For 2 years I have been working in the oilfield. I've made considerable money, but I've put in more time than anyone else I know. So if you balance the time I spend at work, and the money I get paid? I'm dangerously underpaid especially compared to my Albertan counterparts.
As of right now, I work 80 hours a week on average, sometimes less, sometimes more. I work at a different time everyday, from 3:30am to whenever I get done. At the end of 2 weeks I average $1700-$2000 area. Pretty good I suppose, but I make about $16/hr after 2 years. In Alberta starting wage for my job is $25/hr. So yeah underpaid.
If some random kid out of high school, no education, no experience in the workforce, applies on a drilling rig. They will hire him and pay him $25/hr plus $150 a day to show up. That's it. Non-taxable easy $150 per day just to show up. My friend Din recently made the transition from my job to drilling rigs, and said He works less, his work is easier physically. and he easily doubles my paycheque. I feel like I'm being fucked here.
I think its time for a change. As soon as my SUV gets fixed (It went in like 2 hours ago to get the transmission redone...again) I'm thinking of working rigs. Shift works sucks, but at least I can get out of this industry faster with more money. Also I can make my rig fucking hell for my previous employer, and don't think I wont.
In 2 years, Ive suffered with next to no time off, watched as my friends and family got fucked around by this company. Working ungodly amount of hours (which is illegal by the way) and get no appreciation. Ive even almost died more than a handful of times, due to other people's mistakes, Ive stitched guys up on location, saved noobs from 8 tonnes of steel falling on them, and put up with shit that would boggle your mind.
The owner of the company is easily worth over a billion, Tony Day. Me alone I make him about $500/day, so take off some holidays, I make him about $180,000/yr, I gross about $35,000-$40,000/yr, so I'm getting fucked here. Clearly, If I got half of what I made him, you wouldn't be reading this right now. But I'm not.
I hate my job, and the asshole who owns the company, his son runs the shit, and is making me get extremely irate lately. I'm ready to quit. I just may.
Here is a picture of a huge ass bed truck and about half of
my company.
