Oil Rig Work Apparently Pays MAJOR Bread...

jus got back from Testing with Phillips 66...up in Pismo Beach, CA...

they gave almost the EXACT same test as Chevron...

i also applied for an entry level operator position..in their Wilmington and Carson, California locations..since those are closer to where i am currently..

should get my results back...within the next two weeks..

if you're gonna take the test...brush up on your mechanical concepts....

like gears, levers, pulleys, incline planes, charle's law, boyle's law...

google 'sample mechanical aptitude test'..to see what i mean...

and the other important test...was called "use of information" or something..

it had a bunch of charts and graphs and was supposed to see how good you are at interpreting them...

the final test...you can't really study for ...it's jus a behavior and work ethic test...

they were jus asking about your work ethic...driving tendencies...and how well you get along with others...

Hope you get on brother. :yes:
 
I love this website. I was just thinking about this type of work.

I have a question for the older gentlemen. I'm eligible to retire soon and I was thinking about trying Process Technology for a 2nd career. I know I'll have to attend a certificate program.

My question is 48 too late to get into the field? Will employers be reluctant to hire someone my age?
 
Good post ....
Im in South and sometimes West Texas...as a Truck driver
Average Truck driver pay starts around $65,000 and more if you dont just work 12 hour shifts and go home everyday as a company driver.
I just bought my own truck to Haul Frac sand after taking the time to find my place out here for the last two years and the average owner operator in the oil field hauling sand generates about $10,000 per week after expenses take home or about $5,000 on a decent week having said that its nothing to make about $20,000 per month after expenses.
There are a ton of jobs out here to be had by cats with low skills and no experience. You will be trained and have the opportunity to move around. Just get in the door and let the rest work itself out, the pay will be enough to make it all ok.....
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR PPE !
 
got invited to a "table top problem solving exercise" at Phillip 66's assessment center...they say it should take about 4 hours...

does anybody know what that is?? and what kinda questions they are gonna ask??
 
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Personal Protective Equipment

I'm not sure about working in the oil fields but I know working around fuel and not taking PPE seriously will introduce Benzene into your blood and after that :itsawrap: You don't know how many times I see older vets in my career field dying of Leukemia and all different types of cancer. Shit's crazy

Shit. The horror stories I hear from the vets I work with regarding safety and PPE back in the day. Man!!!!! I told one of'em one time, "How in the hell are y'all alive today?"
 
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from what i hear...Chevron..is the best facility to work at...

but i'm jus tryna get on...
 
a'ight...jus got back from the Phillips 66 Tabletop exercise...

apparently this is something the outside staffing agency they hired does as part of their hiring process...

once again...if it was a fashion contest...i woulda won...and i jus wore a shirt..tie..and some slacks...

the other guys...mostly whites and hispanics..i was the only brotha...but they wore jeans and work boots...one guy had on a faded sweatshirt with a hoody and dingy work boots....

the only other guy to dress up...wore a suit..with white ankle socks?!

anyways...so the exercise consisted of 2 parts...group and individual...

for the group part...we were split up into teams of 5...and each group was taken to a separate room...

there were a handful of proctors observin' us..some from the staffing agency...some from the refinery...

they gave us two exercises to do in groups...the first was a scenario where we crash-landed in the amazon jungle...and we were able to salvage 15 items from the wreckage..and as a group we had to rank them from most important to least important....we were given 20 minutes..

the items were things like a book on animals and plants of the amazon...a cigarette lighter...a bottle of liquor..a 2.5 gallon plastic water jug...a 3 gallon aluminum jug..a fishing net...a suitcase full of clothes..mosquito repellant..a first aid kit..a machete...a .22 caliber handgun with 10 bullets..a flare gun..30 plastic trash bags...and so on...

the 2nd group exercise...we were given a book full of high school principals who were in the running to win the award of principal of the year...in the book we were given...it had a brief paragraph about each principal...then below that it listed ratings in various categories ...from Leadership...to Academic Achievement (of their school)...to Communication skills...and so on...and we were given 25 minutes to discuss and determine which principal should win the award...

there was really no way to study for it...and i feel as long as you explained your answers in a logical manner you would get credit...


