Wifes sister got a job in the oil fields of N Dakota

[Dave_L]

My first thought was..."Be careful".

However, Ive never been up there, known anyone that has been up there, etc. I've only heard stories of it. She's a good looking college graduate. She can be pretty naive to some things as she's lived a sheltered life and went to school in Kansas. She has a great offer and has accepted it but I'm hoping for any insight from anyone that can offer some.

She does plan to get a tazer along with whatever else she can carry. I don't know much more than it's entry level and she'll be staying in the camp towns for at least 6 months until she can bid out. I don't know what, if anything, they offer to females for extra protection/security? Is it military style where it's more neighborhood's of people who are all oil workers?

Thanks guys. Any information would be appreciated.

[2XS]

If she is college educated chances are she won't be a rig hand more likely she is an engineer I assume ? I would take all the extra precautions I could and make friends with other women in camp. Like you said carry what every she can to protect herself. She will be wearing so many darn clothes she shouldn't have to much to worry about for the winter.

[Dave_L]

Correct, entry level engineer of some kind.

[Wulf202]

Camps are just big dorms. She will get tons of numbers from the guys since there are no single females.

There is little protection for women. Her best bet is to try to find another woman to room with outside of the camps

[Aloha_Shooter]

She will be wearing so many darn clothes she shouldn't have to much to worry about for the winter.

I don't think that's relevant. Any camp with a very high male-to-female ratio will decrease selectivity on the part of the males quickly and dramatically. I still remember summer boot camp for ROTC, just 4-6 weeks and probably only 2:1 ratio but the girls who we rolled our eyes at on day 1 were looking pretty damned good by day 20. The kind of guy that commits these assaults seems to be even less selective so I doubt a ton of winter clothing is going to do anything to reduce their libidos. I hope she has a taser, a 9mm semi, and a backup revolver. Good luck to her.

[Sawin]

I hope she's not that good looking... or she knows some very effective self defense. Maybe she has a man she can take with her who needs work too?

[fitz19d]

On a non scary note. With all I hear about even normally $7hr jobs making 15, sure makes me want to consider possibly some kind of 1-3 year stint out there to career change and pick up some trade skills to translate into a steady but less lucrative one back here.

[Dave_L]

I hope she's not that good looking... or she knows some very effective self defense. Maybe she has a man she can take with her who needs work too?

Yeah, that's our concern. She is on the upper end of good looking in the regular world, let alone a place where there's 1 gal for every 10 guys. She's never taken self defense classes (to my knowledge). My concern is she won't take it seriously. This isn't college life where it's ok to flirt (even the mildest form) with all the guys at the bar.

[mcantar18c]

I'm fresh out if the Army and would be plenty willing to work close protection. What's their take on private security?

[glenncal1]

I went through CCW class with a woman (smokin hot) hot who wanted to carry because she was working in the oil fields near grand junction and was having trouble with the men. Get her something she can carry, not just a tazer.

[th3w01f]

Not sure how much time you have but ND appears to have reciprocity with both CO and KS if she can get some training and a permit.

I'm sure this goes without saying but make sure she gets a real Taser and not a stun gun... the heavy clotting may make it nearly useless up there.

[hurley842002]

There is a reason many people refer to the crew members as "oil field trash", hell most of them are proud of it (stickers on their trucks). It's a whole different culture from what I've heard.

[newracer]

Someone needs to talk to her about the dangers and threats that she will likely encounter. In addition, at minimum, self defense class that has some good situational awareness topics.

[Great-Kazoo]

Unless she has a confirmed place to live, with locks etc. I would suggest she rethink her options. Living in a "camp" is just that a camp. It's a prison w/out bars, law and the crime ratio is horrendous. I have 2 guys working up there, 1 is a forman in their own home he built. The other has a rap sheet like a newspaper. He's the more normal of the camp workers. A good portion work in ND because the don't drug test, or BG check. Out of prison tuesday, working the patch tuesday night.
IF she does move a taser will do nothing, like any other form of protection If she doesn't have the heart to use it.

[mb504]

Since it's the gift giving season, how about by her some self-defense classes.

It doesn't have to be as high-priced as the Gunsite 250 Defensive Pistol on Jan 12-16. Some training would go a long way, plus it would give her confidence.

[Dave_L]

Yeah, I haven't gotten all the details yet on the living situation. It sounded like they were going to find her a place to live so I assume she can have her own place and won't be directly in the camp (I hope). I'm sure there will be some more discussion over the holiday. Her mom's husband (not biological) works in the oil industry and has to go to the front lines now and again. He had a sit down talk with her already so I hope she takes it seriously.

