Hey Oilfield Guys!!

[Skinny]

Hey Oilfield Guys!!

Good post.

Pumping is still going good in Montague county these days. Making a lot of changes to cut costs and keep wells economical.

[bphillips]

bphillips, actually there are two "can'ts" in the oilfield. My Dad told me about them when I broke out roughnecking 41 yrs ago. He said, "Son, there's only two can'ts out here. If you can't do it, you can't stay.

Stay strong fellers.

Never heard that but it's true. I'd try to find something to say other than "can't" though. Still hate to hear that word when it involves to work.

[bphillips]

Good post.

Pumping is still going good in Montague county these days. Making a lot of changes to cut costs and keep wells economical.

That's good. My brother has been running all of my dads contract pumped wells for 10yrs or so and they're getting pretty worried about some being shut in and even plugged for good.

[Christianhuff]

Step dad was a tool pusher back in the 80's. Had a business degree from Tech and dad was a wealthy Houston business man. The only thing he ever loved to do was work on a rig. He was high enough up that he didn't have to even step foot on a rig. But he loved it so much he ended up getting killed the day after Christmas doing the only job he ever loved. He was an awesome guy and loved the oil field. I can see where you guys are coming from when you say it gets in your blood. It will come back, just buckle down!

[d arrow]

Good thread sir.

[Kodiakk]

Few weeks ago they announced 10% pay cuts and last week laid off more. That's over 50% of the company gone. Watching guys with over 20 years with this company get laid off many just literally 2-3 years from retiring. Pretty sad.

[bowhuntertex]

We just were handed a tiered paycut starting at 4% for the first 50k and then 6% for the next 50K, 8% for the next 100k(which I will never have to worry about), and 10% over that. They said we are now down to bare bones employee wise, so I am guessing that means we either shut the doors or more paycuts could happen in 6 months fi we are not working. We went back to 12 hours for a few days but our client is ready for us so they put us back on 8 hour days again. Ready for the gas prices to go back up.

[mjhaverkamp]

Ripped this off from a fella on FB.. So very true and I'm sure can be applied to some of you guys other parts of the field also. I know my roughneck and drilling guys know exactly what it's like to feel this way

"A wise man once told me "Once you get that oilbase mud on you, it'll never come off till the day you die." I had no understanding of this statement other than I was gonna need some strong soap. That was almost 20 years ago when I took my first step onto that rig floor, as a young adult and learned quickly what work was. I learned about V-Door keys, swabs, shakers, liners, tongs, catheads, blocks, cows cocks, nippling down, & all sorts of words only us roughneck can comprehend.

I've given a big part of my life to the Oilfield but it hasn't only paid me back in money. Its paid me back in knowledge. I learned how to be proud about something bigger than me. I learned how to get along with just about anybody from all walks of life. This place has taught me about responsibility, about trust, about comradery, and it taught me how to be a man. It showed me that even at your weakest point, you can still get up and face the day when you don't want to.
As I walked around this last night of my 14 day hitch, and possibly my career out here in the patch, I can't help but feel sadness. The once deafening motors and pumps are silent, echoes bounce off the cold hard iron as if I'm standing alone in the middle of an abandoned place. I'll be headed home in a few hours, left with only memories of this place. Some good, some bad, some happy, some sad, but memories and experiences that have made me who I am and enough stories to last a lifetime.

But this post isn't about me. It's about us. The oilfield family because we are all facing the same thing right now. The majority of us that are left have been around awhile and most have been demoted and taken pay cuts.

We stress daily about what the future holds and how we're gonna put food on the table. In front of each other, we pretend to be unconcerned and say that we all have a plan once we get sent home. We struggle with the fact that we have to leave this life we have grown accustomed to and start over, many of us not knowing a clue of where to begin. Simply put, there is no job like this and we're not sure we can make it elsewhere. The bills, the kids, the wives or girlfriends, family, Hell they've all put us on this muddy oilfield pedestal and now we feel like we're letting everyone down. We feel like no matter what happens, we need to make it back next hitch and the next and the next just to maintain our sanity.

That's what he meant when that man led me to that rig floor and told me those words. Once you start This life, there's no substitute. I've tried getting out a couple of times but always ended up back, still trying to get that mud washed off. Nothing compares to this life. It's hard, it's dirty, it's relentless in its punishment to our bodies but it's what we know and what we're good at and it pays an honest days pay for an honest days work..

So where do we go now? What do we do? Well there's another thing that wise man told me.
He said "There's no such thing as can't." Those words are what I live by till this day and I'm trying to instill that mentality in my kids.

