Alberta oilfield driving jobs

Could I realistically bring a camper and live out of it for a while? Is there places to park it?

 

I've gotta hand it to Sanjel, they donated me a nice tow trailer for a week and I've qualified for the relocation bonus (4k if I stay for a year).

So I'm here in the loops with a loaded truck/trailer getting all the stuff the wife has boxed up in the garage so I can take it with me.

If you see me rolling down the highway, best move over - my brakes are a little worn

 

ROFL. I'm kicking myself for not having my abstract when I went to see them last October. It looks like I may be headed there July 6th. Will stop by Sanjel in Red Deer that Monday the 9th.

 

Just asking, how to keep abstract up to date, 2-3 months old is still valid?

 

Within 30 days is what most want.

 

Yea.. 20-30 days, I generally just grab a new one when I'm in town, easy enough.
What are you heading to RD for ? Coming to work with me finally?

 

Does this count as Experience with an Employer or Just Missed Opportunities

Before i begin, I've noticed that most jobs in the oil fields in Alberta, with the exception of the oil sands , seems to revolve around fracking meaning the many jobs that contribute to it? Am I wrong or does anyone anymore do the traditional drilling with that famous derrick that I remembered so well?

As it turned out 40 years ago, I quit my job at the CIBC in Montreal in the early summer and drove west in my 65 Studebaker because people told me there was money to be made in fighting first fires in Alberta
Well because that summer wasn't dry enough my buddy and I continued on to Vancouver and then we backtracked to Edmonton to look for jobs in the oil fields. We were hired by Brinkerhoff Brothers and sent to their drill site just north of Fort St John where 2 greenhorns were worked hard. I don't remember much of the 2 weeks we were there except having to shave my moustache so that my mask would fit better should we hit gas. Because we had issues with safety at the site, our stay was very short indeed.

We drove down the Alaska highway & south on the Hart Highway to Mackenzie and were hired by Finlay Forest Product now called Conifex Timber. We all lived in the camp and most newbies forked as lumber stackers in the saw mill. For some reason, my foremen Gordon Green, who lost an arm probably in the saw mill, took a liking to me and I got to drive the water truck and my job as to reduce the dust on the 5 mile gravel road leading to town. I was on the 10 hour shift and loved it. I have vivid memories of fighting the under ground brush files by Williston lake as well as taking off the cables on hug he piles of logs transported by the Letro Stackers.
I remember quitting them to get into the falling business with my newly purchased chain saw with an outfit out of Peace River called Onesime Lepage. Learning this profession on the job was more dangerous than I had imagined and I never learned how to properly prepare many partially cut trees in the widow maker pattern. I decided that falling was not for me when my colleague had a tree fall on his head and he lived to tell the tale.

My final job was with BCFP (now Canfor) and we had to build an ice bridge over Williston lake. The noise from the constant expansion and contraction of the lake ice is intimidating when you're new on the job because you felt you would be shortly breaking through the ice but over time we all got used to that sound. There's nothing like running rotary water pumps at 15 below.

In early February I left the winter weather and travelled to Prince Rupert to take the ferry to Campbell River and spring and began planting trees on Texada Island, just off Powell River, and living in the town of Van Anda.

After 2 months we decided to visit Vancouver and spent Easter in Vancouver and then we decided to hitch hike to Whitehorse and work in the mines. Well a week later, I worked for Whitehorse Copper mine now closed. Worked underground as a labourer which meant that I unblocked the water streams that flowed everywhere in the mine. Also worked with the blaster whose job was to break oversized rocks. So we detonated 2 times per shift at lunchtime and at the end of the shift. Learned to never carry the powder and detonators at the same time: I had enormous respect for the latter. My boss saw no problem sitting in the powder room, a small shed underground where we stored the explosives with our lights out and having a smoke or 2, a practice forbidden by the company. It sounds dangerous until you realize that it is very difficult to ignite these explosives. Even a blow from a hammer wouldn't do it which is why there were detonators and they're not stored anywhere near the powder. Detonators are far more dangerous than "powder"

By November I flew out to Vancouver suffering cabin fever even before the cold weather arrived. I was hired by a firm called Harrison Rock and tunnel whom I bullshitted about my mining experience and who had a contract at the Grand Duc site north of Stewart BC and Hyder Alaska. I lasted for a very short time until my boss discovered what I really knew. The trip to Stewart by plane and the trip to the mine site from Stewart through avalanche country and the 20 minute trip under the huge glacier to the mine itself are some of the best memories I had in my trip to Western Canada. You cannot forget the snow because its snowfall is usually the quantity that makes the Guiness Book of Records.

My last memories of my 18 months in Western Canada was my flight back to Vancouver and a 2 month stay in Mexico and a return back to Montreal. I cherish my time in Alberta and BC.

 

company has access to a different abstract than you do, or so i was told, i just gave them the approval to get my abstract, they got it

 

I hauled ore out of Afton Mines at Faro in 69/70. Driving for White Pass & Yukon.

 

Thanks for bringing back the memories. You would remember New Imperial Mines which became Whitehorse Copper when I was there in 73. Remember spending about a week in Maryhouse now called Madonna House which is a Sally Ann residence for visitors in need which we were for a short time. Loved the trip to Haines Alaska through the pass and the most bald eagles I could ever imagine around the Chilkat river when the salmon were running. The trip to Beaver Creek was amazing just wish the job there was a little better so we quicky returned to Whitehorse. Sorry for that trip back in time.

BTW do you have any info about SOES beyond what the website mentions. Camp jobs seem to their specialty but most of their jobs say that they require about 1 years experience which leaves me out.

Thanks again

Ted