Oil Companies

[davev1977]

Hi, my wife and I live in Kentucky currently. I work as a geologist for a coal company, she's an elementary school special education teacher. I'm 31 years old, she's 27. We're thinking about moving to Houston where I'd like to work as a geologist/geophysicist for an oil company. I understand the opportunities are exceptional right now and I've been interested in that type of work since I was in school a couple of years ago. I'm hoping to hear from people who work in the petroleum industry, especially from geoscientists, who can give me some tips for landing a job and finding a good place to live. We'd be interested in a good child-friendly suburb like Sugar Land where the schools have good reputations and the commute is manageable (a relative proposition, I know). Is anyone out there who can offer some advice? I've done plenty of research on the major oil company websites but some insider information would be much appreciated! What is life like for those of you on the "inside"?? Also, can anyone suggest which companies are the most/least desirable to work for and why? Thanks!!

Edited May 12, 2008 by davev1977

[Vertigo58]

Best of luck, most are going through major reorganizations and only accepting "contract positions". That could mean working temp any where from 6 months to 5 years. It all depends on the individual. What works for a single man wont work for a couple and add children. Some can handle not having health insurance while some can while working contract. Not to discourage you but thats what has been accuring here with at least 4 major companies I know of and still speak to old coworkers/friends most barely clinging in to what they have. Keep trying you never know. Finally, always prepare yourself for a career change. Garner as much experience while at any major company so you can transition those skills to another career. You can get tons of advice on Yahoo Jobs, etc. Try www.LinkedIn.com you will be glad you did.

[jgriff]

I wouldn't worry too much about being contract. There are people that work their entire careers and prefer it that way. They just buy their own insurance. In the downstream engineering business you usually get a little higher pay rate as contract to make up for the benefits you give up.

[davev1977]

Best of luck, most are going through major reorganizations and only accepting "contract positions". That could mean working temp any where from 6 months to 5 years. It all depends on the individual. What works for a single man wont work for a couple and add children. Some can handle not having health insurance while some can while working contract. Not to discourage you but thats what has been accuring here with at least 4 major companies I know of and still speak to old coworkers/friends most barely clinging in to what they have. Keep trying you never know. Finally, always prepare yourself for a career change. Garner as much experience while at any major company so you can transition those skills to another career. You can get tons of advice on Yahoo Jobs, etc. Try www.LinkedIn.com you will be glad you did.

Thanks for the advice. I have joined LinkedIn.com and it looks like a useful tool. I've heard people say things similar to what you said, but only in regards to a few specific companies. The industry as a whole appears to be in good health. I'm in the coal industry and we have our ups and downs, too. What I'm hoping for is a good chance at a higher standard of living. For example, the town we live in is small. There isn't a great deal to do around here other than hunting/fishing/etc., which is fine, but I miss the variety of a bigger city (I grew up around Seattle). I also think the oil companies, being larger than our coal companies, offer a greater opportunity for upward mobility and a career that could expand my skill set and ultimately prove more satisfying. I don't know if this is true or not, I've never worked in such a big corporate environment. We really need to visit the Houston area and get a feel for the place. See what it would be like to live there, I suppose.

I wouldn't worry too much about being contract. There are people that work their entire careers and prefer it that way. They just buy their own insurance. In the downstream engineering business you usually get a little higher pay rate as contract to make up for the benefits you give up.

What percentage would you say works contract? And is it more common for certain companies or certain types of companies?

[sifuwong]

Best of luck, most are going through major reorganizations and only accepting "contract positions". That could mean working temp any where from 6 months to 5 years. It all depends on the individual. What works for a single man wont work for a couple and add children. Some can handle not having health insurance while some can while working contract. Not to discourage you but thats what has been accuring here with at least 4 major companies I know of and still speak to old coworkers/friends most barely clinging in to what they have. Keep trying you never know. Finally, always prepare yourself for a career change. Garner as much experience while at any major company so you can transition those skills to another career. You can get tons of advice on Yahoo Jobs, etc. Try www.LinkedIn.com you will be glad you did.

you mean your friend/co-workers are barely hanging on to their geologists positions? there seems to be quite a demand for geologists and not enough supply.

