Anyone else work in the oil field?

[TimbyMaTombo]

Alright man. Be careful with financial aid, student loans are going to add up fast and you cannot get out of paying them like a normal loan. Do your gen-eds at a local community college as you can get through all of them for about the price of a semester of in state tuition at a large university. Make a counseling appointment with an advisor at the university you want to go to, pick out a couple of bachelor degrees, and go in and talk to the counselor to see what transfers directly across with minimal fuss and then take those classes at the community college. While you're doing your gen-eds you're going to learn a lot about yourself as a student and it gives you the option to make a little bit of a side track and pick up an associates degree in a specialized field for a little bit extra time. Don't go to college for something that isn't a STEM related field or you're throwing money in the fire. Go work for a large company and see how far you can go without a bachelors, the time will come when those above you start telling you that you need any degree. At this point, if you've got an associates and you chose your classes well, it's not too bad to step up to a bachelors with night classes.

Also, you're young. Knowing what you want to do is not realistically expected and a lot of people you know that are almost done with a bachelors degree have missed out on a lot of life experience. Don't judge your life progress based on other people, there is more than meets the eye when considering this.

Then again, I just turned 27 so what the fuck do I know.

I plan on never taking out any loans. I am terrible at remember to pay things on time for some reason; same reason I don't have a credit card yet. I can get Pell Grants that don't have to be paid back through FAFSA and it is based on your parent's income. Since my dad doesn't have a job, I get the maximum amount, which is ~$3700 per semester.

I already went to a community college and got my AA, then transferred to UCF where I haven't done too well. I was originally a music major then switched to Mechanical Engineering. Florida has a stupid law called Excess Hours where each degree has a certain number of credit hours allowed until they start charging 3x the amount for tuition to "promote people getting through college quicker" but in actuality, it makes me not want to finish because the music credits I took ate up all my electives. I am guaranteed to go into excess hours no matter what. I do need to go talk to an advisor and see what degree I am closest to finishing and then decide where I want to go from there, probably.

[Kevinl]

I don't work in the oil field but I worked 80 hours last week I keep telling my boss I don't want to work this much he says he will pay me extra but thats not the issue in my 20's I would work 80+ and not bat an eye but now in my early 30's and a 2.5 yr old son I really don't want to work that much. I do fine on my annual salary the family time is more important than the money

[ck_taft325is]

That's true, Sleeve. It really is. Our first priority as a man-dude-dad is to provide. But, there's a lot of caveats with that. I've learned hard that it's not just about providing. See, there's an old-school method of thinking I've subscribed to and ran head first into, a lot: If the money's good enough they'll forgive the absence. It's strangely not true. My father growing up was dead tired all of the 6 hours he was home. While he definitely didn't provide smart, he provided as he knew how and at literally, any cost. He's one of the hardest working men that's least acknowledged I've ever known of. Hell, the bastards 53 and working 6 12's right now trying to tie up 3 multi-million dollar jobs for a construction company that just hired him on under the pretense of "no OT". And, he's had a hernia for 5 weeks that makes it hard for him to carry his shit into the house, heh. I'm working a fairly average large company factory production job that I can't go into for numerous reasons but, no matter what or how much they pay me, I've learned I can't sacrifice my home time for it. And I'm not always chipper at home. But what I learn about myself at home teaches me way more than any construction, skilled labor or factory job ever has. It's been one of the best grower-upers in regards to my personal life and professional life.

As the trend goes, what do I know, I have 3.5 kids at 28 ;)

[RedReplicant]

My dad is a little bit different - he chased the money / travel / etc and has made more than enough to provide us a high level of living for the rest of our lives but has continued being involved at the same level. I understand what you're talking about and it is well past that level.

[mrsleeve]

As a guy who grew up from 10 to 27 with his dad working out of the country for 10 months a year... this is how you fuck your kids up. That said, I have a certain (whether it be right or not, I don't know, I don't get the time to talk to him and we aren't very close) understanding as to why he made the choices he did, I see myself in this, it makes me know that I would never put kids of my own through it, and therefore am not planning on having a family.

.

While I can appreciate this point of view, even though my pops never traveled out of the area he worked he was never home and out working. There is another way too look at this that seems to be lost on our generation, that is you do what you have to do to provide the best life for your family and children as you possible can. To some that means we have to travel do what we have to so our families, have a warm roof, food on the table, clothes on their backs, and provide the opportunity for them to prosper and go on to better things beyond blue collar work if they wish too.....

