Hey Oilfield Guys!!

[bphillips]

The oil business is a lot like farming, during one season you chill and maintain eqpt, get things set up for spring etc. Another season its running and gunning from before dawn to well past dusk. It is winter now. ( oil boom and bust seasons typically last years ) The companies are to a great extent living off the previous summers harvest. It all evens out in the end, the farmer gets big checks for his harvest but he better make sure he banks what he can so he can make till the next harvest all the while buying seed, diesel, fert etc.

The price cuts are costing jobs, some high paid employees and plenty of hard working middle class people. It almost seems as if you think that a company should make just enough money to cover expenses when times are good, but what about when times are bad? Just like everyone else that has any sense, you gotta make hay while the sun is shining. Cuz tomorrow ( today ) it might rain.

Also I know of at least 3 companies that are working near break even just to maintain market share and keep operating companies happy so they have good work lined up when it picks back up. Obviously not the big companies with lots of investors to please.

[Pineywoods]

I'm done with oil business....we have been dead at the machine shop I manage for 6 months. I have had to let a lot of people go and went 4 months working 32 hr weeks. I feel blessed that I at least still have a job when a lot of folks don't but I'm hanging up the "feast or famine" days. I've decided to pursue a career in law enforcement. Bad guys do their thing when the economy is good or bad....It was good when it was good but this guy is movin on!

[miket]

I'm done with oil business....we have been dead at the machine shop I manage for 6 months. I have had to let a lot of people go and went 4 months working 32 hr weeks. I feel blessed that I at least still have a job when a lot of folks don't but I'm hanging up the "feast or famine" days. I've decided to pursue a career in law enforcement. Bad guys do their thing when the economy is good or bad....It was good when it was good but this guy is movin on!

Best of luck to you, heck you might even get a retirement out of it. ( eventually ) Im stuck in this business, been at it 22yrs. Aside from my full time job, work for my one man shop has been super slow ( of course ) but when I do get some its always hot. HOT.

[Pineywoods]

Yep what little we have coming in is always hot too. We went from 4-6 week lead times with some of our big customers to just a week on average now. I've had alot of jobs customers want in a day or two. We always operated on a 50 hr work week and haven't even made 40 many times this year. No quarterly bonuses this year either...i turn 36 on sunday and have no retirement and no benefits to this point. If I start soon maybe i'll actually be able to retire before i'm wearing diapers.

[BigFoot]

The transport company I work for is about to pick up a third contract for Frac sand. We've been on 2 for over a year.

[JTeLarkin08]

Yep what little we have coming in is always hot too. We went from 4-6 week lead times with some of our big customers to just a week on average now. I've had alot of jobs customers want in a day or two. We always operated on a 50 hr work week and haven't even made 40 many times this year. No quarterly bonuses this year either...i turn 36 on sunday and have no retirement and no benefits to this point. If I start soon maybe i'll actually be able to retire before i'm wearing diapers.

We have never had 4-6 week lead times. even when we were busy working 60 hour weeks people wanted stuff in a week. Not it's even worse. If you don't have it on the floor then you miss out on the job.

[coldgas]

With all of these price/pay cuts, and companies still operating at the reduced profits, it brings to light just how much money is being thrown around and wasted when the oil/gas prices are inflated.

Flame away, but I ask that you argue with facts.

Most of the "waste" come from necessity. A great example is companies providing company vehicles. When the boom was in full swing there were no employees to hire especially in small communities because everyone had a job and there are not enough houses so you can't just move people in to fill jobs. Companies started offering vehicles to obtain and retain employees. Enbridge started that trend in our area and soon all mid stream companies followed just to retain employees. The same goes for service companies or supply companies or you name it. If you don't pay the inflated prices on goods and services then your not going to operate. If your not operating then your not making money.
Now that the boom has died things are coming back into order. Companies are doing away with vehicles, service and supply companies are lowering their prices just to stay in business. It's simple supply and demand.

[denowt]

Most of the "waste" come from necessity. A great example is companies providing company vehicles. When the boom was in full swing there were no employees to hire especially in small communities because everyone had a job and there are not enough houses so you can't just move people in to fill jobs. Companies started offering vehicles to obtain and retain employees. Enbridge started that trend in our area and soon all mid stream companies followed just to retain employees. The same goes for service companies or supply companies or you name it. If you don't pay the inflated prices on goods and services then your not going to operate. If your not operating then your not making money.
Now that the boom has died things are coming back into order. Companies are doing away with vehicles, service and supply companies are lowering their prices just to stay in business. It's simple supply and demand.

Great answer. I appreciate you keeping it civil with facts instead of opinion.

The bad thing about those "extra" benefits is the guys who left good jobs to chase after them.
I know a few guys that had good jobs with decent pay, who are sitting at home now because they got laid off from oil and no one wants to hire them because they'll more than likely quit again when oil field kicks back up.

[Daddypants]

Great answer. I appreciate you keeping it civil with facts instead of opinion.

