Opportunities in Oil Field Trucking Jobs:
The trucking job in the oil field industry is pursued by several professionals. There are a handful of opportunities in the oil industry if one needs to pursue trucking in this line of work. The oil field industry is part of the energy market, the market which supplies energy resources to worldwide consumers. There are some resources the truckers frequently transport in this field, like natural gas, coal, crude oil, and biomass.
With the home to several oil field jobs, the oil industry offers great opportunities in trucking.
Below are some of the primary driving job opportunities in the oil field industry.
- Truck Driver
Truck drivers in the oil industry have to deliver explored, refined and produced equipment to designated locations. The drivers examine the cargo loads to make sure proper tie-down of all the equipment they carry to maintain safety. Professional truck drivers also regularly check up their vehicles for any upgrades or maintenance to fulfill safety criteria. Lastly, the drivers are also provided with proper trucking in the oil industry sessions so that they can become aware of industry guidelines and safety concerns.
- Tanker Driver
The primary duties of the tanker driver are to transport hazardous bulk quantities of liquids to assigned destinations for refinement, production, or sales. The drivers transport hydrocarbons like butane, ethane, propane, etc. They are also assigned the task of reviewing the safety sheets of hazardous materials they transport and putting placards on their tankers according to which material they are transporting. To maintain safety and eliminate potential transport concerns, the tanker drivers might also review established route information.
- Crude Oil Trucking Job
There are crude oil haulers that transport the fuel oil in oil tanker trucks to the customer's destination. The drivers inspect their oil tanker trucks to look for any container integrity issues and validate that the container is safe to be driven. Apart from this, the haulers operate tank trailers and heavy machinery which is needed to load and unload the oil tanks at the dictated furl terminals as per the delivery specifications. The quality of the crude oil is also tested by these professional tank drivers. It is often possible that crude oil transporters have to attend recurring training sessions to remain up-to-date with safety ways, industrial standards, and regulations of hazardous material transportation.
Secondary Jobs of Trucking in Oil Fields:
Trucking in oil fields is a vast field in which to work as a trucker. The oil industry provides a diverse range for truckers to work in and take away a good earning home.
Here are other fields to work in as a trucker in the oil industry:
- Gravel Truck Driver
These drivers drive special trucks designed for dumping gravel or loose jobs to the job site location. They are instructed to check that the trucks are working properly, especially the hydraulic lines and other moving parts, to enable smooth operations.
- String Truck Driver
These drivers have to deliver the pipes to and from the pipeline work sites. The drivers examine the pipe shipments to certify the quality of finished parts and tie-down loads as per the loading operations established before. The string trucking driver also has to review and plan delivery routes to avoid any potential roadway barriers. Lastly, the drivers also have to make sure that they deliver the right amount of material to the right location at the right time.
- Supply Truck Driver
The supply truck drivers are hired to transport the food and other supplies needed by the laborers or employees of the oil companies at sites or offices. Drivers are given the order information, which they collect and supply to the right location. They need to plan and review their routes so that the supplies are transported within the set deadline.
- Vacuum Truck Driving
This is a very crucial trucking requirement in the oil industry. The vacuum truck drivers load and transport waste and other hazardous materials from oil sites. Vacuum truck drivers also operate other equipment such as vacuum trailers, pressure washers, hydro vacuums, or roll-of trucks to ensure clean operations. Many companies prefer truckers who have acquired special certificate switches to demonstrate that they are skilled in working with hazardous materials.
- Petroleum Trucking
Petroleum trucking involves the transport of petroleum-like gasoline. The amount of petroleum that needs to be delivered by trucks depends upon the required quantity of petroleum. There is a need for high safety and skills for petroleum trucking as there is a lot of pollution during its transportation and chances of spillage, which can harm others on the road.
- Explosives Delivery Driver
Explosive delivery drivers need to transport the explosive material or devices to and from the oil sites safely. The drivers work together with job site managers and leadership teams to identify explosives requirements and fill orders as per these specifications. The drivers must review the routes and plan them to ensure the safety of the other roadway members and community drivers.
