Working in the Canadian oil sands: 6 figures in 6 months!
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Laurifer 路 2014-08-20 13:14:00 路 #3051
Yeah that sucks man! Sorry some leech scum bag pulled that shit on you. Glad its mostly resolved!
Tresdus 路 2014-08-20 18:22:00 路 #3052
(08-20-2014 09:51 AM)Atlantic Wrote: I got two years of personal work notes inside which is probably the most annoying thing.
Well that's just asking for trouble. You could steal all my stuff and I would lose nothing personal. I have everything backed up online so no matter where I am / what I need I can access it.
Good starting point is Google Drive, gives you 15GB free access and Crashplan, I have over 1TB backed up there.
http://www.code42.com/crashplan/
Atlantic 路 2014-08-20 18:28:00 路 #3053
Na my computer stuff is all good and my work files. That stuff comes in at night.
These are like hand drawn sketches and diagrams of different jobs. I also do notes by hand, I just remember it better and can learn faster. Its a big box of writing books that would be useless to anyone else. Someones probably using them on a reservation to start a BBQ.
These are like hand drawn sketches and diagrams of different jobs. I also do notes by hand, I just remember it better and can learn faster. Its a big box of writing books that would be useless to anyone else. Someones probably using them on a reservation to start a BBQ.
Laurifer 路 2014-08-20 20:05:00 路 #3054
Kdog 路 2014-08-21 01:42:00 路 #3055
No, he didn't use the word "chugs" in his sentence. 
scotian 路 2014-08-21 07:49:00 路 #3056
PakiRambo 路 2014-08-22 22:08:00 路 #3057
An update from my part. Since moving here, I have had 5 job offers, Pipefitter helper, Swamper for a vac truck, Leasehand, floorhand (service rig), and a labourer. All this in 10 days. Plus I also paid 2 months rent to a place in etown for 400/month, and turned out the land lady was a scammer and out of the 800 i paid her, I have managed to get back 300.
Anyway, despite of all the setbacks, I picked up the Leasehand job. I had to drive to Shaunavon SK from Edmonton. From there it as a 40 min drive to the rig site. I slept at the site to be up and working the next day. There is no camp accommodation, so I have rented a motel for 185/week in Frontier (a village 10 mins awy from the rig). This village has a total of 350 people in it. The real estate is soo damn cheap, I was talking to the receptionist who just bought a house, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 car parking space and a large patio.. Al for $20k lol. Anyway, to be straight forward, Those who say leasehand is a hard job, it really isnt. YOU as a leasehand are a glorified janitor of the world clearing $4700 every 10 days of work ! pretty decent, But be prepared to be bitched at. Im tired as hell though, my mind is scattered in 10000 different directions. This place has 4 stores all of which close at 6. And a shitty bar which closes at 10. Went in the bar to ask a few questions about where to get air for my car tires, and met the DD crew there lol. Had a nice chat with them, apparently they saw my cleaning up the mud tanks today and had a nice laugh at that.
Monday, i'll be pounding all the MWD jobs, I WILL not let my degree go to waste. This area is open field ! No treees for miles to stop the winds. In the winter it gets down to -65. I dont plan on doing this in the winter IF I get on as a MWD. Food is scarce as well, since the slosest walmart is 1.3 hours away. Anyway, will do a detailed report on this soon. Oh and, no punaani here at all.
Anyway, despite of all the setbacks, I picked up the Leasehand job. I had to drive to Shaunavon SK from Edmonton. From there it as a 40 min drive to the rig site. I slept at the site to be up and working the next day. There is no camp accommodation, so I have rented a motel for 185/week in Frontier (a village 10 mins awy from the rig). This village has a total of 350 people in it. The real estate is soo damn cheap, I was talking to the receptionist who just bought a house, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 car parking space and a large patio.. Al for $20k lol. Anyway, to be straight forward, Those who say leasehand is a hard job, it really isnt. YOU as a leasehand are a glorified janitor of the world clearing $4700 every 10 days of work ! pretty decent, But be prepared to be bitched at. Im tired as hell though, my mind is scattered in 10000 different directions. This place has 4 stores all of which close at 6. And a shitty bar which closes at 10. Went in the bar to ask a few questions about where to get air for my car tires, and met the DD crew there lol. Had a nice chat with them, apparently they saw my cleaning up the mud tanks today and had a nice laugh at that.
