It was a good feeling to complete our 3 day project.  In this industry, when you’ve completed one project, there’s always another one to look forward to.  Today, we had to replace an old separator.  The pipes “lines” were old and rusty, but that wasn’t the reason it needed to be replaced.  The tank battery didn’t need the heater treater, so instead of having 3 lines, we reduced it to only two. 

While we were tearing up the lines, crude oil was leaking out.  Not to worry; a little crude oil could be used as fertilizer.  Being a Roustabout is much like a plumber, but on a much larger scale.  Hooking up lines is a large part of the career. 

January 22, 2009

It’s really cold in Oklahoma and it doesn’t help that I’m living and working in “Tornado Alley.”  It feels like a tornado everyday that I’ve been here.  Usually wind is very calming to help you sleep, but not when it feels like your windows are going to shatter. 

After our crew meeting in the office, we went right to work by sunrise.  I would have to say the sunrises here are just as good as the sunsets in Albuquerque.  Before we headed out to the oil field, we stopped at the gas station to fill up our lunch boxes.  It was just like taking a fieldtrip in elementary school.  It was a little embarrassing when my boss dropped my lunchbox off in front of all the guys.  After the boss left, one of the guys said, “bye daddy!” 

The site that we went was 40 miles from civilization.  Fortunately, there was a work-over rig operating on our site, which gave me the opportunity to see the entire process.  We had to extend pipes from the wellhead to the frac tank.  A frac tank is used to hold water, or a proppant, when a well is being fractured. The material is held in a frac tank and connected by a hose or pipeline to a pump that will flow it down the wellbore at a high pressure to push open the formation and the proppant is used to keep it open.  I am just amazed how the crew was able to measure, cut and thread pipe, without any mistakes to hook the frac tank to the wellhead.  The distance of the pipe was about 100 feet. 

The day just started.  We had to spend atleast two days installing and hooking up the tank battery.  I know it seems like there’s more technical terms in this industry than any science industry.  The most time consuming part of the project was building the firewall.  The firewall is built around the perimeter of the tank battery in case an oil spill occurs.  We piled dirt and topped it off with rock.  I was breathing lots of dust all day and it wasn’t fun trying to wash my clothes. 

January 20, 2009

I flew into Los Angeles around 2AM to appear on “The Bonnie Hunt Show.”  I didn’t sleep well at all because I kept hearing cars go by the hotel.  I wasn’t used to so much noise outside my window.  Just imagine coming from the fields of Oklahoma, where you’d be lucky to see someone driving by during the day to Los Angeles. 

Thanks Bonnie, you’re awesome and so was hugging you.

I flew back and had to get ready to work long and hard days.

January 19, 2009

It seems like the whole state of Oklahoma is an oil field.  There is always a tank battery and a pumping unit in sight.  It was my first time on an oil field; thus it was my first time in Oklahoma.  We started the day in the office, where I met the 3-man crew.  I heard that Roughnecks, Drillers, and Roustabouts are pretty loud and crazy.  Maybe because it was 6:30 in the morning, but they didn’t say one word.  We were all just listening to the boss about what needed to be done for the week. 

We went out to a site that had already been drilled.  In case you’re wondering, a Roustabout is used for the 3rd step of production.  It all starts out with the drilling rig, then the work-over rig, then the Roustabouts that install pumping units and tanks batteries, and lastly to the oil refinery.  I had the chance to experience the first 3 steps. 

January 18, 2009

I didn’t know what to expect driving to Ringwood, Oklahoma.  My destination wasn’t really a city; it was more like a field.  I wasn’t surprised to find my host’s home because there weren’t too many homes to choose from.  When I got out of my car, I really felt like I was in the Twilight Zone.  It wasn’t even similar to the other small towns that I lived.  I ended up adapting really quickly once I met my boss and his wife.  They took me to my room to get prepared for my first day in the oil fields.