Yes there is the modern mantra that a kid would rather see dad that have a new toy, and I dont disagree with that, but with a strong family and involved extended family there is some wiggle room in that equation. My father and I never got along him being around more likely would not have changed that much, but I do have to give credit where its due, I never went cold, hungry, or with tattered wares and always had what I needed and for that I am grateful.

I guess I was just raised old school that a Mans job first and foremost is take care of his family everything else comes 2ed including what you want out of life. No I dont have any kids, likely will not ever have any as the wife is more against having them for her own reasons than I am due to my job requirements.

If you can make a living in 40 hours, and be home every night then great I am happy for you. If you do so and provide some security and still put something back for retirement, and have some fun money along the way I am envious to a degree as that is the true American dream. For me I dont see that happening anytime in the near term. Besides I would not know what to do with all my free time if I only worked 40 hours a week again.... In my industry we refer to that as a part time and are looking for other places to go to fill in some hours.

But what do I know I am only 34 ;)

[Stanley Rockafella]

/\ smartest person in this thread

ijs

[RedReplicant]

Oh I get the pick while the pickings good mentality. I worked 6 days a week for 6 months at the end of '13 with the odd 7th day popped in there. It wasn't really that bad beyond a bit tiring. But, the family life suffered so much so that it honestly just wasn't worth it. Not to say things went to shit but you come to realize after a kid or two that the 500$ + a day OT just really isn't worth it to your kids when they don't ever see you. I realize I'm probably preaching at a lot of married w/o kids or single dudes so take it with a grain of salt. If I was a single dude I'd be putting in massive hours, heh.

It comes down to priorities, I guess.

As a guy who grew up from 10 to 27 with his dad working out of the country for 10 months a year... this is how you fuck your kids up. That said, I have a certain (whether it be right or not, I don't know, I don't get the time to talk to him and we aren't very close) understanding as to why he made the choices he did, I see myself in this, it makes me know that I would never put kids of my own through it, and therefore am not planning on having a family.

I will have to check and see if I can take individual classes and if not, where I could. The ~$4000 it would cost could be covered mostly by financial aid since my dad doesn't have any income and I am completely self supported but I'll start doing some more serious research.

If I do end up going back to University, even if only to bowl, are there any majors that could help at least a little while I'm there or is it like a lot of jobs where any degree is better than no degree? I'd be at UCF so it's a large school with lots of options, even Formula SAE if I have the time. :D

Alright man. Be careful with financial aid, student loans are going to add up fast and you cannot get out of paying them like a normal loan. Do your gen-eds at a local community college as you can get through all of them for about the price of a semester of in state tuition at a large university. Make a counseling appointment with an advisor at the university you want to go to, pick out a couple of bachelor degrees, and go in and talk to the counselor to see what transfers directly across with minimal fuss and then take those classes at the community college. While you're doing your gen-eds you're going to learn a lot about yourself as a student and it gives you the option to make a little bit of a side track and pick up an associates degree in a specialized field for a little bit extra time. Don't go to college for something that isn't a STEM related field or you're throwing money in the fire. Go work for a large company and see how far you can go without a bachelors, the time will come when those above you start telling you that you need any degree. At this point, if you've got an associates and you chose your classes well, it's not too bad to step up to a bachelors with night classes.

Also, you're young. Knowing what you want to do is not realistically expected and a lot of people you know that are almost done with a bachelors degree have missed out on a lot of life experience. Don't judge your life progress based on other people, there is more than meets the eye when considering this.

Then again, I just turned 27 so what the fuck do I know.

[mrsleeve]

lol Well played sir well played

[z31maniac]

But who actually wants to live in OK or TX anyway ;)

Because you don't want to be priced out of your homes by the Californians?

[mrsleeve]

@Nando - If you think 80h a week is insane, I work 98h/week (14h x 7d). I don't know if I win or loose though...

