Del.icio.us is a software program that allows you to bookmark all of your favorite websites and share the list over the Internet.
In researching the energy industry for the past year, I've come across numerous companies' websites which I've been collecting and categorizing into various "tags" such as green-jobs, extraction-jobs, news, information, etc.
Some of the smaller, independent extraction companies near the oil & gas basins that serve as sub-contractors to the large energy firms frequently hire entry level field positions. However, they generally do not have their own websites. They mostly post jobs with their local workforce centers, in the paper, or use word of mouth/employee referrals. Many of them are listed in Don's Directory, which charges a fee for their hard copy and access to their online directory.
As you may already know, looking for work is a job in and of itself. This list merely does some of the research leg-work for you. Unless you're extremely lucky, brilliant, or know someone (networking is one of the best ways to look for work - many energy companies offer bonuses to their employees for referring qualified candidates), companies aren't going to be knocking down your door begging you to come to work for them.
In preparation for your job search:
- Be sure to have family or friends you trust, or a career advisor, critique your resume--one that reveals what you can do for the company (versus what you want the company to do for you)
- Write a cover letter tailored to the company to which you're applying, indicating how well you know the company based on the research you've conducted about them.
- Practice mock interviews and answer behavioral questions or those which may seem out of the ordinary (for example, "what was your greatest occupational ch allege and how did you deal with it?", or "if you were a geometric shape, which would you be and why?")
If you do make it to the interview phase, be sure to watch the videos (link below) in advance, be on time (or early), dress appropriately, and bring extra copies of your resume.
Here is a link to some very informative videos of interviews with oil & gas recruiters to help you in your energy job search, guide you in preparing for interviews, and provide resume advice: http://www.pennenergyjobs.com/video/
Below are a couple links to general videos about resume writing, preparation, and interviewing. Though the information contained in these videos may seem to be common sense, it's a great refresher if you haven't interviewed for a job in a while -- and don't forget to send a thank you note to those you've interviewed with! Here are the links:
- http://fordeop.com/v3/site/page72.html
- http://www.collegegrad.com/videos/
Wind Energy
As you can see from this photo, wind energy has been around longer than you and I. As the price of oil continues to soar, more financial investment and research continues to be made in renewable sources, wind being only a fraction of the mix, which ultimately leads to more wind energy jobs. I ran across Lee Devlin's webblog which contains some interesting technical aspects of wind energy generation, for those of you with inquiring minds.Colorado employers of wind energy include Xcel Energy, the nation's No. 1 wind power provider, having built Colorado's first commercial wind farm, the 30-megawatt Ponnequin Wind Farm in northern Colorado. In addition, Colorado recently welcomed Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems to the city of Windsor in Weld County, Colorado. Businesses that also support these wind companies include Hexcel Hexcel (developer and manufacturer of carbon fiber and composite structures for wind blades).
The wind industry employs a plethora of different types of jobs. A long list of these jobs appear on the SOS staffing website (see post: Vestas is Hiring), and include positions in: finance, safety, HR, accounting, production, warehouse, welders, crane operators...)
(photo courtesy of Nick Hess)One of the core jobs is a Wind Technician. For jobseekers who are mechanically inclined, prefer heights (up to 300 feet), can withstand inclement weather, and love to work outdoors, this may be their dream job.
Following are sections of job descriptions I extracted from GE and Vestas websites for wind technician positions (note: these descriptions for informational purposes only and do not imply a job offer or guarantee job availability at the time you read this blog):
(photo courtesy of Nick Hess)Vestas
Power your life: Vestas offers you challenging, global career opportunities in cleantech. Our 23% market share makes us the world leader in modern energy. We have installed more than 35,000 wind turbines worldwide and we reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40 million tons per year. In 2008, our 16,178 employees will welcome 2,500 new colleagues. Care to join us?