also side note..apparently...Phillips 66 doesn't do this exercise for every refinery location...jus the locations where they contract with this particular staffing agency...for instance they don't do this for the Los Angeles position...

anyways...for the individual assessment part...we were given a diagram that looked similar to a PFD (Process Flow Diagram) but it was for making Cookies instead of refining oil...and we were given a couple Run Reports...and we had to answer some multiple choice as well as a few short answer questions...as to what we would do next based on the information written on the run reports...

for example...if the Run Report shows that we are low on Chocolate Chips...on the back of the Run Report..you would write "Order Some More Chocolate Chips"...

if the Oven Temperature is too high or too low...you would write "Check Oven Temperature and adjust accordingly"...or something like that...

and then ..as i mentioned...we were given some scenarios that brought up some issues in the plant...like rodents being found in the facility...feed lines clogging up...power units going out...conveyor belts breaking...too many cookies coming out off spec..it's the holiday season and you needed increase production...and we had to answer multiple choice questions as to what we would do in these situation...

for every question ...there were obvious wrong answers...and then the other three answers...kinda showed your personality and how you would work..because for every scenario...there was an option to shutdown production and fix the issue...or to keep production going and work toward solving the issue as production is going...

i chose ..in every instance...to keep production going...and work on fixing the issue...as production is going...

and the last thing was...we were given a stack of emails from our hypothetical co-workers as to the status of the plant..and some issues that needed to be address...as far as broken equipment...bad ingredients...etc..

and we had to ranked the emails from most important to least important...

and these exercises were all timed...you were given between 10-20 minutes for each part...so not much time to think critically...

and then lastly they gave me ANOTHER personality questionnaire with 100 questions to answer...like if i like art and shit...really??

anyway...they say they should email me in a few weeks..if i'm to be invited to the final interview...
 
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oh...and i did get some intel while i was up there about the other refinery positions...

because i haven't heard back on my application for the Los Angeles Phillips 66 refinery position...

apparently the operators at that location are on strike...tryna get more full time employees and less contractors...so it looks like my application will be delayed...

but i hear so many locations need more operators...they're so short-handed...there's always openings..because people get promoted..or quit...

a guy ..who works at Phillips in another capacity...i was talking with during one of the breaks...told me...from the last training class only 4 of the 13 people they hired are still working there...
 
got invited to an interview...next week....with Phillips 66...

this should be the final step...before i know if i'm gonna get hired...

so i obviously said enough shit right in that tabletop exercise...i thought i might've fucked up in the group exercises and been too opinionated... but whatever now...i made it to the next step...

score one for the good guys...and people who can read and follow directions...

job is 200 miles away from where i'm currently livin'...but if they hire me..i'm on the first thing smokin' up there...
 
got invited to an interview...next week....with Phillips 66...

this should be the final step...before i know if i'm gonna get hired...

so i obviously said enough shit right in that tabletop exercise...i thought i might've fucked up in the group exercises and been too opinionated... but whatever now...i made it to the next step...

score one for the good guys...and people who can read and follow directions...

job is 200 miles away from where i'm currently livin'...but if they hire me..i'm on the first thing smokin' up there...

Hope you get it MOS. When you do get it, work as much overtime as they let you and stack your paper. :yes::yes:
 
a'ight...jus got back from my Phillips 66 interview...

it was another one formatted as a behavioral job interview (google it)....

first they went over my résumé....

then they asked me questions like...

tell me about a complex issue you handled at work...what was the result?

tell me about a time you took the initiative..what was the result?

tell me about a time you volunteered for a task at work...

tell me about a time there were unsafe working conditions at work..what did you do about it? what was the outcome?

tell me about a decision you made at work that you wound up regretting?

tell me about a time where you had a boss who was an ineffective communicator? how did you handle it?

what is a quality that you dislike most in a co-worker?

give me 3 adjectives to describe what the word "team" means to you...

and may be a few more questions...

i kept tryin' to elaborate on my stories/answers...to be as detailed as possible...but they kept cuttin' me off...

and it seemed like they wanted me to give "team oriented" answers...which is almost they exact opposite of what chevron wanted...chevron wanted to know about my accomplishments specifically...and what my contributions were to a project...

phillips 66...seem to want to know if i was able to operate in a team setting and be unselfish...and not be out for my own glory...

anyways...they say they'll factor in my assessment exam and table top exercise performance along with my interview..and i should hear something by next week...

next step is the fit test...agility test..and background check...all of which i should pass with flying colors..if i make it passed the interview...
 
