: #19

With a CDL you get into Wireline, Frac, or coil tubing. Other than that, your options are drilling rigs, MWD, Flowback, water transfer, or solid controls.

Wireline, Frac, and coil typically start out at $17 an hour +/- $1. Some companies offer bonus, however the bonus structure for all 3 is different. If you happen to get on with a busy company you can net around $5-6k a month with a 21/7 or 14/7 schedule. Drilling rig schedules are typically 14/14, 7/7, or sometimes 28/14. Drilling rig floor hand pay is typically $19-23/hr but you can only get 87.5 hours a week unless you're doing a rig move. Some companies pay extra because you'll be working with OBM (oil based mud). OBM pay can range anywhere from $35-75 a day on top of your hourly and per diem. Most companies usually pay $25-35 a day for per diem. On a rig you'll be staying in a dirty ass bunkhouse with the other dudes from your crew.

Post: #20

Keane group, ftsi, nine energy, Halliburton, baker Hughes, and lightning energy services are all hiring around southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia right now btw I believe pioneer energy, h&p, and Patterson are hiring rig hands for the same areas as well. We've nearly doubled our rig count in a couple months, so they're looking for guys bad right now in just about every sector of the industry. If you're not used to hard labor, I don't recommend rigs as first position in the industry.