Going to Fort Mac?

[haunt]

So I just got word that big brother wants to send me up to fort mac for some field experience in the oil sands. Right now I’m doing design and drafting. Haven’t been working very long, just got out of school last April.
From what I’m told, the pay is good with lots of overtime, but the hours are shitty. Not a lot of work, but lots to learn. I’d be there 10 days and back here 4 days, for a 6 month term. When I’m back in the office, I should be expecting a raise. I’m thinking this sounds like a good deal, but it’s 6 months of my life going in to zombie mode pretty much. I don’t think my girlfriend will be very happy about this either.
I haven’t yet agreed to going, and I wouldn’t be going til mid summer (which means I’ll be there in the winter, which sucks).

Anybody care to share your experiences up north?

[Cozmanator]

One exeprience I can tell you, as I been there for 2 months.

Life in general is really expensive up there, from food to housing. Its not that bad of place compared to other northern cities but it does get really cold winter time, like really effin cold.

How are you going to get there? Charter Plane? Driving? If your driving, hope you get compensated for wear and tear + gas... its not a short drive to say the least. Also see if they help with housing, as its really hard if not impossible to find an affordable place to live.

Overall its a good experience , but not something youd wanna do for too long. + Like you said, think of your gf and family and so forth... Does she have a job/school? Can you take her with you?


Anyway man hope you the best and goodluck! :)

[JfuckinC]

For design, field experience is un-matched. Do it man. You'll learn so much in such a short time. I loved going out in the field when i was oil and gas, i learned a ton.
Depends on what company also. Will you be living in camp? motel/hotel? find your own accommodations? like asked, what kinda transport? You guys need any 3D piping designers haha??

[haunt]

I get sent there and back on a chartered plane every week, and I'll be staying in camp. I heard it's damn expensive up there though (pack of gum costs 5 bucks), but at the same time there's virtually nothing to spend your money on.

JfuckinC, not sure about that, electricals been hiring. But if I hear anything I'll let you know.

[JfuckinC]

I'd say do it man, You really do learn a lot on site. They'll teach you what happens between your design and the as-builts so you will know how to get it right the first time, and the tricks the pipe fitters use etc.. You'll also see how alot of things look compared to see'ing it on a computer screen. its in-valuable.

Now your saying its for 6 months.. i dunno if i'd do it much longer than that haha :rofl:

[punky]

mine sharing company name . I'm in electrical.

[haunt]

Sure, I work at Jacobs.

[JfuckinC]

Originally posted by haunt
Sure, I work at Jacobs.

Even more reason to go, I haven't really worked at any huge company's like that, but all i hear about them is its really easy to get stuck in a rut and pigeon holed into doing one thing and not progress too much. Good luck man!

[punky]

nice, i'll have a look at them. appreciate the share.
you guys do plc programming right?

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by JfuckinC


Even more reason to go, I haven't really worked at any huge company's like that, but all i hear about them is its really easy to get stuck in a rut and pigeon holed into doing one thing and not progress too much. Good luck man!

Typical. If you know too much, you cost too much.

They love sending noobs to Ft Mac because they are cheap and expectation is low.

I would go thru what they offer with a fine comb before committing. Especially on cost of living adjustments. Know a few out of school noobs got screwed over it. But at least you're in camp instead of relocating.

[haunt]

Originally posted by JfuckinC


Even more reason to go, I haven't really worked at any huge company's like that, but all i hear about them is its really easy to get stuck in a rut and pigeon holed into doing one thing and not progress too much. Good luck man!

I can see that happening if you're the type that takes to repetitive work easily. This one lady I work with has been here for 28 years, just drafting and cutting drawings. My boss is cool though and sometimes acts as a mentor.
Talkin' to some of the guys I work with, they say its like the black hole of time. You can get called up for 2 weeks and end up staying there for 10 years if they keep pushing you up the ladder.


Originally posted by Punky


nice, i'll have a look at them. appreciate the share.
you guys do plc programming right?

I think there's a department for the control and automation side of things, but for the most part the company's involved in design, consultation, and construction. If PLC's are what you're really interested in, companies like GE or Seimens is where you'll thrive.

[JfuckinC]

Typical how? You don't agree field experience is an asset?

[kaput]

.

[princeaidin]

I concur gota be very carefull what your going up there for.

Sometimes you get screwed, because as kaput and others put it, no one with their P.Engg except very fiew stay on there.

Things to look at is what site are you working on, whats the project and whats your role.

On the flip side I have friends up there, and they are working out there for 3 months on implementation of a water softening system for a SAGD facility but they are engineers based out of calgary. Usually they dont make an engineer stay up there for an extended basis because there is really nothing you need to do out there.


Finally wanna talk about weak, talk bout working for a servicing company like Schlumberger, Weatherford or Halliburton they own you.

[Rat Fink]

.

[msommers]

I was up at the Surmont Project doing electrical for quite a few shifts, can't really remember how many it was. It was 10 on, 2 off and we had to drive both ways! We stayed in camp and mostly was during the summer months, which was a muddy fucking mess.

Camp is like a shitty version of res more or less. Bring books, movies to pass the time. Food is typically greasy and steak night is typically disappointing lol. Hours were long and money was good. Lots of guys have gf's or wives that are able to stick it out. You're home for 4 days at least (probably 3 actual days really).

Field experience is good in just about any sector. Just avoid staying up there for too long and you'll be just fine.

[chkolny541]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Typical. If you know too much, you cost too much.

They love sending noobs to Ft Mac because they are cheap and expectation is low.