Monday, i'll be pounding all the MWD jobs, I WILL not let my degree go to waste. This area is open field ! No treees for miles to stop the winds. In the winter it gets down to -65. I dont plan on doing this in the winter IF I get on as a MWD. Food is scarce as well, since the slosest walmart is 1.3 hours away. Anyway, will do a detailed report on this soon. Oh and, no punaani here at all.
Roma 路 2014-08-23 08:49:00 路 #3058
(08-22-2014 10:08 PM)PakiRambo Wrote: An update from my part... I also paid 2 months rent to a place in etown for 400/month, and turned out the land lady was a scammer and out of the 800 i paid her, I have managed to get back 300...
Would you post the landlady's name, address and phone no. so others do not fall into the trap?
pitt 路 2014-08-23 10:40:00 路 #3059
(08-22-2014 10:08 PM)PakiRambo Wrote: An update from my part. Since moving here, I have had 5 job offers, Pipefitter helper, Swamper for a vac truck, Leasehand, floorhand (service rig), and a labourer. All this in 10 days. Plus I also paid 2 months rent to a place in etown for 400/month, and turned out the land lady was a scammer and out of the 800 i paid her, I have managed to get back 300.
Anyway, despite of all the setbacks, I picked up the Leasehand job. I had to drive to Shaunavon SK from Edmonton. From there it as a 40 min drive to the rig site. I slept at the site to be up and working the next day. There is no camp accommodation, so I have rented a motel for 185/week in Frontier (a village 10 mins awy from the rig). This village has a total of 350 people in it. The real estate is soo damn cheap, I was talking to the receptionist who just bought a house, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 car parking space and a large patio.. Al for $20k lol. Anyway, to be straight forward, Those who say leasehand is a hard job, it really isnt. YOU as a leasehand are a glorified janitor of the world clearing $4700 every 10 days of work ! pretty decent, But be prepared to be bitched at. Im tired as hell though, my mind is scattered in 10000 different directions. This place has 4 stores all of which close at 6. And a shitty bar which closes at 10. Went in the bar to ask a few questions about where to get air for my car tires, and met the DD crew there lol. Had a nice chat with them, apparently they saw my cleaning up the mud tanks today and had a nice laugh at that.
Monday, i'll be pounding all the MWD jobs, I WILL not let my degree go to waste. This area is open field ! No treees for miles to stop the winds. In the winter it gets down to -65. I dont plan on doing this in the winter IF I get on as a MWD. Food is scarce as well, since the slosest walmart is 1.3 hours away. Anyway, will do a detailed report on this soon. Oh and, no punaani here at all.
Thanks for the update. I am interested in that leasehand position.I had a feeling it wasn't that hard, specially if you are used to intense work outs.
Damn, that no punani thing will be the hardest part, can't imagine staying weeks without pussy.
fstrdnl 路 2014-08-24 00:10:00 路 #3060
I've been working in the oil sands since the beginning of the year as an industrial electrician . Currently up at a CNRL site . Camp is great has a booster juice and Tim hortons and a rec Center sized gym. Almost prefer this over a LOA job...
hamish265 路 2014-08-24 00:32:00 路 #3061
Update:
After collecting the names of 'MWD' companies from this thread, I sent resumes online in the preceding 3 weeks but none of them replied. Stupid HR people. So I had to call and convince the receptionists to give me the MWD guy's email address/number. The larger companies refused or didn't know, so screw them. The smaller companies are more willing to let me speak to their MWD people. So after speaking to their MWD guys, they would usually say they are not hiring at the moment or come back in Fall.
Since landing in Calgary earlier this week, I have taken the H2S Alive course and knocked on the doors of 20 'MWD' companies. I have been using the Wicked Hostel as the base and launching expeditions to the far corners of the city.
On Thursday I managed to cover most of the companies in the South East with some progress. Even the companies that were initially saying they were not hiring when I called them up from Toronto were now enthusiastically taking my resume when I showed up at their doorstep. Oh yea, I made sure to remember the receptionists' names, so I address them with a sense of familiarity. They were now giving me a timeframe of when I will be hearing from them (usually by the following week).