Last really good job (June-dec 2013) I was on we were getting 6 16's with 12's on sunday but sundays we were normally back to the house by no latter than 3 and we didnt work but about 10-12 of them in 5 1/2 months I have billed a 123 hours in a week before, and spent 38 hours on site sight on billable time waiting on a bore pull back.... With in sight of the room, they did let us go back to the room 1 at a time to get a shower though. Most welders I know put nearly double that in the back in a month, but thats with rig pay and perdiems. Last year on that job I was on most welders were clearing 7k a week at least but with rig pay and perdiem included in that. You cant write travel expenses off if you are getting a perdiem unless your out of pocket over and above that. Or your willing to keep track of all your expense Vs perdiem and pay any tax due on money left over. So long as your perdime rates are less than lodging + mileage maximum allowances based on the federal guidelines you dont have to open that can of worms

Smoo: I know some guys that are prolly just that crazy but I have never run across a dive welder, but thats more than likely because I dont have any ambitions to go off shore

[TimbyMaTombo]

I know not to expect it to come easily or overnight, but with how bad I am at schoolwork, I really don't foresee myself getting any type of degree that will lead me into a career.

I'm not really looking for quick jobs to make money fast. I am looking for a career to do for the rest of my life that will allow me to advance and make a comfortable living so I can provide for my future family but doesn't require you to go through 6+ years of school before you can even start.

I have also considered the military, but I would definitely need to train and get in shape before that would ever become a possibility.

I also kinda have a slight god complex already. One of the quotes I live a lot of my life on is "If you want it done right, do it yourself." I tend to trust my work over others' unless I know for a fact that they are more experienced, especially with things like drive, etc. I would rather learn how to do anything so that I can do it myself.

[cwatt]

I feel like I need to put things in perspective. Most welders in the patch will clear $10k a month and be able to write off just about everything else. However, it doesn't happen overnight so if you're looking for quick cash to get in and get out, you're going to be looking at manual labour. Rig work sucks balls, is dangerous, exhausting, and very well paying. As has already been said, it's going to take you a few years and you're going to need to pass your red seal before you're making the good money. And those years won't be easy work either, which is why a lot of welders have a bit of a god complex.

I also want to put another thing in perspective. I work primarially fracs, and of the 30+ people who are presently on site, there are only three or four who are making $1000-1500 per day. Knowing them, they have 12-25yrs field experience too. So like I said, not just handing them out. Even supervisors / crew cabers who are in the $800/day range have 5-8yrs experience. And one final point - there are lots of jobs out here that pay industry average, and have job ceilings where you can't advance in your field. On the flip side, a lot of service rig companies work 7-5 monday to friday, so for those of you pessimists saying you want to see your kids. Well, I know plenty of people who do.

@Nando - If you think 80h a week is insane, I work 98h/week (14h x 7d). I don't know if I win or loose though...

[TimbyMaTombo]

I will have to check and see if I can take individual classes and if not, where I could. The ~$4000 it would cost could be covered mostly by financial aid since my dad doesn't have any income and I am completely self supported but I'll start doing some more serious research.

If I do end up going back to University, even if only to bowl, are there any majors that could help at least a little while I'm there or is it like a lot of jobs where any degree is better than no degree? I'd be at UCF so it's a large school with lots of options, even Formula SAE if I have the time. :D

[Ray Smoodiver]

You have to be a certain kind of crazy to be an underwater / hyperbaric welder. Same goes for anyone deep diving on trimix.

[mrsleeve]

^
Welding school will only get so far, its not going to get you very far in the industry other than your foot in the door, as you will find you will learn 100X as much in the field that you will in class. Learning to weld a ultra wide spacing new pipe to old shit pipe, off hand while basiclly standing on your head with 10" of space to work the stinger in a driving snow storm at 2:30 in the morning, and you showed up at 6am. This is NOT something you will be prepared to do when welding on stands in a nice dry well lit shop with ideal fit ups on good materials. This situation is what will be expected of you from time to time and will have to pass NDT inspection as well, I say this because this happens all the time I have been there when they do this kinda shit and I have seen even it where there is water infiltration and the weld is cracked out in the bottom and we have to pup a new piece of pipe in so 1 weld becomes 2 just like that

Working in the oil/gas field can EAD. I took a career detour and learned my lesson. I sell to the industry now and prefer this much better.

yes the cultural environment of the Louisianan TX and OK oil biz at the blue collar level is a bit different than those a bit further north. Not saying is not still cut throat and the same basic principals apply but the mentality of good pay for good hands has a little more of a broad definition. That and down there its all swamp, All but 2 snakes and bugs are poisonous, have a stinger, or will bit the fuck out of you. Nearly all the brush and plant life has thorns on it or will sting the shit out of you as well. Then you have the heat and humidity coupled with physical labor I can understand why feel like you do.

To quote a long time Driller and Pet Engineer I know

You cant be a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles and a driller - Pete :D