Department: Customer Service
Responsibilities and Tasks: Vestas – American Wind Technology, Inc Position Profile
Job Title: Service Technician 1 Hourly/Salary: Hourly
Direct Supervisor Title: Site Supervisor Date: March 2007
Department: Service
GENERAL PURPOSE: Perform operational and maintenance work on wind turbine generators that includes preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs and modifications.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
1. Troubleshoot and repair integrated systems.
2. Perform maintenance on turbine equipment.
3. Collect turbine data for research or analysis.
4. Report turbine conditions.
5. Complete reports and paperwork as required.
6. Travel as required to meet business needs.
7. Perform overtime as needed to meet business needs.
Qualifications and Work Experience:
- High school education or equivalent required, technical Associates degree preferred.
- Minimum of one year of hydraulic, electrical, or mechanical experience.
- Computer and software skills for data collection and reporting preferred.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and solid problem solving skills.
- Ability to work independently and unsupervised as well as in a team environment.
- Ability to climb ladders to heights of 60 to 100 meters several times a day and work in confined spaces with diverse environmental conditions.
- Ability to work in a safe manner and follow applicable safety standards and procedures.
- Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time, climb stairs, lift/push/carry up to 75 pounds, pull up to 200 pounds, hearing ability to use close range radios, visual acuity including depth perception, field of vision and the ability to distinguish between colors, ability to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl as needed, as well as hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity
What we offer: Vestas offers a competitive salary and one of the most comprehensive benefits plans in the industry, including fully paid healthcare premiums for the employee and all eligible dependents, four weeks accrued vacation year, five sick days per year and a generous 401(k) plan.
Closing Date: 30.06.2008
General Electric
GE is one of the world's leading wind turbine suppliers. With over 8,400 worldwide wind turbine installations comprising more than 11,300 MW of capacity, our knowledge and expertise spans more than two decades.With wind manufacturing and assembly facilities in Germany, Spain, China, Canada and the United States, our current product portfolio includes wind turbines with rated capacities ranging from 1.5 to 3.6 megawatts and support services ranging from development assistance to operation and maintenance.
Position: Wind Tech
Business Unit: GE Infrastructure, Energy
Function: Services
Location: Peetz, CO
Job #: 815493
Posted: Apr 15, 2008
Wind Tech Essential Functions (Responsibilities):
* Responsible for the operations, maintenance, and repair of wind turbine generators.
* Troubleshoots complicated mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical problems on variable pitch, variable speed turbines.
* Helps in all areas of site operations as directed by manager with minimal supervision.
* Performs all mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical component maintenance, repair or replacement of parts to correct malfunctions. Will perform some diagnostic electrical analysis.
* Must be able to document all work performed using computer based service reporting procedures.
Qualifications/Requirements:
* A.S. technical electrical/electronic degree or min 3+ years work experience in electrical/electronic repair industry.
Requirements:
* You must submit your application for employment through gecareers.com to be considered.
* You must be 18 years or older.
* You must be willing to take a drug test as part of the selection process.
* You must be willing to submit to a background investigation as part of the selection process.
* Valid drivers license and clean driving record history.
* You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.
* Ability and willingness to handle repetitive weight - 50 lbs.
* Ability to climb towers up to 300 feet.
* Ability and willingness to work in all weather conditions.
* Ability and willingness to: read, and interpret technical manuals, procedures, and regulations; to write reports; to subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure.
* Ability and willingness to work in range of environments to include but not limited to industrial facilities, manufacturing facilities, and power industry facilities.
* Willingness and ability to take initiative, and work without direct supervision.
*Employee will be dispatch from service center.
*Employee shall be available for rotation shift schedules 24 hours seven days a week.
* No relocation will be provided.
Desired: Wind turbine experience.
Black Gold on TruTV
As you may have seen, there's a new "reality" television series on TruTV called Black Gold (from the creator of Deadliest Catch) that depicts three Texas oil rigs and their crews racing one another to extract "black gold" (crude oil).Based on the two episodes I've watched so far, I would recommend this show to anyone who has no idea about what a oilfield job entails. I would also suggest reading this website's message boards under "Discuss the Show", as they contain quite interesting feedback from individuals who claim to be seasoned in this industry.