[sunsets]

Our household has two residents geoscientists currently working for one of the major oil companies.

One of them tells me the big corporations tend to hire two types of geologists: those with advanced degrees in geology/geophysics, and those who have a lot of previous experience in the oil industry.

OP, I'm guessing you have a bachelor's degree? (please correct me if I'm wrong) The resident geoscientist says that if you're serious about getting in the door at one of the majors, look into going back to school and getting a Master's - preferably at a program that gets a lot of recruitment from oil companies.

Mind you, this is the way they got into the biz (PhD in a program that sends more than half of its grads to Big Oil), so there very well might be other avenues to employment.

As far as working for said Big Oil companies, it's treating them pretty well. The pay and benefits are great, but as with all jobs, working conditions are highly dependant upon the immediate supervisor and the group dynamics. The good thing is that in the big companies there are lots of groups from which to choose and lateral movement is not too difficult.

[MidtownCoog]

I too am in the biz. I don't think it's nearly as dire as Vertigo suggests.

Lots of demand for engineers, drafsmen and measurement anlayst type folk. And once you add these types there is trickle-down in other departments.

And contract is cool if you ask me. We have one guy who has been contract seven years. They tried to convert him but he keeps saying no.

[Vertigo58]

For those with a degree in Finance. The specific oil company I was in needs you. This trend started a few years ago that I read and heard of. Finance.

[H-Town Man]

Best of luck, most are going through major reorganizations and only accepting "contract positions". That could mean working temp any where from 6 months to 5 years. It all depends on the individual. What works for a single man wont work for a couple and add children. Some can handle not having health insurance while some can while working contract. Not to discourage you but thats what has been accuring here with at least 4 major companies I know of and still speak to old coworkers/friends most barely clinging in to what they have. Keep trying you never know. Finally, always prepare yourself for a career change. Garner as much experience while at any major company so you can transition those skills to another career. You can get tons of advice on Yahoo Jobs, etc. Try www.LinkedIn.com you will be glad you did.

What kind of reorganizations are these companies going through? You would think that everyone in the oil industry would be doing extremely well right now and hiring left and right. What am I missing here?

[MidtownCoog]

The only re-orgs I am seeing are as a result of acquisitions. Everyone is swapping assets.

[sifuwong]

I too am in the biz. I don't think it's nearly as dire as Vertigo suggests.

Lots of demand for engineers, drafsmen and measurement anlayst type folk. And once you add these types there is trickle-down in other departments.

And contract is cool if you ask me. We have one guy who has been contract seven years. They tried to convert him but he keeps saying no.

Yeah...i don't blame him and know why. The hourly rates are way up there!

[davev1977]

Yeah...i don't blame him and know why. The hourly rates are way up there!

Do you know what the hourly rates are, approximately?

[Mark F. Barnes]

Rockhound jobs in the petroleum field are mostly going to key on actual exploration experience. Coming from a coal background doesn't crossover much, unless you hookup with a group chasing coal-bed methane. One thing you may try is a placement or consulting firm, there are numerous in Houston, that can help you make the transition, because some of the better ones have support staff to lean on. El Paso could be a good place to hit up, the head rockhound there is Rene Decou, he's as nice a fella as you ever meet, known him over 30 years, and he's as good as the come. He does all the hiring and firing in the geology dept for EP. You might try www.rigzone.com and search the jobs in the geosciences there, a lot of recruiters work that pretty hard. You can start out contract through a firm, and wind up on full time after you prove your worth. Don't know how familiar you are with a lot of the new software that out now, but that is a big key now, you'll definitely be behind the curve if you aren't, but that is fixable. I've spent the last 40 years in the drilling end, and it's workable, you are just going to have to hustle, pick up quickly and sell yourself.

If I were giving my best guess for you to make the move as easy as possible, I'd say slip resumes to Cheryl Collarini, Susan Hughart, or Subsurface Consultants & Associates. All of these are always looking to staff people to fill your wishes.

