So I'm writing this pretty much as a way of expressing what went wrong.
I was working when the price of oil was very low and several rigs were stacking out (shutting down).
I kept getting sent to different rigs at a lower position after long layoffs, where I had to adopt a "just happy to be here" attitude. I ended up on one rig called "142". On this rig things were a little more political than I was used of.
One day I decided to fill out green cards which were ideas for improvements. I filled out several cards that day, including redisigned pipe racks, modifications to the skate, potential problems that could be alleviated. That same hitch I received a great review for my performance evaluation where my supervisor marked exceeds expectations in every category. That was the best review I ever received on the oil field.
I'm not sure what went wrong but I was "written up" that same hitch. Somebody up high decided my performance was lacking. They decided to make my next 3 months a living hell filled with paranoia before they ultimately ran me off of that rig.
I came back the next hitch and was instantly attacked. The toolpusher commented on the rigs condition and ordered me to get to cleaning "NOW!" After I finished doing his orders I was attacked for not doing other jobs that I should have accomplished while cleaning. My toolpusher called me a "dumb ass native." and bumped me with his shoulder.
They made a rig cleaning checklist and wrote that everything in my area needed to be worked on. My relief handed me a note that he got from his supervisor saying "save it all for Dru." That hitch I started recording everything, knowing that things weren't right. I recorded my encounters with the toolpusher, I recorded my encounters with the tower pusher who came up saying "what they're doing to you is not right and illegal." I recorded a conversation with them saying I was "just another _____". (crew member who repeatedly messed up.). I was repeatedly bashed and talked bad about. I'm not sure if other people were in on it, but I just scrubbed an area and an hour later was balled out for the area being messy. I went and took a look and somebody had really trashed the place.
The next hitch somebody got hurt and I moved up to fill in his position. I felt like I did a good job and stayed busy at that position. It was a break from my paranoia, I was finally getting complimented as doing good. Then 1 week into the hitch they called me into the office. I recorded this as well. I thought I was being offered a promotion, but I was being sent home and fired. The whole crew was very upset at this point, I almost got choked up from my crew being so upset.
I was closing on a house, I HAD to keep working.
Anyways that was the closing of my time on that rig. It still haunts me from time to time. Somehow 1 week after being "exceeds expectations." in every category, I was "needs improvement." in every single category.
I called the office and had to beg for another job. They told me to meet them in Anchorage, which I recorded as well. They sent me to the "Steelhead" offshore rig. A rig that wasn't easy to work on. That rig was a constant learning experience. That rig kicked my ass. That rig also brought the love for Oilfield work back. I came across a lot of people that were alot better and harder working than me, I was able to shine because my problem solving ability was actually heard and respected. My crew was pissed off just like me. I fit in.
However the poison from my run off experience was already instilled in me, so I decided to start saving up money and plan my exit from the oilfield. My corporation took pretty good care of me from that point on. I have all of this evidence but I would never take people down with me. I ran into a pusher from another rig recently who said something like: "when are you coming back?" my response was "why would I? when I could provide for my family without it?" I still have a lot of love for my crews, for a few of those crazy hard working miserable rigs. The rigs where you don't know how you're going to have energy for tomorrow. But I hope I never ever ever have to go back to those golden handcuffs.
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