Wages on oil rigs (no experience), Williston area (Tioga, Crosby: RV park, 2015)

[mejecaj]

Things aren't necessarily better for you just because you have a degree. With my company us field engineers are salary and not hourly; I worked out the hours (15 on 15 off with no breaks for weeks at a time at best, 24-36 hours straight at worst) and I make $13 an hour-- making me both the most highly educated and lowest paid person on the frack site with the exception of the company man. My fluid tech just LOVES this fact.

Like everyone else said, though, you can't make the money if you don't do the time. It's still better than I would make at home.

[ThomasLong]

I'll give you my info and you can use it or not....

They are still hiring...many are weeding out non-productive or trouble makers. Put on a hard hat and steel toe boots and drive up to the rig and ask for the tool pusher, tell him you want a job. If he's not hiring he may know who is, but don't stop until you visited many rigs and talked it up in the bars and food places. My friend works for a company relocating drill rig housing and such and hears they are hiring all the time.

I'm doing construction in the patch....I get job offers everyday as they see me working.

BTW..The company I work for needs framers for a large stick job in Washburn, so there's jobs available...online and newspaper isn't the way to go...get here and get walking and talking.

[Socal2Omaha]

Originally Posted by flyingcat2k

I am assuming that you have lived in GA for most of your life. Unless you have rig experience, it will be difficult to get a job, particularly if you have never lived in a northern climate before. I would recommend you go to the Eagle Ford play in Texas as they are still interested in inexperienced people and have a climate you are accustomed to.

The days of getting a job because you breathe air are gone here.

"The days of getting a job because you breathe air are gone here"

Wow, how times have changed. I remember researching oil jobs in ND 10-11 months ago and reading that entry-level jobs were a dime a dozen there. No experience required, etc. Today, reading a few threads on oil jobs in ND - it looks like this in not the case anymore. Wow, that was quick!

Looks like I should be researching Eagle Ford in Texas!

[fourwinds]

Continental Oil announced that it had released its poorly performing crews. With most of their leases now held by production,most oil companies will no longer tolerate mediocre performance.

But notice the new gas plant near Watford City, the new ceramics plant near Gladstone, the new refineries near Williston, Dickinson, and Makoti. The new jobs with these plants will be long term, but maybe 60% of oil field pay. Hopefully housing will be cheaper in 18 months.

Retail and services will boom when housing prices come down.

[Roloff1976]

Originally Posted by Socal2Omaha

"The days of getting a job because you breathe air are gone here"

Wow, how times have changed. I remember researching oil jobs in ND 10-11 months ago and reading that entry-level jobs were a dime a dozen there. No experience required, etc. Today, reading a few threads on oil jobs in ND - it looks like this in not the case anymore. Wow, that was quick!

Looks like I should be researching Eagle Ford in Texas!

When a region gets bombard with thousands of people searching for jobs, the labor pool is going to get flooded with thousands of people. This doesn't mean there are no longer jobs...its just that companies can be "picky" who they choose to work for them. The Bakken is still hopping and busy, and people are still getting hired. But your right...just because you "breath" doesn't mean you get a job. I'm guessing the same thing will happen or is already happening in the Eagle Ford as well. Just because you breath doesn't mean you are gauranteed a job. The Bakken is holding steady with the 200+ rigs...but they are not declining either. Like so many articles have indicated. They finally have filled the need for drillers (but of course many will quit and many more will get hired in place of them) But they are needing THOUSANDS of drillers right now. They said the SERVICE and INFRASTRUCTURE jobs will now be kicking in, now that they have the drilling jobs pretty much filled. Eagle Ford vs Bakken...ehhh...both the same thing.

[djrickett]

Some of the companies are "laying down" rigs in the Bakken, just heard this AM from a direct source that was part of the lay-off that Nabors laid off over 600 people...take it as you will.

[fourwinds]

Originally Posted by djrickett

Some of the companies are "laying down" rigs in the Bakken, just heard this AM from a direct source that was part of the lay-off that Nabors laid off over 600 people...take it as you will.

Nabors has been hurt big time by the price collapse (and drilling collapse) in natural gas. Now, even natural gas liquids are being affect - which namely affects Eagle Ford region.

From their conference call last week, the Nabors CEO stated at least twice that the Bakken remains strong, but not in pricing. The layoffs may be the total company wide, as locations the Niobrara and NGL wells in Eagle Ford are not as economical as three months ago.

Nabors Industries Management Discusses Q2 2012 Results - Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha

Page 5

In terms of basins, since April 1, we have seen a reduction in industry rig count in several basins with the greatest being 25 in the Eagle Ford, 20 in the Mid Continent region and 18 in the Northeast. The Bakken is now everyone's favorite place to seek oil, and the market there is seeing excess supply and price pressure.

Page 9 - Other companies are moving their rigs into the Bakken, undercutting Nabors' pricing.

The Eagle Ford, we're seeing some weakness there, and that's mainly along the lines, as you mentioned, on the natural gas liquids. So there's areas across the U.S. and then the rigs that continue to flow into the Bakken, although that is our strongest area, that is being impacted commercially by all of the offers from other companies.

[kychlo]

Great post four winds. I started to read that transcript but didn't finish. Thank you.

Nabors is also phasing out "old" rigs and bringing more walking rigs to ND. I'm very doubtful Nabors is worried. In the end, service and safety prevail over pricing. Nabors is still the biggest fish in the bakken for drilling rigs.

And by the way Continental mainly uses Cyclone rigs. Anyone you ask here will say that Cyclone is near the bottom of the rig companies in ND.

[fourwinds]

The cut back in gas drilling is likely forcing those experienced crews in places like Haynesville and the Barnett into the Bakken for work. Experience will win jobs in the Bakken almost every time.

[djrickett]

Are you talking about Continental Resources?????????????????


Continental Resources is a Top 10 petroleum liquids producer in the United States and the largest leaseholder in the nation’s premier oil play, the Bakken Play of North Dakota and Montana. Based in Oklahoma City, the company also has a leading presence in the Anadarko Woodford Play of Oklahoma and the Red River Units Play of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Founded in 1967, Continental’s growth strategy has focused on crude oil since the 1980s. The company reported total revenues of $1.6 billion for 2011 and is on track to triple production and proved reserves from 2009 to 2014.

Originally Posted by kychlo

Great post four winds. I started to read that transcript but didn't finish. Thank you.

Nabors is also phasing out "old" rigs and bringing more walking rigs to ND. I'm very doubtful Nabors is worried. In the end, service and safety prevail over pricing. Nabors is still the biggest fish in the bakken for drilling rigs.

And by the way Continental mainly uses Cyclone rigs. Anyone you ask here will say that Cyclone is near the bottom of the rig companies in ND.