Bakken oil rig in North Dakota – kinda beautiful in a way – kinda controversial in another.
I took this picture near Williston last week and am including it on my website just to try to keep it alive and to see if I receive any comments about the whole concept of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking.
I was delivering some parts today and was impressed with all the beautiful outback country there is in North Dakota. Going through the Berthold Reservation I had to be sure to avoid the open range horses that were randomly wandering about. So much beautiful country but I could not stop my truck to take pictures. (also it is not welcome to wander about a rig taking photos – it is not allowed to wander about a rig period) FR clothing is required (fire resistant), hard hat, reflective gear, safety glasses etc and you are not allowed to be a jerk in general in most cases.
…anyway there one is ! Yippie !
I like snow : )
Oil Rig on Lake Sakakawea on the Ft Berthold reservation in North Dakota – the land of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara people. pic taken Wed Nov 21
Statement by Meriwether Lewis “THIS SCENERY, ALREADY RICH, PLEASING AND BEAUTIFUL, WAS STILL FURTHER HIGHTENED BY IMMENSE HERDS OF BUFFALO, DEER AND ELK…WHICH WE SAW IN EVERY DIRECTION FEEDING ON THE HILLS AND PLAINS. I DONOT THINK I EXAGGERATE WHEN I ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF BUFFALO WHICH COULD BE COMPREHENDED AT ONE VIEW TO AMOUNT TO 3000″
3 of a kind
Down by Skunk Bay near the boat dock.
cheers
dp
just north of Kildeer, North Dakota
unusual to see 4 pumps in a row like this
Nabors 445
Williston ND
Merry Christmas
Dakota Gecko
dp – Happy Holidays
Climbing Mount Apo
General Santos
Growing Orchids
Judy's Resto Bar
Logging with Motorcycles
Mount Mayon
Balabac Island
Biri Island
Calbiga Cave
Capul Island
Mangrove Swamp Palawan
Mikes's Resort
Paint it white and put a wind turbine on it and people will see it as a thing of beauty that makes them feel good. My nephew was working on drill rigs in Wyoming in the winter. 12 hour shifts day and night until the drilling lubricant oil freezes and they can’t drill anymore. He said it was very windy and brutally cold.
I’m very happy to see you keeping the web site alive. I live in Manila now (I’m American) and still refer to it for trip planning. I’m guessing that you’re just saving up money and will return to the Philippines at some point.
Energy independence for the USA would be wonderful and I’m hoping to see nat gas vehicles there eventually. I’m fine with the fracking process but I’ve noticed that the person who invented it has stated that federal regulation is necessary for environmental purposes.
Hi Doug S,
Thanks for your reply.
It is interesting that some people expect the US to be the worlds top oil producer by the year 2020. New technologies such as directional and horizontal drilling are really changing things. Fracking or fracturing the shale and injecting frac sand like ceramic beads into the cracks make it easier to keep the oil flowing steadily in places that used to be non-productive. Large areas n Canada – Saskatchewan particularly are also being developed on a wide scale.Canada is rapidly developing their export potential to China because they realize that the US will no longer be a major importer of their oil in the near future – amazing really
cheers
dp
Hi Dutchpickle: you mention the utilization of fireproof clothing while working in the oil fields. What categories of apparel are used? For example, are they in the forms of jumpsuits, shirts, pants, etc.? Are they supplied by the company or are the field workers required to purchase them with their own resources? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello Roselyn,
FR shirts, hats, pants, jackets, rain coats, coveralls, etc
…companies sometimes provide a clothing allowance
Others like Haliburton or Baker Hughes issue company coveralls – Haliburton red and Baker Hughes dark blue the workers kind of look like sports team when they are in a group or getting off the transport bus
Schlumberger- light blue
Most tanker drivers carry a separate duffel bag with extra clothes – they have to be ready if they get stranded in a winter storm – temperatures can really drop in this area – minus zero is very common – minus 20 F and colder is not unusual and when combined with the wind it can really cut through you – these clothes are also FR
…always stay with your vehicle in a winter storm – “Do not leave your vehicle in a winter storm for any reason” company policy in most cases
You could wander off the dirt road in blowing snow and minus 50 to minus 100F wind chill and a person would not last long in those conditions – also help might not be able to find you
dp
story…
a older man from North Dakota told me a story of when he was a young man he got stuck in the snow about a mile from his friends house in a winter storm
with wind chill it was -70F
he told me that he did not think he would make it if he set off walking (even though he knew the country) , so he waited over night in the car.
The fuel ran out but they found him 12 hours later the next morning – he was ok – but he had frostbite on his toes
…he laughed when he told me the story but he said that he just knew he wouldn’t have made it if he set off on foot the night before
dp … always carry some survival gear in the winter months
Hey dp , great pics n info as usual. R u still north or have u moved south yet ? Johnny is wondering were uncle dp has gone too hahahah. Its great to see u still posting new stories. Alls well here but missing my old mate. Things just not the same. Hoping to see u in the new year.
mate…looking forward to seeing you again mate – as for now I am still finishing off a job here in the snow – more power !
dp
ps – “hello” to Johnny and Melody !
DP,
The photo of the snow looks kind of like the moon’s landscape…new years day here in Sydney yesterday it was over 100 dec so i hit the local pub to get away from the heat and to take in the air-conditioning to keep me cool for the day!
Vietnam was a great trip mate…I will get back there again soon after i do a trip to Laos later is year…you need to checkout Vietnam as its a great place for a visit!
MG