Well for the last year or so, I have heard alot about the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota and there shortage of equipment, Operators and sub contractors. One of my ex employes left here and went there. He told me he was going to make 30 bucks an hour and all the overtime he wants. A week later he returned only to find out he had failed a drug test. (Thats why he is an ex employee to me). Now my forman told me today he is leaving to go over there with three other guys. They say they all have high paying job offers? These guys make it sound like the next gold rush and anyone with a hoe and a CDL can get work. I talked to my banker today and he told me one of his cliants is swimming in work and they want him to bid more but he does not have the equipment. I guess that was why he was at the bank. Is there anyone working there that can give me the skinny on whats happining?
grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, as the old saying goes. Now there are certain areas that get booms from time to time, and there can be good work for the taking there. Also for however long you have been in business you have relied on relationships with your customers. Maybe you have only done one job for this person, and maybe they are calling you every other week to come do something. If you pack up and chase some oil field stuff whats going to happen to them? Can you afford to loose them on a chance of big money? Now if you were large enough to set up another crew up there that might be different, you might be able to have both operations.
I could never leave the area that I am in now. I have alot of stuff going on here. Plus why would anyone ever want to leave Northern Idaho . I was thinking of getting a crew together and a couple of machines and giving it a go.(Mabey). Alot of my curiosty is just to find out what is happening. Two years ago we worked near Billings, Montana for about 8 months. The oil fields are close to there.
The Bakken is booming...Google it & find the Billings Gazette story from a few months back. I would tell you to do a drive by first, before you just head out with your equipment. FYI Housing is TIGHT...
i live in nd and have done work in stanley nd were all the work is. im doing all the work that no one wants be for the boom you couldn"t buy that work. i have tryed to get on with the big boys and they told me that it would be best to know some in the company before they could put me on their biders list and if you do get on you need to be bonded and be able to work 90 days before you get payed you need deep pockets for that I don"t want to shoot you down but i have wanted to get in but you know what they say its who you know not what
LOL FT mc murray jr , You make 30hr but cost of living is rediculous we have a tough time keeping guys due to the oilfeild , and to tell you the truth i dont think you want to compete with those guys because when oil is up everyone goes there and usualy packed full of dummies, oil goes down they all flock back to home with long faces and out of work. I heard a story that in mc murray guys at mc donalds were making upwards of 20hr, so guess what a happy meal caust. I think steady work is better than chasing dreams that 20 000 other ppl are chaseing !
Best quote I have seen in a while! There sure is a lot of truth to that. I will add to it that it is best to stick with what you know, generally speaking.
LOL well its not often that i am well spoken, so thank you
I occassionally work up in the Williston area in the oilfield. The work is there, but things cost more due to logistics I believe. We cannot keep any of our guys from here in Texas interested in working up there during the winter. After 3 years of struggling with inexperienced locals running our pumping equipment we are finally starting to make things go well. The money is good, we made money our first month up there. The 90 day pay period is standard for the oilfield. I did notice housing is tight in Williston and Minot, as well as hotels staying booked up.
Its booming and the money is there. I am headed up there after christmas to go work. I have buddy's up there and yes its not for everyone. But I like money personally and do not mind running a Dozer or a Hoe and working 80 hours a week and collecting a extra big paycheck. If your thinking of setting up a crew let me know. If your not dreaming your not living. Oilfield will always pay better its just how it is. There is a ton of moeny to be made and plenty of work, I have a few friends that move rigs that are up there and know a couple of companies that are thinking about going up there. You have to fallow the dollar IMO works not just going to jump on your lab you have to earn it. Its cold, hard, hazardous work like I said not for everyone. A lot of guys go up there and cant handle being away from family, cant stay off the drugs, etc. If you have a could crew you can make some very good return up there. Its not slowing down either. I know a fair amount about it so if anyone is looking to start up let me know maybe I can run your crew up there.
All good advice, I saw a preview for a TV show today that shows acouple of guys going or already work there in ND oil fields. Looks like a series. I guess that will cause a flood of people headed to the new gold rush. I think ill take a drive over there after the first of the year and have a look around.
Let me know buddy I will cruise up there with you
I hope it's alot better than "Black Gold", that show is a joke and gives the public a false image of what its really like.
I just saw the commerical again. Its called Boomtown. Kinda looks good. Showed a rancher who was mad at someone who was trying to take his land. I wondered if the show "Black Gold" had alot of drama in it. You could not pay me enough to put up with all those crybabies. Kinda like watching John and Kate plus 8.
Good, we can both go and strike it rich.
Gentleman I have worked most hurricanes in the last 30 years. I tell people if they must go then get in ,do what you do best then get out. You live were you live. Look at it like a single job and do not get greedy. (it is very very expensive to work out of town not just in money) When others leave for the gold your work will pick up and your competition will have mud on there face. If any thing you should be going around trying to get your compation to go make the big money.(snicker snicker)
Help please Hey guys im looking for some help, my father owns about two dozen or so bellydumps, a loader, blade, dozer, and some water trucks, along with a ranch with plenty caliche, we are currently working for a guy that pretty much dose nothing other than go and bid on locations and take a really nice chunk of change, and we do all the clearing and roads(thats the only part of the location that we do)well we want to take him out, i want to go bid on location, if you guys can just get me any info that can help me out, what paper, bonds, licences, and who i need to speak with so i can be on the bidder list, thank alot
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I think the drilling company pays for the work your talking about.So you might get better information from them.O and expect to do a lot of wining and dining.
As others have hinted, housing is very tight up here, lots of campers around. I've lived here all my life, except a few years working down in Wyoming. What do you want to know, I'll try to answer. Jim
I grew up in Central North Dakota. We have friends that ranch in Grassy Butte. Unless you have actually lived there year around, I don't think you can appreciate what Winters are like. The Cold starts early and end late. As I type this it is minus 11 in Jamestown and 36 above in Billings, which gives you an idea of how dramatic the temp difference is. Winters in Eastern Idaho are laughable compared to North Dakota. Easy to say that for $$$ an hour I can endure anything, till your there. Very little housing available, living in an RV in the Winter would be a nightmare. I had a former employee who is working out there tell me to bring some machines out there as well a couple weeks ago. The asss tax would be high perhaps too high.
sounds like the natural gas patch in my AREA. Piceance basin. they were cranking then it slowed down. typical use and abuse. exxon, halli, williams . all those guy's are in there.
I just need a job if anyone knows of any. I have put in more apps then I count. I think these jobs get posted and they already have guys hired. I never even get a call or email back from 99% of the companies just confuses me. My resume is pretty strong (maybe too strong? stong in the wrong areas? not 20 years of experience ?) I am not sure what is going on I hate to be the guy living off unemployement but thats who I am right now, I much rather be working but cant seem to find anything. I am so sick of it. I love running equipment and seems nothing is out there. I have applied, talked to, gone to, every place around here but seems its all about who you know.
Construction,Oilfield and Pipeline work is a field where it's not what you know but who you know.If you know something on the Boss that helps too.
Who is all up there? I plan on going up! Anyone know who is hiring operators. I run everything.
You can check out ND Jobservice website, here is a link to their site. http://www.jobsnd.com/ Good luck with your job search.
bumping it up