- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: How hard is it to make a livable wage in oil country?
Posted on 4/24/18 at 3:38 pm to rowbear1922
Posted on 4/24/18 at 3:38 pm to rowbear1922
quote:
welder
"I got a trailer payment, a truck payment, a wife, and a girlfriend, and they're all late."
0
Posted on 4/24/18 at 4:10 pm to GAAtty70
Not sure where "oil country" is.... but between Houston and New Orleans, there are a ton of Refineries, Chemical Plants, Power Plants, etc.. A person willing to work hard can make a good living. I've been doing it for the last 26 years. Even with zero boom, there is always work.
As with anything, cream rises to the top... there are those that will succeed at anything they do.
As with anything, cream rises to the top... there are those that will succeed at anything they do.
Posted on 4/24/18 at 4:32 pm to GAAtty70
quote:
How hard is it to get oil industry work that would pay more than this guy is making?
If you can pass a drug test and have a CDL you will make $100k plus between now and the end of 2018 in the Delaware Basin.
If you work for a contractor doing unskilled work you can make $1000-$2000 weekly depending on OT.
Gas stations and McDonalds all have signs on the door for new hires with pay starting at $10/hr or up.
These are just examples of low/no skill jobs.
Baws with skills are all making $100k+ this year if they don't mind living in an RV in Mentone or Orla or Carlsbad.
The biggest challenge is affordable housing.
RV spots are going for $500-$1000/mo. One bedroom apartments are going for $1000+/mo. 3 bedroom houses are going for $2000-$3000/mo. Hampton Inn and Fairfield Inn typically go for $350-450/nt. Motel 6 types are going for $100-$150/nt.
This post was edited on 4/24/18 at 4:37 pm
Posted on 4/24/18 at 4:41 pm to IllegalPete
frick that i drive from hill country. Paid hourly while driving and .35 a mile. I never told them about my apartment so sometimes i drive back to LA and charge that.
Posted on 4/24/18 at 7:02 pm to GAAtty70
quote:
The report was glowing about all the OT baller oil workers. I know less than zero about the industry, but it seemed to me this guy was trying to make it in the wrong field. How hard is it to get oil industry work that would pay more than this guy is making?
If you can piss clean, you can make way more than $32K/year in midland to right now.
Posted on 4/24/18 at 7:40 pm to GAAtty70
quote:
How hard is it to get oil industry work that would pay more than this guy is making?
At 2013 oil prices, I would say about as hard as having a pulse and passing a drug test. But that’s during the peak of the boom.
The rest of the time, it’s like any other high-paying field. It depends on two things: relationships and marketable skills/experience. It’s a sliding scale.. you may be able to find a job as a roughneck with zero experience if you know the right people. And you may be able to land a highly technical gig with zero relationships if you’re an engineer with proven experience. Most “skilled labor” positions fall somewhere in-between. The more skills/education you have, the easier it is to get into the industry without friends.
Point being that if you’ve got a GED and you don’t know anyone in the industry, it’s not like you can just show up at the well site and start getting paid. Not in today’s market.
I always laugh when people talk about how much pipeline welders or tanker truck drivers make like its ridiculous. It’s not, it’s supply and demand. You can’t just hand any guy off the street a welding hood or the keys to a truck and say “have at it”. Blue collar workers still need an incentive to go live in bum frick North Dakota.
Posted on 4/24/18 at 7:46 pm to GAAtty70
If you can piss clean, work a squeegee and count to 10 you can make more than that racking pipe back.
This post was edited on 4/24/18 at 7:48 pm
Posted on 4/24/18 at 9:04 pm to deltaland
quote:
I know the guy. There's more to his sad story. Depression led to drug use after getting laid off and his wife left him for another oil baw and his F250 got repoed. Then he sold his boat and yeti cooler for heroin money. Constantly got his arse beat at sonic after only being able to afford the value menu.
So many others just like him.
quote:
received a subsidy to afford his 2 bedroom apt because he made under 32k/year.
Was he feeding a bunch of kids? Otherwise, why would "they" give people that make $30K financial aid?
Posted on 4/24/18 at 9:09 pm to GAAtty70
It's not how much you make it's how you budget.
Posted on 4/24/18 at 10:21 pm to GAAtty70
Well, pay at other jobs especially cleaning will still be higher than some other locations, but with the boom and arrival of man power cost of housing has skyrocketed.
Housing is limited to none. You will be lucky to get on with a company that has bought out hotels, apartments, or has man camps. You may find affordable housing, but will be traveling a minimum of 90 minutes just to get close to your job site.
The fact the guy cleaning has a 2 bedroom apt is a good thing. He has opportunities to make a better wage, but chooses to clean.
One apartment complex opened recently and was sold out in a day. Another one was sold out to a large oil company before it was even completed.
Cost of living has risen as well because everyone is cashing in on the oil money.
Housing is limited to none. You will be lucky to get on with a company that has bought out hotels, apartments, or has man camps. You may find affordable housing, but will be traveling a minimum of 90 minutes just to get close to your job site.
The fact the guy cleaning has a 2 bedroom apt is a good thing. He has opportunities to make a better wage, but chooses to clean.
One apartment complex opened recently and was sold out in a day. Another one was sold out to a large oil company before it was even completed.
Cost of living has risen as well because everyone is cashing in on the oil money.
This post was edited on 4/24/18 at 10:22 pm
Posted on 4/24/18 at 10:24 pm to IllegalPete
Truth
Posted on 4/24/18 at 11:02 pm to RockyMtnTigerWDE
quote:
One apartment complex opened recently and was sold out in a day. Another one was sold out to a large oil company before it was even completed.
If I had one guess I would say Carlsbad. Between cost of living, traffic, and weekly highway fatalities on 285 and 31 that town is a total cluster frick. And they are expecting another 20,000 or so moving to town by end of summer.
I saw the end of the last boom there, what is going on right now makes that look like child's play.
Posted on 4/25/18 at 4:00 am to GAAtty70
Well if you’re not a lazy sack and are willing to work it’s not at all hard to make a damn good living.
I’ve been in the industry for 25 yrs. it’s provided my family a good life. Like others have said, it has its ups and downs. If you go into knowing that and don’t prepare for those “downs” then no job or wage will support you.
I’ve been in the industry for 25 yrs. it’s provided my family a good life. Like others have said, it has its ups and downs. If you go into knowing that and don’t prepare for those “downs” then no job or wage will support you.
Posted on 4/25/18 at 7:36 am to GAAtty70
There will always be poor. There will always be war.
Page 2 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News