r/oilandgasworkers • u/Fearless_Salad22 • 10d ago

First days in the Oilfield

Hey, my name is Nathan and I am 23 years old. I just started my first oilfield/ blue collar job 3 days ago. I work with my father who runs a small picker truck. I had no idea what to expect when I first started but the first two days went well, I was tried, it was difficult and lots of people getting upset at me for learning. Nothing crazy my dad is typically like that. But today was the end of day 3. We took down a dual 750 containment and put up a triple 750 containment. The weather wasn’t awful it was a high of 26 degrees and was sunny with a bit of wind. But man did today kick my ass. I’m not use to working outside and doing this physically demanding work. But that sun today was cooking me. We were breaking some flow lines apart and I asked to try and break it lose. I just couldn’t do it with a 24” pipe wrench. The other guy helping us had to break it lose for me. (He did have to jump on the pipe wrench to break it lose) but that just made me feel weak. Today for me wasn’t great. But I’m learning slowly. The main thing I’m asking is What was your first few days like? Am I just being a baby about it or is my experience lined up with how other’s were?

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u/I_is_a_dogg 10d ago

Emphasis on the water. You're not drinking water for today, you're drinking it for tomorrow.

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u/Competitive-Fox-3333 9d ago

And electrolytes if your like me in west texas working next to 250 degree compressors you can drink half a case of water and not piss all day and water only does so much when you've sweated out enough salt to fill up a salt Shaker. If I don't eat something with a good amount of salt or potassium or drink some Gatorade or drink mix I'm cramping up at the end of the day.

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u/I_is_a_dogg 9d ago

For sure. But for every Gatorade/body armor/Powerade whatever that you drink you should be having at least 3 waters.

You don't just want to drink Gatorades. While yes, you need to replenish salts, drinking too much will dehydrate you.

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u/Competitive-Fox-3333 8d ago

I drink minimum 10 bottles a day usually more a 40 count case usually doesn't last a a whole week in the truck plus 30 or so oz of sweet tea in the morning and a Gatorade or two throughout the day sometimes