US Oilpatch guys

[Linerider]

I'd like to hear from some of the US Oilpatch fellas. Texas, Oklahoma, California etc. What about the new Shale gas plays in Colorado, Arkansas etc.?

[RD_Wrangler]

No longer in the patch myself, though I can tell you rough-necks are hurting in the Ok. and Tx. areas. Production has been cut by 35-45 %, and many are out of work. Not due to any lack of deposits, nobody seems to have a direct answer as to the WHY of production cuts. We still have HUGE deposits of oil and unbelievable reserves of Natural Gas as yet untapped.

Out of high-school I worked Lead-Tong and Derrick Hand on a 4-sub diesel DDR. Later moved into the Electrician side of the Patch until I got tired of digging trenches in 3ft. of gravel. LOL!

That was enough of the patch for me!

[sprayandpray]

Natural Gas took a large dip in prices this past year and that has cut new development in the Texas area. Also, there is currently a Benzene Gas release scare going on - not sure how serious it is - but you know how the press loves to have a good 'catastrophe' story. I have a cousin in the oilpatch supply game and his orders are down about 30% over the past 6 months or so. It's definitely an up and down business.

[Linerider]

It's actually picking up again here (Northern Alberta) and there are many happy folks. Been quiet for a couple of years, but dead for the last year.

In Canada, there are many locating companies that their business is 90% oilfield pipe locating. I wonder how it is handled in the US. Is there a monopoly with the large, multi-state locating companies or are they mainly municipal and the oilfield pipeline construction, facilities construction etc are done by companies similar to those found up here, including mine.