Texas Oilfied guys: How close are you...

Hey-How are you?I'm in the Eagle Ford Shale part of the Texas oil fields.I work out of Dilley,about half way between San Antonio and Laredo.I stay in Devine,about 30 miles south of SA and 50 miles from Dilley.It's too expensive close to work.I found a room in a house on 7 acres with a swimming pool for $300 a month.

The commute has relatively no traffic.Might bunch up for a few minutes.Then the ones in company trucks going 75 get past and it's good.No worse i guess time-wise to driving across Houston in rush hour.

I picked down this way over Midland/Odessa because of the things to do close by for fun.Between the Houston-San Antonio/Austin-Corpus Christi triangle,if you can't find fun stuff to do,you aren't trying.Pro and college sports,Austin music scene,the beach at Corpus Christi,rodeos and lots of horse-related stuff for me.Plus it's pretty country.

I moved from Tucson,AZ out here.Didn't know anyone and found the job on Craigslist.I've been out here jusy shy of three months.I haven't had a day yet where i thought this was a bad idea.I'll be happier when my horses are here.I never saw them in my last job.I'm hoping with a schedule i can have quality time with them on a consistant basis.

I saw in a newspaper article the region up by San Angelo is supposed to be getting developed soon.Maybe get to one of the oil fields out here,get some experience then look that way if you like that area.The oil fields are in different types of country so there be something you like.

Whatever you decide,i hope it's the best for you.Take your time,decide what you want and hopefully find a company that works for you.Take care.Brian

 

One more thing-If you like the crowdedness of a big city,you might not like it here.Twenty years ago i would have been lost on the wide open parts out here.Now i get lost in it.Much better for me.That is just me though.

 

That is the nice thing about Texas, they have it all. From different weather climates to attractions to landscape. I prefer West Texas myself, not as muggy as south Texas. I live in Missouri now and cant wait to get away from winter!! San Angelo here I come.

 

I live in a relatively brand new apartment in Corpus Christi. I can be on the beach in 15 mins. 5 mins from an HEB plus grocery store, wal-mart, the finest steakhouses in South Texas, starbucks, mcdonalds, etc... all the conveniences of living in any major city.

 

I live in a small town outside of Corpus Christi - right down from the beach. I moved here 3 years ago to work in the oil field - I'm a crude hauler. I love it down here - nice and quiet and a lot of pretty girls.

 

I would agree with what these guys are saying. There is a little of everything in TX. If you want to be near a city..I would suggest trying to get over in the triangle mentioned. San Antonio to Houston down to Corpus Christi. There seem to be more jobs opening up around San Angelo, Midland/Odessa...but there is still work in the Eagle Ford also.

 

Similar to the OP, I started my journey from San Bruno, CA. For 23 years I was a driver of people, Airport Van & Town Car service, until I learned about the oil field. June of last year I drove to Williston, ND. with no skills, but a desire to find a good job in the Oil field. After a month there I learned I needed to get a CDL. so by chance I found a school that fit my budget in Sparks, NV. and got my CDL., great school and only $1,700.
Then I attended a 3 week Gas/Oil Training program called ShaleNET in Steubenville, OH. After this class I was going to find a job in the Oil/Gas fields of E. OH./ W. PA. but after days of reading this website I mapped out a route to visit the hotspots and headed straight to TX with the Midland, San Angelo, Big Spring area high on my list. After leaving a Floresville job fair disappointed because every company except one wanted experience, I headed down Hwy 181 and stumbled upon a company that hired me right on the spot, so I stopped job hunting and waited a week for my drug/background to clear.
I still think about "going West" because I HATE the humidity here, but everything else is great! I believe I'll stay for a year to get solid experience before thinking of anything else. I do think the land is scenic here. I don't believe I'd feel the same about W. TX desert.
I say all this cuz the OP and I started in the same place and I was just as unsure of myself as the OP may be. But the ONLY way one'll get a job here is to come on down.
My company provides a trailer for employees but not enough beds for all so many have to bed surf when someone is on their 3 days off. I don't want to do that so I choose to live in a tent. Rent is very expensive within about 30 miles of Kenedy.
Most drivers here live in "the Valley", about 3 hrs. away and go home on their 3 days off. Several live in San Antonio but only one of them commutes daily, the rest travel about 80 min. on their 3 days off.
Several drivers are actually from this general area and go home nightly.
Personally I HATE to commute and like to live as close as I can to work if not right on location. In about a year I'll be looking at getting my own place within a 30 min. drive.

 

If I lived in a tent I would really hate the humidity too. That has got to suck big time.