[davev1977]

Rockhound jobs in the petroleum field are mostly going to key on actual exploration experience. Coming from a coal background doesn't crossover much, unless you hookup with a group chasing coal-bed methane. One thing you may try is a placement or consulting firm, there are numerous in Houston, that can help you make the transition, because some of the better ones have support staff to lean on. El Paso could be a good place to hit up, the head rockhound there is Rene Decou, he's as nice a fella as you ever meet, known him over 30 years, and he's as good as the come. He does all the hiring and firing in the geology dept for EP. You might try www.rigzone.com and search the jobs in the geosciences there, a lot of recruiters work that pretty hard. You can start out contract through a firm, and wind up on full time after you prove your worth. Don't know how familiar you are with a lot of the new software that out now, but that is a big key now, you'll definitely be behind the curve if you aren't, but that is fixable. I've spent the last 40 years in the drilling end, and it's workable, you are just going to have to hustle, pick up quickly and sell yourself.

If I were giving my best guess for you to make the move as easy as possible, I'd say slip resumes to Cheryl Collarini, Susan Hughart, or Subsurface Consultants & Associates. All of these are always looking to staff people to fill your wishes.

Thank you for the information, I'll explore each of those avenues. I just looked at El Paso's website and was very impressed. They seem to offer everything I'm looking for and I was getting excited by the prospect. I certainly need to learn the software as quickly as possible, but I'm ready, willing, and able. Almost more than anything, working as part of a team appeals to me. Right now I work largely on my own as I'm responsible for overseeing our exploratory drilling and geological data management, drawing maps and cross-sections, etc. I do collaborate with our engineers, but I'm the only geologist for our Kentucky subsidiaries. I enjoy my job and the independence is good and all, but it would also be fun to be a part of some larger projects with several other geoscientists working together to solve problems and such.

[davev1977]

Has anyone ever heard of an oil company sending their geoscientists back to school to earn a phd (at UT-Austin or Tex A&M for example) in order to move into the research and development side of the company?

[Mark F. Barnes]

Actually most of the bigger companies have a continuing education program, built into their promptional standards. They also almost always pickup the tab if you continue on with them. Texaco repaid nearly all of my educational expenses, with my career with them. Shell assisted me with my DEng, and I was just a long-term contract engineer with them. Them sending Geos back to school is not unusual at all.

[davev1977]

Actually most of the bigger companies have a continuing education program, built into their promptional standards. They also almost always pickup the tab if you continue on with them. Texaco repaid nearly all of my educational expenses, with my career with them. Shell assisted me with my DEng, and I was just a long-term contract engineer with them. Them sending Geos back to school is not unusual at all.

That is excellent. I really want to continue my education, too. I'd love more physics, math, and geophyisics, as well as other subjects like spanish, english, business, etc. ls "DEng" a "degree in English" or "doctorate in english" or something else?

Has anyone ever heard of an oil company sending their geoscientists back to school to earn a phd (at UT-Austin or Tex A&M for example) in order to move into the research and development side of the company?

Where did you take your courses, by the way? Also, I realized "DEng" is engineering, not english. duh.

[Mark F. Barnes]

TAMU

[davev1977]

TAMU

How exactly did you manage that? It seems that would be a long commute every day. Did you work and take classes at the same time? Or did you live in College Station for awhile?

[TJones]

...

I'm sorry, wrong thread, I know, but this is oil related and I didn't get to post this in Puma's thread because he requested to close it down. Boo Hoo !

Edited May 12, 2008 by TJones

[davev1977]

quote name='TheNiche' date='Friday, May 9th, 2008 @ 6:07pm' post='248290']

I don't watch televised sports (unless I'm highly intoxicated), so no, I don't scream at the tube on a two-minute warning. And I don't purchase Rockets tickets or eat Big Macs, so that's not much of an issue, either.

Dude, Rockets tickets I can understand, but BIGMACS, who the hell doesn;t like a BIGMAC ??? FREAK !!!!

