Know anything about the Dakota oilfeilds?

[in4aride]

So since my position got terminated at the city, seems like anything other than random side work is impossible to find, paying way to little, or a scam.
I have a CDL, willing to actually work for what money I make, no fam or pets. There seems to always be ads out for oil feilds in the Dakotas looking for workers or drivers. It would be easy for me to just load up my truck and go, but not sure if it's another scam or crap situation.
Any of you have experience or know someone out there that has any insight to it?

FWIW I'm not afraid of long hours or hard work. Ive done the 24 hour shifts thing before. Working 14 hours a day seems pretty normal to me.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Mike, one of our local CO folks, Ben "Beezle" works at the oil fields in Northeast CO.

He doesn't post up much, but he checks in pretty frequently. PM him to get the low-down on oil field work. :thumbup:

 

[in4aride]

ah I forgot about beezle. I'll hit him up. Thanks.

 

[SeeingSpots]

You can get a job as a ginzel/worm pretty easily. Last I heard, some of the oil companies were so busy that they've been bringing in temps and putting them up in hotels outside of Casper, WY.

If you've never done rigging before, it is HARD work and can be very dangerous depending on who your Driller or Toolpusher is. It can pay well though.

Another option might be natural gas mining or (as crazy as it sounds) Uranium mining. Both pay pretty well.

Check out Able Body staffing. I think they have a placement person that can help find a job in the Petroleum industry.

Good luck,
Jim

 

[in4aride]

Ya I am not afraid of hard work. I tend to get stuck in pretty labor intensive gigs but dont ever seem to get paid worth a damn. Why I figured the move to that industry might be worthwhile. I just dont know anything about it. Thanks for the info.

 

[Lurch]

I don't know if you'll find this helpful or not, but I found d this article to be pretty informative about the North Dakota oil/gas boom.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/bakken-shale-oil/dobb-text

I also have an inlaw who's stationed in Minot, ND and says there's a pretty critical housing shortage but tends to speak positively about ND in general.

 

[in4aride]

Ya I have been up to Minot before and it is what it is. But for how I spend my free time it is just fine lol.
Ya the housing situation seems to be the big stickler. Luckily im not too picky. As long as I can S--t, shower, and sleep ill be good.

 

[XJLI]

One of my best friends was stationed in Minot for a couple years and hated it, he was AF. Though he said if he was working for the oil companies he'd like it a lot more because he would have a lot more cash. There are a lot of cool places to check out around there, the black hills looked cool. As long as you don't plan on spending more than a couple years max there if check it out... Idk how long the boom will last.

 

[in4aride]

Ya I mean this isnt obviously something that is gonna last forever. The boom will die out in a handful of years. It looked really boring if you are used to a busy lifestyle or decent weather. I thought of it as wyoming east.
Be a good spot to get a coupke years under my belt driving class a/tankers and get some good cash in the process. Then move to something closer and not have to settle for newb wages.

 

[DrMoab]

This area has lost a lot of propane, gas and water tank drivers so they could head up that way.

If you have a CDL why not look for a job driving a water truck. Those guys work long hours but they make decent money. Might be worth looking into. I've thought about it but don't want to be away from the wife or kids. Doesn't sound like a problem for you.

 

[in4aride]

well was talking to one of the folks up there.
they always need vactor truck guys but no one has the experience. I have the experience just not the class a. Those jobs pay real well and you drive water truck when the vac truck isn't needed.
Ya I don't really care what I drive. Most of my driving has been hauling water in a way overweight (thank god for permits) vac truck. Otherwise I've hauled sand mud rocks debris etc.

 

[in4aride]

plan right now is to take the course for class a once i get back from california.
gonna do the course since I haven't been in a truck in a few months and don't wanna show up to job out of the groove. Gonna get my doubles/triples endorsement and I'm still unsure about the has. We will see.

 

[XJEEPER]

My brother runs crude from the Uinta Basin to SLC and they seem to have plenty of work.

After working for various companies for several years, he lined up a contract to haul crude and bought his own used truck. Paid it off in less than a year and is close to buying his own tank trailers (doubles). Might want to look at the oil fields in the Basin too, Vernal / Roosevelt area.

 

[in4aride]

Cool thanks for the heads up. Seems like the oil area is the one place hiring drivers and paying worthwhile, so long as you don't mind the work and hours. Excited to get some things set up over the next few weeks so week I get back from California I can get the ball rolling.

 

[cf_collins]

www.m-v-t.com

 

[DrMoab]

My brother runs crude from the Uinta Basin to SLC and they seem to have plenty of work.

After working for various companies for several years, he lined up a contract to haul crude and bought his own used truck. Paid it off in less than a year and is close to buying his own tank trailers (doubles). Might want to look at the oil fields in the Basin too, Vernal / Roosevelt area.

Who is he working for (other than himself)?

 

[DrMoab]

www.m-v-t.com

Two problems with that company. At least IMO.

First is their ugly ass trucks that look like a science fair project.

Second is they are Slooooooow. Those guys are always in my way. I would never work for a trucking company that governed their trucks less than 70mph.

 

[cf_collins]

Two problems with that company. At least IMO.

First is their ugly ass trucks that look like a science fair project.

Second is they are Slooooooow. Those guys are always in my way. I would never work for a trucking company that governed their trucks less than 70mph.

The ATA is pushing for mandatory governors on all trucks. MVT is against it. They want it's competition to have high fuel costs.

 

[DrMoab]

The ATA is pushing for mandatory governors on all trucks. MVT is against it. They want it's competition to have high fuel costs.

I'm looking at it from the viewpoint of the driver. Every mph faster I go is another $.40 per hour in my pocket. I also run a lot of day trips at 650-740 miles. In a slow truck I'd end up spending the night an hour from home. Screw that. Even if I owned the truck and paid for the fuel I'd take the hit in order to spend more time with my family.