Here's the link to the site, which includes "sneak peek" videos of each episode, photos, and a helpful glossary of oilfield slang (in the "All About Oil" section).
Flex Rigs
Flex rigs are used to drill for natural gas. For this post, I'll highlight the Helmerich & Payne Flexrig 4 . These custom-built, automated rigs can quickly drill up to 22 wells from the same pad and can access resources 4,000 feet deep. The FlexRig is a prime example of the technology in America’s oil and natural gas industry used to reduce the impact of industry operations in environmentally-sensitive locations.
Williams Energy's FlexRig4 fact sheet contains the following information:
"We’ve worked with Tulsa, Okla.-based Helmerich & Payne to custom design the next generation of drilling rigs – FlexRig4. The rigs are faster, safer and cleaner. They enable us to drill more wells from a single location, allowing us to produce more natural gas from fewer locations and roads.
"We’ve worked with Tulsa, Okla.-based Helmerich & Payne to custom design the next generation of drilling rigs – FlexRig4. The rigs are faster, safer and cleaner. They enable us to drill more wells from a single location, allowing us to produce more natural gas from fewer locations and roads.
Technical Highlights
• Skid system allows rig movement in all directions – north, south, east and west
• The movement flexibility allows up to 22 wells to be drilled from single location without disassembling the rig
• Natural gas production can occur on the same pad where wells are being drilled and completed
• Drilling days per well are significantly reduced Safety Benefits
• Automated features improve safety of handling operations ("No-touch" pipe handling)
• Fewer rig moves reduce exposure of personnel to potential safety hazards
• Fewer workers are required per rig
• Driller controls rig in a protected, climate-controlled atmosphere
Environmental Benefits
• Number of well pads potentially reduced by 75 percent
• Fewer roads result in less vehicle traffic
• Consolidated operations reduce land use
• Surface reclamation occurs more quickly as a result of reduced drilling time
• AC electric rig is quieter, more fuel efficient"
To see this FlexRig 4 in action, watch this wmv video.
• Skid system allows rig movement in all directions – north, south, east and west
• The movement flexibility allows up to 22 wells to be drilled from single location without disassembling the rig
• Natural gas production can occur on the same pad where wells are being drilled and completed
• Drilling days per well are significantly reduced Safety Benefits
• Automated features improve safety of handling operations ("No-touch" pipe handling)
• Fewer rig moves reduce exposure of personnel to potential safety hazards
• Fewer workers are required per rig
• Driller controls rig in a protected, climate-controlled atmosphere
Environmental Benefits
• Number of well pads potentially reduced by 75 percent
• Fewer roads result in less vehicle traffic
• Consolidated operations reduce land use
• Surface reclamation occurs more quickly as a result of reduced drilling time
• AC electric rig is quieter, more fuel efficient"
To see this FlexRig 4 in action, watch this wmv video.
More information and specifications on other types of rigs can be found on RigZone.
Process Technology
What do beer and gas have in common? In addition to what you might think, the correct answer is: they both use Process Technology (PTEK).
Process Technology is the process of converting raw materials (such as water & hops, or crude oil & chemicals) into end products (such as beer or gasoline). Process Technicians work on (and troubleshoot) the industrial equipment used in factories, refineries, and water treatment plants, monitoring the numerous pressure, volume and temperature controls and gauges on the equipment.
