Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
(OP)
I am graduating from Montana Tech with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering this Saturday soon to be a MWD hand bound for the Rocky Mountain Region (WY,ND,CO,MT,etc). I was wondering if anyone had any advice pretaing to the position of MWD hand. Or any information pretaining to any of the companies &/or crews in the region.
Thank You!
John
Thank You!
John





RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
Seriously, go on as many extra training courses as you can, even on your time off: well planning, fishing, well control, accident investigation, leadership, marketing & sales, anything. It's your career and the more you can put on your CV the more options you'll have in the future.
Keep your eyes & ears open on your first couple of hitches; don't be afraid to ask what may seem like dumb questions (you'll find there'll be other guys quietly thinking "I'd always wondered about that"); volunteer for stuff like the safety meetings, the green team meetings etc to learn as much as you can.
Welcome to the oil patch!
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
As far as DDs are concerned Drillernick is right they do think very highly of themselfs
As far as advise is concerned learn to live on little to no sleep. Never plan on being anywhere close to what you call home and never answer you phone when you are on your days off!
Befriend the roughnecks when ever possible, do not let your colledge degree get between you and them. The roughnecks can be your best friend or cause you problems that could lead you to get run off. I knew of a fishing tool hand that used to have a barbeque on the trailer he hauled his tools on. He would spend his time cooking for the hands when they were tripping pipe rather than sitting in the companyman's trailer. Amazing how smooth his jobs went.
Good luck and enjoy the experience! Although its been a while since I worked in the patch if you have any specific questions ask away!
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
Others find working offshore tough. Boredom is a common problem on your off time. If you were lucky you would be assigned to work a particular platform and you could get to know all the rig hands. Long time married guys say that if you get released early (say for a casing run); you always call home before you get there, that way you aren’t showing up un-announced, surprising anyone.
Learn to embrace rig humor, just don’t let anyone try to show you how the derrickman can pick three men off the rig floor. Oh, and while you are on the rig floor, ask the driller where he keeps the keys to the V-door.
Good luck and enjoy!
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
A lot of people really like the on/ off rota (I know I did- 3 weeks holiday every 5 weeks!) but as a service hand your hitch may start or end at very short notice as ctmwilliams has said above...although some people may like that- I remember going out on the piss in Aberdeen with a couple of MWD guys and one of them phoned his wife to tell her that he was going to be delayed for maybe 2 days due to fog, just as he scored with a local girl....
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
The work is not Rocket Science although it may seem overwhelming at first if you have not been in the industry. The toughest part of the job is the time away from home and family if you have one. If you are single - great. A good opportunity to travel and once experienced, you can move to other companies easily and "up the ladder to a DD"
Good luck.
RE: Looking for any advice for a new MWD hand...
Thanks again! See you out in the patch!