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I work as a MWD field engineer on land alongside Directional Drillers everyday. Both jobs don't have a set schedule at all. We work a job from when we're called there until the finish. This can be anywhere from a week to 6 or more weeks, working 12 hours a day/7 days a week. Usually we get maybe a week in between jobs, but when it gets busy you'll get sent straight to another job without a break. Every now and then there will be rigs where they like the crew on location and have multiple wells to drill, so a rotation is set up for 20 on 10 off. Most of these rotations i've seen last maybe a few months, until work gets busy enough to where they have to pull one of the guys off rotation for another job, so it really all depends on luck.

Personally, I don't regret the field but for me its more of a means to an end. There's great training and lots to learn, and working as a field engineer is the perfect opportunity to get your foot in the door for better positions later on in your career. Of course many stay in the field for the money which is amazing, but social/family life is non existent.

Most companies i've seen rarely hire Directional Drillers straight from school, they usually require someone with 2-3 years experience as a MWD, or a Driller who worked their way up from roughneck. This is mainly due to how much knowledge and how important the Directional Driller's job is, so before applying I would do my research on everything rig related and learn the equipment/techniques used to drill. A good intro book I used was A Primer of Oilwell Drilling, which I know many companies use in training their new engineers. Best of luck!

Start with The Prize. If you want to understand the economics of oil you need to understand the history of the business, the player's, the Middle East (especially Saudi Arabia) and the Caspian.

These are some great books to help you understand the industry better:

The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

The Oil and the Glory: The Pursuit of Empire and Fortune on the Caspian Sea

Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power

The Seven Sisters: The great oil companies & the world they shaped

The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century

The Handbook of Global Energy Policy

Being an FE doesn't suck and not everyone hates it. There are certainly bad things about it - the schedule is the main one people complain about, but there are bad parts to every job.

As far as what you should study, it will be better off for you to read and understand then training materials you will be given rather than re-hashing Thermo. You aren't going to ever hear the word Enthalpy again, at least if you stay close to the wellhead.

You'll learn more in the field by asking questions than by reading a book. However, you need to understand the big picture of what all is going on, and this is the best book for you to read now.

Ask plenty of questions, learn how to run and maintain every piece of equipment you encounter, and don't be a dick head. If you can do that, you'll be just fine out there. Be safe.

This book is pretty solid. Elementary but is a great foundation.

The SPE fundamentals series is great - this drilling book is what I used in school and still reference in my nondrilling role as an engineer.

https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Drilling-Engineering-Spe-Textbook/dp/1555632076

This reservoir engineering handbook is the same. Supposedly cream of the crop.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/185617803X/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

It however is out of print and highly sought after so that price is real. I might know a guy that has a physical and digital copy if you want to wheel and deal though lol

> worth almost $47 billion in liquid cash would agree

This is incorrect. Liquid cash is a number you can get from an ATM or walk into a bank and ask for. His wealth is tied to stock investments in mostly Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway.

> You need to take a chill pill, get back on your medication, and take off that fucking tin foil hat.

You need a book.

I work in drilling. My location has copies of A Primer of Oilwell Drilling for new hire engineers to study. It gives a good overview of the drilling process and has a lot of pictures.

Good luck with the job search, but be sure to have a backup plan.

Oil 101 by Morgan Downey is a good overview of all parts of the industry. I recommend reading that before getting in depth with other resources recommended here.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982039204/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2jZWDbFH6N89N

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-470210-Signal-Booster-Trucker/dp/B01GDZLUJ0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=cell+phone+booster+for+truck&qid=1567152568&s=gateway&sprefix=cell+phone+boos&sr=8-3


You'll see these on ALOT of work trucks. At least here in the Permian. And they work pretty well

Pick up and old copy of

http://www.amazon.com/Nontechnical-Petroleum-Exploration-Drilling-Production/dp/087814823X


It's a great book no matter where you're at on the O&G scale. There is a new version that goes into depth on newer technology and things, but for you go ahead and get the old version if there is a huge price difference. Look around you should be able to get a copy for $20 or less since that's what I paid for mine 5 years ago.

A Primer of Oilwell Drilling


Oil & Gas Production in Nontechnical Language

The first one is available online, for free, I’ve found.

Read up on the industry so you can ask your uncle informed questions.

Not sure how old you are, or your fitness level, but in past years, a good “entry level” role was working as a rig hand... tough work, but it gave you firsthand experience with a lot of the tools.

Look into nontechnical guides that will give you a broad look into the industry and help you understand it without going into the finer details that can be difficult to grasp. Check your school's library as well, often times they will have them available.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Nontechnical-Petroleum-Exploration-Drilling-Production/dp/1593702698

or this: https://www.amazon.com/Oil-Gas-Industry-Nontechnical-Guide/dp/159370254X

This what I recommend.

I would also recommend Leffler's Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language

The title sounds like it would insult your intelligence, but it's a very good intro to Lieberman's books if you're not well versed in crude distillation, hydroprocessing, FCC, reforming, alkylation, coking, etc

https://www.amazon.com/Primer-Oilwell-Drilling-Basic-Text/dp/0886981948

A working guide to process equipment - Norm & Liz Lieberman

Edit: Should have finished reading before replying!

Well, big IOCs mess up and pollute sometimes. People are right to get mad at that.

But they get additional ire, and I think it’s because people know whom they are the polluters that use the product, but the system is set up so it is difficult to not use this polluting product. So the oil companies are an easy target.

Check out this book, it really helps explain:

https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Hate-Oil-Companies/dp/0230115942

Read:

https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Path-Wealth-financial-independence/dp/1533667926

Ignore all your friends buying stupid shit.