Water vs Sand

From what I can tell, pay is "fairly" even for the two. What I have been able to find out, water is going to be more steady. They need the sand when they are fracking and if no fracking is going on, you won't be moving. With water, you could be delivering water to a frac site or picking up water from tanks and taking it for disposal. Pulling water from the tanks is a consistent gig as long as they have the contracts. I do NOT know this from personal experience, and I am sure someone that knows more will chime in, but we are starting at the end of the month driving a vac truck (water) and decided to pursue that to get started instead of sand because it seems to be much steadier.

 

Oh, forgot to answer the other questions. Water is usually 12-14 hour days, not sure on sand. Usually either a day or night shift and something like a 4/2 or 5/2 schedule. I know there are companies that will hire you if you have a Class A and they will train you. That would start around $15 to $16 an hour but could go up if you found a smaller company. The trick with a smaller company is making sure they have enough contracts to keep you busy. That pay is what a lot of the major companies start out at, and if you have driving experience, but no oilfield experience, the starting pay will be a few dollars higher. Another thing about the major companies is that they offer full benefits where as some of the others will not. If you are starting out in the oil field, definitely find something that pays hourly as opposed to percentage. Percentage can be good pay, but not until you know an area really well and know where the wells are.

 

Sand does not sloosh.

 

sand truck you ll more than likely have a sleeper while 95% of water trucks are day cabs.
sand will be only picking up from point A to deliver at a frac location and wait in line.

water can be any kind of fluid services. you can pull water from tank batteries, flow back frac tanks (oil transfer and skimming oil from tank on those flowbacks too) , nasty reserve pits , you can deliver fresh water or brine to reserve pits behind the drilling rigs, or to pulling units, to frac tanks for storage, you can be called to do spills clean up , cellars spill control. filling up fresh water pits for fracs , basically it varies a lot.

pay and benefits depends on the company. 80 % is hourly 20% is ticket time for water , didn't hear anything about % in our area (reagan/irion/crockett/upton).
lower paying hourly usually have the better benefit, you can find better hourly but would have to spend more for insurance. so in the end it is more of a personal choice

experience wise, it will depend on the company, but most of them can take newbies and will because well... they need drivers.

 

oh and water will only sloosh if you got a crappy trailer OR not a full load. just sayin'

 

Sand is not consistent for sure, unless you are working for more of an established company like Chalk Mountain. From what I've seen, most sand trucks appear to be owner operator outfits. Like a previous comment stated, sand usually is paid by % and you usually stay in your truck. Starting pay for water is again, typically $16-19 an hour. OT after 40. Night shift almost always has a differential. Water hauling is the way to go, to me. I've hauled water and crude for the past two years and feel water is the best bet.

 

Water is for beginners. Bust your hump. Sand is usually much better paying-or used to be. Lot more driving. Runs are getting shorter as more sand yards are built closer to wells. 500 miles used to be nothing per load for well. Get up to 10 per well. About $1.08 per mile per load. Suit up when ready and work 30-90 minutes unloading. Shorts the rest of the summer. Now lot of competition in sand due to lousy economy. Much more competitive. Good sand company will require at least one yr probably more before they turn you loose in their expensive Pete. Water home every night. Are some good water companies. But watch for the ones using old OTR trucks with sleepers on back. Asking to get screwed with them

 

sand, 1200.00 bucks one week zero the next.
water, 1000.00 bucks every week in you pocket.
thats all you need to know.

 

My old boss has come up with min. He charges $1500 a day regardless of how many loads or length. Driver gets $375. If they want the truck in area they pay whether used or not. Been doing real well in OK. Drivers love it. Get paid to sleep. Water is lots of opening closing gates. Getting dirty. Sand is far superior if you can get on with good company. If you can get on with Nabors or other reputable company water is OK starting place. With rat outfits I would steer clear.