[Aliblahba]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-boomto...00953.html

Proof is in the pudding. Drive up to N. Dakota.

[jdreise]

(03-11-2012 03:00 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

I'd use your education to land something. Unless your just dying to go get dirty, concentrate on logistics. These jobs pay a little less, but those guys in the defense industry never have to look for a job.

Maybe your friends can help you out in Korea. It would be another good starting point to gain some experience. And I would put your minor league experience on your resume. If I was a hiring manager, that would impress me.

It's not a pipe dream. You'll get your foot in the door. Teaching might be the vehicle your looking for. If you want to work in the Middle East, go teach English, until you find something else. Being on the ground looking for a job is infinitely more productive than doing it online.

Thanks a lot for the advice Ali. I've been considering trying to get into oil and gas because I know it's a good way to make a lot of money fast. I just threw out the ME because I know there's lots of work out there. I'm not sure the 30-50k salary for an English teacher is enough to lure me over there and live inside a compound for 10 or so months a year. Double or triple that amount and you've got my attention. I have to think about it...

With that said, I don't think I'd want to be doing logistics 10 years from now. I've been thinking it would be a good route because I already have a degree and organizing transport is something I could see being up my alley with these past few years of traveling. The thing is, if you say those jobs pay less maybe I should just head to North Dakota and try to make as much money as quickly as possible.

I graduated from NDSU in Fargo but that's on the other side of the state (400 miles) from Williston and the Bakken field. While Fargo is quite liveable, Western North Dakota is bleak. I've driven through it a few times on the way to California. January-February out there is not fun. I get bored after a few weeks in a small Thai town surrounded by little brown slam pieces. The thought of 50 to 52 weeks a year out there in West River scares me (I assume they don't give much vacation time for those labor positions). Most of the western North Dakota girls in college were either rednecks and/or 200 lbs. It's got to be depressing living out there and maybe even more so now, since it's packed with sausage.

But fuck, $120,000 a year is a lot of money. I could work two years out there and buy two more duplexes in Minnesota outright. Maybe three if I want to mortgage them and use the rent to make payments. It's tempting. My wheel's spinning now. I gotta do some more research.

Is there anyone on here that's contemplating NoDak?

[Aliblahba]

Don't forget that working the States is gonna crush you on taxes. $120K per year is be a lot less. A lot of us prefer to live abroad, where are are eligible for that big tax break. But since you are already familiar with ND, it would be an easy move for you.

Now for the Middle East. I understand teachers make pretty good here. Not all countries will have you living in a compound. You would have enough funds to bounce around the region on weekends and holidays to network. It's a plus to already live here. Employers see that you are used to culture and heat, and haven't bounced already.

I'll probably come back to the UAE when I can focus more and track something down. This was a quick test, and it looks really promising. After this I'll shoot down to Brazil.

Places like SE Asia are dead spots for networking. You won't find the level of expat there that will be willing to offer you a job. This is why I canceled my original big plan of going to the Phils for a year or so. There's money there working offshore, but I think it'd be hard to find a large concentration of expats you could link with. Their all spread out over the islands.

Logistics pays a little less, but your not busting your ass either. I know guys that took the office loggie job, so they'd have time to finish college.

[scotian]

For anyone planning on goign to ND to work on an oil rig, good luck! There's a reason that it pays so well, its probably one of the toughest jobs in the world. It would be a good way to turn a "beta" into an "alpha". thats for sure.

I work in the oil industry but I personally would never work as a rough neck on an oil rig. If you're willing to tough it out, you can move up to a better (safer) position such as driller or especially, consultant.

Check out this video to see what I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g_EHH_74FU

[Screwston]

Scotian - would you say working in Canada is a lot easier than rigs around the states?

[scotian]

(03-11-2012 12:17 PM)houston Wrote:  

Scotian - would you say working in Canada is a lot easier than rigs around the states?

Yes and no, we have oil rigs in Canada just like you guys do state side, I've never worked on one and would never do so because its just too hard and tends to attract a more cowboy crowd.

The area that I work in, oil sands is an entirely different scene, its more like mining and I work in upgraders and refineries where they take the clay or tar like substance (bitumen) and separate the oil from the sand.

Of course, you guys have refineries too (LOTS more than us), I'm sure you're familiar with them since you do live in Houston, that's the kind of oil work that I do. Those rig guys bust their asses for 12-14 hours a day, if I work a 12 hour shift, maybe 8 of those hours (usually less) are spent doing actual work.

