Oilfield work is not for the feign of heart. It requires long hours, working in all kinds of inclement weather, from errant snowstorms to hail and dust storms. It frequently requires travel, staying in hotels, working in the middle of nowhere, and eating fast food for weeks on end. Gas station food becomes your go-to when you haven’t eaten for 12 hours, and Red Bull and coffee are your best friends. Oilfield work takes hard work, dedication, and determination.
That being said, oilfield work can be an extremely rewarding career. With a different chapter playing out every day, there is lots of opportunity to learn, to move up in your career, and to enjoy the financial benefits that working so hard brings.
In this blog post, Northern Oilfield Services based out of Williston, ND, an oilfield service company that rents fracking equipment, will go over just some of the pros that working in the oil field brings. Contact us today for all your wellhead supply needs!
THE PROS OF WORKING IN THE OILFIELD
- The money. Let’s be honest, many people start in the oil industry because of the money involved. However, many people who do not like the work quickly leave despite the ability to make over $100,000 per year. When you work long hours, you often earn overtime pay, which can add up quickly. Plus, when you factor in your day rate, reimbursed expenses, and per diem, you have most of your expenses paid for while working, leaving you more money in the bank. Plus, when you’re in the middle of nowhere, you definitely won’t be spending money. Throw in your typical job benefits, such as health insurance and 401k plan, and you’re making a really nice living.
- Variety. Monotonous days are akin to death for some people. If you’re someone who dreads the idea of sitting at a computer all day long or the idea of being a glorified paper pusher, then the oilfield may be for you. Here at Northern Oilfield Services, every day is different in Williston. From helping set up oilfield wellheads to transporting fracking equipment or drilling equipment to location, oilfield work is varied, demanding a wide range of skill sets for the job. You can count on always being busy, which makes those long weeks away from family fly by.
- Chance to grow. There are so many aspects to the oil field and career paths that one can choose from, from an equipment operator to a supervisor and salesperson. Oftentimes, Northern Oilfield Services finds that some people start in one field and then jump to another over time to not only challenge themselves, but also to increase their opportunities down the road. There are always new skills to be learned that will become lifelong skills. Northern Oilfield Services based in Williston is always accepting applications on our website if you are interested in working in the oilfield for us.
- Chance to travel. The oil and gas industry is truly a global industry, affording you the opportunity to travel the world and get paid to do so. Whether you’ve always wanted to experience 24 hours of daylight in Alaska or you want to work on a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, both of these and more are possible. Frequent travel is required for most oilfield jobs because oil is found all over the world.
- Camaraderie. Typical office jobs where you go to work and work in a cubicle all day doesn’t allow you to really form meaningful relationships with others unless you make a concerted effort. However, most oilfield service companies form crews to do oilfield jobs, which allows you to form great friendships with people whom you do spend so much time with. Besides working together to drill a well, oilfield crews can become very tight knit.
- The schedule. Even though you work long hours and for weeks at a time, most oilfield service companies work a very generous days off schedule. Some work two weeks on, one week off, or three weeks on and three weeks off, or any other permutation you can think of. This is often more time off than those who work a traditional work week with five days of work and then weekends off. If you work for an offshore oil company, you often get half the year off, which is a benefit not found in most other industries in the world. Albeit oilfield workers may not be home every night, when they are home, they have many days to spend some quality time with their families.
OILFIELD WORK AS A LIFESTYLE
Working for an oilfield service company, while challenging, can be rewarding. From the benefits to extended time off with the family and a chance to travel, oilfield careers are a great choice for those who are hard-working, mechanically inclined, eager to learn, and have a passion to help others through bringing oil and natural gas to homes and businesses worldwide. Oilfield work is definitely a lifestyle choice, but one that is manageable and can afford you with a high-quality lifestyle that many people aren’t blessed to have. There are days when it’ll be tough, but that is all jobs and careers. There are days when you just want to quit, like all jobs. However, Northern Oilfield Services points out that the oilfield rewards those richly who never give up and who stick it through to the end.
CHOOSE NORTHERN OILFIELD SERVICES FOR ALL YOUR WELLHEAD NEEDS
Northern Oilfield Services is your go-to oilfield service company for all your oilfield equipment needs. When you rent our fracking equipment or wellhead equipment, we handle all of your service and maintenance needs at the location of the equipment, from Williston, Colorado, Wyoming, and more. We keep everything in working order, so you can concentrate on just doing the job, not whether the oilfield equipment will break down or not. We over a variety of brands and manufacturers for all of your oilfield equipment rental needs. All of our oilfield equipment and wellhead equipment rentals are well maintained and up-to-date for code. Give us a call today to learn more!