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jus got back from the Exxon/Mobil Assessment exam...

4 sections...30 questions per section...and they gave us between 20-40 minutes per section...

this one was probably most similar to the ASVAB test (google "ASVAB for Dummies" or "ASVAB practice test")

the first test was Arithmetic Reasoning word problems..and no calculators are allowed...

things like ..If a car is towed 12 miles to the repair shop, and the tow charge is $3.50 per mile, how much did the tow cost?

47/94 - 0.5 = ?

If you have a 18 ft long board and you cut it into the 3 equal sections, how many inches long will each section be?

the second test...dealt with charts and graphs...and how you interpreted data...

the third test...was the mechanical aptitude section...and it had questions about levers, pulleys, gears, ramps, etc...and questions about tooling...

like what type of saw is used to cut metal?

what color is the ground wire?

in a closed system with air and oil, what would happen to the air pressure if you started to pump the oil out of the system?

the fourth and final test...was called "Use of Data"...and the questions were kind of like logic puzzles or mathematical riddles...they would give you like 3 factual statements...and then ask if all the previous statements are true ..which answer must be true...or which of the following statements must be false...

there was also a work attitude/behavioral test..which they gave first...which there's not really a right or wrong answer...per se...they just ask about your approach to work...e.g. how much time do you like to take to make a big decision...how often do you lose your temper...how would your co-workers describe you...how long does it take you to cool down after you lose your temper...

your driving history...how many accidents have you been in in the last 5 years...how many tickets have you gotten in the last year...

..and employment questions...how many times have you been late in the last 6 months...etc...
 
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Exxon put some sample questions on their employment site...keep in mind you get about a minute to answer each question and there are no calculators allowed.

Reading Comprehension
This is a test of your ability to read and understand written materials related to work activities. The test contains a number of reading passages about various topics. Each passage is followed by several questions that can be answered based on the information contained in the passage. These questions focus on recognizing facts, defining words in context, and identifying major themes.

UZkk.jpg


1. According to the passage, which of the following is true of soil?
a. It is made up of only one type of material.
b. Research has not determined what it is made up of.
c. It is made up of different types of material.
d. The time of year changes its composition.


2. In a situation where economics and time are critical, which technique is recommended in the passage?
a. Stability charts and equations
b. Whatever cost the least
c. Whatever is fastest
d. Evaluation of critical depth only

Numerical Applications
This is a test of your ability to apply or use numerical information. The test contains a number of questions that can be solved using basic mathematical operations (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), knowledge of the English measurement system, understanding of relationships between numbers, and ability to estimate reasonable outcomes of mathematical calculations.


1. What would be the next number in the following series?
1 4 2 5 3 6 (?)

a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
d. 8


2. The relationship between degrees Fahrenheit (˚F) and degrees Celsius (˚C) is ˚F = 9/5 (˚C) + 32. If the temperature is 25.3˚C, the temperature equals approximately:
a. 103.1˚F.
b. 82.9˚F.
c. 77.5˚F.
d. 45.5˚F.



3. A 3-foot piece of wood is cut into two equal sections. How long is each section in inches?
a. 9 inches
b. 18 inches
c. 27 inches
d. 36 inches


Use of Information

This is a test of your ability to use information. The test contains a number of graphs, tables, and sets of information, each of which is followed by one or more questions. The questions address the relevance of the information, the need for additional information, and conclusions drawn from the information presented.


1. An 8-foot by 10-foot by 30-foot boxcar with a load weight limit of 44,000 pounds is going to be filled with chemical drums weighing 340 pounds each. A fully loaded boxcar holds:
a. 130 drums.
b. 150 drums.
c. 140 drums.
d. There is insufficient information to answer this question.


You have been asked to bid on a project to paint a structure and you have the following information:
I. The structure is outside.
II. The structure is rectangular.
III. The length of the front and back walls is 30 feet.
IV. The height of the front wall is 20 feet.
V. The height of the side walls is 20 feet.
VI. The height of the back wall is 10 feet.
VII. It has been 10 years since the structure has been painted.

