Any Directional Drillers out there?

[was thatguy]

As many of you know, I do directional drilling on oil and gas rigs.
I am in a real bind being shorthanded. My second just quit to go be a Company Rep for a gas company. The office I work out of seems to be not interested in finding a replacement that can be trained. I do have a night hand now, the #3 hand in our rotation, but he has been here 5 weeks and is going home next week.
Do any of you have any drilling experience?
Must be willing to be away from home 4-6 weeks at a time, with 1-2 weeks off.
Must be willing to miss things like Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, births, deaths, and generally give up any semblance of a normal life.
In return we do make very good money.

Must have advanced computer skills, firm grasp of trigonometry, ability to operate and understand the workings of large equipment such as an oil drilling rig, and at least 2 years actual drilling experience.
Must be able to work unsupervised, live away from home, receive and administer severe ass chewing's and have DEPENDABLE transportation.
No slackers, hard chargers only!!!

 

[MoVal Tim]

As many of you know, I do directional drilling on oil and gas rigs.
I am in a real bind being shorthanded. My second just quit to go be a Company Rep for a gas company. The office I work out of seems to be not interested in finding a replacement that can be trained. I do have a night hand now, the #3 hand in our rotation, but he has been here 5 weeks and is going home next week.
Do any of you have any drilling experience?
Must be willing to be away from home 4-6 weeks at a time, with 1-2 weeks off.
Must be willing to miss things like Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, births, deaths, and generally give up any semblance of a normal life.
In return we do make very good money.

Must have advanced computer skills, firm grasp of trigonometry, ability to operate and understand the workings of large equipment such as an oil drilling rig, and at least 2 years actual drilling experience.
Must be able to work unsupervised, live away from home, receive and administer severe ass chewing's and have DEPENDABLE transportation.
No slackers, hard chargers only!!!

Sounds like my dream job. Tommy.
I'll be callin' ya.



You don't ask for much of your hired help, do you?

 

[MoVal Tim]

Good luck with finding the help. It sounds like a tall order.

I know that they are out there, just few and far between.

 

[was thatguy]

Sounds like my dream job. Tommy.
I'll be callin' ya.



You don't ask for much of your hired help, do you?

I don't think I do!
Just don't want any misunderstanding about whats involved.
Oh, BTW, starting salaries are about $150K a year, $200K-$300K after a year or so, depending on how you do.

 

[Boobybouncer]

are you looking for someone permanet(sp?) or more of a tmeporary thing???

 

[was thatguy]

are you looking for someone permanet(sp?) or more of a tmeporary thing???

No difference. Every one in the oil field is temporary, whether they know it or not.
This is actually the most solid position I have had in 20+ years. The thing is, you can live anywhere you want. Just travel to work when it is time.
The training is on going, so someone who is willing to give it a shot as a career is more appealing to me. It is impossibly difficult to start over training a new guy.
I can't leave until a guy can be left alone. Usually a couple weeks training just before I can leave the rig for the night, let alone a couple weeks off.

 

[76ANTHONY]

DAMMMM, SOUNDS LIKE A CAREER... the only drilling experience i have is soil boring for a company out of fresno....dam.....

 

[was thatguy]

DAMMMM, SOUNDS LIKE A CAREER... the only drilling experience i have is soil boring for a company out of fresno....dam.....

It is a great way for a young guy, single especially, to get ahead financially early on.
My night hand is 24, He just made about 12 grand this week. (We get paid footage on this particular rig)
No HS diploma or any degrees are required.
Did you do Auger drilling with sampling? Any air or reverse mud?

 

[Boobybouncer]

i did underground directional drilling for awhile but i don't know if it's the same as what your doing.. i'm interested though

 

[was thatguy]

i did underground directional drilling for awhile but i don't know if it's the same as what your doing.. i'm interested though

If you mean like road crossings, or under river borings with survey tools in string, then yes it is basically the same. Except we do it at depths of up to 11,000'. So downhole experience is VERY helpful. PM me if you did crossings.

 

[Retired Member]

Do any of you have any drilling experience?

With this crowd, you might want to rephrase that.

 

[was thatguy]

With this crowd, you might want to rephrase that.

Good Point!! :thumbsup

 

[Boobybouncer]

pm sent:thumbsup

 

[snake321]

I used to drink with the roughnecks in Wy.
That experience gotta account for something.....

 

[Boobybouncer]

I used to drink with the roughnecks in Wy.
That experience gotta account for something.....

you must be one bad ass mofo

 

[was thatguy]

I used to drink with the roughnecks in Wy.
That experience gotta account for something.....

Were you able to keep up?
We do work around Pinedale, WY. North of Rock Springs in the Jonah field and Mesa. Although most of our work is in Colorado.

