The concept of the rod pump can be traced back to the Roman Empire. Roman engineers used something that looks amazingly like today’s version to pump water. But other common oilfield lift strategies would not look familiar to Pliny the Elder, who recorded those Roman ideas for posterity. Electric submersible pumps and various gas lift […]
Props to our Industry!
The idea of “props,” as expressed in the headline, is not a reference to proppant—something much utilized in our industry—though proppant is indeed necessary and could even qualify as something “current,” No, the reference here is to the indomitable spirit of our industry—a spirit that deserve props, or accolades. For a wide span of years […]
Going Dutch
Standard Energy Services Founder and President Pieter Bergstein started his company with no down payment on one hot oil truck. Today Standard has 350 employees and additional services—including vacuum trucks, pump trucks, well service, saltwater disposal, and others, along with hot oiling. This company that, over the years, has been asked to help clean up […]
Ever Adapting Service
To adapt an old saying for today’s oilfield service sector, “The more things change—the more things keep changing.” From recognizing a customer need as the gateway to a new service—as one company did—to creating an in-house welding school to train their own workforce—as another did—these are the creative ideas Permian Basin oilfield services companies are […]
Overtime and Bonus Pay for Nonexempt Employees
Several years ago, I wrote on this topic of overtime and bonus pay for nonexempt employees, and I continue to have clients ask about these matters. This is super easy to understand if employers will take the time to review the Department of Labor’s (DOL) webpage, review the easy-to-read Fact Sheets, listen to your Human […]
Defying Expectations
The year 2024 is becoming a year when the prognosticators are being proven wrong. What do we mean by that? Let us count the ways. “World Oil Demand Outpacing Expectations” In a March 22 report from Bloomberg, we are told that the world is using more oil than ever and demand is outpacing […]
New Mexico: Land of Contrasts
The oil and gas industry in New Mexico in 2024 is like a boxer who keeps taking hits, but remains standing. Some hits are glancing blows, and some are near misses. From legislative to legal to development of the southeastern corner of the state, there are challenges—and opportunities in the year ahead for New Mexico’s […]
Drilling Rigs: The Times Are Changing
While drilling rigs have been seen in nearly every corner of the Permian Basin for the last 100 years, it seems that the modern rig has become a fixture of today’s Midland geography. Currently, there are four rigs clustered together northeast of Loop 250, one rig drilling east of Midland Air Park and a couple […]
Top Flight Service
How much does Permian Basin oilfield activity affect Basin aviation activity? It’s pretty much a direct, non-stop connection. According to Justine Ruff, director of airports at the Midland International Air and Space Port, “enplanements” are up exponentially right now. An enplanement, per the definition she gave, is “a passenger getting on an airplane and flying […]
Voting: Now is the Time
It is indeed nice to write for this publication, in the sense of being able to have literary freedom in terms of discussing safety. While the government continues in its overreach to control everything, safety included, we still fortunately have freedom of speech. Our freedom of speech can be seen as a parallel to the […]
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