2. What additional information would you need before you bid on the project?
a. The cost of exterior paint per gallon.
b. The number of square feet that can be covered by one gallon of exterior paint.
c. The length of the side walls.
d. All of the above.

Checking/Data Accuracy
This is a test of your ability to locate information and identify data accurately. The test contains a number of graphs and tables that present detailed information. Each is followed by one or more questions that can be answered by identifying the correct information in the graph or table.

UZk2.jpg



1. What is the catalog number of a 14-foot wire with a .114-inch inner diameter?
a. 2313974
b. 2313497
c. 2314397
d. 2314377


2. How many wiring strands are thinner than .115 inches?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four


Mechanical Aptitude
This is a test of your aptitude for working with mechanical devices and concepts. The test contains a number of problems based on mechanical principles. Some of the items consist of a question only, while other items ask questions that relate to a drawing.

UZkh.jpg


1. If the left side "L" of the figure shown above is swung around behind the right side "R" and folded along the dotted line, which of the following shapes shown above results?
a. Shape A
b. Shape B
c. Shape C
d. Shape D


2. A liquid turns into a gas when it is:
a. condensed.
b. heated.
c. saturated.
d. compressed.


3. Valves are used to control the flow of:
a. electricity.
b. soundwaves.
c. vibrations.
d. fluids.


UZki.jpg


4. The structures shown above are made of the same material. Which structure is the most difficult to crush?
a. Structure A
b. Structure B
c. Structure C
d. They are equally difficult to crush.
 
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just found a couple vids on how to ace the personality test...

every question...is designed to determine if you're an "honest" ..."trustworthy"... "social"... "extrovert"... "who can work independently"... "and believes in the rules of a company and will abide by them"..

so answer every question with that in mind...

and if the questions..have 5 answers...as in.."Strongly Agree".."Somewhat Agree"..."Neither Agree nor Disagree"..."Somewhat Disagree" .."Strongly Disagree"..

ALWAYS select..."Strongly Agree" ..or "Strongly Disagree...

Never pick any of the middle choices..

For Example...If the question is.."Do you think it's OK to take things home from your company if you know they never get used and won't be missed?"

Choices:

A. Strongly Agree
B. Somewhat Agree
C. Neutral
D. Somewhat Disagree
E. Strongly Disagree

answer: STRONGLY DISAGREE

====================================================================

on another note...

I got a performance test with The Department of Water & Power...

some of the test include...carrying 60 lbs for 50 feet...opening and closing valves...climbing ladders to high elevations...listening to and repeating instructions back verbatim...reading meters and recording the readings...

anybody ever done one of these...advice is appreciated...

for instance when they say "carry 60 lbs"...60 pounds in the form of what? A box filled with 60 lbs? A 60 lbs dummy or duffle bag?

are there any tricks to opening and/or closing valves?

is there anything i can do to prepare? any exercises?
 
found this Study Guide offered by Southern California Edison...they're an electric company but they have a mechanical aptitude section..and mathematics section...jus like the refineries do on their pre-employment exam...

Code:
http://www.uploadable.ch/file/bRZyN24QHhJ7/Edison_Operator_Trainee_Substation_Study_Guide.pdf

Code:
http://hugefiles.net/32h3pl1bgbvl

Code:
http://uploadrocket.net/sf47qoe4jbhy/Edison_Operator_Trainee_Substation_Study_Guide.pdf.html

they have more sections than i included...if you're interested..jus visit their website..
 
so while i'm waitin' for another job postin' for the refineries in my area...i decided to apply for the Department of Water & Power...it's a similar gig...with mandatory overtime...and some weeks you work 4 days and get 3 days off..etc..

so i passed the Qualifying Written Test back in February...and was invited to a Performance Exam today...June 27...which basically entailed performing a series of exercises around the plant..that are supposed to simulate the duties that i will have on a day-to-day basis...

the first module..involved me walking up a flight of stairs to an elevation of about 50 feet and back down twice...then they gave me a set of instructions to follow ..where i had to open and close a series of valves...until i got the level of water on the gauge to 15 inches...then i had to record how many gallons per minute it took to maintain that level...which was recorded on another gauge to the right...you had 12 minutes to complete the challenge..