On Friday, I showed up to most of the smaller directional companies in downtown. One of them didnt have operations in Canada, so they were ready to hire me as an MWD hand in S.America ! I said I will think about it and proceeded to apply in person to a few more. I didnt want to go overseas yet.
In the afternoon, I got a call from another small MWD company that he wants to meet me within the next hour. He sat down and basically wrote down all the good points: Single, young male, no wives, gfs, technical background, team player, safety tickets and the bad points: no long term work permit (goddamn, I should have noticed the fine print on my off-campus work permit
, he wasnt too bothered about it tho), no rig experience.
He was concerned only with my lack of rig experience. He was rightfully worried about letting me anywhere near those expensive tools without training. He was ready to hire me as a shop hand doing the manual work like fixing tools, etc to get an idea of what I am dealing with before sending me out to the rigs as a full-time MWD.
He was saying they dont have the manpower to train me as much as the bigger companies do!
He said the second (better) option was for me to work for the larger ones like Schlum, Halli or Weatherford for a few months, get trained with the tools and come back to him.
He recommended the second option as he is need of more experienced hands.
I was toying with the idea of quitting grad school if I got a job ( I am halfway through it). But now completing it is the only option as it will give me a 2-year graduate work permit without resorting to the much-maligned TFW visa + make me standout with the larger companies.
Since I have already covered I am still gonna give the smaller companies in Eton a shot on Monday, to see if they will sponsor someone for TFW . Otherwise I am treating this week as a reconnaissance mission for next year.
So for anyone trying to be an MWD, here is a breakdown of steps:
Have a valid work permit,
Read Atlantic's MWD thread,
collect company names,
apply online
call their operations office (not the corporate HQ)
say you have applied online but no response yet,
ask the MWD guy's contact,
Call him/email him resume,
Fly to Calgary/Edmonton,
Stay in Wicked Hostel/HI,
Buy/Rent a truck,
Dress smartly, show up in person to hand resumes in Sep/Oct (Aug is too early
)
When called in to discuss position:
Explain that you are Single, have/willing to buy a truck, team player (football, hockey,etc), emphasize any technical degree/diploma/computer familiarity, not worried about working long hours.
After collecting the names of 'MWD' companies from this thread, I sent resumes online in the preceding 3 weeks but none of them replied. Stupid HR people. So I had to call and convince the receptionists to give me the MWD guy's email address/number. The larger companies refused or didn't know, so screw them. The smaller companies are more willing to let me speak to their MWD people. So after speaking to their MWD guys, they would usually say they are not hiring at the moment or come back in Fall.
Since landing in Calgary earlier this week, I have taken the H2S Alive course and knocked on the doors of 20 'MWD' companies. I have been using the Wicked Hostel as the base and launching expeditions to the far corners of the city.
On Thursday I managed to cover most of the companies in the South East with some progress. Even the companies that were initially saying they were not hiring when I called them up from Toronto were now enthusiastically taking my resume when I showed up at their doorstep. Oh yea, I made sure to remember the receptionists' names, so I address them with a sense of familiarity. They were now giving me a timeframe of when I will be hearing from them (usually by the following week).
On Friday, I showed up to most of the smaller directional companies in downtown. One of them didnt have operations in Canada, so they were ready to hire me as an MWD hand in S.America ! I said I will think about it and proceeded to apply in person to a few more. I didnt want to go overseas yet.
In the afternoon, I got a call from another small MWD company that he wants to meet me within the next hour. He sat down and basically wrote down all the good points: Single, young male, no wives, gfs, technical background, team player, safety tickets and the bad points: no long term work permit (goddamn, I should have noticed the fine print on my off-campus work permit
, he wasnt too bothered about it tho), no rig experience.He was concerned only with my lack of rig experience. He was rightfully worried about letting me anywhere near those expensive tools without training. He was ready to hire me as a shop hand doing the manual work like fixing tools, etc to get an idea of what I am dealing with before sending me out to the rigs as a full-time MWD.
He was saying they dont have the manpower to train me as much as the bigger companies do!
