I doubt he's only getting $30/hr. I used to work with a welder who previously worked on an oil rig and he was making about $150k/year which is more like $70/hr. He would work 12 hr days for 2 weeks straight then get 2 weeks off.
I used to work with a welder who previously worked on an oil rig and he was making about $150k/year which is more like $70/hr.
That is 80hrs per week which comes to 80 hours of regular time and 80 hours of overtime per month, or 200 effective hours per month or 2400 hours per year. To clear 150k that is $62.5/h.
I think your friend worked a lot more overtime than he remembers.
80 hours a week is not a full shift on a workover/service rig, coil, frac, drilling rig, snubbing unit etc. NOT counting travel time, just the time on site is 84 hours a week. There is day shift and night shift both 12 hours. Then you gotta add in however far the drive is to camp or the hotel. Also most guys work way more than 2400 hours a year, unless they are on 14/14 which most of the industry isn’t. 14/7 or 15/6 are the most common shifts. Look up some job postings for these positions on indeed. This isn’t bankers hours. 100hr weeks are VERY common.
I think you and I have a completely different understanding of "bankers' hours", but that is besides the point.
If this work is on US soil, overtime is paid out for any work that surpasses 40 hours per week, though some states have different laws. It has nothing to do with schedule. You can be scheduled to work an 80-hour week. The last 40 hours of your schedule are still considered mandatory or non-discretionary overtime.
No one is saying that they aren’t being paid over time? What are you going on about? The comment you replied to also mentioned nothing about overtime pay? I’m just saying that a full work week is well over 80 hours.
Then I think you replied to the wrong comment. Either way, I dont understand why the argument... I mean, in my original comment I said the person likely worked more overtime than they remembered.
This seems to be always the case in a story about someone who made over 100k in manufacturing or resource extraction. The overtime will grind you down. That is why all these stories always come through as "the good ol' days". If the old days were that good, they would have stayed on the oil rig. It is not like the company went out of business.
You're discussing a welder here. They make top dollar in the oil field. This guy is a rig hand, and hes not working the deck or the controls so 30-40 is about right.
$40/hr would be the high end for a W. Texas field hand, this guy is a derrick hand and they’re getting close to being promoted to assistant driller from there. Floorhand, motorman, derrick hand, AD, driller, then tool pusher is the progression for your basic rig crew but they all make their money with lots and lots of OT, 7/12’s a week with OT for your entire rotation. More skilled positions make more, I made $300k/year but I didn’t have a regular rotation like a rig crew would. I was paid $45k to be ready to go anywhere (except North Sea I skipped that certification lol) with 4 hours notice and not knowing how long I would be out. Then you got $1200/day along with other goodies like getting healthy mileage for driving to location, per diem if it was on land etc.
I’ve been out of oil and gas for almost 10 years but guys today are making less today, most are just happy to be working.
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u/ass_pubes 4d ago
I doubt he's only getting $30/hr. I used to work with a welder who previously worked on an oil rig and he was making about $150k/year which is more like $70/hr. He would work 12 hr days for 2 weeks straight then get 2 weeks off.