To gain a better understanding of PTEK, watch the videos about this occupation located along the left margin of this website: Pathways To Technology (note: the videos require a free QuickTime plugin)
Generally, an Associates degree is required to enter into these jobs which start at $40,000/year (+ benefits). Colorado schools that offer AA degrees in PTEK include:
- Colorado Mountain College, Rifle, CO
- Colorado Northwestern Community College, Rangely, CO
- Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood, CO
BTW: Red Rocks has access to PTEK scholarships for qualified candidates from their participating sponsors: Suncor Energy, Molson-Coors, Xcel Energy, Jacobs Engineering, BP America, Shell Exploration and Production, Metro Waste Water Reclamation District and Platte River Power Authority . In addition, Red Rocks has an artriculation agreement with Colorado School of Mines – eligible PTEK graduates are automatically accepted Mines to if they want to pursue advanced degrees.
Click on the video below to check out Red Rocks' YouTube video for an inside perspective of jobs and benefits in PTEK (make sure your speakers are on):
As with most industries, excellent PTEK candidates have the qualities listed in this .pdf poster from CapTech.
Now you know what else beer and gas have in common.
Process Technology is the process of converting raw materials (such as water & hops, or crude oil & chemicals) into end products (such as beer or gasoline). Process Technicians work on (and troubleshoot) the industrial equipment used in factories, refineries, and water treatment plants, monitoring the numerous pressure, volume and temperature controls and gauges on the equipment.
To gain a better understanding of PTEK, watch the videos about this occupation located along the left margin of this website: Pathways To Technology (note: the videos require a free QuickTime plugin)
Generally, an Associates degree is required to enter into these jobs which start at $40,000/year (+ benefits). Colorado schools that offer AA degrees in PTEK include:
- Colorado Mountain College, Rifle, CO
- Colorado Northwestern Community College, Rangely, CO
- Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood, CO
BTW: Red Rocks has access to PTEK scholarships for qualified candidates from their participating sponsors: Suncor Energy, Molson-Coors, Xcel Energy, Jacobs Engineering, BP America, Shell Exploration and Production, Metro Waste Water Reclamation District and Platte River Power Authority . In addition, Red Rocks has an artriculation agreement with Colorado School of Mines – eligible PTEK graduates are automatically accepted Mines to if they want to pursue advanced degrees.
Click on the video below to check out Red Rocks' YouTube video for an inside perspective of jobs and benefits in PTEK (make sure your speakers are on):
As with most industries, excellent PTEK candidates have the qualities listed in this .pdf poster from CapTech.
Now you know what else beer and gas have in common.
Online resources
If you're serious about landing a job in the high-paying energy industry, I suggest you learn as much as you can about the industry. Following are some of the online resources I found helpful to learn about energy careers.
Discovering the oil & gas industry - for jobseekers transitioning from manufacturing jobs (on Ford's website)
Career Voyages - occupation videos
Career Voyages - occupations within multiple industries (shows transferable skills among various industries)
McMurray Training Center - online self-assessment/screening tool video
Process & Chemical Technology - videos (requires QuickTime plugin/download)
O-Net - Occupation Summary Reports (type "energy" in the Quick Search box)
Rockies Energy Workforce Collaborative
Get Into Energy - interactive
Renewable Technologies basics
e-Colorado.org - type "energy" in keyword search
Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Career Toolkit (under "Important Links")
Solar Energy International
Green Energy Career Guide
In addition to the "Schools" post on this blog, I also have a plethora of websites I've saved to my Delicious website. I've categorized these websites with various Tags, such as:
extraction-jobs
extraction-information
green-jobs
green-training
ConnectingColorado.com
Connecting Colorado (CC) is a free, statewide job bank (and internship bank) created and maintained by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
CC is available to jobseekers and legitimate employers who meet the "employer-employee relationship" criteria (ie, jobs must be in Colorado or not require residents to relocate, must pay at least minimum wage--with the exception of internships--and do not require employees to be subcontractors.) All 70 or so workforce centers in the state of Colorado are mandated to use this jobbank to assist jobseekers with job referrals.
Jobseekers can perform energy job searches in this jobbank by using the Custom Search screen and entering keywords such as: energy, sustainable, oil, gas, solar, wind, etc. (Note: some results of this keyword search may include those jobs not related to energy, for example: the description indicates applicants must have "high energy")
Although jobseekers can perform a "quick search" to see the jobs listed, they must register as a "new jobseeker" to see details about the employer and how to apply.
