Working in the Canadian oil sands: 6 figures in 6 months!
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komatiite 路 2013-12-14 01:03:00 路 #2076
@Scotian thanks for the kind welcome dude, this is a sweet thread, have been reading it on and off for months, but never got around to contributing until now. What was your buddy doing, wireline or geology?
Wireline is actually slow as hell, I actually was only on one site with loggers in my three years doing wellsite. The issue is that oil companies will not log holes if the government does not ask them to (it takes up to 24 hours and that is a huge expense!), and they don't force it on companies very often anymore. The reason for this is because 90% of wells drilled nowaways are horizontal, and wireline logging a horizontal well is basically impossible to do with the accuracy of a vertical well- just visualize the logging tool, which is often about 15m long or so. Once the hole is at about a 65 degree inclination, the tool will get stuck. They have tried to come up with some alternatives, like DataLogs, but they are still in their infancy. It is actually sort of useless to log a lot of holes these days anyways because even if the log shows weak porosity, fracking will just run train through the target rock formation, fuck shit up and stimulate the flow they need! I would not recommend anyone in this tread to pursue work with wireline companies solely for that reason, unless I guess you have a BSc in engineering. I know a few guys who did petroleum engineering technology at both NAIT and SAIT who went the logging route (generally as assistants to the actual engineer in the wireline truck), and are either sitting on their asses all the time or are now working elsewhere.
I got my start in wellsite after graduating from my university with a geology degree... worked all around NE BC, Alberta and Sask. It is pretty fucking lucrative, at my peak I was clearing about 1400 a day, but obviously a lot of that goes towards food, truck, gas etc. No benefits or anything obviously. I ended up retiring at the ripe ol age of 25 to get more education because the geology side of the oil patch is quite slow... Like I mentioned above, most wells drilled now are horizontal. Consider formations such as the Bakken, Cardium, Montney, etc in Canada. Its not like these companies suddenly discovered there is oil in these rocks yesterday- they have known how loaded they are since the 1950s! It hasnt been until now that they can unlock them however. So because of that, the need for geologists to develop new play ideas has dwindled- they just need armies of engineers to design wells that can produce the hell out of these rocks! However, the demand for wellsite geologists has doubled due to horizontal drilling. I talked about this in the North Dakota thread, but basically in the past, vertical wells were drilled much slower, due to the low tech drill bits. However the emergence of PDCs and tricones has dramatically sped up drilling speeds, so having a single wellsite geologist on site was too risky- often you could drill 500 m in a day, which would be too overwhelming for just one guy to geologically log- he would be awake for days at a time! So they now have a night shift geologist, usually a kid, who comes in when they start deviating to horizontal. This way, you always have one geologist awake while drilling. The big advantage to this is that the directional driller will not try to increase drill speed (which makes the engineers in the office happy- a matter of money), which often leads to deviations from the general proposed horizontal drilling path of best porosity (which is what the project geologist in the office in Calgary wants to follow). It generally is a happy marriage.
Anyways, getting into wellsite geology now generally requires a BSc in geology. Since there are so many geologists who cannot get work in downtown Calgary, the geologist market is quite saturated. I have worked with guys with either a SAIT geology tech diploma or even just high school, but they got in years ago when the educational requirements were not so high. Now, I often see dudes with Masters degrees in geology who have to go to the rigs, when 10 years ago they would be snatched up to work in the office- definitely a sign of the evolution of the industry! And now there are geophysicists who have to do wellsite geology because NOBODY shoots seismic anymore. AND, since the mineral industry is in the shitter, tons of young geologists who mined/explored for Cu, Au, Ag, Zn, Pb, REE etc have been laid off in waves, so many are now seeking opportunities in wellsite work. To sum it up, I would have to say that if you want to work on the rigs in a warm shack without any technical education, the best route is to do MWD- it would be basically impossible to get into it without a 4 year geo degree, although I firmly believe that you don't need any degree to do wellsite, just a good mentor. There will obviously be outliers, but this is pretty standard these days. However, if any young geos are reading this thread, do not hesitate to give wellsite a shot- there are lots of opportunities due to the doubled employment rates I discussed above, and if you want to make a shitload of money and have 4 months off during breakup, check it out! It's a great way to learn about the oil industry as well, I do admit I got sick of that lifestyle so I quit, but I wouldnt trade that experience for anything, I am a much better rounded oil industry employee now because of it.
