As a beginner (Frac Equipment Operator Trainee) you will be doing the following
- Rig up and rig down ! Basically you connect & disconnect pipes and fixtures to the pumps. You'll definitely be swinging a hammer and at times carrying 2000 pound dog-legs.
- Operate the Sand Chief. A Sand chief is the machine which throws sand into the hopper which mixes the sand with the "water" ( in reality water, biocide and diesel fuel + other nasty shit).
A Frac site will usually have 1-3 sand chiefs. To differentiate them for order purposes they'll be named Tanks Chief, Pumps Chief and Middle Chief. The Tanks chief is closer to the water tanks and the pumps chief closer to the Pump Trucks. (Stupid I know)You will get a sand order from either the company man or lead operator.Each sand chief has 4 compartments. 1,2,3 and 4. Each compartment has 2-3 tanks each.
For example, if your order is T4,2,1 and P3 you will push sand from the 4th compartment of the Tanks chief, then second then first.
Once you are done you'll be told to "sweep" and move to the Pumps Chief and push sand from the 3rd compartment.
While you are doing this its important not to overfill the hopper or let it run too empty. If you do run it empty, you will mess up the Slickwater ratios and damage the formation costing the company millions.
- You will change oil on the pump trucks.
- Treat Tanks. This might be the most dangerous part of the job not directly related to pressure. You will be required to pour two 1 gallon Biocide bottles into the tanks. That shit is straight up liquid ebola. It kills any living organism that might be present in the water and guess what happens if you get it on you.
Make sure that you always have your PPE on and try to out Alpha the other guys because they usually assign this to the less assertive guys on the crew.
I'm on my phone right now at work but let me know if you have any questions.
- Rig up and rig down ! Basically you connect & disconnect pipes and fixtures to the pumps. You'll definitely be swinging a hammer and at times carrying 2000 pound dog-legs.
- Operate the Sand Chief. A Sand chief is the machine which throws sand into the hopper which mixes the sand with the "water" ( in reality water, biocide and diesel fuel + other nasty shit).
A Frac site will usually have 1-3 sand chiefs. To differentiate them for order purposes they'll be named Tanks Chief, Pumps Chief and Middle Chief. The Tanks chief is closer to the water tanks and the pumps chief closer to the Pump Trucks. (Stupid I know)You will get a sand order from either the company man or lead operator.Each sand chief has 4 compartments. 1,2,3 and 4. Each compartment has 2-3 tanks each.
For example, if your order is T4,2,1 and P3 you will push sand from the 4th compartment of the Tanks chief, then second then first.
Once you are done you'll be told to "sweep" and move to the Pumps Chief and push sand from the 3rd compartment.
While you are doing this its important not to overfill the hopper or let it run too empty. If you do run it empty, you will mess up the Slickwater ratios and damage the formation costing the company millions.
- You will change oil on the pump trucks.
- Treat Tanks. This might be the most dangerous part of the job not directly related to pressure. You will be required to pour two 1 gallon Biocide bottles into the tanks. That shit is straight up liquid ebola. It kills any living organism that might be present in the water and guess what happens if you get it on you.
Make sure that you always have your PPE on and try to out Alpha the other guys because they usually assign this to the less assertive guys on the crew.
I'm on my phone right now at work but let me know if you have any questions.