[Atlantic]

(01-21-2014 02:23 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

This actually sounds like a pretty cool job. I wonder how hard it is to break into this? On the plus side I have a BS in Physics but on the minus side I'm already in my late 30's.

I recently worked with a guy who started in his mid forties with ZERO experience. He just went for it. It doesn't even take that much effort.

The company I work for hired 5 guys last month, most completely green.

[Stanthe77]

Guys, thank you all for your help!

Irishman, is mwd.com still exists? Because I'm getting "most waned domains"

[Atlantic]

(01-25-2014 05:09 PM)Stanthe77 Wrote:  

Guys, thank you all for your help!

Irishman, is mwd.com still exists? Because I'm getting "most waned domains"

To be honest it was a joke. If you go back and read what I have written in this thread and the oil sands thread I have answered your question at least 10 times.

If you havnt taken the time to read it I dont see any reason for me to take the time to write it again.

[Dr. Howard]

ha! I had no idea that you used the oil sands thread to get the job irish. Canada does have preferential visa treatment for irish and australians. There was a forestry company in my area that would always hire irish students for brutal internships every summer. They said they were the easiest to get visas for.

[Atlantic]

(01-26-2014 07:11 PM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  

ha! I had no idea that you used the oil sands thread to get the job irish. Canada does have preferential visa treatment for irish and australians. There was a forestry company in my area that would always hire irish students for brutal internships every summer. They said they were the easiest to get visas for.

Ya it was all a combination of advice from Scotians writing and a buddy I had who worked down in the states doing the same thing.

I kind of feel that between that thread and this I have already written all there is to know about it.

Maybe I should clean it all up and write an ebook about getting work as an MWD and/or the rigs in general and put it up.

[jimbobjuicy]

Nice thread Atlantic! Now that you've been there for a minute what's new with the job? What do you think about mud engineering compared to MWD?
Sorry for all the questions.

[Atlantic]

Hey man Im out of town for a few weeks with little internet. Ill write up a reply when Im back.

[kimz]

(04-06-2013 10:41 PM)Atlantic Wrote:  

(04-06-2013 07:59 PM)Mersault Wrote:  

Awesome thread Sir...... appreciate your time, the information and the anbecdotes shared. Wonderful contribution to the forum. Much appreciated.

Thanks. Glad to help.

Atlantic. how are you. thanks for great info.
am sending you an important PM . i just need to know something PLEASE get back to me on the PM. just a few questions man.

[elabayarde]

I'm working as a frack engineer now. I will be doing a data sheet soon.

[elabayarde]

But there is so much info.... It's crazy. You can't get this stuff online.

[komatiite]

(04-10-2014 01:36 PM)elabayarde Wrote:  

I'm working as a frack engineer now. I will be doing a data sheet soon.

Definitely post some details on that job... Education, hours, travel, etc. Fracking has not been covered much at all on here. I'm very intrigued on how fracking will evolve over time- political pressure notwithstanding, I think the biggest issue will be how the hell these companies are going to get the water for fracking. You can't just tap into local lakes and streams anymore, so I can really see a growth in companies that focus solely on exploration for deep aquifers to provide water for fracking. Lots of companies already use treated sewage water, so it will be fascinating to see which direction the fracking industry chooses to pursue...

[RexImperator]

Do you definitely need to be in situ to have a realistic shot at these MWD engineer positions or should you do "pipelining" ahead of time (i.e. sending resumés, etc.)?

[Atlantic]

^^Ive heard of both working but I would recommend being close by. Always good to get on their map before hand though but make sure to mention you are not actually there yet to show you are forthright. Maybe a max of 2 months before you intend to start working.

[RexImperator]

(04-28-2014 05:05 PM)Atlantic Wrote:  

^^Ive heard of both working but I would recommend being close by. Always good to get on their map before hand though but make sure to mention you are not actually there yet to show you are forthright. Maybe a max of 2 months before you intend to start working.

OK Thanks. Do you think it's all the same whether we're talking Alberta, North Dakota, Wyoming, or Texas?

[elabayarde]

From what I have come to find out... in the oil field you don't really get jobs just applying online. Even job fair do wanders. I work with guys from Baker hughes to Haliburton. THe majority had family in the company or went to a job fair.

[RexImperator]

I'm getting that sense of it. I also hate applying online, personally.

I'm looking for a career change and thinking I should save up and take a trip to Texas to take a shot at it.

[ash093]

(04-29-2014 11:25 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  

I'm getting that sense of it. I also hate applying online, personally.

I'm looking for a career change and thinking I should save up and take a trip to Texas to take a shot at it.

Yeah, I've noticed that for such an in demand industry, very little postings are online for work. Meaning, I'm gonna have to dig for an opening I want, call them up, take the risk (spending hundreds of dollars) of going out there just to get a face to face interview. If successful, to proceed to work my ass off in the climates. Makes perfect sense.

[RexImperator]

I'm thinking seriously about going out to Texas in Sept/Oct to try for this. I have some contacts in the Dallas/FW area where I could crash briefly but from there I'll be on my own and on a very low budget. Do you think my best bet is to get down to Houston (where many HQs are) or to head out to Midland/Odessa?

[Atlantic]

Its hard for me to know about the states but in general as close to their field headquarters as possible. You have to collect/drop off kit for every job so they will hire someone close by usually. As you progress you wouldn't have to live as close by.

So ring companies up and ask them where their field office is for MWD services. Thats where you want to apply.

[JWAP]

(08-06-2014 05:47 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

I'm thinking seriously about going out to Texas in Sept/Oct to try for this. I have some contacts in the Dallas/FW area where I could crash briefly but from there I'll be on my own and on a very low budget. Do you think my best bet is to get down to Houston (where many HQs are) or to head out to Midland/Odessa?

