I'm having trouble understanding what these companies do. I know that Halliburton is an oil services contractor, is Schlumberger a contractor also? Would you recommend working for either of these companies. Why or why not? And if someone could explain the differences between the two that would be awesome.

Thanks and Gig 'Em

They are almost the same. Schlumberger used to be the better place to work because they had great benefits but theyve cut back on a lot of those in the last few years so now they are very similar giant service companies. Also look at Baker Hughes and Weatherford if youre going to that industry.

Ok cool. Yeah I've heard of Baker Hughes. Looking at Schlumberger and Halliburton though because they will both be at the Engineering Career Fair today and are the only ones hiring for internships (Baker Hughes is not).

Thanks for the help!

Both of those companies offer tons of services in the oilfield, it would be hard to recommend one over the other without knowing what specific part you are wanting to go into.

Gig Em

Ok, well I am a Mechanical Engineer. So anything with respect to that?

On a side note, what kind of companies are in the oil rig building industry? For example a company that is contracted to design and oversee the building of an offshore rig for a specific purpose for another company.

Hyundai Heavy Industries builds offshore platforms, and there is company down in Ingelside, TX that does, but I can't recall their name.

http://www.kiewit.com/districts/kiewit-offshore-services/overview.aspx

is the company in Ingleside. and that is mostly just topside intergration.

From what I can gather you should look at the big offshore EPC contractors.

SBMOffshore
Technip
Modec

Doesn't J.Ray McDermott have a facility in Ingleside also?

I know Aker does, Aker Gulf Marine.

Don't expect to have much of a work/life balance at Kiewit.

mts... they had/have one in Aransas Pass, but it is mothballed and I heard a rumor they sold it.


OP... look at Transocean, Pride, Parker, etc... they build the drilling rigs. JRM fabs and installs the SPARS, Decks, TLP’s, pipelines, etc…

HAL and SLB do well logging, cementing, and stimulation for the most part. They've both branched into other areas by buying other companies. For example, Halliburton sells mud (Baroid) and bits (Security) now.

Hal has also acquired a testing and subsea group as well as boots and coots.

KT,

how long would it take someone fresh out of college starting as an MWD to move up to DD or work his way into an office job away from the field?

HAL and SLB also do mwd/lwd/directional drilling. With slb's aquisition of smith they now do drilling and remedial services such as casing exits.

You can work your way out of the field in 2.5-3 years. Sometimes it is quicker and sometimes it is a little slower.

Crossing over from MWD to DD is up in the air right now as far as a timeline goes. There are a few things in the pipeline that could make that transition very quick but nothing has been implemented yet.

One of the blue companies also does some post-completion and lift. The field time (at least in the US) can be very quick to get to the office

Both blue companies do that now.

I'd pick Schlumberger over Halliburton. Better company in my opinion. Weatherford has really grown over the last 5-10 years. I went to work for them out of school, well Enterra BEFORE Weatherford bought us. GE Oil & Gas is a fast growing company. I have a few friends that work for them. I'm looking at them right now. There are other small companies that I would recommend as well, SanJel, Cal-Frac are both good companies. Depends on what you are looking for. There are pros and cons with all.

Samsung builds some cutting edge deep water drill ships. I would apply with them if I were mechanical.

quote:

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Crossing over from MWD to DD is up in the air right now as far as a timeline goes. There are a few things in the pipeline that could make that transition very quick but nothing has been implemented yet.

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Mind expanding upon that?

Nothing to expand upon right now. They have recently been crossing over more MWDs out of necessity but that is just a band-aid on a gunshot wound right now.

Because MWD is a lot easier to find than a directional driller we are trying to figure out ways to get an MWD in the DD pipeline earlier. Unfortunately we have to do this without pissing off senior MWD hands that have wanted to crossover for a longer period of time, find guys that want to work in the field for more than 2 or 3 years and get on an MWD -> directional driller track, keep MWD staffed with competent leads, have directional drillers trained well enough to get the job done, and not offend senior directional hands.

Like I said, things are in the pipeline but nothing has happened yet. There isn't a perfect solution but something needs to be done.

KT-

email?

Got some questions for you about other things..

Thanks

[This message has been edited by KT_Ag08 (edited 9/24/2010 9:52p).]

are DD/MWD that high in demand right now?

Yes

KT-

Email sent.

KT,

I went to the career fair last week on campus and talked to people from Halliburton. I checked checked the career center website and couldn't find any job listings for them. Should I just go to the company website and apply there?

AW- the posting closed last Thursday and was for a general field engineer position (all field positions). Apply on HAL's website and send me an e mail and let me know what your name is. E-mail address is posted above.

Worked at Halliburton til a few weeks ago. Not a bad experience but I've had better jobs. They pay well depending on where you are in the company.

The general consensus from people I worked with that had worked at both Halliburton and Slumberger was that Slum might pay a little better but they don't treat their employees as well as Hall.

KT is right, MWD/DD is high demand right now.

What were you doing and what are you doing now?

I was working in R&M. Now I am doing some freelance consulting in the construction biz. I might go back but I like where I am at right now.

KT-

Did you get my email?

email sent