What Jobs/Careers are available on an Oilfield?

[dustinf]

The real money is off shore.

This isn't me, but a photo of what goes on.

 

[mdhunter]

Sorry Ben I think you missed it...

Live for today, because there won't be a tomorrow the way our government heading.

 

[Ben Lamb]

That's exactly what the graffiti at Pompeii says.

 

[bigeasygator]

I work in the oil patch and would be more than happy to give you my two cents. I'm an engineer and didn't know a thing about the industry before I joined. Obviously the work I'm doing is different than the work you were describing, but I'll say this...I couldn't be happier with my job and the industry I work in. I feel like I absolutely lucked out.

There are all kinds of jobs available in the field. My perspective is heavily skewed to the offshore environment, but it's similar for onshore work as well. There are plenty of manual labor jobs available -- mechanics, electricians, operators, roughnecks, toolpushers, etc. Most of these jobs we contract out. I know plenty of people that have got in on the ground floor with minimal education and turned their work into a career and raised a family. The pay is generally high and plenty of companies offer great benefits. The work can be very physically demanding. Typically it's working a two weeks on and two weeks off schedule.

Depending on where you are the work may or may not be seasonal (for example, I know our gas operations out west shut down in the fall/winter to not interfere with the mule deer rut and migration). Many areas are 365 24/7 operations. The work is generally dependent on the price of oil and gas, which has been pretty good for some time (well, oil has anyway). Feel free to PM me with any specific questions or if you want any more information.

 

[bigeasygator]

And take a look at companies like Danos (http://www.danos.com/index.php?id=1) and C&D (http://www.cdprod.net/) to get an idea of contractors that service the oil and gas industry (and for job openings!).

 

[ashersdad]

I have a buddy that is a plumber. He's going to North Dakota almost every other week and making $5,000-$8,000 more profit on every new house he does. Good money but long drive...

 

[passinthru]

Friend of a friend is building modular type housing in southern Mn. And trucking it to North Dakota oil fields. Seems to be going well for him, with more orders coming in.

 

[Pagosa]

I have worked 16 years in the energy field, 12 in downstream, 2 in midstream, and now 21 months on a "green" energy transmission line. It's not only the young guys that blow money, there was numerous guys/gals in western Colorado that were spending 10k on hunts, buying lift kits, boob jobs, etc. When there is that much money flowing around corruption and stupidity abound.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

boob jobs.

The oilfield brings us boob jobs? I will never speak ill of the oilfield again.

God bless the oilfield companies!

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Let me get this straight...

Our government is spending more than $1,000,000,000,000 more than the annual revenue and you told those youngsters not to live for today?!? Why?

Well, I have been in the Oil Patch since 1974 and a quality job does not just jump out there at Executive pay. It takes time to develop a long term career. Travo has a job as a Geo-Tech for a good sized Independant Oil & Gas Company, he hears all these guys he went to HS with making Mega Bucks and yes I tell him to stay the course and build his career. The owner wants to send him to College to get a degree in Geology, you can't put a price on that! A long time ago an Uncle told me to try 3 different things before I was 30 and I have always come back to Drafting for the Oil Patch. John

 

[steamfitter]

I have worked in almost all construction feilds such as energy,oil and gas and just about anything that has piping systems and by far its the best thing for someone such as me that didnt want anything to do with school so i became a pipe welder and in the us we are so short on welders you can almost name your price im headed to nodak next week for work . i have been all over the world welding and unless i became a doctor or lawyer its pretty tough to beat our wage. I dont care for big cities if i did i would head to california to work in refineries where the pay scale is 85 dollars and hour but nodak is paying 55 an hour and i pull a nice travel trailer to stay in. i only work 6 to 7 months a year and make around 85000 a year can make more but thats good with me for 7mths of work so i can enjoy hunting season. Downside is i have to leave home to work and that takes some getting used to but 23 years doing this im stuck. Electrical would be a good choice also electrician are always needed. If you decide to try this make sure its a skilled trade not a laborer or roustabout learn a skill join a union and let them teach for free and get paid at the same time.

 

[Dinkshooter]

buying lift kits, boob jobs, etc. When there is that much money flowing around corruption and stupidity abound.

After you buy your honey a boob job, you have to jack up the truck to keep passing truckers from looking down your sweethearts shirt. No harm there

That is only smart business sense.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Friend request sent to steamfitter. I'll be your dressing room boy.

 

[Papa-Zulu]

You young guys making all that money should be putting 25% of it into an IRA. You'd be very well off in a couple decades. My first real job out of the Marine Corps was that of a newspaper reporter and columnist in 1974. I made about $8,000 before taxes (yeah, I paid state and federal income tax!) and that including overtime. I was living in an attic that was made into an "apartment" for $70 a month.

 

[dustinf]

You young guys making all that money should be putting 25% of it into an IRA. You'd be very well off in a couple decades.

You mean that, I shouldn't count on my defined benefit pension, that's currently 60% funded, to be there in 30 years when I retire? The fund managers just took a private jet to Vegas, to figure out how to tell us it will be.

Being a Union member is great, but they are way behind the curve on our pension and medical fund(yeah, we don't have health insurance we have a bank account they pay medical bills out of).

 

[steamfitter]

Friend request sent to steamfitter. I'll be your dressing room boy.[/ I use my wife sorry try back later she may drag up though.

 

[DavidKeenan]

After you buy your honey a boob job, you have to jack up the truck to keep passing truckers from looking down your sweethearts shirt. No harm there

That is only smart business sense.

Dink You have it all wrong. Truckers are checking out all the seatbelts are on and protecting all the investments,,,,,,,

 

[bow hunter]

i was a roughneck and derrickhand for diamond offshore drilling. great money, only work half a year and great benefits. check out diamond offshore drilling. it isnt for uneducated people as previously stated. lot of math, formulas to work out to figure mud weight, pressure, depth, ect... if you can get into the sub-sea dept, thats where the most money is and it isnt as back breaking work as the drill floor is. hope that helps

 

[dreamhunter]

my job is not in the oil but merchant mariner. it works grate for me work about 200 to 220 days a year hunt and fish the rest of the time. i hunt 5 or 6 states a year.