I'm too lazy to do rig work!

[jdreise]

(03-11-2012 06:59 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Don't forget that working the States is gonna crush you on taxes. $120K per year is be a lot less. A lot of us prefer to live abroad, where are are eligible for that big tax break. But since you are already familiar with ND, it would be an easy move for you.

Now for the Middle East. I understand teachers make pretty good here. Not all countries will have you living in a compound. You would have enough funds to bounce around the region on weekends and holidays to network. It's a plus to already live here. Employers see that you are used to culture and heat, and haven't bounced already.

I'll probably come back to the UAE when I can focus more and track something down. This was a quick test, and it looks really promising. After this I'll shoot down to Brazil.

Places like SE Asia are dead spots for networking. You won't find the level of expat there that will be willing to offer you a job. This is why I canceled my original big plan of going to the Phils for a year or so. There's money there working offshore, but I think it'd be hard to find a large concentration of expats you could link with. Their all spread out over the islands.

Logistics pays a little less, but your not busting your ass either. I know guys that took the office loggie job, so they'd have time to finish college.

Yeah, the taxes definitely need to be taken into account. I've met some European and North American guys who work offshore that spend their month-long off time here in Thailand as a way to escape taxation and take advantage of the lower cost of living.

Western ND is such an undesirable place to live but I think that even after tax $100,000 to $120,000 would put you ahead of most teachers in the ME even though their income is tax-free. I've met people who've taught in Kuwait and UAE and the numbers I've heard bounced around are roughly 35-55k. I'm sure there are jobs that pay higher though and like you said, it's a better place to network than East Asia.

What do you think about obtaining some kind of certification in Logistics? Do you know of any kind of education or certification program that you'd
recommend to someone who already has a degree but would like to improve there chances of moving into some kind of admin./support role? It doesn't necessarily have to be in logistics. Any option is worth exploring.

[jdreise]

(03-11-2012 11:28 AM)scotian Wrote:  

I work in the oil industry but I personally would never work as a rough neck on an oil rig. If you're willing to tough it out, you can move up to a better (safer) position such as driller or especially, consultant.

Check out this video to see what I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g_EHH_74FU

How does one go about becoming a driller or consultant? What kind of experience/education do you need in order to get there?

The work and lifestyle in the video look tough. I don't think I could do that over a long period of time. Maybe just for a couple years to make some good cash.

[Aliblahba]

(03-11-2012 10:03 PM)jdreise Wrote:  

(03-11-2012 06:59 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Don't forget that working the States is gonna crush you on taxes. $120K per year is be a lot less. A lot of us prefer to live abroad, where are are eligible for that big tax break. But since you are already familiar with ND, it would be an easy move for you.

Now for the Middle East. I understand teachers make pretty good here. Not all countries will have you living in a compound. You would have enough funds to bounce around the region on weekends and holidays to network. It's a plus to already live here. Employers see that you are used to culture and heat, and haven't bounced already.

I'll probably come back to the UAE when I can focus more and track something down. This was a quick test, and it looks really promising. After this I'll shoot down to Brazil.

Places like SE Asia are dead spots for networking. You won't find the level of expat there that will be willing to offer you a job. This is why I canceled my original big plan of going to the Phils for a year or so. There's money there working offshore, but I think it'd be hard to find a large concentration of expats you could link with. Their all spread out over the islands.

Logistics pays a little less, but your not busting your ass either. I know guys that took the office loggie job, so they'd have time to finish college.

Yeah, the taxes definitely need to be taken into account. I've met some European and North American guys who work offshore that spend their month-long off time here in Thailand as a way to escape taxation and take advantage of the lower cost of living.

Western ND is such an undesirable place to live but I think that even after tax $100,000 to $120,000 would put you ahead of most teachers in the ME even though their income is tax-free. I've met people who've taught in Kuwait and UAE and the numbers I've heard bounced around are roughly 35-55k. I'm sure there are jobs that pay higher though and like you said, it's a better place to network than East Asia.

What do you think about obtaining some kind of certification in Logistics? Do you know of any kind of education or certification program that you'd
recommend to someone who already has a degree but would like to improve there chances of moving into some kind of admin./support role? It doesn't necessarily have to be in logistics. Any option is worth exploring.

The thing about the ME is you can live cheap. OFW's here make $600 per month. Last year I learned to cut a lot corners. I could spend $5 at an Indian restaurant and get 2 meals out of it. Taxis are cheap because of the cost of gas and competition. Most expats use them, but the bus systems are SUPER cheap. It just takes a little longer.

