Labor Lack Becoming an Oilfield Issue

As Permian Basin energy companies continue to recover from lower oil prices, another problem is occurring. Namely, personnel shortages, particularly qualified truck drivers, are hindering exploration and production because equipment can’t be delivered to the crews.

The oil bust from two and three years ago forced many companies into bankruptcy, and wiped out tens of thousands of jobs. And now, as the industry is coming back, it is finding fewer individuals who might be interested in working for such a volatile industry. The result is that, while drilling has surged in the Permian basin in 2017, the shortage of workers for fracking crews have led oil companies to leave oil wells untapped for months in West Texas.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Amy Sorter