Dear North Dakota,I don't mean to be rude but until a few months ago you had never really crossed my mind. I mean I had to learn where you were located on the map and your state capitol in elementary school but after that you rarely cross my mind. You seem kind of boring, flat and cold. I would have never guessed that you would become such a big and important part of my life. But I guess that's what life is, full of unexpected twists and turns. You are flat; compared to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, you really are just rolling hills. You are beyond cold! Below zero most days. But I guess you aren't as boring as I thought. Apparently you are filled with oil rigs and oil companies that are in great need of having water hauled, pipe moved, rigs torn apart and moved to different sites, and all sorts of other things that require handsome young men who can drive semi trucks. I had no idea that you have the potential to produce more oil than the gulf of Mexico. I had no idea that there were so many truckers in one middle of nowhere town (60+ parked in the Walmart parking lot). I didn't realize how much I would appreciate knowing that they are kind men (despite their sailor mouths) and look out for each other wherever they are. I am sorry I underestimated what you had going on up there. I am thankful that, during these times of economic uncertainty, you are providing work that my husband enjoys and gives him a sense of accomplishment. I am glad that he is happy and feels good about himself because that makes the fact that he is spending a lot of time with you a little easier.
Sincerely, Aubry
The view...Rolling hills as FAR as the eye can see.
Notice the NEGATIVE 15 ... yeah that is not my idea of fun. That was a night he had to sleep in his truck and they had to keep it running so the engine wouldn't freeze. 
An Oil Rig
My Handsome Trucker with his first haul. I think it was pieces of an oil rig that was being moved.
Waiting out a storm with a load of pipe coming from Wyoming.
These are called 'Frak' tanks; they hold water at the drilling site. I don't pretend to understand more than that... I should probably google it.
The water truck; they spent 4 or 5 days hauling fresh water to these pits near the rigs. Again, I think the water is warmed and cycled to be used with the 'Frak' drilling.
This pit is about 10-12 feet deep to the water line and about the size of a football field. Cody said it would probably take about 300 trips to fill it. I think he said there were 4 trucks including his working at least 12 hour shifts.
A couple days later he sent me this picture.. saying he felt like now it actually looked like they had accomplished something.
5 comments:
It's nice to get a glimpse into what's actually happening up there. I'm glad he's enjoying his work and I'm glad you're so supportive and positive. You guys are wonderful and I love you!
Wow, I love the cold, but thats might actually be even too cold for me!!! And like Mal said, nice you are so supportive and positive. I know separation can't be easy! You're the woman!!! Oh, and those kiddos of yours, they get cuter and cuter all the time!!!!!
The "Frac" process is the method used to produce gas from shale and other low permeability rock. A well is drilled vertically down to the rock layer of interest (usually 5,000-8,000 ft.) At this point, they put permanent pipe in the hole and cement it in so that any further drilling and fluids they will pump down the well or gas that will come out of the well will not affect groundwater. Then they go back to the bottom of the well through the middle of the pipe they just cemented in and the well is turned sideways using a down-hole motor that is either bent or has pads that can press up against the well bore and point the drill bit in the right direction. Usually the turn in the well bore takes a few hundred feet. Then, the well is drilled horizontally through the layer of interest out to as much as 10,000 feet (about 2 miles). Then comes the Fracing (Pronounced "Fracking".) Water, sand, and chemicals are pumped down into the well at high pressures. This causes fracturing of the rock layer they drilled horizontally in down at around 5,000 to 8,000 feet deep. The rest of the well (vertical part) is protected because they set pipe in it before. The water, sand and chemicals go out into the fractures. When pressure is let off the well, the sand that was in the frac fluid props the fractures open. The rest of the fluid (water and chemicals) is pumped out of the well or flows back out under pressure. This water is then removed from the site. This is what the "Frac Tanks" are for. The large pit you see in the picture is used to store the water they are going to use to frac, or for temporary storage of flowback water after the well begins to produce gas.
Leave it to my dear to fill you in on all the details you may or may not have wondered about. There you go. I'm continually impressed with you, Aub. You're one tough girl and I admire you.
It's nice to see some pictures of what he's seeing and doing up there. It's crazy to think of this lifestyle that he's just jumped into that wasn't on the radar a year ago. I'm glad you guys have this great opportunity to get ahead and for him to have a good business.
Oh man. It is no fun to have the hubby gone, but in the winter and with kids and for LONG periods of time? Blah. I know you have tons of outs but if you wanted something different, you are welcome to our place. We are always bored and looking for some excitement while Logan is working. You could come check out the new digs and the girls could play. Whoop!
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