Texas and ONLY Texas Oilfield Jobs!!

Like the rest of the boom areas locating housing or an rv spot is more difficult than finding a job. I have half a dozen offers, now to find a place to park my rv is the next challenge. Good luck to all will post what I find

 

Hi all Ive only made a couple posts as my husband moved our family to south Texas. He was working for Lucky 7 transport which I left the phone # to in an earlier post. He is now working for Texas Freight Relocators.He was hired without calling 1 reference. Just had to pass ua and road test. But ofcourse hes worked for some of the best water companys in east tx. Penergy, bolt, complete (which is now hwr). There was no way we could afford the HIGH rent/housing on $800 or less a wk. The last 2 wks he worked his checks were less than $375. The owners are really good people but the pay stinks. You'll work good for a month then bam nothing. We know nothing of this new company. Anyone know of them?
For those thinking of still moving here unless you have a camper/travel trailer, come with a fat wad in your pockets and expect to spend a big % of your check on housing. We finally found a house for less than $500 a month, but Ive seen better fridge boxes. Aww well atleast the roof doesnt leak . And if you do find housing that you need to pay your own bills, in Atascosa Co. theres over 200 different electric companies to use. I had a hard time with that. Where Im from theres only 1 for the area your in. you can find out which ones at www.powertochoose.com There are ads for housing in the Pleasanton paper every wk which comes out every wensday. Most of the people who take out the ads dont speak English.
If you have a car, becareful driving on the roads here. I have traveled all over Tx, LA, Ms, and Ok. South Tx has some of the worse roads I have ever seen! After 1 month here my shocks went out on my car. For some reason, the people here dont believe in making exit/enter drives into parking lots flush with the road. And none of the county roads I have been on are paved.
The food is somewhat cheaper here than in east tx. If you could eat Mexican food 3 times a day than your in luck. I love mexican food but that seems to be the only kind of food you can get unless you go into San Antonio. Im not sure about other towns south of SA, but in Pleasanton, Ive found that most of the locals are stuck up rude snobs.
Also, if you plan on moving your kids here, be advised that the schools arent really up to par. Our 3rd grader, was enrolled here, she was doing the same work here as she did in 2nd grade at her old school. Shes now being homeschooled.

We hear the oil field is picking back up around the Longview Tx area, we are looking to move back there in a year. As we hate being in the "desert" we miss the piney woods!

 

Hello all, just a few questions : What kind of hours are you pulling in (Texas) ?
I have a offer to go to North Dakota but i have heard it has slowed down so much its hard to even find work now. So i just don't want to make a mistake buy choosing North Dakota.
I have over 16 years in trucks from tanker to Van. I have all the endorsements including hazmat , and currently have a TWIC card (Clean MVR) . If you could possible tell me some good company's that have positions available. Thanks again for any information you can provide me in my search

God Bless
E.London

 

A couple of months ago companies were hiring left and right in both TX and ND. I cant believe how much has changed in such a short period of time. I don't know whats going on, but what I do know is that I paid $4.67 a gallon for gas yesterday here in CA. Hopefully, things will change for the better by next year.

 

truckerswife76, water hauling is up and down in all oilfield states. Tell him to try a service company instead. There are tons of jobs in south texas. May have to work longer hours or more days in a row but will make money and have a schdule. Some examples are frac, flow back, water transfer, coiled tubing, wireline, and many more. I came off the road and back into the oilfield in PA,WV, and OH. I work 15 days on and 6 off. Some companies hiring are Weatherford, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Basic, and the list goes on and on. From what I read on this website and talking to oilfield truckers up my way, its a crap shoot making consistent money in oilfield trucking. Its a cutthroat business.

 

As far as slowing down in ND, it hasn't slowed down to where there aren't any jobs. Maybe a few ND oilfield guys can chime in on this.

 

I'm still averaging 12 hrs per day in a kill truck. I've only been in the patch for 8
months so I'm no expert, but I believe you'll find more stability with a well service company like Nabors, Basic, Key, etc. Hauling water to drilling rigs is great until the drilling slows down. I've been told the rigs are the first to show up in boom times and the first to leave when the bust comes.

 

Am I having smoke blown up my tailpipe?

A recruiter said Friday, that with my new CDL A, and I get my HAZMAT, that I will have no problem getting a job in 1 week of arriving in Midland/Odessa. I have a motorhome so I don't need housing. He said that is a big plus....being able to relocate easily.

He said Texas allows you to take the HAZMAT test before the fingerprint screening, and that you can get the job before the screening is complete, (if you pass the HAZMAT test)?

He said that he is paid by the employer after I have worked for them for 90 days, and that of the 15 that he rep's, 1/3 of them would hire me without experience. Any input here, plz?

Do the recuiters blow alot of smoke, like how I have read here, that the trucking companies do?

Can a newbie find work on his own?

Is it realistice to make $1500.00/wk consistantly?

Thanks, in advance, for your help!

 

Here's what happened to me.

I was hired by Pumpco in Valley View. They transport their workers to Odessa. They did a drug test and background check, told me about all my benefits, schedule, etc. Instead of going on to Odessa and applying to several more places I quit my search because I was told I had the job as long as background and drug test were clean. This wasted a week of my time and salary as I started shutting my business down knowing I was about to go to work for Pumpco. They never called back so I started calling them. They did the typical "putting me off". Finally not even taking my calls. I know this because I called from a different cell number known to them and BINGO, they answered the phone immediately. When I talked to them they told me they never hired me and that they needed experienced help only. When I reminded him of our talk, he denied it. I am convinced the issue was my age, because they had not seen my age until paperwork for the drug and background were done. I am a physically fit 61 year old.

So two weeks later I finally headed to Odessa, I went from one company to another picking up apps. Many were hiring and I was going to go back the next day with completed apps for interviews. Had the good fortune of meeting a man in the parking lot and visiting with him. The next day when I went back the same man interviewed me and hired me. My drug test and background have been completed and approved. I go in Friday for physical agility test and after passing that start work on Monday. I was told you can never totally count on what overtime will be, but that most hit $100K by end of first year.

So my opinion is, Yes, you can find work without a recruiter. I guess everyone's experience could be different. Also, you might have an advantage on me since I am probably a lot older than you. I have absolutely NO commercial driving experience and NO oilfield experience.

My CDL is new with HazMat. Yes, I passed the written HazMat and then did the fingerprinting. At the fingerprinting, they told me to call a number in three days and when I did my HazMat was already approved.

FYI, Out of everyone I talked to, Halliburton starts out substantially LOWER than other companies for entry level.

Good Luck!!

 

JpatP,

WOW, thx for the speedy responce, and fabulous info. I was going to hitch up the wagon an head south, but thought it might be better to get something going 1st. I can always go back to my Class "B" job here in Nv., but not happy with 50k/yr.

You have given me so great hope. Any chance you could hook me up with your contact? Do they have any more room for a 56yo newbie?