Extreme heat. Blowing dust. Diesel fumes and the smell of burning gas fills the air. Is it REALLY worth it to give up your entire life to come work the Permian Basin and chase the Almighty Dollar?? For me, its a big NO. But for you, it may be a different story.
My expression says it all!
That is why I want to share my experience of working in the Permian oilfields before you decide to make this life changing decision!
Lets take a look at the geographical location of the Permian Basin:
This is a generalized view of the oil rich area that has caused a HUGE boom in the past few months.
This is a more detailed view of the breakdown of the different regions of the Permian Basin.
Right now, there is a drastic BOOM going on for the light, sweet crude oil and gas that the Permian Basin has to offer. There was a boom here about a year ago that dwindled, but it is coming back hard and strong.
The lifestyle promises lots of money to be had for whoever shows up here. People are tripping over jobs, not just in the oilfield, but all surrounding businesses are strained to meet the massive demand of the influx of people that have arrived here.
What kind of money can you make here? A simple unskilled bottom feeder position, such as a laborer or swamper (that was my position, a person who is a spotter for heavy equipment), will make $6,000 per month easily, and that is AFTER taxes. Whoa! That is a lot of dough! Just to show up with no training or credentials, you could make a small killing!
If you have skills to bring to the table, such as a heavy equipment operator, you are looking at $10,000 per month. A welder? I would say $15,000 per month! Inspectors make even more!
That is a whole lot of money, which is why people flock here to rake in the dough. But is it really worth it? I thought it was, until I realized it isn't, at least for me.
So why did I decide to QUIT my job?
1. Environmental Conditions
Let's make one thing very CLEAR. The Permian Basin is like stepping into the setting of Mad Max. And I am not exaggerating one bit!
Here are some photos to show you the conditions you will be working in:
A video of one of the oilfield RV mancamps, couldn't pay me enough to live there!
The region is rugged, and the oilfield has added a layer of grit and steel. There is trash everywhere that blows about piling up on brush and fences.
There are no trees, you will be subjected to being blasted by the sun all day, every day, 10-12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week! Maybe you will get a chance to sit in the truck for a few minutes to cool off, but that is it!
Let me also tell you, the wind blows all the time. The region has what is called "flour dust". This dust is SO FINE that when you step on it, it feels like WATER. And when the wind blows? Well, the dust permeates every crack and crevice you have! It is incessant, and will get into your lungs if you do not wear a mask!
Essentially, the working conditions are deplorable. You are getting paid good dollars for a very high degree of discomfort.
I was managing, I was dealing with these conditions, but when temperatures soared to over 100 degrees, I just couldn't handle it. Literally, I physically could not tolerate the blasting sun and sizzling heat. I became overwhelmed with heat exhaustion. I was sweating every drip of water out of my body and I developed a fierce headache. That was the day I quit, which was yesterday.
2. Highway 285
In order to reach the Permian Basin hotspots, one must venture the treacherous Highway 285. Let me tell you, this highway does not play. People die on this highway EVERYDAY!!!
It is the most dangerous highway in America at this moment. Why? Because the highway is a two lane road, RIDDLED with potholes, big enough to buck a light truck off the highway! The influx of traffic has deteriorated the highway even further, and little has been done to repair it.
A glimpse of oilfield traffic
But the biggest reason it is the most dangerous highway is because people drive like IDIOTS, like MANIACS, in order to save a few minutes of their daily commute.
People pass on blind corners, cut off trucks, slam on breaks and rear end other vehicles. There are multi-car pile ups all the time; everyday I pass an accident and PRAY it won't be us. There is also a BAD case of roadrage. I have seen people pass on the shoulder and slam on their brakes to show the person that cut them off a "lesson". It is deplorable how these maniacs drive down there, don't they want to come home to their families one day?
3. Complete Disruption of Life
Get prepared to sell your soul to the pipeline. You will live breath eat pipeline. You will either be on the pipeline or prepping to be on the pipeline.
The minimum workday is 10 hours. 10 hours of being exposed to the elements, pretty much living out of your truck, no running water, you will be lucky to have an outhouse near you! Add in travel time and you are looking at 12 to 14 hour days.
The minimum work week is 6 days, but many crews run 7 days. This leaves very little time for anything else. By the time you get home, you are exhausted. But you cannot stop there, you must do dishes, meal prep, do laundry and clean. There is no personal time, no relaxation time. You are one with the pipeline and you must bow down and worship it!
The day to day disruption is tough, but the long-term disruption is even worse. You have to move many miles away from everyone you know, from your friends and family, and move to unknown towns where the rents are overpriced and are hard to even come by. Most people live in their campers, but some live in man camps or rent places about town. You may be lucky enough to make friends, but by the time you are home or get a precious day off, everyone is too exhausted to hang out.
With this comes isolation and loneliness.
4. Racial Clashing
I do have to cover one topic that some may deem as controversial but I think it is important to know before uprooting your entire life to chase this "pipedream". 90% of the employees on the pipeline are Hispanic. They do not speak very good English and they all know one another. So when you show up to the morning meeting, and you are the only white people on a crew of Hispanics, be prepared to become even more isolated. If you are white, you are a black sheep. They will speak with you very little, and miscommunications happen all the time. You will not be included in their group. You could possibly be even ousted if they have a friend or family member needing a job.
Hispanics work very hard, and they have adapted to this lifestyle. But do not expect them to reach out to you, its simply because of the culture and language barrier. There are plenty of pleasant Hispanics that do speak good English, but in many cases, the crews do not give you a warm welcome and you will eventually be sent down the line.
You may get lucky as you might find a crew of white people but the chances are slim. I strongly suggest investigating this dynamic with the crew you plan to be working with before taking the plunge into the pipeline lifestyle.
But, if you are bilingual, you will have a serious leg-up in this industry!
In Closing
I faced serious challenges when I joined the pipeline being a white woman. I had to work hard and prove myself to the men that I could do the job. I did it and I did it well, and I was paid well for it. I wanted to prove to myself and my man that I could do this, that I could be the tough chick and work the pipeline. And guess what? I did it! I rose up to the challenge and I conquered it . . . Until the job became unsafe. And for me, it was the heat that took me out.
I had to decide if the money was worth getting sick over, dying over, and I decided that it just wasn't.
For you, it could be a different story. Maybe you have some financial goals you want to meet. Perhaps you are passionate about pipelining, or obsessed with money. For me, I am neither.
I hope this blog gives you a little more clarity before you make the decision to work in the Permian Basin.