He said the second (better) option was for me to work for the larger ones like Schlum, Halli or Weatherford for a few months, get trained with the tools and come back to him.
He recommended the second option as he is need of more experienced hands.
I was toying with the idea of quitting grad school if I got a job ( I am halfway through it). But now completing it is the only option as it will give me a 2-year graduate work permit without resorting to the much-maligned TFW visa + make me standout with the larger companies.
Since I have already covered I am still gonna give the smaller companies in Eton a shot on Monday, to see if they will sponsor someone for TFW . Otherwise I am treating this week as a reconnaissance mission for next year.
So for anyone trying to be an MWD, here is a breakdown of steps:
Have a valid work permit,
Read Atlantic's MWD thread,
collect company names,
apply online
call their operations office (not the corporate HQ)
say you have applied online but no response yet,
ask the MWD guy's contact,
Call him/email him resume,
Fly to Calgary/Edmonton,
Stay in Wicked Hostel/HI,
Buy/Rent a truck,
Dress smartly, show up in person to hand resumes in Sep/Oct (Aug is too early
)When called in to discuss position:
Explain that you are Single, have/willing to buy a truck, team player (football, hockey,etc), emphasize any technical degree/diploma/computer familiarity, not worried about working long hours.
hamish265 路 2014-08-24 00:34:00 路 #3062
I am down in Eton on Sunday evening, if anyone is up for drinks, pm me.
a.canuck 路 2014-08-24 02:36:00 路 #3063
Great post Hamish!
scotian 路 2014-08-24 17:24:00 路 #3064
(08-24-2014 12:10 AM)fstrdnl Wrote: I've been working in the oil sands since the beginning of the year as an industrial electrician . Currently up at a CNRL site . Camp is great has a booster juice and Tim hortons and a rec Center sized gym. Almost prefer this over a LOA job...
Glad to hear that you made it up to the Big Dirty and that you're in an excellent trade, well done. The only thing that concerns me is that you think that the CNRL camps are great, they're not, believe me I stayed in them for two years back in 2009-11', while they're not the absolute worst, they're pretty damn bad. The booster juice and timmie's are nice and the renovated gyms are very good but the fucking food is shit there. I worked there for three days last week during the "pit stop" (whatever the fuck that is, I don't know why those idiots don't call it a shutdown), one day I worked a 16 so stopped into Calumet camp for supper, things haven't improved since I was last there three years ago!
On the bright side, if you're on the expansion gig with Black and Mac, you should be there for quite awhile so work hard, learn lots and save as much money as possible. Just don't forget that CNRL is probably the worst major oil company in the oil sands, they are cheap as fuck, anti-union, foreign labour using scum bags and they don't give a fuck if they kill a couple of TFWs or if the whole place blows up and hurts a bunch of guys in the plant!
LOADED AT CALUMET (you'll recognize the hallways lol): typical night at CNRL, safety first!
THE GREAT COKER FIRE OF 2011: I worked 8 months straight 24/4 after that and have been semi-retired since!
CNRL KILLS TFWs: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/o...-1.1376840
Stay safe up there bud and the same to the rest of you!
Atlantic 路 2014-08-24 19:12:00 路 #3065
Great to hear some guys getting in on the rigs. I have not been checking PMs as I am up to my ears with different issues right now. Maybe in a few days.
Once again I have heard that the rigs will be super busy this winter. Super busy. If you want to MWD this is a great year to start. Best of luck.
Once again I have heard that the rigs will be super busy this winter. Super busy. If you want to MWD this is a great year to start. Best of luck.