Companies here like hiring Americans. It's a prestige thing, like in Japan back in the day. I think with a degree you should get your foot in the door. I'm not sure about the logistics cert. It couldn't hurt to have it on my resume. Check out nebosh too.

[BrownBear]

Need some advice on what I should do...
18 years old and fluent in both russian & english
Should I go to college or try and find a job right away? I live in Russia btw.

[BrownBear]

No suggestions at all?

[Vicious]

(03-13-2012 07:55 AM)BrownBear Wrote:  

Need some advice on what I should do...
18 years old and fluent in both russian & english
Should I go to college or try and find a job right away? I live in Russia btw.

Sorry to say it but, get out of Russia. Unless you have tight connections your ability to move up in the world is highly restricted.

[Hawk]

(03-16-2012 01:14 PM)Vicious Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 07:55 AM)BrownBear Wrote:  

Need some advice on what I should do...
18 years old and fluent in both russian & english
Should I go to college or try and find a job right away? I live in Russia btw.

Sorry to say it but, get out of Russia. Unless you have tight connections your ability to move up in the world is highly restricted.

Vicious, this is something quite interesting for me, as we have the same problem here. What countries in Europe are in your opinion the best to move up?

[BrownBear]

Does anyone recommend a school for petro engineering?

[pitt]

Anybody know anything about working in the oil industry in Norway? Is the exploration field located in Oslo? How to find a job there? Any input is appreciated.

[villageindian]

Norway is one of the main countries for oil production. Most of the oil is on the Norwegian continental shelf near North Sea which is away from Oslo. Norway works with UK, Germany, Denmark and Netherlands to extract oil from this area.

Typical needs here would subsea/electrical/mechanical engineers as well as folks who can do maintenance on the production platform (painters, drillers, construction workers).

Almost all of the workers are onshore. My guess is only 30% work offshore. Infact, the oil service companies look for guys who can work offshore.

In order to be admitted for work on oil rigs, you need specific safety courses. The safety courses (standardized by OPITO) are conducted at schools approved by The National Association of Oil Companies (OLF). The OLF is responsible for the safety on offshore installations

Your best bet to enter offshore: Take an OPITO course (too many to list here) and you have that certification for 3-4 years. You have to refresh the course depending on the timelines. You need this and a medical certificate to work in Norway. You can take the course in England (North Sea) and have some credits transferred towards Norway.

Typically, one needs to have an engineering degree but other experience in IT, project mgmt., logistics can help you. Pay is usually high because of the conditions and it has additional benefits too. Of course, keep in mind that Norway has a high tax rate.

(06-12-2012 06:33 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Anybody know anything about working in the oil industry in Norway? Is the exploration field located in Oslo? How to find a job there? Any input is appreciated.

[pitt]

Thanks for the info villageindian, +1

Any info on how i can try to get a job in the oil field once i am in Norway?

[villageindian]

According to this site, here is the info they give

The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) has a database containing all published vacancies. (only in Norwegian) Go to http://www.nav.no and choose “ledige stillinger ” to find the job vacancies.
* select the category “Industry, bygg etc.”
* select the subcategory “Olje, gass, bergverk” and region(s).
* enter relevant key words ("ingeniør, mekanisk, offshore" etc) in the text box below. In some cases you can type these key words in English. Press “Søk”.

Note that there are some O&G major company sites listed too. As a general principle, your best bet is to get hired by multinational small/mid-sized firms there than these big guys. You will need to speak Norwegian and if you dont, your chances are slim.

(06-12-2012 09:04 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Thanks for the info villageindian, +1

Any info on how i can try to get a job in the oil field once i am in Norway?

[raliv]

I am networking like a motherfucker right now. I was able to talk to some Halliburton employees they gave me a Halliburton recruiter to call and email. Left a message today informing him of my entry level applications on the Halliburton website and sent him an email. If he doesn't respond, I will do it again in a couple of days. I am going to pester him until he calls me back.

There is no reason I can't get the job as a frac hand/ oilfield operator. I have a CDL and endorsements and no criminal history. A couple of employees have referred me.

Ideally I should relocate to North Dakota or Oklahoma like Fisto did but I can't afford the trip just yet. For now I'd like to set something up with Halliburton online. I might need some luck but for now I am making my own luck.

[Screwston]

What state Raliv? I have 2 friends of friends than can get me a job in the oil fields in Texas (not oil rigs out in the ocean) but I don't know. I really want an oil rig.

