re: I heard layoffs happened at Schlumberger today

I have no problem with companies making profits in a free-market fashion. In simple economic terms, the profitability of a good is based on scarcity compared to demand.

We're now seeing that the scarcity was artificially contrived. Just like the diamonds industry. The Saudis have decided to just let it flow, and while big oil will still profit (you can be sure of that), just not at the same un-Godly levels they're used to.

My interest really isn't to pile on to you guys. I know this is scary as shite and fricking sucks (the waiting to find out, more than anything).

But the fact is you have made the big bucks producing an (artificially) overpriced commodity. When times are good, I envy you and what I imagine your paycheck to be. But the fact is that you can't get fat and happy and expect a bailout. Part of the premium you get paid is to attract you to what ultimately is a volatile industry. Your bosses will protect those insane margins at all costs so you'd be prudent to toss the illusion of loyalty out the window.

While I can envy you when things are good, I'm not required to pity you one bit when you guys get brought back down to earth. Everyone in some form or fashion needs to decide for themselves if this is the industry and cycles they want to live and die by. A lot of your jobs only exist because you have modern society's balls twisted 4 times around due to your ability to control supply against basically endless demand. When that same ability to restrict supply comes back to bite you in the arse when your friends the Saudis decide they want to frick you, Russia and our friends in North Dakota/Canada, you're paying the same price the economy pays every day when they buy food, groceries, or anything transported over land/air/seas.

Every industry has headwinds, but because they have less control over their own market compared to the O&G, changes are more gradual and seemingly less "violent". The fact that you guys are overemployed because you have benefit so much from controlling your own markets, means that when someone jumps off the bandwagon, you pay it all back overnight.

For some people, it's worth it. But telling me I'm an a-hole for being relieved my gas/groceries/everything under the sun that I buy will go down in price won't move me one bit.

You just have to take the bad with the good in O&G.