scotian 路 2014-08-24 19:38:00 路 #3066
If any of you guys are interested in a 14/14 labourer position with a large contracting company, let me know via PM. Its at a small site which is very clean and very safe, I worked there yesterday, they have one of the best camps I've ever seen, excellent food with a Starbucks on site. The labourer gig would likely lead to an apprenticeship. You need these tickets: CSTS, H2S Alive, First Aid (CPR), Confined Space Entry, Fall Arrest
rc0310 路 2014-08-25 01:56:00 路 #3067
PM sent Scotian.. thanks
(08-24-2014 07:38 PM)scotian Wrote: If any of you guys are interested in a 14/14 labourer position with a large contracting company, let me know via PM. Its at a small site which is very clean and very safe, I worked there yesterday, they have one of the best camps I've ever seen, excellent food with a Starbucks on site. The labourer gig would likely lead to an apprenticeship. You need these tickets: CSTS, H2S Alive, First Aid (CPR), Confined Space Entry, Fall Arrest
Kdog 路 2014-08-25 02:01:00 路 #3068
Anybody know if the CSTS completed are on record on Enform's website? I did mine at my last employers on the computer on their Enform log in, and they are being useless at getting it to me. Being completely useless when I ask for a copy.
Tresdus 路 2014-08-25 20:21:00 路 #3069
From what I see it's going to be really busy, I can't compare it to other years, but basically every company in Nisku has signs out with hiring signs.
Seancha铆 路 2014-08-25 21:56:00 路 #3070
Greetings all,
It's been a long time since I contributed to this thread, but my plan's have not changed. I am still as motivated as ever to make it in the Oil Sands. I have been observing the progress of everyone on the thread and for the most part it's been nothing short of amazing. Congratulations to everyone who has made the move, whether or not things have gone to plan it still takes balls to go through with a plan that the masses would call crazy (at least that's what they've all been telling me).
A quick update on my situation. I am currently living and working in the States, saving money, training hard, chasing women with questionable morals and just generally having the craic. Following the guidelines laid out on the thread I have all most everything in order. Visa is sorted, flight is booked, one week stay in Edmonton HI hostel, exchanged my Irish license for a British one for a quick change over and currently in the process of finagling my CV to make it more suitable to the Oil and Gas industry.
I am arriving in Edmonton on Sunday the 7th and cannot wait. I am going to follow the path all ready laid out by the many members on this thread and hustle until I get what I want. I am hoping to land a MWD position but the reality is I'm just going for that because it's been mentioned so many times, so I'm keeping my options open to something different. I believe I'm in good standing as I have an engineering degree and worked for a year as an Automation Engineer in England. I have saved enough casheesh to remain stable while looking for a job so I don't have to rush into the first job I get out of fear of going hungry.
So that's about it for the minute, I have no questions or favours to ask right now I just want to say thanks to all of the contributors for inspiring me to make the move, too many of ye to name individually. Hopefully I can buy each one of ye a few pints or buckets of alcohol soon.
Keep it together bitches
P.S. I'm off the bud and everything in between, 'tis no craic atall atall
It's been a long time since I contributed to this thread, but my plan's have not changed. I am still as motivated as ever to make it in the Oil Sands. I have been observing the progress of everyone on the thread and for the most part it's been nothing short of amazing. Congratulations to everyone who has made the move, whether or not things have gone to plan it still takes balls to go through with a plan that the masses would call crazy (at least that's what they've all been telling me).
A quick update on my situation. I am currently living and working in the States, saving money, training hard, chasing women with questionable morals and just generally having the craic. Following the guidelines laid out on the thread I have all most everything in order. Visa is sorted, flight is booked, one week stay in Edmonton HI hostel, exchanged my Irish license for a British one for a quick change over and currently in the process of finagling my CV to make it more suitable to the Oil and Gas industry.
I am arriving in Edmonton on Sunday the 7th and cannot wait. I am going to follow the path all ready laid out by the many members on this thread and hustle until I get what I want. I am hoping to land a MWD position but the reality is I'm just going for that because it's been mentioned so many times, so I'm keeping my options open to something different. I believe I'm in good standing as I have an engineering degree and worked for a year as an Automation Engineer in England. I have saved enough casheesh to remain stable while looking for a job so I don't have to rush into the first job I get out of fear of going hungry.
So that's about it for the minute, I have no questions or favours to ask right now I just want to say thanks to all of the contributors for inspiring me to make the move, too many of ye to name individually. Hopefully I can buy each one of ye a few pints or buckets of alcohol soon.
Keep it together bitches
P.S. I'm off the bud and everything in between, 'tis no craic atall atall
alecks 路 2014-08-25 22:08:00 路 #3071
After reading this thread 2 years ago I knew I had to come over. A buddy of mine moved over and it was perfect timing for me as I didnt know anyone. Starting to settle in now with everyone and I'm working as a sheet metal worker. 18$ an hour for someone with no experience, not bad...Monday to friday and not too far from the house.