[raliv]

(08-30-2012 10:20 PM)houston Wrote:  

What state Raliv? I have 2 friends of friends than can get me a job in the oil fields in Texas (not oil rigs out in the ocean) but I don't know. I really want an oil rig.

The recruiter is based in Oklahoma but I am not picky at all where I relocate. I just want to get my foot in the door anywhere. I am a Georgia resident (which is probably why my applications all get scrapped) but I recently changed my address to Duncan Oklahoma (a former Hal. employee worked there and told me to use his sons address) in hopes that my application will get looked at. Halliburton has major operations in Duncan OK.

Right now I am in Houston for work. Been in Texas for a couple of weeks.

[Sabra]

I have experience in natural gas throughout the Northeast US. This is a great career choice for those willing to get their hands dirty.The info Aliblahba posted is spot on.

If you want stable, long-term oriented work, try getting hired into your local gas/electric utility. Typically you will start out in low skilled laborer work, or project type work like switching out customers' meters. You can then work your way up to mechanic, operator, welder, foreman, supervisor, etc. But you gotta stay in the union to work your way up.

If you like the idea of traveling, time off, etc., better to work for a contractor. They do a big portion of the larger pipe laying projects, which typically start in the spring and end before the winter. A lot of the contractor guys used to fly to their families in Portugal, Italy, South America, etc. when there was no work.

As far as big pipe (24" +) projects, there aren't many contractors in the Northeast US that can handle those type of projects, and they often fly in crews from Texas that are experienced in big oil and gas projects. They work for maybe 6 months on site, and make enough to take time off after finishing a major project.

[Sabra]

Anyone from Cali looking to get into natural gas, check out PG&E. Seems they're going on a hiring spree in the last months, I guess they're trying to clean up their act after the explosion two years ago.

Company has a bit of a shady operational and financial history, but they're hiring fast and paying well. Anyone with utility, engineering, tradesman, welder, or similar background should check it out. I've gotten a bunch of inquiries from them lately, look into it. I don't know Cali, but they're in some town called San Ramon, I think its near Oakland.

[pants]

I can see some people try to find offshore work in norway.

As a norwegian in the same position i can tell you its not very easy without experience and relevant education.

I am a graduate mechanical engineer with no experience, average grades, and I've been in touch with a lot of companies, and I've got no work yet.

But motivation is still high. I know norway has good safety, offshore you are 14 days on then 28 days off, as an engineer your probably making 200 000USD a year.

Oh i really want one of those jobs..

Tips I got so far is get some experience onshore, then you are in a good position to get offshore.

[Kdog]

(03-11-2012 10:03 PM)jdreise Wrote:  

(03-11-2012 06:59 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Don't forget that working the States is gonna crush you on taxes. $120K per year is be a lot less. A lot of us prefer to live abroad, where are are eligible for that big tax break. But since you are already familiar with ND, it would be an easy move for you.

Now for the Middle East. I understand teachers make pretty good here. Not all countries will have you living in a compound. You would have enough funds to bounce around the region on weekends and holidays to network. It's a plus to already live here. Employers see that you are used to culture and heat, and haven't bounced already.

I'll probably come back to the UAE when I can focus more and track something down. This was a quick test, and it looks really promising. After this I'll shoot down to Brazil.

Places like SE Asia are dead spots for networking. You won't find the level of expat there that will be willing to offer you a job. This is why I canceled my original big plan of going to the Phils for a year or so. There's money there working offshore, but I think it'd be hard to find a large concentration of expats you could link with. Their all spread out over the islands.

Logistics pays a little less, but your not busting your ass either. I know guys that took the office loggie job, so they'd have time to finish college.

Yeah, the taxes definitely need to be taken into account. I've met some European and North American guys who work offshore that spend their month-long off time here in Thailand as a way to escape taxation and take advantage of the lower cost of living.

Western ND is such an undesirable place to live but I think that even after tax $100,000 to $120,000 would put you ahead of most teachers in the ME even though their income is tax-free. I've met people who've taught in Kuwait and UAE and the numbers I've heard bounced around are roughly 35-55k. I'm sure there are jobs that pay higher though and like you said, it's a better place to network than East Asia.

What do you think about obtaining some kind of certification in Logistics? Do you know of any kind of education or certification program that you'd
recommend to someone who already has a degree but would like to improve there chances of moving into some kind of admin./support role? It doesn't necessarily have to be in logistics. Any option is worth exploring.

Do you know what position those European and American guys working offshore Thailand were doing?