Anywho..... Price of gas should be consistent with the price of oil. Oil barells have doubled where as gas has TRIPLED ??? Does not make sense at all, at least not to me. Especially when there is NO OIL SHORTAGE !!!! Speculators are worried about Venezuela ? C'mon, Chavez's output is fifth in the world and they are buying from Russia in order to meet their numbers. Chavez's production has been cut drastically. He isn't saving up his resources, he is running out of them in that region. Someone at OPEC has their hands up these oil specualtors rear ends and these puppets are ruining our way of life right now.

A theory that has crossed my mind is that this could very possibly be a ploy by Bush, yes I said Bush, in order to push congress to open up ANWAR. Just a hunch.

I'm sorry, wrong thread, I know, but this is oil related and I didn't get to post this in Puma's thread because he requested to close it down. Boo Hoo !

I agree...wrong thread.

Edited May 22, 2008 by davev1977

[Mark F. Barnes]

How exactly did you manage that? It seems that would be a long commute every day. Did you work and take classes at the same time? Or did you live in College Station for awhile?

I live closer to campus than I do down town. I commuted from BCS to Downtown for 7 years, (talk about getting old quick) before I built my home in Montgomery. It was a happy medium for me. It cut my commute in half and was still close to home. My family homestead is just outside of Bryan off of Dilly Shaw Tap near Kurten, technically Wixon Valley. I still have a home on 575 acres in Brazos County, but my primary home is on 83 acres in Montgomery County. I prefer not to live in the city by choice, the commute can be a pain, but we love our space, and horses are hard to raise in Bellaire or Memorial. Taxes are less out here, and we like our privacy. Just not a city kinda dude I reckon.

[TJones]

I agree...wrong thread. I chose this forum for the very fact that I was finally able to find a group of people who weren't bashing each other over the head with politics. There are plenty of other places to hate Bush and fight over politics, but I was hoping that here I could get some advice about living in Houston and working for an oil company and providing for my family. Can we please not talk politics??? I could find a forum about how grasshoppers chew grass and people would be blaming Bush for their burnt toast that morning. Unreal.

Dave I completely APOLOGIZE to you and others. I am NOT hating on Bush either, in fact Mark F. will tell you, I am probably the most vocal supporter of him on here. I just needed a thread that pertained to oil, and I needed to be heard on it. I will happily remove my post as not to cause you any further pain my friend.

Edited May 12, 2008 by TJones

[davev1977]

Dave I completely APOLOGIZE to you and others. I am NOT hating on Bush either, in fact Mark F. will tell you, I am proably the most vocal supporter of him on here. I just needed a thread that pertained to oil, and I needed to be heard on it. I will happily remove my post as not to cause you any further pain my friend.

No, no, you're alright. In fact, your post was not as bad as I made it out to be. I just got the wrong idea I think. When I first created this topic I was afraid the first thing that would happen would be somebody would criticize me for wanting to work for an oil company, their reputations being what they are. I was very happy to get good advice and positive feedback about it. Thanks for the apology, though probably unnecessary.

[davev1977]

I live closer to campus than I do down town. I commuted from BCS to Downtown for 7 years, (talk about getting old quick) before I built my home in Montgomery. It was a happy medium for me. It cut my commute in half and was still close to home. My family homestead is just outside of Bryan off of Dilly Shaw Tap near Kurten, technically Wixon Valley. I still have a home on 575 acres in Brazos County, but my primary home is on 83 acres in Montgomery County. I prefer not to live in the city by choice, the commute can be a pain, but we love our space, and horses are hard to raise in Bellaire or Memorial. Taxes are less out here, and we like our privacy. Just not a city kinda dude I reckon.

Man, that sounds like a good life! Very American. Congrats to you. That's a whole lot of land, too. I can appreciate the thing about horses, they're pretty popular here in Kentucky, as well. My sister loves horses and owned one up in Montana while she was in college. Made me want to do the same some day. Is there much land available down there still at a decent price?

Edited May 22, 2008 by davev1977

[jc281]

What kind of reorganizations are these companies going through? You would think that everyone in the oil industry would be doing extremely well right now and hiring left and right. What am I missing here?

It was really only one of the majors. No one seems to get anything they do anyway.

Most companies are keeping everyone they possibly can and hiring more regularily.