We can get thru this and we will. It probably won't be easy and only the Lord knows how long it'll be before it comes back, but when you think you're at the end of the rope and you think you can't go on or you just can't do it.... Then you're wrong.
There's no such thing as can't. Its a choice and a matter of what you're willing to do in order to survive. You can do anything and get thru everything if you want to. Might not be easy or glamorous, and sacrifices will be made, but you can get thru it.
So to all my fellow oilfield workers out there, keep your heads up. Eventually we're gonna have to get that oil outta the ground. Till then, do what it takes. Put God and Family first and the rest will take care of itself.

It's been a pleasure working alongside each of you. Chin up, heads held high gentlemen. We are a dying breed able to persevere"

I was 23 at the time, working on our last well before stacking the rig, it was 1983, my old driller told me to find another line of work, he said this oil patch will grab you and you will end up like me, he had worked in the patch for near 50 years ( I think he had done well for himself ), when the rig was stacked I thought it was the end of the world, it was tough for a few years but we made it ok, I am sure all you men will too, good luck to all of you and I hope it turns around soon.

[Texastaxi]

A year ago, we had more than 30 piping designers in my department.

Monday we were down to 7.

Today, there are 5 of us left!

[Robert]

Conoco is laying down everything but 3 rigs in the lower 48 1 left in ND and 2 in S Texas. If have a chance to get out I would its gonna be a long haul on this one.

[boh347]

Pioneer just announced they're cutting Rig count to half, 24 rigs to 12.

Pioneer Natural Resources cuts drilling program in half


1 image
James Durbin
Scott Sheffield, CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources, addresses the Permian Basin Chapter of Division Order Analysts during a luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 at the Petroleum Club. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram | Updated 14 minutes ago

Scott Sheffield
After continuing to search for oil long after others had shut down, Irving-based Pioneer Natural Resources on Wednesday announced it is cutting its drilling activity in half this year.

While Pioneer had 24 rigs in working at the end of 2015, the company plans to have only 12 by the middle of 2016, all in the Permian Basin, and pull entirely out of the Eagle Ford Shale play.

The company is cutting its capital expenditure budget to $2 billion, down from an original forecast of up to $2.6 billion and from $2.2 billion of spending in 2015, the company said.

The cutback comes in response to the continued decline in commodity prices. Oil has dropped in price by more than 70 percent since the middle of 2014 and with analysts saying the market will remain tough through at least the middle of the year. This month, the price of crude has fallen below $30 a barrel once again, closing Thursday at $26.21.

The company reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $623 million, or $4.17 a share, compared with profit of $431 million, or $2.91, a year earlier.

Despite this recent downturn, Pioneer Chairman and CEO Scott Sheffield expressed confidence about his company and the coming year, particularly in the Permian Basin. Even with the cutback, the company said Pioneer’s oil and gas production will increase by 10 percent this year.

We have the financial flexibility to prudently manage through the current commodity price downturn or quickly ramp up drilling activity when prices improve.

“Our strong balance sheet, derivatives position and improving capital efficiency are allow us to continue to grow and bring forward the inherent net asset value associated with this world-class asset during a period of low commodity prices,” Sheffield said in a statement.

“We have the financial flexibility to prudently manage through the current commodity price downturn or quickly ramp up drilling activity when prices improve,” he said.

Pioneer remains a believer in the Permian Basin, where it opened a 100,000-square-foot multimillion-dollar office complex in Big Lake last year.

In its new plan, the company plans to reduce the number of rigs in the southern Wolfcamp near Big Lake from four to zero by the middle of the year while cutting rigs from 14 to 12 in the northern Spraberry/Wolfcamp during the first quarter.

By comparison, Pioneer is cutting its rig count in the Eagle Ford from six to zero during the first quarter.

“We will be drilling there for decades and I wouldn’t be surprised if they are drilling wells there a hundred years from now,” Tim Dove, president and chief operating officer at Pioneer, told the Star-Telegram late last year.

[ladrones]

At least this one is getting some use out of a shale shaker.

[bphillips]

At least this one is getting some use out of a shale shaker.

Haha that's cool

[boh347]

Really cool

[TexasTK]

It is a sad state of affairs right now in the oil patch. I like others have been in it most of my life. We started our production equipment/fabrication/pumping business about 22 years ago and this will be the biggest hurdle we have faced. There will be many companies that go under and only the strong will survive.
I wish everyone the best of luck. This downturn will pass and there will be better days ahead.