What Are The Four Biggest Problems With Oil Field Employment?

When thinking looking for oil field employment, do you only think about the high salary and bonuses, or the travel opportunities? While these benefits are real, you should remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch before you jump in with both feet. There are four big problems with an oilfield job - which is why oil companies are willing to pay such high salaries.

1. Oil Field Employment Has Really Lousy Hours

You have to work long shifts, 12 hours at a time, even on weekends. And when its your turn to take a night shift? Sucks to be you. Not to mention that you have to work at least 14 days straight before you get time off. Depending on the company and project, this could even be 21 days or 30 days.

2. Jobs In Oil Field Have Led To Many Marriage Breakups

Are you married? Then you better think twice about looking for oil field jobs. Many women still expect their husbands to return home in the evening after work, and to be around the house during the weekends. When they don't get what they expect, there is a great deal of strain on the marriage. Breakups are common in oilfield jobs.

3. An Oil Field Job Is Dangerous

The extra salary you get for oil field employment is danger pay. Working on an oil well is far more risky than working in a factory or warehouse. Many things can happen - the drilling rig could blow up, the offshore oil platform could collapse or sink. In addition to that, oil rigs, pipes, workers and infrastructure are often popular terrorist targets, as oil workers in Nigeria and the Arab countries have experienced.

4. Inhospitable Environments

The typical oilfield job is usually found in very unpleasant places - Alaska, north Canada, Siberia, the deep oceans, various Arabian and African deserts. Easy finds like the Texas oil wells no longer exist. People working jobs in oil field need to deal with sub-zero temperatures, gale-force winds, ice, snow, poisonous snakes and wild animals.

Oil field employment pays you well, but that is because there is a lot of risk and unpleasantness. Is the danger pay enough to compensate for your life and limb? You decide. But an oilfield job can be satisfying - it takes a real a man to do the job.

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