As far as the education thing, most will help you 80-100% -IF- you do it outside of work hours. (night school, uggg) Usually with some sort of contract in place too, ie. you stay for 2 yrs after graduation. The majors often have programs for the tenured elite employees that will send them off the top schools and get a master's while still on the payroll. These are extremely difficult to get but do exist.

Edited May 13, 2008 by jc281

[davev1977]

It was really only one of the majors. No one seems to get anything they do anyway.

Most companies are keeping everyone they possibly can and hiring more regularily.

As far as the education thing, most will help you 80-100% -IF- you do it outside of work hours. (night school, uggg) Usually with some sort of contract in place too, ie. you stay for 2 yrs after graduation. The majors often have programs for the tenured elite employees that will send them off the top schools and get a master's while still on the payroll. These are extremely difficult to get but do exist.

Night school doesn't sound appealing. Probably the only way it could be done would be to go to a school in Houston. No way could I go all the way out to TAMU or something like that. I'd rather take 2-3 years off and just get it all done at once, anyway. Which company do you work for? How do you like it? Any other oil company employees: how do you like working for your company? Do they treat you pretty well, other than giving good compensation/benefits?

[jc281]

Night school doesn't sound appealing. Probably the only way it could be done would be to go to a school in Houston. No way could I go all the way out to TAMU or something like that. I'd rather take 2-3 years off and just get it all done at once, anyway. Which company do you work for? How do you like it? Any other oil company employees: how do you like working for your company? Do they treat you pretty well, other than giving good compensation/benefits?

Yup, it would be have to be in the Houston area and there are some decent options, but it takes a ton of dedication for no sure payoff, IMO.

As far as being happy with a co, it will all vary. A lot depends on the quality of people in your team and your manager. This can change drastically within organizations depending on which part of a company you go into (duh). Its a gamble - but as you interview try to feel around and focus on the most important thing - the type/quality of work. Since you are coming from Coal, research the variances in geological work as far as Onshore US vs. Deepwater GoM vs. Foreign projects. Seismic interpretation etc will be big in the newer exploration areas: Offshore Africa/Vietnam/Carribbean..the list goes on. If you are able to decipher a specific type of work within "Oil" it will help narrow your search quite a bit

Best of luck

Edited May 14, 2008 by jc281

[davev1977]

Yup, it would be have to be in the Houston area and there are some decent options, but it takes a ton of dedication for no sure payoff, IMO.

As far as being happy with a co, it will all vary. A lot depends on the quality of people in your team and your manager. This can change drastically within organizations depending on which part of a company you go into (duh). Its a gamble - but as you interview try to feel around and focus on the most important thing - the type/quality of work. Since you are coming from Coal, research the variances in geological work as far as Onshore US vs. Deepwater GoM vs. Foreign projects. Seismic interpretation etc will be big in the newer exploration areas: Offshore Africa/Vietnam/Carribbean..the list goes on. If you are able to decipher a specific type of work within "Oil" it will help narrow your search quite a bit

Best of luck

Thank you, great advice. On another topic, do you think there is any reason to believe that pay rates, bonuses, or hiring might decrease with the election of our next president since both likely candidates, McCain and Obama, express concern about global warming and have indicated they might hold oil companies accountable in some way? I doubt either one would actually do much harm to the industry in light of the fact that we will continue to need oil and will need to further our exploration and development activities, and the hiring activities are more related to a shortage of geoscientists in general, but might there be any impact at all?

[woody_hawkeye]

Has anyone ever heard of an oil company sending their geoscientists back to school to earn a phd (at UT-Austin or Tex A&M for example) in order to move into the research and development side of the company?

Chevron moved away from doing research years ago. The researchers generally manage research in universities and contracting companies rather than actually do it. The strategy is to leverage research under the practical guidance of those who actually need it, rather than the other way around.

It is difficult getting into oil companies these days. Teams hire rather than companies, except in recruiting efforts where the teams are encouraged to take on inewxperienced people from the universities. Those tend to get in the door through summer programs and they come from special schools, sponsored by folks who went to school at those special schools, e.g., Colorado School of Mines. The best ways of finding work in those companies are through networking and contracting, already covered in this thread.