Oil field jobs

[LBZ]

LBZ - shhh. . . you let the secret out.

mwd and dd is the toughest job in the world, don't do it. I would go back riggin any day.

I mean yeah, this job sucks don't do it!
Wife will leave you, kids will hate you, dog will **** in your shoes when you come home.

 

[Absledder]

Another job I was wondering about, maybe someone can shed some light on is an operator job. not equipment but lease site operators.

Whats involved in that? what type of pay are those cats bringin in. Looks like its probably descent. I see them running their own trucks and getting charge outs for sleds/ quads. Looks like a good job. They appear to just call a trade when something needs to be done, but im not 100%. Downside is that I think its shift work.

I'm not on lease but I'm in a SAGD steam plant. If you work with steam you'll probably require at least a 4th class power engineer ticket which is pretty easy to get. Gas leases and conventional oil don't require any tickets I know of. Pay is pretty good, depending on where you work and how much OT it's anywhere from 80-250k. The guys running there own truck are contractors, you have less benefits and less stability as a contractor. Depends on the place as to whether you fix your own equipment or call out the trades. I work a 7 on 7 off rotating days and nights but lots of other shifts out there like 5-5-4, 6-6, 8-6, or 14-14 on/off. Lots of camp jobs but also quite a few near big cities. In my experience the farther you go from civilization the more you get paid.

 

[Clode]

it has been said already but I have to say it again.....get educated....you have lower pay for a few years but in the end you end up with job stability, higher pay and you are in demand more.....anybody can be a labourer and they come and go.....I have 2 trades and don't regret the sacrifice of school one bit, now I tell the labourer's what to do and watch them work.....as far as wages go the more education the higher the pay and more desirable you become.

 

[pfi572]

Well said Clode

 

[fredw]

I know lots of guys as well that started as labourers and worked hard and learned the business, then went on their own and done very very well, maybe even get so big where they hire guys like you, trades are great, but with the right work ethic, and you are bound to suceed

it has been said already but I have to say it again.....get educated....you have lower pay for a few years but in the end you end up with job stability, higher pay and you are in demand more.....anybody can be a labourer and they come and go.....I have 2 trades and don't regret the sacrifice of school one bit, now I tell the labourer's what to do and watch them work.....as far as wages go the more education the higher the pay and more desirable you become.

 

[Syclone74]

Here's my last 2c. Education might get you somewhere some day but I'm working with a certified chemist that went to school for years and now he's a Pipefitter. Why because by the time he did the schooling the market was flooded with the same people fighting for the same three positions that were open at the time. Seen it lots out here. Spend the money for education and when your done it's the same thing. Don't get me wrong. Money is in education. But Get out of school and go flip burgers. Am I one of the lucky ones?...yes I am. I quit school when I was 16 (cause I knew everything already) lmao but now I pay more in taxes in a year than most people make. Does that make me better than the next guy? Not even close because we all have our path to follow, and this is the one I chose. And bottom line is if your happy with what your doing then that's all that matters. End of drunk ramble. Lol. Pm me if you'd like some contacts.

 

[NeilV]

Another job I was wondering about, maybe someone can shed some light on is an operator job. not equipment but lease site operators.

Whats involved in that? what type of pay are those cats bringin in. Looks like its probably descent. I see them running their own trucks and getting charge outs for sleds/ quads. Looks like a good job. They appear to just call a trade when something needs to be done, but im not 100%. Downside is that I think its shift work.

I have been operating conventional oil and gas wells for the last three years. Could not ask for a better job. Tons of freedom to do what you want in a day and nobody bugs you as long as your sh!t is running. Lots of guys that don't fix anything, like you say, but if you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty there is lots of things you can do yourself. Makes the job a little more fun and interesting. Probably wont be able to run your own truck if your just starting out. Most companies like to see guys with 5+ years before they let them contract. And honestly I think the employee route is better if you get on with a decent company. Much more stability great benefits and pretty decent pay. Can expect to start around 80 and be up over 100 within a few years. I recently switched from a 2 and 2 shift fly in way up north and am on a 9 and 5 home every night now. Got a real nice raise to come work in civilization now too. Having the company truck is a huge bonus too.