There's tons of us Irish out here now, about 15 of us working in the company I'm in, and shit loads more I've come across in my time err so far.
From what I can see is that us Irish out here are doing well, but I will say this, the Australian Irish are starting to flock here now which is not good . There are thousands of us there and have given us a bad name for causing a shit load of trouble, drinking and fighting etc. the oz honeymoon seems to be over and they're looking for a new place to ruin. I don't want it to happen
There's tons of us Irish out here now, about 15 of us working in the company I'm in, and shit loads more I've come across in my time err so far.
From what I can see is that us Irish out here are doing well, but I will say this, the Australian Irish are starting to flock here now which is not good . There are thousands of us there and have given us a bad name for causing a shit load of trouble, drinking and fighting etc. the oz honeymoon seems to be over and they're looking for a new place to ruin. I don't want it to happen
?Kick 路 2014-08-26 14:22:00 路 #3072
(08-25-2014 02:01 AM)Kdog Wrote: Anybody know if the CSTS completed are on record on Enform's website? I did mine at my last employers on the computer on their Enform log in, and they are being useless at getting it to me. Being completely useless when I ask for a copy.
Yeah, Enform has everything on file. I went down to their office (in nisku) and had them print off my cards and also print off my receipts (for taxes).
And just a friendly reminder to all the cats that have made the move..winter is coming
scotian 路 2014-08-26 19:52:00 路 #3073
(08-25-2014 10:08 PM)alecks Wrote: After reading this thread 2 years ago I knew I had to come over. A buddy of mine moved over and it was perfect timing for me as I didnt know anyone. Starting to settle in now with everyone and I'm working as a sheet metal worker. 18$ an hour for someone with no experience, not bad...Monday to friday and not too far from the house.
There's tons of us Irish out here now, about 15 of us working in the company I'm in, and shit loads more I've come across in my time err so far.
From what I can see is that us Irish out here are doing well, but I will say this, the Australian Irish are starting to flock here now which is not good . There are thousands of us there and have given us a bad name for causing a shit load of trouble, drinking and fighting etc. the oz honeymoon seems to be over and they're looking for a new place to ruin. I don't want it to happen
Meh, can't be any worse than the Somalians or the Newfies.
jjj 路 2014-08-26 21:16:00 路 #3074
l like a front row seat to see the irish austrailans adjust to the alberta winter
Seancha铆 路 2014-08-27 20:24:00 路 #3075
(08-25-2014 10:08 PM)alecks Wrote: After reading this thread 2 years ago I knew I had to come over. A buddy of mine moved over and it was perfect timing for me as I didnt know anyone. Starting to settle in now with everyone and I'm working as a sheet metal worker. 18$ an hour for someone with no experience, not bad...Monday to friday and not too far from the house.
There's tons of us Irish out here now, about 15 of us working in the company I'm in, and shit loads more I've come across in my time err so far.
From what I can see is that us Irish out here are doing well, but I will say this, the Australian Irish are starting to flock here now which is not good . There are thousands of us there and have given us a bad name for causing a shit load of trouble, drinking and fighting etc. the oz honeymoon seems to be over and they're looking for a new place to ruin. I don't want it to happen
I've had this exact conversation with people many times. It has become a popular thing for the Irish in Oz to claim that the Ozzies are racist against the Irish. First off we're the same race and any Paddy who's been on tour with other Paddies know's what we're like in big groups. I'm in Boston at the minute and I regularly feel a lack of connection with with my fellow country men when I see them on nights out.
It's a bit foolish on my part to think that grown men should act like grown men but their my own kin (we're all inbred as fuck there' no point in denying it) so I hold them to a higher standard than others. But anyway dumb cunts will be dumb cunts.
Glad to hear your doing well alecks, you sounded a bit shaky in the last few posts. Fair play on the job regardless 18/hr is a lot better than a 100 quid or whatever the dole is. Haha that sounds about right, anywhere you can find work you can find the Irish. Hopefully I'll see you for a pint in the Great White North soon