Wireline is actually slow as hell, I actually was only on one site with loggers in my three years doing wellsite. The issue is that oil companies will not log holes if the government does not ask them to (it takes up to 24 hours and that is a huge expense!), and they don't force it on companies very often anymore. The reason for this is because 90% of wells drilled nowaways are horizontal, and wireline logging a horizontal well is basically impossible to do with the accuracy of a vertical well- just visualize the logging tool, which is often about 15m long or so. Once the hole is at about a 65 degree inclination, the tool will get stuck. They have tried to come up with some alternatives, like DataLogs, but they are still in their infancy. It is actually sort of useless to log a lot of holes these days anyways because even if the log shows weak porosity, fracking will just run train through the target rock formation, fuck shit up and stimulate the flow they need! I would not recommend anyone in this tread to pursue work with wireline companies solely for that reason, unless I guess you have a BSc in engineering. I know a few guys who did petroleum engineering technology at both NAIT and SAIT who went the logging route (generally as assistants to the actual engineer in the wireline truck), and are either sitting on their asses all the time or are now working elsewhere.
I got my start in wellsite after graduating from my university with a geology degree... worked all around NE BC, Alberta and Sask. It is pretty fucking lucrative, at my peak I was clearing about 1400 a day, but obviously a lot of that goes towards food, truck, gas etc. No benefits or anything obviously. I ended up retiring at the ripe ol age of 25 to get more education because the geology side of the oil patch is quite slow... Like I mentioned above, most wells drilled now are horizontal. Consider formations such as the Bakken, Cardium, Montney, etc in Canada. Its not like these companies suddenly discovered there is oil in these rocks yesterday- they have known how loaded they are since the 1950s! It hasnt been until now that they can unlock them however. So because of that, the need for geologists to develop new play ideas has dwindled- they just need armies of engineers to design wells that can produce the hell out of these rocks! However, the demand for wellsite geologists has doubled due to horizontal drilling. I talked about this in the North Dakota thread, but basically in the past, vertical wells were drilled much slower, due to the low tech drill bits. However the emergence of PDCs and tricones has dramatically sped up drilling speeds, so having a single wellsite geologist on site was too risky- often you could drill 500 m in a day, which would be too overwhelming for just one guy to geologically log- he would be awake for days at a time! So they now have a night shift geologist, usually a kid, who comes in when they start deviating to horizontal. This way, you always have one geologist awake while drilling. The big advantage to this is that the directional driller will not try to increase drill speed (which makes the engineers in the office happy- a matter of money), which often leads to deviations from the general proposed horizontal drilling path of best porosity (which is what the project geologist in the office in Calgary wants to follow). It generally is a happy marriage.
Anyways, getting into wellsite geology now generally requires a BSc in geology. Since there are so many geologists who cannot get work in downtown Calgary, the geologist market is quite saturated. I have worked with guys with either a SAIT geology tech diploma or even just high school, but they got in years ago when the educational requirements were not so high. Now, I often see dudes with Masters degrees in geology who have to go to the rigs, when 10 years ago they would be snatched up to work in the office- definitely a sign of the evolution of the industry! And now there are geophysicists who have to do wellsite geology because NOBODY shoots seismic anymore. AND, since the mineral industry is in the shitter, tons of young geologists who mined/explored for Cu, Au, Ag, Zn, Pb, REE etc have been laid off in waves, so many are now seeking opportunities in wellsite work. To sum it up, I would have to say that if you want to work on the rigs in a warm shack without any technical education, the best route is to do MWD- it would be basically impossible to get into it without a 4 year geo degree, although I firmly believe that you don't need any degree to do wellsite, just a good mentor. There will obviously be outliers, but this is pretty standard these days. However, if any young geos are reading this thread, do not hesitate to give wellsite a shot- there are lots of opportunities due to the doubled employment rates I discussed above, and if you want to make a shitload of money and have 4 months off during breakup, check it out! It's a great way to learn about the oil industry as well, I do admit I got sick of that lifestyle so I quit, but I wouldnt trade that experience for anything, I am a much better rounded oil industry employee now because of it.