I'll talk to her mom's husband more this Christmas to get a better read on exactly what the story is on the job and what she's going to be doing. My wife just gave me the basics but it could sound worse than it will be. I just seem to only hear of rougher crowds up that way. Similar to the gold mining crowd...except now it's oil.

[fj605]

Stay out of the bars. Keep belongings locked in her vehicle when she's working, not in her room at the camp. Having a weapon on her person or in her vehicle on a drilling location can get her runoff and/or fired. Most operators reserve the right to search vehicles and on-site living quarters.

Her greatest threat to safety is driving back and forth from camp. Second greatest threat is working on and around a drilling rig. Third will come from being a pretty, naive, young woman. Remind her that she's there to work and that partying can wait until days off.

[BPTactical]

First and foremost she needs to check with her employer what means she can have on site as far as self protection goes.





Oh and pics would be nice so we can properly evaluate her needs[ROFL1]

[BushMasterBoy]

Watch out for the guys that smell like chloroform...

[rondog]

A young, pretty girl in an oil field camp? Bad scenario in my opinion. Depends on a lot of things, might be OK, might also be the biggest mistake of her life. I think I'd have to try to talk her out of it. There's other high-paying jobs that are much safer.

[Irving]

I wouldn't even want my brother to move to an oil field up there if he had to live in a camp.

On the flip side though, she shouldn't continue to live a sheltered life and maybe nothing will happen but that she makes a ton of money.

[muddywings]

My first rule of staying out of trouble, 'nothing good ever happens after 10PM.' (Don't get me wrong...had to learn that through my own experience as well as the stupidity of others)

Confidence, she needs it. Not, 'oh look at me, i'm the cutest girl in town,' or 'I'm the uber-bitchy one' just plain old confidence. Walk around alert, aware of surroundings, look people in the eyes type of confidence. Teaching that in a short amount of time might be tough. Likewise, dial back the makeup, nail polish, lipstick if that is her normal thing. Avoid the bars. Get a fake engagement ring (not that it will deter every swinging...).

Good luck and for some odd reason the pics are not loading. Should probably repost.

[Dave_L]

Well got more details and she'll be living off camp in her own place. Good news there.

[Lars]

She will be fine. I have worked in the patch for the last 4 years and yes there is scum up there but no worse than here in Denver. I won't say all but most of the contractors up there offer classes for their female employs on everything from self defense to situational awareness. And to say that there is a lack of attractive women in the field up there is a gross understatement. Towns such as Williston are worse for this kind of thing than the man camps. The man camps do not allow weapons or alcohol and any connection to either usually results in termination of employment. Tell her to be safe and be aware of her surroundings, and make as much money as she can because there is a lot of it to be made up there.

[th3w01f]

A live grenade seems like a good deterrent.... "Well, Sailor figures if life gets too shitty, he'd just pull the pin, and see what's next."

[wyome]

good way to get some good field experience as an engineer ... get to quickly see impact of decisions on a sites bottom line/money

[Limited GM]

Hm, trying to remember Willie Bs question during stupid trivia, of what occupation had the highest STD ratio. Oil fields for the win. YIMV (your itch may vary)

[BushMasterBoy]

I wonder if I can sell some RV's next summer there?

[MrPrena]

My thought exactly, but I would also worry about plunging in oil price.
What if oil do fall under $45 and only recovers upto 55ish?



My first thought was..."Be careful".

However, Ive never been up there, known anyone that has been up there, etc. I've only heard stories of it. She's a good looking college graduate. She can be pretty naive to some things as she's lived a sheltered life and went to school in Kansas. She has a great offer and has accepted it but I'm hoping for any insight from anyone that can offer some.

She does plan to get a tazer along with whatever else she can carry. I don't know much more than it's entry level and she'll be staying in the camp towns for at least 6 months until she can bid out. I don't know what, if anything, they offer to females for extra protection/security? Is it military style where it's more neighborhood's of people who are all oil workers?

Thanks guys. Any information would be appreciated.

[GunsRBadMMMMKay]

I wonder if I can sell some RV's next summer there?
I've heard there's no where to park them.............

[Goodburbon]

How'd she do?

[Dave_L]

She's doing good. She has met some friends close to her age and is busy with training. She seems to be enjoying it. She also got to experience the joy of taxes. She had sticker shock on her first check. Haha.

[Great-Kazoo]

I've heard there's no where to park them.............

Walmart parking lot. I've listed a camper on the ND CL a few years ago. GONE.................