Workforce center staff who are authorized to use the staff interface of this jobbank can search energy jobs by performing a job search with the "EI" code in the Class field, or use "energy" in the Comm/Note field.
CC is available to jobseekers and legitimate employers who meet the "employer-employee relationship" criteria (ie, jobs must be in Colorado or not require residents to relocate, must pay at least minimum wage--with the exception of internships--and do not require employees to be subcontractors.) All 70 or so workforce centers in the state of Colorado are mandated to use this jobbank to assist jobseekers with job referrals.
Jobseekers can perform energy job searches in this jobbank by using the Custom Search screen and entering keywords such as: energy, sustainable, oil, gas, solar, wind, etc. (Note: some results of this keyword search may include those jobs not related to energy, for example: the description indicates applicants must have "high energy")
Although jobseekers can perform a "quick search" to see the jobs listed, they must register as a "new jobseeker" to see details about the employer and how to apply.
Workforce center staff who are authorized to use the staff interface of this jobbank can search energy jobs by performing a job search with the "EI" code in the Class field, or use "energy" in the Comm/Note field.
Worms for Hire
It’s not what you may think…
The energy industry certainly has unique terminology. Position titles such as worm, swamper, mudman, gangpusher, and floorman are just a few examples. In my quest to create a comprehensive career ladder/lattice diagram for the energy industry, I would like to share with you information I’m gathering along the way.
In the energy industry a "worm" is an unskilled manual laborer. You’ll not likely see this term as a job title in ConnectingColorado.com, rather, titles such as "floorhand", "roustabout" and "leadhand" are commonly substituted (but duties/titles may vary among different employers).
Worms are usually the lowest member of the drilling crew hierarchy, above a ginsel—a worm’s helper--and below a roustabout / leasehand. At some companies, such as Ensign Energy Services, the leasehand is the entry-level position.
Worms / leasehands are responsible for doing whatever needs to be done on the grounds around the oil & gas rigs. Duties include basic tasks such as cleaning, digging ditches, moving equipment/supplies, building fences, and mixing drilling “mud” (fluid mixture used to lubricate & equalize the pressure when drilling wells). Crews generally consist of 5-10 members and sometimes several crews will work on one rig.
As with most field positions in oil & gas, work hours on rigs are normally 12 hours on and 12 hours off continuously for two or three weeks, followed by an equal amount of rest period at home. The work is hard and physical, in all types of weather, are in remote areas, and employers have zero-tolerance for drug use (frequently using surprise hair or urine analyses).
Workers live closely together like a family, sleep together, eat together and have to trust each other—they must cooperate in a group, led by a team leader termed "gang pusher" (ConnectingColorado job order #CO5255994). Accommodations are generally provided by the employer, in local hotels/motels or in "man camps"--groups of mobile homes, many comfortably equipped with food, cable, and internet.
For more information about these types of positions and employer-specific qualifications, please refer to the following job order numbers on ConnectingColorado.com (note: if the job is no longer available, you may not be able to view any information). There's also some more information on my Halliburton Intern post
CO5252371, Roustabout $12/hr in Craig (3.5 hrs W. of Denver)
CO5258048, Floorhand $22/hr in Wray (3 hrs E. of Denver)
CO5241792, Floorhand $16+/hr in Grand Junction (4 hrs W. of Denver)
CO5260035, Roustabout $14+/hr in Meeker (3.5 hrs W. of Denver)
With the exception of jobs in local utility plants, on local transmission lines, and the like, most entry-level field/laborer positions in oil & gas are located 3-5 hours west, south, and east of Denver, and include positions such as:
- Water truck drivers (CDL required, some require haz mat and/or tanker endorsements, and some will consider employing ex-offenders)
- Fracturing Operator Trainees
- Pipeline helpers / apprentice pipefitters
- Apprentice electricians
- Apprentice welders
- Heavy equipment operators
- Yard drivers (transporting crews)
Now you know what a worm is.
