If you want to work in the oilfield

Hello all, I don’t know if it will help anyone out or if the mods will keep it open but I figure since the question gets asked enough it might be worth writing a very general advice thread for getting started.

I’m currently a driver in the oilfield in North Dakota, so I’ll try to offer a little insight.

If you’re new to the forum and you have a question to ask in regards to the oilfield, how to get started etc. when you make your post be sure to include possible areas/plays you’re interested in working in, your experience and things like that.

The best thing to do in my experience is kinda look around on Indeed or possibly Craigslist and see what you can find. Maybe Google things like, Oilfield companies in blah blah state or well service companies in blah blah area. If you can, simply CALL THEM. You’d be surprised what information these places will provide over the phone at their local office. If you’re close enough, just walk in their office and see if they’re hiring.

Crude, sand and water seem to be the big things people ask about getting into the most, mostly crude and sand. I can’t tell you about crude but I can say if you have 0 tanker experience that’s probably not going to be an out of the gate job at MOST places simply because that’s a big deal if you have spill or worse have a wreck. I’m NOT saying it hasn’t happened or can’t be done but it’s not everyday someone hires you to go from hauling groceries to crude oil but it has happened.

Sand. I’ve hauled sand in sandboxes, from my experience it doesn’t really take much to get started doing. I just showed up, got a job, went to work hauling sand like 3 days later. It’s not hard at all.

Pneumatics, no clue, never ran one, hopefully someone chimes in.

Hauling water. There’s service work, salt water, fresh water, just a few different ways to go here. This is the most entry level driving job for the patch. It’s how most people get the oilfield and tanker experience required to haul crude, and other liquids that require more experience.

These are not the only driving jobs in the oilfield, not even almost.

There are Class A CDL positions a plenty.

There’s winch trucks, slick trucks, hot shots, cement crews, small straight sewer trucks, crane crews and all kinds of things in between.

Now, typically you get paid either percentage or hourly, personally I prefer hourly because yes, even out here there’s times you will wait around. I sat at a pipeyard for over 10 hours and since I’m hourly, I was making money. Percentage, you make your money moving loads.

A foot in the door is a foot in the door and might lead to better opportunities elsewhere.

Flatbedding
Workover rigs
Drilling rigs
Frac crews
Cementing
Log and perf
Wireline
Coil tubing
Roustabouting
Water transfer
Hydro testing
Super suckers/hydro vacs
Fishing
Operating equipment
Crane crews
Alllllll kinds of jobs. A lot of those in some form or fashion can utilize a Class A CDL.

For Owner Operators, I cant really talk about that because I’m not one. All I’ve seen in my experience is most want you to have your own authority from who I’ve talked to.

If you’re new, go to a bigger company and save yourself some heartache of not being paid and all that Jazz. Go to a smaller company once you know what to look for.

Hopefully some more experienced guys can add some more suggestions.

Halliburton
Baker Hughes
Schlumberger
C&J Energy
Noble Drilling
Noble Casing
Noble Trucking
Nabors Drilling
H&P Drilling
Key Energy
Cruz Energy
Basic Energy
Purity Oilfield Services
Stallion Oilfield Services
Savage
Nuverra/Power Fuels
MBI
JMAC
Patterson/UTI Drilling
Weatherford
Cardinal
Cal Frac
Triple S Enterprises
In case anyone asks, there’s a list to get you started. Most of them to my knowledge have entry level positions.

 

If it’s helps somebody it’s worth it.

 

Winters do get pretty brutal. Temps at -40 or -50 but in my experience the way it is now most places shut it down past -40 unless it’s going to be that cold for a long period of time.

Typically 4.0’s, face masks, beanies and insulated coveralls are the norm. The trick is to layer your clothes because if you’re working hot and heavy you WILL get warm and sweat, that’s no good.

If you’re outside working insulated boots are a thing of beauty as long as you keep your feet from sweating or you’re changing your socks out.

As far as vs West Texas I cant say. From what I’ve gathered the cost of living is similar but the pay here is higher.

Sometimes you take warm up breaks if you don’t have flameless rig heaters. We didn’t use them we just went in the dog house for a bit then back to work.

The wind In this part of the country is the biggest threat because there’s nothing to block it due to how flat and plains like it is.

 

Exactly right. I experienced it with that sand hauling gig I mentioned. I stopped moving my truck, got my paycheck after getting into it with the boss then I left.

 

All I see is where you quoted the post. Did you say anything?