I'm a stone cold rookie, gonna work the texas oil fields

I've been doing 60-70 a week for close to three years now for more per hour than that. You can't beat the pay and you're home every night. It took a bit of adjusting but it's not "hard" work, it's just work. If you want hard, go jump on a workover rig. Chaining and chunking hoses all day just keeps you in shape.

If you think about it, you spend 24 hours a day in a 70" prison OTR for less money, here you sit in and out of a daycab breathing fresh air 5-6 days a week for more money and you sleep in the house nightly 95% of the time. I'll NEVER touch an OTR truck now that I've found this.

 

Agree ^^^

Even though I'm new to driving, I just went over the 90 day mark and like what I do. I will say that the "fresh air" can be a pain when it's filled with dust though LOL. When your AC doesn't work you have to run with the windows cracked or rolled down or you roast.

I find the physical aspect of driving in the Oilfields enjoyable. Just got back from the Oil Patch south east of Rock Springs along the WY/CO border where we we doing a couple small jobs. Dropped off a few of our frac tanks, then went back to Rock Springs to hook up to a tanker and went to work filling them.

And you get paid by the hour, so there is no point in rushing, tearing your truck up on lease/oilfield roads by going too fast for conditions, or doing unsafe things because you are pressed for time. Sure the hours can be long, but the over-time makes up for it.

 

About 6 more months, you'll probably hate it with a bloody passion. If you'll stick it out a little longer, then it grows on you. I started in the oil field summer of 08 straight out of an OTR flatbed. I enjoyed it until probably Feb 09 and was absolutely burnt out. Went and jumped in a rock bucket and did highway work until the company went out of business. Now THAT was a lot of hours (but excellent pay). When that company went out of business I came to where I am now in the summer of 09 as the only truck driver/equipment operator (very small outfit) with one 09 International and a freightshaker dumptruck and several Dozers/trackhoes and backhoes. Now almost 3 years later, I have talked the boss into 2 W900's, 2 379's, a rock bucket, 2 water bottles, a low boy, and other misc equipment. All the trucks and drivers are mine, I schedule, chase work, and drive/operate myself. It took me a bit to get over the perceived monotony of hurry up and wait in the oilfield BUT, if you can pee in a cup on demand and are clean, can be reached 24/7 and are sober, and have some management skills, you are already miles ahead of a lot of guys out here. I now wouldn't trade my job for anything else out there.

Just stick with it, wait to find the right niche to fill and then make all the money you can. The best thing to do IMHO is to get on with a smaller company that's been around a while once you learn your trade. I went big first (Basic Energy) and it wasn't bad but aside from more money, it was ran similar to an OTR company where you're just a number. Where I am now, we have maybe 20 employees, all nice equipment, we meet at the office every morning by 530-600 even though work doesn't start until 7 just so we can BS with each other. It's like a family outfit and it's much easier to enjoy your job that way.

 

I really like your post. I was also looking into applying at Nabours when I get my CDL. I live in New Mexico and will be going to Texas also. What type of work will you be doing? Are you just transporting oil or are you working the wells also?
How much will you be making and how many hours did they say you will get a week average?
Sounds like you are doing what I will be doing, just a couple months before me. Good luck with everything!