Hello guys! Today we're going to talk about oil field work. This video will be great for anyone
interested in working in the oil patch. My first oil field job was working on the service rig.
I did it after graduating from high school and before going into the university it was during the summer and
at that time I was a roughneck on the service rig. The job was physically demanding and it was
always dirty but the salary was good and I was making more than most of my friends in high school
so that was awesome. My next field experience was working as a field engineer on the coiled tubing rig
after I graduated from university. I spent most of my time driving between different rigs
trying to optimize operations and the chemicals used for those operations.
This field experience was definitely more fun and I was more in control of the work I did.
So let's take a look at some of the requirements for working in the oil field.
Most people are attracted to oilfield jobs mainly because of the salary and relatively low
requirements for getting a job. Many companies and positions only require a high school diploma
as long as you are willing to work and have a driving license especially if it's a class one
driving license which allows you to operate any type of vehicle. Another universal requirement for
working in the oil field is to have your First Aid and H2S tickets. First Aid is a two-day course and H2S
is just one day course so it's pretty easy to get those tickets. It also helps if you have some type
of construction experience or experience working in a similar industry where hard labor is required
and lastly it helps if you already live in the area with a lot of oil field activity like
for example Red Deer or Grand Prairie versus somewhere far away from the oil field.
In many cases the easiest way to get the position in the oil field is to
is to know somebody who already works there and can get your resume to their boss. If you
don't know anybody who is working in the field your next best choice to apply online and also
deliver your resume in person and leave it at the shop. I heard that delivering your resume
in person sometimes works better than applying online, especially during busy times.
However when the industry is experiencing downturn getting a job especially without
any experience can be pretty challenging because a lot of oilfield workers get laid off
and the competition for every available job every available position is pretty tough.
When you start working in the oil field you can expect to make at least 100k per year which will include
your bonuses and overtime. So let's take a look at some common entry-level positions in the oil field.
Some of these jobs might require some education or training. Most of the oil field jobs
in the oil field deal with oil exploration, extraction, production, and transportation.
So I'll just list most of the common positions for you guys here so we have
roughnecks and floorheads on the drilling rigs or service rigs, operators on coiled tubing,
wireline, fracturing, cementing and snubbing rigs, well testers, medics, nitrogen and fluid pump operators,
plant operators, pipeline operators, truck drivers, field engineers in training and field technicians.
Most working rotations are 14 days on and six days off which means you'll be working for
two weeks and then you will have six days off. Another common rotation is 20 days on
and 10 days off. While working on location most oil field workers stay in the camp or a hotel. When you
stay in the work camp the food will be provided but in a hotel you might have to
purchase the food yourself but many companies will give you a food allowance. So how hard is
oil field work? There are several reasons why many companies have trouble finding qualified workers
during busy times. First of all field conditions are usually rough and being fit is a requirement
if you want to work in the oil field. Working temperatures can range from plus 40 celsius
in the desert regions to -40 celsius in winter. Fortunately with the development of new technologies
and equipment the amount of physical work that you require to do in the oil field is
slowly decreasing. The safety standards are also much better nowadays than before and
a number of incidents in the oil field is decreasing
decrease as well. Ability to be away from your family for extended periods of time is another
requirement because you'll be away for two weeks or in some cases even one month away from your
from your house. Most shifts are 12 to 13 hours long and you might spend another one hour driving
from and to location. In the past some oilfield jobs had a very toxic work environment and harassment was
pretty common especially for newer guys but fortunately, nowadays there are very strict
policies in place and this harassment doesn't really happen anymore.
However, the main challenge is obviously being away from your family for long period of time
and this can also impact your social life and long working hours, lack of sleep
and poor diet can also have a negative effect on both of your physical and mental health.
So is working in the field even worth the money? Well the way I see it, working in the
oil field is a great way to pay off your debt, save some money and gain a valuable experience
but I personally wouldn't want to work there until my retirement with
with a bad schedule for example two weeks on one week of schedule. If you're smart,
you can slowly transition from the oil field into the office or shop, open your own business
or at least try to get a better work-life balance by asking for a better schedule
for example one week on and one week off, this seems to work for a lot of people. Unfortunately a lot of
oilfield workers mismanage their finances by buying expensive stuff and they end up
broke when the downturn happens. You don't want to be one of those guys that spend all
their paycheck on their days off and then and then they don't have any savings.
So guys this video should give you a better understanding of what to expect if you want
to work in the oilfield. If you found this helpful, please subscribe and I will see you guys later. Bye!