TATER

I'm up to my earballs in debt. And not liquidible debt (such as a car or house) but school debt. I don't wanna get into numbers, but it's a lot, and my current career path will never get it paid off in a respectable amount of time. I may go back to school later and get a real degree, but right now I am drowning, so basically I'm wondering if anyone here works rigs, or knows who I need to get in touch with to get out on the rigs. I know, I know, it's total PITA work, hot, dangerous, and stressful. But I hear it pays, and right now, that's what I need. Any info at all?
Onshore or offshore, oil, gas, or water, I don't care.

calongo_SS

iTrader: (7)

Check oil and gas prices. No one in the oilfield is hiring, aside from a few places the industry is in a big rut and most companies are laying people off left and right.

TATER

I was afraid of that and it makes sense. My brother is in the natural gas industry, and it's just as bad or worse. I was hoping something good MIGHT be happening. Thanks for the info.

Powerhouse

iTrader: (4)

+1. You won't get a job in a rig anytime soon. Especially with no experience. Unless maybe you go up North. Pennsylvania is pretty busy right now. You'll have to wait till' it picks back up around here before you go looking for a rig job. Or any oilfield job for that matter.

derrickman05

iTrader: (4)

Man we laid off 45 people in Jan and are getting ready to lay off 95 more. I get to keep my job but at the cost of working in pennsylvania and west virginia. None of the rigs are going to hire inexperienced hands.

BizZzatch350

iTrader: (33)

I work off shore, the money isn't as easy as you think. Lot of it depends on what you do and who you work for. Your always going to get paid more for a skill than your labor.

derrickman05

iTrader: (4)

Biz what do you do off shore and who do you work for?

texasz28

iTrader: (3)

wind energy is where its at right now, the only problem is most jobs are going to require alot of travel. Look at Vestas, GE Wind, Seimens, those are some of the main manufacturers. but like i siad if you dont want to travel its not for you, unless you move out to west texas or other wind rich states and get an position at an O&M. but there better money to be made as a travel tech.

blubox

iTrader: (5)

You can try to become a milwright, I dunno if your gonna be able to get on though. Look up the local union and talk to them.

derrickman05

iTrader: (4)

I wonder if there is any money in working in wind energy? A floor hand makes around 20/hr and works an 84 hr week. That is off the street with no education

playtoy

iTrader: (5)

Maybe this is the case on land rigs. Look into Transocean if you want to work offshore. We will be hiring between 1000 and 1500 people within the next year or two. We have 10 brand new rigs coming out of the shipyard and are going to need crew them up. I know for sure that they will be hiring all positions within the next couple of months. Go to www.deepwater.com and see what job positions they have avaliable right now. The offshore oil field is still going strong, and I think that it is going to be one of the few industries that will remain strong through these hard economic times.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

There is always a shortage of good pipe welders also. Maybe go enroll in some welding classes and get your certs. They make good money, and plenty of overtime.

calongo_SS

iTrader: (7)

We talked to the VP of drilling at a major independent yesterday. They have 3 shelf rigs and 1 deep water going in the gulf. They anticipate releasing all of them sometime in the next 3 months. International offshore is going to be ok, but it's not going to be great. The majors will keep exploring, but development drilling is going to slow way down.

calongo_SS

iTrader: (7)

East Texas into Arkansas (Haynesville shale) is going pretty strong too. I'm waiting for word that I have to take transfer too. It's only a matter of time. South Texas is dead.

BizZzatch350

iTrader: (33)

Mi Swaco, I do compliance, learning how to run mud, being a mud engineer is the next step. What about yourself?

Randy_S

iTrader: (1)

I assume it depends on how hard you can blow.

TATER

Fayetteville shale is doing relatively well, but drilling has slowed. Thank you for the info playtoy and nine ball. ANd everyone else, it's good to get so much information.

ImpSS07

iTrader: (3)

I've heard that some of the rig up yards around houston are going to start hiring again. I was building land rigs until they let all but the best blowers go.

Modsquad

iTrader: (6)

I only read the OP, but if you are really hard up, check into working in Afghanistan or Iraq for one of the contract companies over there like KBR or something. You can make $100+ a year with the first 80k tax free IIRC.

jdmoore144

iTrader: (7)

Its become a bidding war around here. Its starting to become where noone can make money. They cut are hours and pay within the last month. There is still plenty to drill but it seems like its not worth it for them.