The bad thing about those "extra" benefits is the guys who left good jobs to chase after them.
I know a few guys that had good jobs with decent pay, who are sitting at home now because they got laid off from oil and no one wants to hire them because they'll more than likely quit again when oil field kicks back up.

The thing that bothers me about this type of thinking is this: Why is it a bad thing for someone to want to better themselves and their family? I pay better than most of my competitors, but less than other jobs in my industry. I can't afford to pay consultant wages to a technician. But if that same tech got an opportunity as a consultant making more money and left my shop, I would be happy for the guy (provided he gave me a heads up). If it didn't work out, and he was a good hand AND I needed the help, I would rehire him. I don't see a problem. When I hire, I hope they are awesome employees and stay for a long time, but I have to face the reality that people will leave for better pay or even for better opportunities for advancement or sometimes they leave simply for a change of pace. That is just the way life works.

[denowt]

The thing that bothers me about this type of thinking is this: Why is it a bad thing for someone to want to better themselves and their family? I pay better than most of my competitors, but less than other jobs in my industry. I can't afford to pay consultant wages to a technician. But if that same tech got an opportunity as a consultant making more money and left my shop, I would be happy for the guy (provided he gave me a heads up). If it didn't work out, and he was a good hand AND I needed the help, I would rehire him. I don't see a problem. When I hire, I hope they are awesome employees and stay for a long time, but I have to face the reality that people will leave for better pay or even for better opportunities for advancement or sometimes they leave simply for a change of pace. That is just the way life works.

Nothing wrong with bettering themselves.
But depending on the type of job, the employer spends money on training.
If someone quits shortly after training for a higher paying job, then the employer has to spend the money on training on another employee.
In a small town, everyone knows everyone and some people have a reputation for jumping ship every few months because they're chasing dollars.
No one wants to hire them because they won't stick around.

[coldgas]

Great answer. I appreciate you keeping it civil with facts instead of opinion.

The bad thing about those "extra" benefits is the guys who left good jobs to chase after them.
I know a few guys that had good jobs with decent pay, who are sitting at home now because they got laid off from oil and no one wants to hire them because they'll more than likely quit again when oil field kicks back up.

One of the things I hear people complain about most is that we are overpaid. Unless some one is specialized like and I&E tech or a consultant or mechanic, most hands in our area make in the 20 to $30/hour range depending on experience. 2 years ago I made close to $120k at an hourly rate of $25. If you do the math you will see that is a lot of OT! I hate that I dont make that money now becuase they cut our OT to almost nothing but it is nice to have my whole 7 days off to spend at home instead of a gas plant.

Yes there are/were a lot of people making great money but they earn every cent of it.

[denowt]

One of the things I hear people complain about most is that we are overpaid. Unless some one is specialized like and I&E tech or a consultant or mechanic, most hands in our area make in the 20 to $30/hour range depending on experience. 2 years ago I made close to $120k at an hourly rate of $25. If you do the math you will see that is a lot of OT! I hate that I dont make that money now becuase they cut our OT to almost nothing but it is nice to have my whole 7 days off to spend at home instead of a gas plant.



Yes there are/were a lot of people making great money but they earn every cent of it.

Not trying to argue, but most people would also say they deserve every cent of their pay.

My point is/was there are people who left good paying jobs to work in an oil job.
Then they complain about being gone from home/family.
Now they're sitting at home because oil field slowed down.
They now fall into 1 of 2 categories.
1. They won't take a normal wage job because the pay is "beneath" them.
2. No one will hire them because they'll quit as soon as oil field picks back up.

[JW]

Not trying to argue, but most people would also say they deserve every cent of their pay.

My point is/was there are people who left good paying jobs to work in an oil job.
Then they complain about being gone from home/family.
Now they're sitting at home because oil field slowed down.
They now fall into 1 of 2 categories.
1. They won't take a normal wage job because the pay is "beneath" them.
2. No one will hire them because they'll quit as soon as oil field picks back up.

And some of us where just raised in it. Are you in Oil and Gas?

[denowt]

And some of us where just raised in it. Are you in Oil and Gas?

If you were raised in it and have always been in it, then I'm obviously not referring to you, since I clearly stated I was talking about people who leave jobs to chase after oil money.

No I'm not in o/g.

I'm not sure what point you were attempting to make other than an argument as normal.

[JW]

Hey Oilfield Guys!!

If you were raised in it and have always been in it, then I'm obviously not referring to you, since I clearly stated I was talking about people who leave jobs to chase after oil money.

No I'm not in o/g.

I'm not sure what point you were attempting to make other than an argument as normal.

My point is that ya really got no business throwing your bs opinion around about what other people do. Especially if your not in it. Which is totally typical of someone like you. I don't get your beef with us. Or why people like you feel the need to run your mouth about folks in oil and gas at all. You'll run across the wrong Rough Neck one day... Oh, and you are not arguing. LMMFAO. Later Scooter.