The Ins to the Oil Field Truck Driver Salary:
As per the statistics of December 2023, the average pay of an oil field truck driver is around $41,300 per year. The salary of the crude oil hauler is around $84,900 on average. The salary can fluctuate depending on some key factors for an oil field truck driver. The key factors are location, the oil field trucking companies you are working for, and the driving experience. Talking about location, as per statistics USA is amongst the top 10 oil-rich states, with Texas state being at the top, so one can get a better-paying trucking job in Texas oil fields than in other states. It is safe to say that working as a trucker in the oil field industry can lead to lucrative earnings. The earnings can be raised by considering the key factors correctly and by working on them.
The Oil Field Transportation Companies:
There are oil field transportation companies that specialize in transporting crude oil and refined oil. Some firms own, operate, and lease oil tanker trucks and other facilities. There are crude tankers that transport the bulk of unrefined crude oil from the extraction site to the oil refineries, while there are separate product tankers that carry refined products to customers.
The best five oil field transportation companies are mentioned below:
1. Scorpio Tankers Inc
The company provides marine transportation of petroleum products globally. The company offers good oil tanker ship prices which attracts a good amount of customers willing to transport oil through seaways.
2. Frontline Plc
Frontline is a Cyprus-based company that provides sea-borne transportation of crude oil and oil products. The company has 22 very large crude carriers, which enables the company to make healthy profits.
3. Teekay Corp
This company provides international crude oil and gas marine transportation services. The company is also the best provider of off-shore oil production, storage, and off-loading services.
4. Tsakos Energy Navigation LTD
The company is headquartered in Hellas, Greece, and has been operating for 30 years. The company has a fleet of 66 crude, product, liquid natural gas, and shuttle tankers.
5. SFL Corp Ltd
This is a successful multi-industry shipper with 14 crude oil, product, and chemical tankers and two sea drills.
All in All, About Oil Tankers:
An oil tanker is a ship specifically designed for the bulk transport of oil or its product. The oil tankers are needed to transport oil to the areas where trucks cannot go due to extremely far-fetched locations and the need for a bulk quantity. There are two types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. The crude tankers move large amounts of unrefined crude oil from extraction sites to the refineries. Whereas the product tankers are generally much smaller and are used to move refined oil from the refineries to the consuming markets. Oil tankers are classified not only by their capacity but also by their size and occupation. The right oil tankers are selected by looking at the amount of oil needed to be transported and the destination where the oil needs to be transported. The transportation companies check how much oil in an oil tanker is needed for transportation, the oil tanker capacity, the oil tanker ship price, etc. The largest oil tanker capacity is of ULCC’s of about 4 million barrels.
The Impact of Digital Permit Book on Trucking Efficiency
Digital permit book is transforming the landscape of trucking in oil fields by streamlining logistics and optimizing efficiency. These electronic permits replace traditional paper-based systems, offering real-time accessibility and data management.
Trucking operations benefit from reduced paperwork, quicker approvals, and enhanced compliance monitoring. The digital permit books enable seamless coordination between drivers, authorities, and oil field facilities, ensuring a smoother transportation flow. With instant access to permits, drivers experience minimized delays at checkpoints, leading to increased productivity and on-time deliveries.
Conclusion:
Overall, trucking in the oil field is a wondrous opportunity for anyone who wants to build a lucrative career in trucking. There are diverse fields in the oil industry where trucking jobs can be pursued, like petroleum trucking jobs, crude oil trucking jobs, and much more. The truck owner-operator who wants to build a profitable trucking business in the oil field needs to be skillful, observant, and diligent. The companies look for such truckers so there can be lucrative earning opportunities for both the trucker and the oil company. The adoption of digital permit solutions marks a pivotal shift in oil field logistics, enhancing overall operational efficiency and transparency.