 

[Boobybouncer]

:beer:drunk:drnkfr <------rough necks

 

[was thatguy]

:beer:drunk:drnkfr <------rough necks

No kidding!
I roughnecked and drilled in Prudhoe for about 17 years. I made it, but my liver took a beating! :beer

 

[MoVal Tim]

I don't think I do!
Just don't want any misunderstanding about whats involved.
Oh, BTW, starting salaries are about $150K a year, $200K-$300K after a year or so, depending on how you do.

Well if it pays that much, I don't need to see the wife and kids all that often!

Besides, there can't be as many headaches as what I do now, right??

Sign me up.

 

[Boobybouncer]

what kind of shifts do you work??

 

[was thatguy]

Well if it pays that much, I don't need to see the wife and kids all that often!

Besides, there can't be as many headaches as what I do now, right??

Sign me up.

If you add up actual hours, I bet I spend more quality time with Debbie than most guys with "real jobs" spend with their families. 2 weeks, 24-7, doing whatever we want, where ever we want. :thumbsup

 

[Yellowboat]

I can do trig( degree in math) can fix anything... just no exp. =(

 

[was thatguy]

I can do trig( degree in math) can fix anything... just no exp. =(

My coordinator is insisting on the 2 years drilling experience at this point. But I believe that will change in a week or so if they can't find a suitable replacement.

 

[76ANTHONY]

It is a great way for a young guy, single especially, to get ahead financially early on.
My night hand is 24, He just made about 12 grand this week. (We get paid footage on this particular rig)
No HS diploma or any degrees are required.
Did you do Auger drilling with sampling? Any air or reverse mud?

just auger, up to 250 feet with 4 footers, then i got to hardface them when we got back to the shop. we did a shiatload of out of town drilling, only two crews and the other crew always broke thier rig when it came time to leave, hmmmm... this is a good job and the pay is wayyyy good, its like working out 12 hours a day and getting paid for it.
where are you out of?

 

[76ANTHONY]

just auger, up to 250 feet with 4 footers, then i got to hardface them when we got back to the shop. we did a shiatload of out of town drilling, only two crews and the other crew always broke thier rig when it came time to leave, hmmmm... this is a good job and the pay is wayyyy good, its like working out 12 hours a day and getting paid for it.
where are you out of?

sorry just saw your out of wy...

 

[was thatguy]

Head office is in Casper, WY. I have been there once in 3 years, the day I got hired. That is also the only time I have seen my boss.
Like I said, "must be able to work unsupervised".
I send in my reports at 5:00 AM each morning, by e-mail, do my job and after 4 weeks my relief shows up and I go home to CA. The rig I am on is in CO.
If I recommend some one for hire, to work on my rig, they would have to go to WY first for hire, then come to CO if they agree to place them on my rig. I do have substantial stroke though. I can pick who I want here, but they will not let me poach from other rigs. That is why I am shopping for a hand right now.
Most of the drillers that I try to recruit work 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off and don't want to give that up because of family.
My greed allows me to over come that.

 

[Guest]

I have a drill press in my garage....:beer

 

[Boobybouncer]

i thought it over:hmm i'm ready, bags are packed just waiting for your call really i am

 

[76ANTHONY]

I have a drill press in my garage....:beer

 

[76ANTHONY]

Head office is in Casper, WY. I have been there once in 3 years, the day I got hired. That is also the only time I have seen my boss.
Like I said, "must be able to work unsupervised".
I send in my reports at 5:00 AM each morning, by e-mail, do my job and after 4 weeks my relief shows up and I go home to CA. The rig I am on is in CO.
If I recommend some one for hire, to work on my rig, they would have to go to WY first for hire, then come to CO if they agree to place them on my rig. I do have substantial stroke though. I can pick who I want here, but they will not let me poach from other rigs. That is why I am shopping for a hand right now.
Most of the drillers that I try to recruit work 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off and don't want to give that up because of family.
My greed allows me to over come that.

dammmmmm, they're home more than i am...
ok where do we sign up and when do we start?????????

 

[was thatguy]

dammmmmm, they're home more than i am...
ok where do we sign up and when do we start?????????

PM Sent. If you don't have the 2 years drilling, don't call them yet.

 

[Boobybouncer]

PM Sent. If you don't have the 2 years drilling, don't call them yet.

can i get that #??? I'd like to try and see what they say

 

[76ANTHONY]

PM Sent. If you don't have the 2 years drilling, don't call them yet.

2.5 years... i will call them monday and see what they say. should i say was thatguy sent me?

 

[XtrmWakeborder]

150k?! wtf did i go to college for?

 

[snake321]

Were you able to keep up?
We do work around Pinedale, WY. North of Rock Springs in the Jonah field and Mesa. Although most of our work is in Colorado.