the second exercise...they had me lift a couple of fire extinguishers...using proper lifting technique...i.e. using your legs and not your back..and so on...total weight i was told was 60 pounds...then i had to carry the fire extinguishers a total distance of 50 feet...and then put the fire extinguishers back in the proper location..time allowed was 10 minutes..

the third exercise...they had me climb up a ladder...and read and record some data off a few gauges...then climb back down the ladder...time allowed was 10 minutes...

the fourth and final exercise...they played a recording of a voice giving me some instructions..with some background noise..to simulate how loud the plant can get...and i had to repeat what the recording said..verbatim..and they gave me two takes to get it right...i was given 10 minutes...

i feel pretty good about my performance...i wasn't the slowest person...and i'm confident that my answers were correct on everything except the fourth challenge...i know i messed up on that...but to me...that challenge doesn't simulate real life...and if i messed up on it...i'm sure alot of other people did too...

i'm supposed to be notified of my score ..once everyone has had a chance to take the test...

and based on my score...i'll be slotted into a rank...and as positions open up...they'll call you based on your rank...so we'll see...
 
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so while i'm waitin' for another job postin' for the refineries in my area...i decided to apply for the Department of Water & Power...it's a similar gig...with mandatory overtime...and some weeks you work 4 days and get 3 days off..etc..

so i passed the Qualifying Written Test back in February...and was invited to a Performance Exam today...June 27...which basically entailed performing a series of exercises around the plant..that are supposed to simulate the duties that i will have on a day-to-day basis...

the first module..involved me walking up a flight of stair to an elevation of about 50 feet and back down twice...then they gave me a set of instructions to follow ..where i had to open and close a series of valves...until i got the level of water on the gauge to 15 inches...then i had to record how many gallons per minute it took to maintain that level...which was recorded on another gauge to the right...you had 12 minutes to complete the challenge..

the second exercise...they had me lift a couple of fire extinguishers...using proper lifting technique...i.e. using your legs and not your back..and so on...total weight i was told was 60 pounds...then i had to carry the fire extinguishers a total distance of 50 feet...and then put the fire extinguishers back in the proper location..time allowed was 10 minutes..

the third exercise...they had me climb up a ladder...and read and record some data off a few gauges...then climb back down the ladder...time allowed was 10 minutes...

the fourth and final exercise...they played a recording of a voice giving me some instructions..with some background noise..to simulate how loud the plant can get...and i had to repeat what the recording said..verbatim..and they gave me two takes to get it right...i was given 10 minutes...

i feel pretty good about my performance...i wasn't the slowest person...and i'm confident that my answers were correct on everything except the fourth challenge...i know i messed up on that...but to me...that challenge doesn't simulate real life...and if i messed up on it...i'm sure alot of other people did too...

i'm supposed to be notified of my score ..once everyone has had a chance to take the test...

and based on my score...i'll be slotted into a rank...and as positions open up...they'll call you based on your rank...so we'll see...

props for even making it that far

sounds like you'll get it :cool:
 
what does it entail and what are you

involved in that you gotta take that shit..


sounds like youse a special forces type knigga!!


It's pretty much underwater escape procedures should a helo go down on the way to an offshore rig. You board a mock helo, they sink it and you have to egress through the windows or doors. It's intimidating if you're not comfortable in water but it's not possible to fail it.
 
what does it entail and what are you

involved in that you gotta take that shit..


sounds like youse a special forces type knigga!!


It's pretty much underwater escape procedures should a helo go down on the way to an offshore rig. You board a mock helo, they sink it and you have to egress through the windows or doors. It's intimidating if you're not comfortable in water but it's not possible to fail.
 
what does it entail and what are you

involved in that you gotta take that shit..


sounds like youse a special forces type knigga!!


It's pretty much underwater escape procedures should a helo go down on the way to an offshore rig. You board a mock helo, they sink it and you have to egress through the windows or doors. It's intimidating if you're not comfortable in water but it's not possible to fail. Not sure exactly all the jobs that require this training but if you work in any capacity where you have to travel by helo you most likely will have to. I had two former Marines that worked for a security company that travels with and guards cargo ships.
 
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