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oil rig mancamp horror stories
I've heard a whole bunch of stories lately of what happens to guys who go to work up in the oil rig camps in Northern Alberta Canada. One was that because it's so cold up there, that they have nothing to do but spend all their money on alcohol or drugs. They make a ton of money and spend it on drugs or alhohol because it's too cold to do anything else. I heard that some come back as addicts. I also heard some guys become addicted to porn because there are no woman up there.
This concerns me because right now a male friend of mine is working up there as a cook. I hardly ever hear from him. I know he works his ass off, and doesnt get a break for two weeks.
Has any one else heard any stories like these?
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Booze was king, in the 80's, early 90's. The oilpatch ran on booze literally. From the rig hands to the camp staff - it was alcohol daze.
Not blaming anyone, not protecting anyone either, life out there is life and most times in very harsh, isolated conditions. 12 hour days in 30 below was the norm. Got to the point, some contractors preferred their staff to smoke the weed, so at least they could get up in the morning and get a days work in. Seismic hands are
famous for the weed.
Worked last winter in Fort McMurray of tars sands fame - seen an entire busload of kitchen staff when they got out of camp - race to the bar to gush booze down their faces. All camps have an official "no drinking" policy but that is "official" They were only at a pitstop and the bus driver refused to take them to Edmonton because they were LOADED.
This is not a character issue, these folks were so stressed out and overworked and pressure to protect their jobs - running their ass off in a kitchen for 12+ hours straight is huge stress, so yes, the patch has drug/booze issues.
What is getting somewhat better is the kitchen staff sleeping with the rig hands to keep their jobs. If you party with the boss, your ok and if you slept with him - you were better!
Here is the pecking order for oilpatch sex.... rig manager gets number one preference, then driller, then derrick hand, motor hand, then last the roughnecks. Not so common anymore these days, but life is life and sex is sex and it will never end. Lot of women actually like it out there cause they are so undesireable in town but when they get out in the bush - they are queens and it gets to their heads.
Bit tamer these days, as for your cook friend, lots of cooks take off the pressure with the "weed" it was so bad if you "didn't" partake - you were outcast and considered a spy or rat.
Ask him, also if he is working with female staff - strange things done, under the midnight sun and attachments/loyalties build fast out in no man's land.
Been in and out of this biz for over 20 years, I am pure full of experience. Not all get drugged or drunk but the nature of this work, isolation, hard hours, job stress, dealing with backstabbers and other job stealers. It is VERY stressful.
But if your cook buddy is smart, he will know how to save and get the hell out of that business before it sux the life out of him!
no companies, names have been mentioned in this little bit of educational tirade but all I have stated was and is true.
There are many good camps/ but the bad situations are still out there. Depends on the management.
In the end, the shorter your bud stays in this business, the better off his prospects.
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Mmm, I haven't heard any of these stories. Just because there's Oil Rigs and stuff there, doesn't mean he's going to be blowing all his hard earned money on drugs, alcohol and porn. The cost of living out west is A LOT. So, he'll need his money to actually keep a house or apartment (which ever one he is in.) There's druggies everywhere, not just in Alberta where they have Oil Rigs.
My friend used to work in Alberta on the Oil Rigs and he was making a lot of money. It's a hard job and you have to be clean to actually get a job there. Just because my friend had that money, doesn't mean he was going to spend in on drugs, because he didn't.
I guess, it just depends on the person your friend is and if he'll cave into stuff like that. If not and you know he's strong-minded, don't worry about it. He'll be fine and won't give into that stuff. He'll have a normal life and will live it great. Just keep in contact with him and check up on him every so often, just to see how he's doing. ♥
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I have heard these stories, but the old rules apply here: When something is good you tell three people about it, when something is bad you tell thirteen.
People hear the bad stories because they are more fun to tell! They are more exciting, more dangerous more interesting than "Oh yeah it was really boring up there."
In most cases, a situation is what you make of it. I know a guy who went logging (similar environment as on the rigs with even more horror stories I've heard) and took the chance to write a novel that was published when he got back.
Don't be afraid for your friend just because of his circumstances and stories of stupid people, worry about him if you think he is the kind of person who would be prone to falling into those of habits and behaviors.
The best thing you can do for him is to keep in contact well as you can. You might also want to try expressing your concerns to him, he might be able to tell you a bunch of things about his life up there that will relax you. There has been a huge push in Canada in last year or two to take better care of the younger generation of workers and provide better distractions and support for people doing that sort of labour.
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It sounds like your worries are just sterotypes. Yes, maybe some people that go up there have those problems, but there are people that live in Florida that have those problems too. I think that getting addicted to alcohol, drugs, and porn depends more on the person than anything. The environment would just bring it out. Why wouldn't there be any women? And why would that make someone turn to porn? It's no different than just being single, plus I'm sure that there are women anyways. The alcohol and drug thing...I'll bet there are no more people up there that are addicted than there are in the very town that you live in. It's good to be worried about your friend because that shows that you care, but try not to worry too much. My guess is that he's just fine. :)
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No, I haven't heard any stories like these. lol, but I wouldn't believe the "drugs and alcohol" one if I were you. Just because it's cold doesn't mean you can't do anything. It's cold during the winter and people still get out and do things. And there HAS to be women. Alberta, Canada isn't just one big Testosterone filled province...
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