I lived in Rapid City SD but used to go to Beula Wy.(sp?)drinking and my roommate(Tophat) used to roughneck.

 

[was thatguy]

150k?! wtf did i go to college for?

I don't know. I dropped out of 11th grade in 1978. Hansen said it best, "gotta love the oilfield".
Regular Rig drillers pull 100K a year, working 2 & 2, thats 6 months a year off.
Roughnecks won't get out of bed for under 70K these days. Only requirement for roughnecking is pass the drug test, that is it.
Every company is short handed. Drilling outfits, trucking, clerical, catering, etc. etc.

 

[Waterjunky]

150k?! wtf did i go to college for?

That would be the question that I am asking my self right now...

 

[was thatguy]

That would be the question that I am asking my self right now...

Well, you gotta remember, it ain't as glamorous as it sounds.
Divorce rate is almost 100%. You miss everything that happens at home, at one time or another. Kids grow up without you.
It takes a certain level of selfishness that escapes most people.
You have to harden yourself against caring about many everyday things that happen with out you at home. I have seen more than a few guys fold and freak out. On the phone accusing their wives of all manner of infidelity when all she did was go to the store. Knew many guys who went home to cleaned out houses and bank accounts.
It is not for everybody.

 

[DaveC]

notice he said "work"...... sounds like my job except for the work part and the hours part and away from home part....

150k?! wtf did i go to college for?

 

[was thatguy]

Just to let the guys who PM'd me know, I just hired a guy with 8 years total experience. He came out of nowhere and is perfectly qualified. Thanks for inquiring, and don't forget, things change fast in this business. I may be looking again soon.
Thanks again

 

[hawkes24]

yeah when i paid my $16,000 to go to commercial diving school i was told by the recriuiters at the college that i would be making 100 thousand a year. what a crock that was. after they were paid then i find out it would take about 6 years to get up to that ammount but you would only be able to do it for about 10 to 15 years due to the depths of water you were working in. being a directional driller sounds like a kick ass job too bad i dont have the experiance im 26 and in the prime of my life right now. no kids no wife

 

[was thatguy]

yeah when i paid my $16,000 to go to commercial diving school i was told by the recriuiters at the college that i would be making 100 thousand a year. what a crock that was. after they were paid then i find out it would take about 6 years to get up to that ammount but you would only be able to do it for about 10 to 15 years due to the depths of water you were working in. being a directional driller sounds like a kick ass job too bad i dont have the experiance im 26 and in the prime of my life right now. no kids no wife

I had a buddy that did the Swift trucking deal. It was only a 2 year payback.

Go roughnecking, get a couple years rig experience. I see you are in Boulder City? CO? I am in Rifle right now on the rig. Drive to Junction and hire on with Patterson or H&P drilling. Get a couple years in roughnecking, 2 &2 making about 70K and after that, sky is the limit. Colorado is the biggest boom I have seen in 20 + years.

 

[hawkes24]

no boulder city nevada next to lake mead ill look into your advise though im tired of running hyperbaric chambers

 

[FROGMAN524]

Hiring again OP?

 

[Rajobigguy]

Well, you gotta remember, it ain't as glamorous as it sounds.
Divorce rate is almost 100%. You miss everything that happens at home, at one time or another. Kids grow up without you.
It takes a certain level of selfishness that escapes most people.
You have to harden yourself against caring about many everyday things that happen with out you at home. I have seen more than a few guys fold and freak out. On the phone accusing their wives of all manner of infidelity when all she did was go to the store. Knew many guys who went home to cleaned out houses and bank accounts.
It is not for everybody.

Yep, not for everyone but if oil is in your blood it's hard to beat. I spent most of my youth chasing oil around the lower 48 along with some time spent in Alaska. Loved the work but after my daughter came along it was time to put that part of my life away for something a little more stable. I miss the oilfield at times but I wouldn't have traded the time that I got to spend with my daughter for it.

 

[was thatguy]

Hiring again OP?

Lol...
Haven't had an oilfield job in 14 months now...

Every single person I know is out of work, from drillers to roughnecks to engineers.

I'm drilling city water wells in AZ to make the bills...:skull

 

[FROGMAN524]

Oops should have known by the price of oil. Where at in AZ? How's the pay?

 

[was thatguy]

Oops should have known by the price of oil. Where at in AZ? How's the pay?

About 25% of what I used to make...which really just means we have to live "normally" now.:yikes

 

[PLACECRAFT20]

What areas are you drilling? Plenty of Texas boys needing work.

 

[USMC2010]

Lol...
Haven't had an oilfield job in 14 months now...

Every single person I know is out of work, from drillers to roughnecks to engineers.

I'm drilling city water wells in AZ to make the bills...:skull

My nieces husband was in the Bakken field. He bought a drilling rig and does water wells now too.