So you want to haul crude oil in the badlands of ND?

candi · Aug 31, 2011

ya'll be safe out there.

candi · Aug 31, 2011

ben528 said: ↑

I am writing this simply because I wish someone had informed me of what I am writing that follows:

In this recession, jobs are hard to find but there is one exception: working in the oilfields of North Dakota. For any trucker who wants a job that pays good (I'm talking $70k+ starting), this is the place to be. There are 100 jobs for every man who applies. Send out 20 applications, and you seem to get 21+ replies. Your voicemail is filled with "Please return our call as soon as possible!" $70k+/yr starting seems to be the norm. There are positions for flatbed hauling of drilling rigs and equipment, water hauling, frac tank hauling, belly dump hauling gravel and scoria, and my favorite, crude oil hauling. A good place to look for work is http://www.jobsnd.com/

For the last two months, I've been hauling crude oil in and around the badlands of North Dakota, and it is the best (and scariest) job I've ever had. $70k+ starting, work two weeks, and one week off. This has been the best job I've ever had, but wish I had known some things before heading over.

Things to take into consideration before applying for a job hauling crude oil in the badlands:

First and foremost, if you are afraid to die, this is not the job for you. You will experience loooong periods of boredom marked by many brief periods of sheer terror. Not a day goes buy where you are in a situation where you wonder if its your last. I was caught in a freak electrical storm filling up with crude oil at a well that was the highest point around for many miles, watching lightning strike a mere hundred of yards away. Crude oil fumes everywhere leading to 4,000 barrels of oil ready to ignite. Nowhere to run or hide. Then you have to worry about the drunk drivers. Lots of them. Or the fog so thick you can't even see the nose of your truck, much less the road. Or the crazy people who like to beat up truckers. I was a victim of a failed attack a little more than a week ago where two guys in two pickup trucks tried to jack me. I ended up ripping a door off of one and busting the rear bumper off the other after they tried to block my truck and slow me down. Cops said I had every right to kill them. Or the tornadoes that spawn right over you after you hook up to a lact. No place to run or hide. I rolled up on a well once where the backfire preventer blew out of the ground leaving a small crater. And it was still on fire. If it continued, it would have blown up the treater, then onto the tanks. That would have been a huge crater. Anyway, in the two months I've been working, I've already seen a handful of guys quit after the first day because they are scared ######## even on the ride along.

All roads are pretty much 7% grades on mostly obliterated asphalt roads, with sharp curves at the bottom that you can't see around. The best road I drive on is Highway 23, which is also the deadliest highway in North Dakota. That should give you an idea. Sometimes you can drive faster on the gravel roads than the paved roads. Some parts of asphalt roads are missing altogether, and even when you hit them at less than 20 mph (while you're still in a 65 zone), you are now riding a 50-ton double-bottom bucking bronco on a road where both sides drop straight down to the bottom of the badlands. All roads seem to be two-lanes, and no shoulders. Anywhere.

Most of the time you are driving from one side of the middle of nowhere to the other side of nowhere. This means you are on your own. Bring your own food and WATER (at least a gallon at all times). MRE's are ideal, especially if you want a hot meal. No open flames for cooking, that's why the flameless ration heaters are a good thing.

When you are going to the wells, you are on your own. There are no truck stops, or even little gas stations you can pull into to get some crappy nuclear burrito.

You will lose weight. I've lost 20 lbs since I started and often look like Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway at the end of my two week tours.

Cell phone service is a luxury. Most of the time (95%) you have no service, even with a Wilson SignalBoost. Learn smoke signals.

Bring a roll of toilet paper in a ziplock baggy. Most of the time the nearest toilet is 50+ miles away.

Bring a full change of clothes. Sooner or later every crude oil hauler gets a crude oil shower.

Protect yourself and watch your back at all times. There are people out there that *really* hate truckers. Always lock your doors, carry Mace, and have a hammer or crowbar on hand with you. Most of the time cops are 30 miles away. And you have no signal so you can't call them anyway.

Make sure to ask the company for living arrangements if you are from out of town. All hotels and apartments on the oil field are booked solid into eternity.

There's a lot more than this, but it's a good start.
Click to expand...

sounds really rough ben be safe.

nitrogen · Aug 31, 2011

Way over rated that's the iceroad trucker drama queen version.

cplmac2 · Sep 1, 2011

How are the working conditions for belly dump drivers in ND?

Big Duker · Sep 1, 2011

nitrogen said: ↑

Way over rated that's the iceroad trucker drama queen version.
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Thats' for sure. Or he's never been in a tight spot in his life. Cold in winter. Of course. Tight roads. Some places. Just like oilfield work anywhere else. You go where the product is. I delivered OD loads up to 87' long so I don't want to hear whining about a water or oil tanker w/ a day cab. Just be smart. If it's cold have gear to deal with it and some food to get you by. With all the traffic you aren't likely to be alone for too long.

BigJon310 · Sep 1, 2011

Two/three questions. I have had my CDL for less than a year (=less than a year experience), will the "badlands" hire some one like me?? Do they train you?? And where would I apply?

AC22 · Sep 1, 2011

mark2842 said: ↑

How does the frac sand hauling jobs pay? I'm a owner operator with own trailer. Well very soon own trailer. And can anyone give some company names and locations? Thanks a lot in advance.

Mark
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Links Logistics (formerly T&R/Sandsource - out of Rifle CO/Watford City ND

Missouri Basin - Ross, ND

EnerMAX - Williston and Minot, ND

NRJ - Minot??

BigJon310 · Sep 1, 2011

LittleMissSunshine said: ↑

Hello there I need to post a few more times on the public forum in order to sent you a PM so that is the reason there is going be a few odd posts. lol
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How many post do you need before you can start sending pm's?

AC22 · Sep 1, 2011

AC22 said: ↑

Links Logistics (formerly T&R/Sandsource - out of Rifle CO/Watford City ND

Missouri Basin - Ross, ND

EnerMAX - Williston and Minot, ND

NRJ - Minot??
Click to expand...

Pay is around $100-120 per hour.

AC22 · Sep 1, 2011

AC22 said: ↑

Links Logistics (formerly T&R/Sandsource - out of Rifle CO/Watford City ND

Missouri Basin - Ross, ND

EnerMAX - Williston and Minot, ND

NRJ - Minot??
Click to expand...

Sorry, Sandstorm not Sandsource...

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