Step1
After drilling is finished and the rig has moved, an oil or gas well that is productive is ready to start making money for it owners. Those owners will need to have a reliable employee to monitor production and keep the oilwell going. Right now there are dozens of oil and gas companies, large and small in need of reliable gaugers or "pumpers" to check on and maintain oilfield pumpjacks, tanks, gas meters and lines, etc.
You will need to either reside in an area where oil and gas is being produced or have a willingness to relocate. There are many areas across the US, from the traditional areas such as Texas, the Gulf Coast, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Oklahoma to new fields that are just being brought online in areas such as Appalachia and New York State.
Step2
Small to medium sized oil companies often hire contract gaugers who are paid a specific dollar amount per oil or gas well and then pay their own auto insurance, liability insurance, etc. Companies may provide a cell phone or company radio. Working as a contract gauger allows you to work for several different companies who have wells in that specific area. Your duties will involve driving from well to well, keeping pumpjacks, motors, gas compressors, dehydration units, meters and lines working. In some fields for example, pump jacks are operated by gas engines, running off propane or gas from the well itself and the pumper maintains them as you would any motor. Other fields may have power lines available and these pumpjacks are easier to maintain, requiring mostly changing of belts and tightening the stuffing box (seal where the pump rod exits the well). In the old days a pumper or gauger would have to change round paper charts that record the gas sold from each well. Wells sell their gas into pipelines owned often by another company and are paid by what these charts record, thus this job is very important. Now most gas charts are automated and are connected by radio to a central gathering station however the pumper still has to record the amount of gas produced to determine if changes to the well's chokes (device regulating how much is produced) are necessary.
Step3
An oilwell usually doesn't just sit there and produce gas or oil but has to be maintained in some manner. Natural Gas wells may have to be regulated as their output increases or decreases or have special chemical sticks put down into them to keep water from building up in the well column. Storage tanks where the oil is collected also require maintenance before the oil can be sold. A gauger will carry a special tape that has a plumb bob attached. Every day around the same time he will reel this gauge down until it hits the bottom of the tank and reel it in, then read the level in feet and inches that it shows. A table, specific to that tank, will show how many barrels is equal to the reading on his tape measure. Keeping up with information like this is his main job since the company is paid according to how much petroleum is in the tank.
Step4
Some producing wells may have very heavy oil, which requires treating the entire tank with special chemicals that lighten it up and cause the water (all oil wells produce some water) to fall to the bottom of the tank. The pumper then drains off this water, checks the oil's gravity and quality and calls an oil hauling truck to come and buy it. This is his routine, day after day, with different issues coming up on different days.
Wintertime can make work especially difficult as gas pipelines freeze up, crude oil becomes harder to clean up to sell and pump jack motors refuse to start. As well, roads to some oil and gas leases can become impassable and many a gauger has had to walk out to the main road to catch a ride home. Persons wanting to become contract gaugers should first apprentice with a full time gauger, and learn how to work as his weekend relief. This is a 24-7, 365 job and contractors have to find and pay for their own relief, so there are lots of opportunities out there for reliable individuals. Contract gaugers with several oil or gas wells can expect to gross $100,000 or more, less expenses. Keeping a vehicle maintained and running is a large part of the bottom line so automotive repair skills are a plus to self employed gaugers which is the reason many independent operators go to work for large oil companies such as Exxon Mobil or Chevron Texaco who provide trucks and pay expenses. In addition to land work there are also offshore production jobs for the major companies and near shore wells in places such as Louisiana owned by independent oil companies that will hire a contractor with his own work boat to check on them.
Step5
If one takes the major oil company approach, and gets a job with a larger company such as Shell or BP, they will often provide a company truck, 401-K, insurance (contract gaugers major expense is liability and health insurance) and designated days off. However, if a person has no oilfield experience the chances of starting out with one of these companies is slim. Working as an apprentice - relief gauger and learning from someone with years of experience is the way to go. You will just have to be patient and work hard to work your way up the ladder.
How does one find and approach one of these guys? Inquire at oilfield supply houses and cafe's where pumpers and other oilfield workers gather. Seldom do these guys put ads in the paper. Networking and asking around may lead you to a willing employer that will hire you and start you out at the bottom. Older pumpers will often be glad to show you the ropes in exchange for riding with them and opening the dozens of locked ranch gates that they have to go through each day. All of them are looking for someone they can rely on to cover their jobs on weekends and vacations. While starting off as part time may not be appealing, consider that many people go to college 4 years or more unpaid to get a job making the same amount of money. If you are willing to put in long hours, be reliable and energetic at all times and spend a year or more as an apprentice and relief gauger, then you will find companies willing to hire you full time.
For more oilfield employment resources and job listings see the sites in the resource section below.
How to Get a Job as an Oilfield Well Gauger In On - Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Industry
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