The energy industry certainly has unique terminology. Position titles such as worm, swamper, mudman, gangpusher, and floorman are just a few examples. In my quest to create a comprehensive career ladder/lattice diagram for the energy industry, I would like to share with you information I’m gathering along the way.
In the energy industry a "worm" is an unskilled manual laborer. You’ll not likely see this term as a job title in ConnectingColorado.com, rather, titles such as "floorhand", "roustabout" and "leadhand" are commonly substituted (but duties/titles may vary among different employers).
Worms are usually the lowest member of the drilling crew hierarchy, above a ginsel—a worm’s helper--and below a roustabout / leasehand. At some companies, such as Ensign Energy Services, the leasehand is the entry-level position.
Worms / leasehands are responsible for doing whatever needs to be done on the grounds around the oil & gas rigs. Duties include basic tasks such as cleaning, digging ditches, moving equipment/supplies, building fences, and mixing drilling “mud” (fluid mixture used to lubricate & equalize the pressure when drilling wells). Crews generally consist of 5-10 members and sometimes several crews will work on one rig.
As with most field positions in oil & gas, work hours on rigs are normally 12 hours on and 12 hours off continuously for two or three weeks, followed by an equal amount of rest period at home. The work is hard and physical, in all types of weather, are in remote areas, and employers have zero-tolerance for drug use (frequently using surprise hair or urine analyses).
Workers live closely together like a family, sleep together, eat together and have to trust each other—they must cooperate in a group, led by a team leader termed "gang pusher" (ConnectingColorado job order #CO5255994). Accommodations are generally provided by the employer, in local hotels/motels or in "man camps"--groups of mobile homes, many comfortably equipped with food, cable, and internet.For more information about these types of positions and employer-specific qualifications, please refer to the following job order numbers on ConnectingColorado.com (note: if the job is no longer available, you may not be able to view any information). There's also some more information on my Halliburton Intern post
CO5252371, Roustabout $12/hr in Craig (3.5 hrs W. of Denver)
CO5258048, Floorhand $22/hr in Wray (3 hrs E. of Denver)
CO5241792, Floorhand $16+/hr in Grand Junction (4 hrs W. of Denver)
CO5260035, Roustabout $14+/hr in Meeker (3.5 hrs W. of Denver)
With the exception of jobs in local utility plants, on local transmission lines, and the like, most entry-level field/laborer positions in oil & gas are located 3-5 hours west, south, and east of Denver, and include positions such as:- Water truck drivers (CDL required, some require haz mat and/or tanker endorsements, and some will consider employing ex-offenders)
- Fracturing Operator Trainees
- Pipeline helpers / apprentice pipefitters
- Apprentice electricians
- Apprentice welders
- Heavy equipment operators
- Yard drivers (transporting crews)
Now you know what a worm is.
Welcome!
Thanks for visiting.
I've created this blog to help colleagues and jobseekers learn about what types of careers are available in the energy industry in Colorado (and to help me remember all the vast amounts of information I'm learning along the way).
Disclaimer: this blog contains many of my own opinions and does not represent those of my employer. I am not endorsing any of the companies, organizations, or associations mentioned, merely sharing what I learn.
I welcome and highly value your contributions and questions! Please check back often as posts are revised and added frequently.
Thanks again,
Lynn
I've created this blog to help colleagues and jobseekers learn about what types of careers are available in the energy industry in Colorado (and to help me remember all the vast amounts of information I'm learning along the way).
Disclaimer: this blog contains many of my own opinions and does not represent those of my employer. I am not endorsing any of the companies, organizations, or associations mentioned, merely sharing what I learn.
I welcome and highly value your contributions and questions! Please check back often as posts are revised and added frequently.
Thanks again,
Lynn
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