Shortage of Qualified Workers Sidelines Drilling Rigs in California
by Erin Waldner The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, March 03, 2005
Fred Holmes has two drilling rigs down. It isn't for want of work.
"There's a limited work force," said Holmes, president of Western Well Service in Taft. "A rig needs 18 people. You can't piecemeal a drilling rig."
Holmes and others in the local oil field services industry say it's a challenge finding experienced, qualified rig workers. If a job candidate does not have experience working in the field, he or she has to be trained -- and
that can take at least 90 days.
"It's specialized work," said Gene Gaz, the area manager for the national Caza Drilling.
He said Caza also has to make sure job candidates can physically do the job before they're hired, and they have to pass a drug test.
"Right now, as you need more and more workers, you start seeing people coming out of the woodwork that can't pass the test. From a safety standpoint, you can't put them in the field," Gaz said.
"It's not like it used to be," Holmes said.
Gaz and Holmes attributed the labor shortage to strong crude oil prices, which have increased activity in the field. Drilling rigs are in high demand in Kern County.
In addition, Holmes said the oil industry is having to compete with the building industry for workers, and sometimes loses out.
"The building trades are going good," he said.
Ken Hauser, safety manager for the local Schlumberger division, said it's become more difficult to fill job openings because hiring requirements are more stringent than they used to be. Background checks are commonplace, post-Sept. 11.
It used to be that if an oil company wanted to drill a well, it could be done that same day. But with the labor shortage, an oil producer sometimes has to wait until a rig and crew are available.
"We can't just go out and manufacture a rig," Gaz said.
Taft has the only high school oil academy in the country. It was established in part to feed the industry with future workers.
Gaz said an academy in Bakersfield might help ease labor shortages.
"It wouldn't only help here. You could train here and disperse workers throughout the U.S.," he said, noting that Caza, like Pool Well Services, Key Energy Services and Schlumberger, are part of national companies. |
