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

i talked to my supervisor today and got that all straightened out. Next time i'm gonna use my authority and put a stop to the job. Thats what i like about nabors because they got your back there. My super thought it was insane too and word about that incident has got around already. Also, nabor policy doesnt dictate i help out that crew anything more than hooking up some hoses, watching my truck and opening/closing valves to assist a crew i'm help out. I can help out more if i feel like it but i dont have to. I never been trained for cleaning tanks and its not part of our job, i dont mind working but in the oil field, its important to just do the job youre trained for and handle those responsibilities. Man yesterday i was breathing in those fumes, getting dirty and handling the hose sucking out the tank while the roustabout crew was taking a break......man f that, that aint my job and i'm never doing that again.

 

Yes, no brass tools, as a matter of fact, my trainer (with little experience) went and grabbed some of his own tools (ratchet and socket) and gave it to them because they barely had the right tools to begin with......and yes, that ratchet and socket were steel. I didnt really think about it much at the time until later when i saw them banging on these tools to pry the door open of the second tank. I was mostly at the shutoff valves of the back of the vacuum truck. I came in to this job site with the total mindset of keeping my mouth shut and just follow orders.

I was caught in a bad situation because #1, i have very little experience in these matters, so i didnt know what line i could cross, #2 i take on the attitude that everyone is my boss...espeacially my trainer.

Theres so much more to this story and thats why i said i didnt want to give out any more details. I'd be more than happy to pm you about it if you want.

Oh hell yeah i'd be more than happy to get in and squeegy and do whatever but not in that situation with a incompetent crew and no respiratory equipment.....thats just insane.

When i said it wasnt my job, i just meant doing it that way which was totally the wrong way. If they want to do it wrong, then why should i get involved? No proper clothing, oil getting all over everything and my trainer telling me to help these poor guys out and give them a break. My gloves were soaked with oil, oil all over my clothes and i smelled like a gasoline can that gave me a headache and made my voice hoarse. That crap never happened with the chevron crew.

When i assisted that chevron crew, i was lifting pipe, aiding whoever i could, i mean ready to jump and move quick with 100% focus and they never asked me to do any of that. I was cleaning their tools, trying to think a few steps ahead of what they could possibly need even if it was a drink of water to a rag or moving their electrical cords, air lines or whatever to a perfect spot where it couldnt possibly be in their way.....once again with none of them telling me to do any of that. I was also asking their foreman tons of questions and he took the time out to answer all of them and teach me things because he knew i was genuinely interested. When the worker went into the tank, he was in a full respiratory suit, hell i'd jump in a well full of oil if i had to in one of those suits.

When i see monkey work, i get totally unmotivated. Hell, there wasnt even a briefing or anything before the job got started. Totally bad situation. I swear it wont happen again now that i know i have the power to shut things down and now that i know there is the possibility of incompetent work performed in the oil field.

 

You jump in and sqweegy with no respiratory equipment?

 

You'll be right down the road from me. They just gave me H2S. Our job is very mild when it comes to requirements. We mainly haul water here and the driver's ppe is not very extravagent. We wear an h2s monitor and the jump suit you might have seen me in isnt even our required uniform. I am supposed to get a shirt with work pants and i hardly think they are considered protective clothing.

I hear "plains" is a very good company to work for, they haul crude out of midland. If you want to stay in el dorado or local, nabors isnt bad to start.

As far as different companies out on a rig, its usually one main company that is running the rig like patterson for instance and then companies like ours to come in and bring water or haul out flow back from their pit or whatever. Ive seen other companies come in and do similar stuff but i'm pretty sure they perform just a basic service like we do. When the drilling rig is done, they pack up and move their operation and then another company or maybe the same one comes in with another crew and does their thing like fracing for instance.

Its hard me to say what exactly is going on as far as other companies and what they might do because i come in, do my job and get the hell out to the next task. I think other companies get involved when it comes to moving the rig because when i hear about a rig being moved, i usually see alot of different company trucks hauling equipment and stuff on the lease roads. Its very busy at times and i rarely pay attention to what companies are driving by but i do know its alot of different ones. Probably companies who provide moving type services. When these rigs go to move, they dont waste no time and i'm sure they get help from anyone who is available at the time if their typical carriers are busy or shorthanded.

As they say, the oil field waits for no one.

 

ever hear of pecos gathering?