I would go thru what they offer with a fine comb before committing. Especially on cost of living adjustments. Know a few out of school noobs got screwed over it. But at least you're in camp instead of relocating.

werd. ive had a few friends who have gone up there, a few rig pigs and a few engineers, and unanimously everyone has hated it, pay is great only because they cant get anyone up there to STAY and work, or so i hear. Everyone worked a few months, quit, then never returned. Town is boring as shit, working is the only real entertainment you have, haha. But try it out, you never really know otherwise

[Nigel Mansell]

Don't do it man, I'm warning you!

[psycoticclown]

My dad actually works up there. He's a senior engineer and does 4 days there and spends Friday and the weekend back at home in Calgary. He used to live in the camps but he said it would take forever to get into work on the shuttle buses. Wake up at 4:30am, board bus at 5, get into work at like 6:30 or 7 and don't leave until 5:30. Now he just rents a room during the work week and he says it's not too bad other than the long hours but there's nothing to do there. He literally spends maybe $30 there a week if that and the company pays for 80% of his rental so he does save a bunch of money. But he's pretty old and not looking to go out and stuff anyways. Only real complains he has is that it is damn cold especially when you have to work outside. Says when it hits -40, it's a bitch trying to take notes outside, pens freeze in like 30 seconds and than they have to put them in their jackets to warm up again.

[Nigel Mansell]

I've worked up there on and off for the past ten years.

Are you going to the SERP project at Syncrude with Jacobs? If so, private message me.

[haunt]

No, I'll be at Firebag, which is actually quite a ways from fort mac.

[rtsen]

Can anyone share their experience with labour jobs in Fort McMurray?

From what I heard, you either work 10 days/4-5 days off, 14 days/7 days off, or something similar. 10 or 12 hours a day.

You usually start at $25-30+/hr and since you are working 10-12hours a day you get a lot of OT. If you are on the 14 days on/ 7 days off, the 2nd week of work is OT, is this true?

Regarding rent, I heard most companies do not offer camp to labourers so you will have to rent in town. The good news is that rent in general has decreased and you can find a room for $600-$700.

[haunt]

I think anything over 40 hours in a week is considered overtime. So if youre working 10+ hours a day, everything after thursday would be ot rate. :thumbsup:

[maz3]

I have a friend that is considering going up to Fort-Mac who got an offer for document control from Suncor. What's it like for a female to be down there working and living?

[Rat Fink]

.

[Nigel Mansell]

If you are working in a skilled trade, you will most likely be under a union agreement, which is Monday-Thursday straight time, Friday time and a half, and Saturday Sunday double time. Any day where you work more than 10 you get double time for anything after your regular ten hour shift.

Forget going to Firebag! Worst camp up there and a two hour drive to town.


Being a female is fine. If you are working document control, you will most likely be a Suncor's main office just north of the bridge, not on the actual site itself. Many women work there.

[bigbadboss101]

Six months goes by quick. I was originally going to be there for six months and it ended up being longer. Now I am back in town for work.

I have seen a who bus of guys stand up when they see a pretty lady. Actually sometimes any lady walks by at camp and everyone looks :-).

Firebag is far from FMM but if you are flying that is not bad. I used to fly out every Monday morning and home Thursday nights.

Food and housing would be more expensive but if you are at camp you dont really need to spend much.

[Jry_79]

Originally posted by JfuckinC


Even more reason to go, I haven't really worked at any huge company's like that, but all i hear about them is its really easy to get stuck in a rut and pigeon holed into doing one thing and not progress too much. Good luck man!

LOL Haunt if I were you I would sacrifice 6 months and go up to Ft. Mac and learn something. Till this day I know some drafting and designers and even engineers, when you hold up a drawing and you hold up a picture of an Actual ESDV and ask them where they think it is on the drawing??? They have a blank stare.......u don't want to be that in 5-10 years when your labeled a supposed intermediate /senior.

FYI I've worked for smaller engineering companies and also larger ones. Honestly I worked for Jacobs for 2-3 years in stints. The last time I got fed up.....you'd sit there in the cubical and wonder WTF am I really doing here....they sent me up to Firebag on Suncor’s Jet......got up to site, did absolutely nothing and wondered again WTF am I really doing here......get back into the Calgary Office, sit beside a process engineer doing their simulation on HYSYS, writing out my two weeks notice......then you hear the process guys mumbling....WTF am I really doing here.....no more big companies for me....it's broing and I think it may have decreased my brain activity......(notice how I spelled boring)

WE ARE A DIME A DOZEN in the Oil & Gas Market.....it's either you know people or you step up and be better then the next guy! Go for it and enjoy the experience....at the end of the day life is all about experiences........and chicks

[HuMz]

Originally posted by maz3
I have a friend that is considering going up to Fort-Mac who got an offer for document control from Suncor. What's it like for a female to be down there working and living?

In camp its fine, females already have there seperate qaurters/buildings and theres always been quite a few in the ones ive stayed at. (Good looking ones i might add)

As for my experience I've worked up at CNRL in the past and camp is the way to go. I've never been paid so much to do so little and the food very good. Of course the trade off is being away from home and my camp room itself sucked.

I would reccomend anyone to go and try it for themself even if its just for a few months, and its good to go in the winter because typically there isn't much going on here in Calgary during the winter months anyway. I made sure I came back in time for summer though.

I would avoid staying in town, this is where the expensive label always comes into play. In camp you don't pay for shit unless you are buying snacks from the store or going to the bar. But in town everything is pricer and its a complete shithole. I can remember paying over 10 bucks to wash my car at the wand wash as an example.

[CHICHARITZHI]

fort mac is like Las Vegas in the north..