Jobs in ND Oil Patch

Geez boys, the hubby has been applying at a few places out there lately...ULM and MBI being the main ones. I was plotting on packing him a sandwich, giving him some cash and sending his butt out there, but now you have me wondering if it would be worth it.

 

We are looking for a few more crude oil drivers. Please let me know if you're still looking. We're running trucks in ND, CO, and soon Utah.

ben@fandangologistics.com

 

I hear if you don't mind working for Power Fuels you will make good money tanking crude in ND. Otherwise if you work for the others then your rates are possibly under pressure and maybe your pay is not what it use to be. I've met WAY too many drivers from ND in TX lately saying this to me so either they belong to a network of drivers trying to promote a conspiracy or it's all true.

 

Yes its true, show up for work on TIME ,dont tear up yer truck and you can do very well.

 

Hey bigal,
I know this post is old, but are you still at MBI? If so, how's life there and any insite would be appreciated! What they starting newbies in the oilfield at? How's the housing for employees etc. My hubby has an interview coming up! Pretty excited! Also do you know anything about Great Western Resources? They called him yesterday.

 

I just left MBI in Ross last week. I believe they're starting most newbies at $18/hr. I would highly recommend going to Belfield since most of the work is meandering towards that direction. The housing isn't too bad in comparison to a lot of other places up here, and varies depending on which yard you work out of, and which housing option you chose.

MBI has it's problems for sure, but it's a good company to get started with out here. I would consider working for them for a year or so, and then going to Northern Tier, Plains Marketing, or another company IF MBI isn't what your husband is looking for. I have some friends who work for Power Fuels, and from what they say it's comparable, except that they get paid by the load and not by the hour.

As far as Great Western is concerned, I see their trucks all the time, but I don't know anyone who's worked for them. I hope this helps.

 

It's been a while since I've been on this page, but I figured I'd post a warning to those of you who are still thinking about working for some of these water hauling outfits in the Bakken, especially those operating out of New Town / Killdeer / Fort Berthold Reservation.

Although there are a few decent smaller companies in the area to work for, many of them run illegal equipment that would never pass DOT inspection, haul overweight / illegal loads, run illegal hours, pay in the neighborhood of $20/hr on a 1099 (illegal and ill-advised) without paying OT (also illegal), do not insure their drivers (they don't verify backgrounds, bother filling out necessary tax forms, do not drug test, etc), house drivers in highly unfavorable conditions, and treat them like dogs all because it's much easier to get away with operating illegally on the reservation. There are outfits like this throughout the oilfield, but it's most prevalent on the Res.

They will promise you great pay, tell you they work 12 hour shifts, and tell a bunch of other lies, but when you show up for work you find out that they make their drivers work several consecutive days WITH LITTLE TO NO BREAK and threaten to fire them when they complain about needing to sleep or have a meal, which is especially important when you're driving a combination vehicle weighing over 100,000 lbs that can't pass inspection on slick / slimy roads and heavy traffic all hours of the day. The truth is that the guys running these companies could care less about their drivers or whether they kill or injure someone as long as they're making their money, partially because they know they can prey on a seemingly endless supply of desperate drivers who flock to the oilfield in search of a decent living, and shift the blame on them when something happens. If a driver gets a ticket for doing what he or she is told to, or causes an accident due to driving poor / overloaded equipment while sleep deprived on icy or slimy / muddy roads, they're 100% on their own.

Even in extreme circumstances like being an ex-con who can't get a job anywhere else, or hiding from the law / IRS / etc, it's not worth signing up with one of these outfits! Your safest bet is to hire on with Power Fuels, MBI, or one of the bigger outfits, and then find a better job from there if they don't suit you. You can find some really decent smaller companies to hire on with out here, but you HAVE to do your research, ask around, and IGNORE the companies who do not follow through with ANY of the necessary protocol every legitimate company HAS to go through in order to hire and operate legally!

Don't be another sucker who lets a desperate financial situation land them in an even worse condition because they relocated to the other side of the continent to work for people who promise the world and then put the screws to them once they have them between a rock and a hard spot with no good way out.

P.S. Avoid Key Energy like the PLAGUE!

 

Crazy J is telling the honest truth! Great post! BEWARE OF THE JUNKERS THEY ARE HERE.

 

Key trucks were all over the place in may and June. Haven't seen one in over a month. Looks like they went home lol