Parking Lot Pilot seeking Oil Opportunity

Discussion in 'Oilfield Trucking Forum' started by Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Mar 1, 2015.

  1. Rocky the Flying Squirrel

    Rocky the Flying Squirrel Bobtail Member

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    Drivers: where do I start in oil?

    Heard about roads being built in The Black Hills and mountains of money waiting to be hauled away ... This was back in 2008. Had some friends go to Montana and North Dakota and never heard from them. I was told "you can make $100,000 in ... Blah blah blah ... " And stopped listening.

    I am a safe driver with 5 years of car hauling experience. I have been driving since 1988 and hauled many things.

    Is there someone out there that can confirm or deny the rumor of gold in the hills? I am thinking I am late to the game but looking for career options. Any advice or direction is greatly appreciated ... I am specifically looking to get into hauling oil and would like to avoid the pitfalls. What are you making? How often do you see a real bed? How often do you see your home?
     
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  3. brian991219

    brian991219 Road Train Member

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    You are very late to the game, the oil fields are laying off right now, the money was to be made in 08-2013, it started retracting last year and this year is going to be dismal. Many of my friends who left for the patch have come home already, I left my car haul gig for a year to try the Marcellus Shale operations in my home state of Pennsylvania, made great money but it was the hardest I have worked in a long time and I went right back to car haul and have not looked back again.
     
  4. Rocky the Flying Squirrel

    Rocky the Flying Squirrel Bobtail Member

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    Thanks for the reply Brian. I see driver job listings for oil field operations ... Is this to cover layoff at lower pay?
     
  5. brian991219

    brian991219 Road Train Member

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    Most likely, if they can get someone in the door for a lot less without the extra perks they are going to do that just to stay open. Some areas of Texas and North Dakota are still doing ok, but the boom in PA and WV is slowing down. If you look at the rig count, which is data from Baker Hughes on the number and type of drilling rigs in operation around the world each week, you will see the North American rig count shrinking rapidly, about 10% per week right now. This means that if there are less rigs drilling then there are less support jobs available, yes, some areas are still finishing wells and crude is still coming down the line, but it is slowing down.

    Crude hauling jobs are still open, but I think the trend on those will be for the big companies to squash the little guys out of existence just to keep their trucks moving. We already have mega fleets like Schneider coming in and hauling crude for half the rate other specialty companies get, I think this will continue as oil producers look for ways to reduce their expenses in the down market.

    This is just my take on it, I have been out of the oil industry for three years now, still have a lot of friends in it and I watch the reports and market out of a general interest in having knowledge, but I see a contraction coming and the really high paying jobs with crazy benefits such as being paid 40 hours on your week off and free housing all but completely disappearing.
     
  6. TLeaHeart

    TLeaHeart Road Train Member

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    that about covers it. Rates are being cut monthly, desperate companies undercut to try and stay afloat, employees quit or layed off, new employees are hired at lower rate, lower benefits, cycle repeats until we hit bottom.

    ND went from 210 working rigs, to 100 working rigs.
     
  7. ironmule

    ironmule Light Load Member

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  8. Starboyjim

    Starboyjim Road Train Member

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    I drive Laredo routes all the time, and I see lots of pickups parked at the living parks. I'd hate to pay rent and truck payments on those unemployment checks. That's the main reason I didn't chase the Golden Pig up north. I need steady money, and the oil industry is up and down with the spot price of crude. A layoff now would not further my goals.
     
  9. Dan K

    Dan K Bobtail Member

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    Schneider got out of the oilfields. I just started as a driver at Schneider, OTR tanker division. They were in Corpus Christi, but they got out, as I heard, they just couldn't operate like other trucking companies in the oilfields. Schneider was too much trying to operate the same way they do with vans or regular tankers.
     
  10. Haystak88

    Haystak88 Light Load Member

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    There is still plenty of money to be made hauling crude and water in the oilfields. As mentioned, the biggest companies are the ones to go with. $23-$26 jobs are still readily available and 12-hour days are still the standard, with overtime after 40. Also as mentioned, not sure how the year is going to play out and the effect it will have on trucking in the oilfield. Dupree Logistics, Plains Marketing, Blue Knight, Central Crude, Sunoco Logistics and other big players haven't skipped a beat and are ALL currently hiring. You may end up living in ######## Pecos, TX, but the money is still there.
     
  11. jessman

    jessman Bobtail Member

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    Haystak88, you in kenedy? Who you with? Im gonna look in that area unless I can find something local in San Antone. Id pm you but not enough posts yet.
     
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