Rex, both are good spots. Midland seems to be booming more than south Texas from what I'm seeing. A couple companies I've talked with mainly hire out of Houston, but you can expect to be able to walk in and talk with someone without an appointment more easily in the smaller Midland offices. I wear steel toe boots and fire retardant button-down shirt tucked into FR Wrangler jeans when I visit other companies, which shows that I know what the field requires and that I'm ready to work. Hope that helps. Good luck!

[rekruler]

(10-11-2013 03:36 AM)JWAP Wrote:  

I got on as an MWD hand with a Texas/Louisiana based directional company; maybe they're a lower paying companies because the pay gets nowhere near 6 figures in 6 months:

Trainee $2000/mo base salary; $85/day rate
Night hand $2100/mo base salary; $110/day rate
Breakout $2400/mo base salary; $175/day rate $75/day gamma $75/day EM tool
Lead hand $2750/mo base salary; $225/day rate $75/day gamma $75/day EM tool $24/day trainee
Senior hand $3300/mo base salary; $375/day rate $75/day gamma $75/day EM tool $25/day trainee

All of these levels are given $40/day per diem and $600/month to use your car plus a credit card for fuel. I think I'll get to breakout or lead pay in 6 months; senior pay is after 2 years. With everything figured in, a lead hand makes ~$450/day. They don't have an option to work as a contract hand. I've been with them since July and plan to start looking at offers from other companies late next spring after I get experience leading jobs. Maybe I should be looking into Canadian possibilities; I'd even be open to working overseas if the pay is significantly more and/or I save a lot on taxes; anyone with have any thoughts about that?

Irishman, can you share more about what becoming a contract hand looks like? Do you have to provide any equipment or carry any kind of insurance? Contracting sound profitable, but some say that you somehow lose more in taxes. Do you think the work will be as steady? Thanks again for all the info you've shared, I'll keep ya updated.

p.s., is anyone using EM MWD tools there?

Very interesting post. Seems like MWD pay in the US is drastically lower than in Canada. Atlantic posted that in his first month as an MWD operator he made $14K. Extrapolating from the figures JWAP showed above, you'd need to be a "senior hand" with 2 years experience in order to make the same in the USA. With no experience, you're looking at making less than half of what you'd make in Canada with no experience. Furthermore, Atlantic mentioned in a year or two you can get close to $1000 a day whereas in the US you top out at ~500 after 2 years. So for both veterans and freshers, the pay seems to be 2X in Canada.

Seems like the obvious schtick for an American is to get hired on in the US, get however many months experience you'd need to make you an attractive candidate, and then hoof it up north to Canada pronto and seek a job there.

@Atlantic
How hard/easy is it to get an MWD position in the oil sands once you've got some experience under your belt and a track record of being competent? I've read this entire thread and it seems like you had to hustle hard to land that first job. From what you've observed, is that hustle needed just to get a foot in the door, or is some level of hustling and luck required even once you have MWD experience under your belt?

For the record, I've got an interview for an MWD Trainee position in Texas next week and would have to quit my decently paid consulting job to take it up, so I'm trying to make as informed of a decision as possible. You've already been extremely helpful as this thread is what made me aware of the existence of MWDs, I really appreciate it dude! Gold info here.

[Atlantic]

Its not hard it just requires work. The jobs are there every winter. Guys quit, move on or get fired all the time.

It isn't quite the gravy train I once made it out to be (I was a pretty slack worker first year) but it is still a very well paid job for the work you put in. I am coming up on close to $1000 a day as of late.

It isn't the oil sands you will work in. They use a different method of extracting the oil. You will be in remote drilling locations that are self sustained. Maybe camp or maybe cooking for yourself. 30-40 people all in per project.

I would promote the job for Canada because the pay is so good and you can use it to jump further up the oil industry ladder quickly. In the states I am not so sure. I have heard some mixed reports. My close friends worked there for a year and had a great time but his salary was a fraction of what they make up here. I would only recommend it in the states if you plan on sticking with it and using it to go directional drilling or make the move to another country once you are experienced.

As for the hustle involved in getting the job - I have already outlined that multiple times (not being a dick but just read the oil sands thread fully). Its not that hard if you approach it correctly.

From what you are saying I would weigh it up wisely. Track the different progression ladders open to you and see which makes more sense in five years time.

[rekruler]

Thanks for your reply dude. Close to $1000 a day a little over a year from starting out, damn bro, what can I say:



I would much rather do this in Canada, but due to being an American and my current job situation that would be far more difficult and risky. My idea is to get my first gig and the experience in the states, and then after a time make the move up north. Hopefully with some experience as an MWD already under my belt, it would be easier for me to both get a Canadian visa and actually get hired once I get there.

PS
As for the hustle involved in getting the job - I have already outlined that multiple times (not being a dick but just read the oil sands thread fully).

Yep, you definitely provided a lot of detail and that was very useful. But you were describing it from the perspective of someone with no previous MWD experience. From what you're observed, is it much less difficult once you have a track record of working and being competent at MWD? If you can tell companies "yo, I've got x months as an MWD operator with EM tool and Gamma tool experience" are you basically a lock at getting hired quickly? If they're taking complete newbs off the street and paying them 14k a month I'd guess the answer is "yes" but I just wanna satisfy my neuroticism haha.

[Atlantic]

Ya if you have past oil field experience you increase your chances greatly. If you have past mwd experience then you are highly likely as long as things ended well and there is a job opening. Drilling is a small industry so if you get a bad reputation you limit yourself a lot. Not that that last line applies to you but always try and keep things sweet regardless who you work for.

[DoctaWho]

This may have been covered but what is the best time to go up and start looking for work? I assume its better to shoot for winter work because of more rigs and lesa competition?