DjembaDjemba 路 2013-12-14 20:26:00 路 #2077
Who here enjoys sliding off the road occasionally?
![[Image: sSIs21u.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/sSIs21u.jpg)
Don't be fooled by the "clear" middle lanes, that's a good old sheet of solid ice.
Don't be fooled by the "clear" middle lanes, that's a good old sheet of solid ice.
Atlantic 路 2013-12-14 22:43:00 路 #2078
^I seen an epic single vehicle car crash in front of me the other day.
This guy changed lanes without looking, neay hit a car, swerved and slid out hitting a snowbank at around 100km.
Huge explosion of snow everwhere. Best free entertainment ever.
This guy changed lanes without looking, neay hit a car, swerved and slid out hitting a snowbank at around 100km.
Huge explosion of snow everwhere. Best free entertainment ever.
DjembaDjemba 路 2013-12-15 11:07:00 路 #2079
Guys with big 4x4s who think they can overcome the laws of physics on the icy roads give us all a form of entertainment, unless of course they smash into us.
There's so many trucks in the ditch here.
I'm not without guilt, I've had my fair share of "o shit I should've gone slower" moments.
There's so many trucks in the ditch here.
I'm not without guilt, I've had my fair share of "o shit I should've gone slower" moments.
WesternCancer 路 2013-12-16 22:00:00 路 #2080
Got a place lined up for the start of February and a Christmas bonus worth 1 months pay.
Top that motherfuckers!!!
Top that motherfuckers!!!
Thehustler 路 2013-12-16 22:18:00 路 #2081
Although I have experience in quite a few things yet not enough for a safe (I'm female but don't mind getting dirty) oil field position it looks like the only position that is an "immediate" slam dunk for me is a kitchen helper at $18/hr in a remote camp. :o(
scotian 路 2013-12-17 15:24:00 路 #2083
(12-17-2013 01:40 PM)attentiveone Wrote: Although I have experience in quite a few things yet not enough for a safe (I'm female but don't mind getting dirty) oil field position it looks like the only position that is an "immediate" slam dunk for me is a kitchen helper at $18/hr in a remote camp. :o(
Don't worry when you're scooping gravy onto the lumpy mashed potatoes the greasy tradesmen they will be hitting you up for dates, offering you money for sex, offering you drugs, stalking you and of course, offering you jobs. Use your vagina to your advantage, you go grrrl!
(12-17-2013 03:24 PM)scotian Wrote:(12-17-2013 01:40 PM)attentiveone Wrote: Although I have experience in quite a few things yet not enough for a safe (I'm female but don't mind getting dirty) oil field position it looks like the only position that is an "immediate" slam dunk for me is a kitchen helper at $18/hr in a remote camp. :o(
Don't worry when you're scooping gravy onto the lumpy mashed potatoes the greasy tradesmen they will be hitting you up for dates, offering you money for sex, offering you drugs, stalking you and of course, offering you jobs. Use your vagina to your advantage, you go grrrl!
LOL! Ewwwwwwwwwwww! No thanks!
rudebwoy 路 2013-12-17 15:57:00 路 #2085
What is the temperature like this week?
Vacancier Permanent 路 2013-12-17 16:34:00 路 #2086
-30 all week long before windchill factor in SL.i assume it wouldnt be much 'warmer' in other parts of AB at this time and for the next 3-4 months...i truly salute you all who are working in this frozen hell right now!
Rudeboy, are you brave enough to venture out west during the winter? Let me warn you, the 'extreme' cold right now in Boretown is warm palmy breeze compared to AB this time of the year!
Rudeboy, are you brave enough to venture out west during the winter? Let me warn you, the 'extreme' cold right now in Boretown is warm palmy breeze compared to AB this time of the year!
scotian 路 2013-12-17 17:08:00 路 #2087
(12-17-2013 03:48 PM)attentiveone Wrote:(12-17-2013 03:24 PM)scotian Wrote:(12-17-2013 01:40 PM)attentiveone Wrote: Although I have experience in quite a few things yet not enough for a safe (I'm female but don't mind getting dirty) oil field position it looks like the only position that is an "immediate" slam dunk for me is a kitchen helper at $18/hr in a remote camp. :o(
Don't worry when you're scooping gravy onto the lumpy mashed potatoes the greasy tradesmen they will be hitting you up for dates, offering you money for sex, offering you drugs, stalking you and of course, offering you jobs. Use your vagina to your advantage, you go grrrl!
