Hey all,

I'm a senior graduating in May, and have been offered 2 field engineering positions:

1) Pressure Pumping (Frac) Engineer in South Texas, with BH.

2) Completion Tools in offshore GOM, with Halliburton.

The base salary from BH is 20k higher, and the signing bonus is higher as well, but there are no bonuses in the first year with BH. I'm not sure which will give me more knowledge/experience.

Are there any frac engineers here that can chime in on the typical schedule?

Anybody here in completion tools that can give me rough outline of typical breakout, and the bonus structure?

What are the typical day rates/differences for Halliburton and Baker Hughes?

Thanks in advance!

This would be easy for me, but Im going to let you make the decision. With frac you are going to go on more jobs and learn a lot more. With the tools job it could be 6 months to a year before you go on a job because you are offshore. No one wants to take a worm out because it cost money and they don't know anything. Frac engineers are highly valued after about a year and a half to 2 years. Tools (especially offshore) takes a long time to get good at.

Tools, IMO. I'm a bit biased however. Choose either service company. You're exposure to the field is what is important.

Short term, frac will be hot and heavy with more work, but surface can fizzle at any time. Long term, deep water seems to be the future and where the money will be.

This is tough one for me I'm a frac engineer for Halliburton typically out of the Gulf but in the North Sea right now temporarily. You'll get experience quickly and learn a lot in frac but I'd rather be offshore than on land any day. Technology whys, I think its the place to be.

It is true that training is slower in tools but once you get into its very good to be in. Its good to be proactive and volunteer for jobs you might have to sacrifice some time off to move up more quickly. Halliburton completion tools are great and with the growing deep water industry and Halliburtons ESTMZ tech, I would say its a great place to start. But I would say I'm a little biased.

Post what you decide. If you pick Halliburton you'll be in Lafayette and I'm always looking for Ags in the area especially during football season.

[This message has been edited by jhk11 (edited 3/10/2014 3:03p).]

Could be wrong on this but wouldn't it be pretty easy to switch to frac after a year or two of tools (assuming the climate is the same)? Not because the experience translates necessarily but just because of such high demand.

Could the same be said for tools offshore?

I would probably do the offshore depending on family situation, long term goals, etc.

The experience gained in tools would be easily applicable to frac, hydraulics wise. Both are obviously key elements in the completion process, I just feel tools allow for greater exposure in the sense that you'll be addressing a wider range of needs for different wells.

If Frac is your decision, OP, go with Big Red as they run the show when it comes to pressure pumping - both Frac and Coil IMO. My last year with BHI, Pressure Pumping was suffering major setbacks and struggling to perform. Downhole tools on the other hand...

Disregard my last paragraph. I misread your OP.

Tools offshore for Big Red. This is easy. BJ is struggling and I'm hearing rumblings there.

I think the 20k is being forgot. BHI frac isn't going anywhere. Cash is king, and 20k plus the extra bonus is A LOT

Is there not an uplift in addition to base salary for working offshore?

[This message has been edited by Lostinla07 (edited 3/11/2014 5:31a).]

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Is there not an uplift in addition to base salary for working offshore?

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Typically there is a per diem for every day you are offshore which can be different depending on location. If we are talking an every other month rotation, it can be well north of the $20k plus sign on bonus difference for the surface job. Many of our install engineers take a large overall cut when they are promoted to manager and stay in the office instead of collecting the "hazardous duty pay".

An engineer that is still in training for Halliburton makes the exact same in North Dakota, as he would in Alaska, Odessa, Offshore, Louisiana, South Texas, etc.

Kind of ironic that the offers you have received are actually the opposing companies best product line.