 

[Clode]

I know lots of guys as well that started as labourers and worked hard and learned the business, then went on their own and done very very well, maybe even get so big where they hire guys like you, trades are great, but with the right work ethic, and you are bound to suceed

I agree, there are many people that have been very successful, and are very wealthy.....follow your dreams, I am just saying it is always nice to have some sort of safety net if things don't work out....

 

[mathrulz]

Another vote for power engineering or process/plant operators. Easily make $200+ after 1-2 years at any of the facilities up north, and within 5-10 years closer to Edmonton or Calgary. 12 hour shift work usually means you get lots of time off too. Main advantage during times like these with low oil prices is being on the operations side of the business where all the revenue comes from - usually the last to be cut after all projects, construction, drilling, expansion, etc.. Downside - schools are churning out record numbers these days and starting to flood the market a bit. Stay committed and you'll be fine though.

 

[kennyblatz]

it has been said already but I have to say it again.....get educated....you have lower pay for a few years but in the end you end up with job stability, higher pay and you are in demand more.....anybody can be a labourer and they come and go.....I have 2 trades and don't regret the sacrifice of school one bit, now I tell the labourer's what to do and watch them work.....as far as wages go the more education the higher the pay and more desirable you become.

X2 I have 2 red seal tickets at 27 I generally make a 110k but I like my family so I try to avoid work. Regardless I think im better off then a labourer when the price of oil is on the way down.

 

[Absledder]

Another vote for power engineering or process/plant operators. Easily make $200+ after 1-2 years at any of the facilities up north, and within 5-10 years closer to Edmonton or Calgary. 12 hour shift work usually means you get lots of time off too. Main advantage during times like these with low oil prices is being on the operations side of the business where all the revenue comes from - usually the last to be cut after all projects, construction, drilling, expansion, etc.. Downside - schools are churning out record numbers these days and starting to flood the market a bit. Stay committed and you'll be fine though.

Yeah when I got out of school a couple years ago I'm pretty sure the majority of my class had jobs lined up months before graduation. Talking to our students last summer they had a hard time just finding a place to give them steam time so I think supply of power engineers is definitely starting to keep up with demand. Hopefully low oil prices weed out some of the retards in the industry. . Lots of kids I went to school with that barely knew righty tighty lefty loosy and that was after 2 years. .

 

[SUMMIT TREE]

I got into HD mechanics years ago and long story short I ended up working on natural gas compression equipment and associated machinery. It's a long road to where I am now but it has many good points. Your in heated buildings mostly(extremely hot in summer), relatively clean work ( no dirt mud or other such stuff dripping on you), and you wind up near the top of the pay scale if you put the time in. It is not a easy job however with lots of heavy lifting,awkward positioning and very long days but it is an option...

 

[LBZ]

I got into HD mechanics years ago and long story short I ended up working on natural gas compression equipment and associated machinery. It's a long road to where I am now but it has many good points. Your in heated buildings mostly(extremely hot in summer), relatively clean work ( no dirt mud or other such stuff dripping on you), and you wind up near the top of the pay scale if you put the time in. It is not a easy job however with lots of heavy lifting,awkward positioning and very long days but it is an option...

I'm ticketed HD and I always wanted to get into NGC. Just wasn't in the cards. Definitely one of the better jobs in that field!!

 

[cancritter]

saw billboard offa glenmore last week...freightliner hd techs..$40 hr to start

 

[Adrenaline Addiction]

Operating is one of the best careers in the patch, pay range is quite a large scale depending if your contract vs employee, central AB vs Northern, Plant vs Field, etc. We have contract operators making approx 140K/year, and employees making approx 80K to 120K per year. I would agree with earlier comments, persistance pays, have to be there at the right time, right place when the company has a hole to fill. Cheers..


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[Bnorth]

I'd say power engineering as well. From the reports I've seen it's the most in demand position in the industry and as stated above one of the most secure as these companies aren't going to walk away from their production investments just because prices are falling. A buddy of mine just got an offer for $130k and has only had his 3rd for about a year.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

Selling drugs and bootlegging booze will always be top bread winner in the patch.

 

[arff]

Selling drugs and bootlegging booze will always be top bread winner in the patch.

dial a bottle hot shot service.

 

[crazy_wheeler]

Selling drugs and bootlegging booze will always be top bread winner in the patch.

Don't forget escort services at camp


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[S.W.A.T.]

I tried that once but couldn't find any girls in camp that I would sleep with, even for money!

Don't forget escort services at camp


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