LOL! Ewwwwwwwwwwww! No thanks!
If that grosses you out then you may want to reconsider your career options, seriously guys are pretty fucked up in the camps, you'll hear and see some crazy things. It may not be too bad for the camp staff, but onsite it can be brutal, I've seen women be sexually harassed and assaulted the guys doing it were run off site, but kept their jobs within the company. As I've wrote on here before, there's plenty of opportunities for women but they need thick skin to hack it.
Vacancier Permanent 路 2013-12-17 17:13:00 路 #2088
Attentiveone,
Strippers and escorts are making big bank up there....
Strippers and escorts are making big bank up there....
Road_Less_Taken 路 2013-12-17 19:48:00 路 #2089
Scotian do you know if there is much demand for human resource/relations type of jobs available in Alberta?
Ive got my B.A from UBC in International Relations and am fluent in Spanish. So I was thinking about the oil companies that have relations in Latin
America. Or do you have any other ideas on places I can look considering I'm not big on getting my hands dirty, though would be open to living anywhere.
Ive got my B.A from UBC in International Relations and am fluent in Spanish. So I was thinking about the oil companies that have relations in Latin
America. Or do you have any other ideas on places I can look considering I'm not big on getting my hands dirty, though would be open to living anywhere.
Quote:Although I have experience in quite a few things yet not enough for a safe (I'm female but don't mind getting dirty) oil field position it looks like the only position that is an "immediate" slam dunk for me is a kitchen helper at $18/hr in a remote camp. :o(
Now that sounds like the Canadian women I know! Ungrateful, entitled, expect the best of everything because they are women and expect you to help them because you are a man.
Damn my wife would be happy to take that job as would I. Love workin in the kitchen! You never go hungry and its always warm working over a burner. I don't know why people get so insulted over cooking, when I was 24 I took a chefing course and it was great, learned how to cook all sorts of great stuff. No better feeling when hungry guys are chowing down on your work and they compliment you on it.
If you are scoffing at an $18/hour cooking job, then you've clearly never worked in a restaurant before let alone a regular job.
scotian 路 2013-12-17 20:24:00 路 #2091
(12-17-2013 07:48 PM)Road_Less_Taken Wrote: Scotian do you know if there is much demand for human resource/relations type of jobs available in Alberta?
Ive got my B.A from UBC in International Relations and am fluent in Spanish. So I was thinking about the oil companies that have relations in Latin
America. Or do you have any other ideas on places I can look considering I'm not big on getting my hands dirty, though would be open to living anywhere.
There is definitely opportunities in Alberta for office workers in the oil biz, from Calgary up to the Big Dirty, take a look at the online job sites and you'll see. You're Spanish probably won't mean much unless you specifically target a company with operations in Latin America, there's quite a few of those.
rudebwoy 路 2013-12-17 21:12:00 路 #2092
@VP - no sir I can't imagine working outside in those temperatures, hats off to anyone that is doing it. You are fully deserving of the money you make.
(12-17-2013 08:10 PM)BadWolf Wrote:Quote:Although I have experience in quite a few things yet not enough for a safe (I'm female but don't mind getting dirty) oil field position it looks like the only position that is an "immediate" slam dunk for me is a kitchen helper at $18/hr in a remote camp. :o(
Now that sounds like the Canadian women I know! Ungrateful, entitled, expect the best of everything because they are women and expect you to help them because you are a man.
Damn my wife would be happy to take that job as would I. Love workin in the kitchen! You never go hungry and its always warm working over a burner. I don't know why people get so insulted over cooking, when I was 24 I took a chefing course and it was great, learned how to cook all sorts of great stuff. No better feeling when hungry guys are chowing down on your work and they compliment you on it.
If you are scoffing at an $18/hour cooking job, then you've clearly never worked in a restaurant before let alone a regular job.
