Marcellus Shale vs Bakken Biggest Richest Rush? (Minot, Dickinson: live, stores)

[Ticatica]

Which of these "rushes" is the bigger job opportunity? I assumed it was the Bakken since I keep seeing stories on it but maybe PA's rush has just as many high paying jobs?

[fourwinds]

Originally Posted by Ticatica

Which of these "rushes" is the bigger job opportunity? I assumed it was the Bakken since I keep seeing stories on it but maybe PA's rush has just as many high paying jobs?

The Marcellus rush is probably bigger, but the number of people in the area keeps down the pay . The Marcellus / Utica play extends from the NY state border south to central WV and west to east-central Ohio. Millions op people live within its boundaries. Truck driving jobs are not so prevalent as water is freely available (doesn't have to be trucked) and oil isn't produced much, as the product natural gas is delivered by pipeline.

The Eagle Ford play in Texas produces more oil than the Bakken and a lot more nat gas and NGLs. The Eagle Ford runs parallel to the Gulf Cost, and although it does not have many people, Corpus Christi, Victoria, Austin, and San Antonio are about 50 miles from it, so there's much more housing and stores accessible with an hours drive.

Williston was the only trade city more than 10,000 people in the Bakken. Minot and Dickinson are not really in the Bakken, but hugely benefitted. Watford City will probably be twice the size of Williston of 2010 by 2020. But Williston will be 50 or 60,000 by then.

[itsMeFred]

In the experience of our personal household economy, the Marcellus was actually paying better for water and sand haulers.
For whatever reason, people seem to think ND is the only state having a boom, so there seem to be this huge influx of people for the jobs. Guys seem to be working sporadically, whereas in PA/WV/OH they seem to working more steadily…

But again, this is really nothing more than personal perception based on DH's observations in the past couple of years, as well as which paychecks were heavier.