I'm only responsible for what I say not for what u understand. FYI the sad face at the $18/hr rate was because my management experience won't get me squat in the "skilled" trade and I am used to earning much more than that. I once owned 2 restaurants (as well as other ventures) so I have no problem cooking or baking. I've also crawled on my belly in crawlspaces as well as climbed 25 ft ladders so this girl has no sense of entitlement when it come to job duties. In the future please ask more questions before making assumptions.
Quote:I'm only responsible for what I say not for what u understand. FYI the sad face at the $18/hr rate was because my management experience won't get me squat in the "skilled" trade and I am used to earning much more than that. I once owned 2 restaurants (as well as other ventures) so I have no problem cooking or baking. I've also crawled on my belly in crawlspaces as well as climbed 25 ft ladders so this girl has no sense of entitlement when it come to job duties. In the future please ask more questions before making assumptions.
In the future, I won't be addressing you and I recommend others to do the same. I don't see how it would be advantageous to help a person who is so completely arrogant and enamoured with their 'failed accomplishments' like yourself, you are very representative of the mentality of which I speak. Can't say I'm looking forward to going home to this. Fvck maybe I've forgotten what its like to be around American wymen. Props for all the guys who have to put up with this sh1t.
If any of you guys are looking for LTR's with nice Chinese girls, I will be more than happy to help. It may not be great here but at least women don't talk to me like that.
If you address all men like this, the only thing you'll end up being attentive to is a cat.
Atlantic 路 2013-12-18 18:35:00 路 #2096
Haha girl comes on to Oil Sands thread and gets annoyed with the way she is being treated.
Welcome to the patch honey
Welcome to the patch honey
(12-18-2013 12:49 AM)BadWolf Wrote:Quote:I'm only responsible for what I say not for what u understand. FYI the sad face at the $18/hr rate was because my management experience won't get me squat in the "skilled" trade and I am used to earning much more than that. I once owned 2 restaurants (as well as other ventures) so I have no problem cooking or baking. I've also crawled on my belly in crawlspaces as well as climbed 25 ft ladders so this girl has no sense of entitlement when it come to job duties. In the future please ask more questions before making assumptions.
In the future, I won't be addressing you and I recommend others to do the same. I don't see how it would be advantageous to help a person who is so completely arrogant and enamoured with their 'failed accomplishments' like yourself, you are very representative of the mentality of which I speak. Can't say I'm looking forward to going home to this. Fvck maybe I've forgotten what its like to be around American wymen. Props for all the guys who have to put up with this sh1t.
If any of you guys are looking for LTR's with nice Chinese girls, I will be more than happy to help. It may not be great here but at least women don't talk to me like that.
If you address all men like this, the only thing you'll end up being attentive to is a cat.
I'm grown and mature by "deeds" therefore I find it childish to banter back and forth with someone "ONLINE" who I don't know nor care to know! O_o! #WhoDoesThat# So I say to you good luck, have a good day and God bless you.
(12-18-2013 06:35 PM)Irishman Wrote: Haha girl comes on to Oil Sands thread and gets annoyed with the way she is being treated.
Welcome to the patch honey
Not annoyed I just have a very bad habit of giving grown men too much credit as in having basic manners, being polite & speaking only when they're being spoken to.....especially if there is a negative comment to me said.
Quote:speaking only when they're being spoken to
This speaks for itself.
I don't even think I have what it takes to work out there and I used to live with rattlesnakes, tarantulas and black centipedes. ....and you want to work in the oil sands? Man where do these people come from? More importantly what kind of men would tolerate this?
scotian 路 2013-12-18 22:43:00 路 #2100
(12-18-2013 07:03 PM)attentiveone Wrote:(12-18-2013 06:35 PM)Irishman Wrote: Haha girl comes on to Oil Sands thread and gets annoyed with the way she is being treated.
Welcome to the patch honey
Not annoyed I just have a very bad habit of giving grown men too much credit as in having basic manners, being polite & speaking only when they're being spoken to.....especially if there is a negative comment to me said.
All I have to say about this is that you're on a forum for men, which states in its rules that women are prohibited from joining and posting, so tread lightly.