Oil Field Gate Guard

gatekeeper said:

it is true gate work is not for every one. for some of us it's a dream come true. my wife and i have been full time for 11 years we prefer remote places. we have now found a way to get payed for it. plus our water, elect, sewer, propane. we are not going to stay for 20years.
like a lot of people in the usa today the economy got the better of us. our rv solar buseness was down 60% this year. we have been thinking about gate work. so now that we need to do somthing else we gave it a try.
we are going to work straight thru 14 months. in jun 2012 we will be able to pay chash for a place back home in montana. then we will come back 4 months each year. work 4 months vacation 8.
we have a realy great gate. the gas company tells us it will be maned for 10 years. the ranch owner is limiting trafic to one drill rig on the property. so trafic is light. we want to share this gate with some other couples. for starters we need someone to work it in jan 2012. if you like the work there is lots of gate work, there is an oil/gas boom going on here in sw tex.
the term guard or security is misleading we are gate keepers we have no authority, we log them in we log them out we don't know who they are or why they are here.
we are 50 mile north of laredo on hy83.

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Are you still looking for someone to share with in January 2012?

Are you still looking for a couple to help man the gates? If so, what months and we are interested.

Thank you.

Scott and Jeannine Hill

navyAZ1 said:

Well, Miss Ann and I just completed a 9 week run as a Oil Field Gate Guard. First thing I'll tell you this is not for everyone but we have decided that we will go back and do this again after the first of the year. The company we worked for was very good about supporting us and keeping all the needed equipment running well and making sure we had everything we needed. The main thing we missed is we never got to do anything together other than when we were at the gate, if we needed groceries or other supplys one of us had to go to town while the other manned the gate. At times we were quite busy and at times we had nothing to do it all depended on what process was being done on the wells and pipeline. All in all we found it to be well worth the time invested after being there for 9 weeks we have banked over $8,000 to pay for our travels next year. The BH has never been this dirty inside and out, we were lucky and they shut down the oil field for 3 days at Thanksgiving which gave us time to do some cleaning inside, but I still have to clean the exterior. We did find out that in south TX they have an over abundance of large rattle snakes, and huge spiders. We only have 2 encounters with ilegal aliens while there and it wasn't no big deal we just called the Border Patrol and they came out and picked them up after they had left our area. As I said it was a pretty positive experience all the folks we had to deal with at the gate were very nice and considerate towards us. If anyone is interested in doing this type of work just send me a PM and I'll answer all the questions I can. See Ya At The Elkhart Rally, Ron & Ann

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Hi!My husband Don a I also work as gate guards we have been doing it since last April 2011 and you are so right its not made for everyone. You must really love your partner LOL luckily we really do. What company did you work for. We are working for Gate Guard Service and in checking around they seem to be the only one that only pays $125 so we are thinking of changing companies so just wondered what experience you had. Hope you have safe travels,Cheryl D

Loulou said:

Are you still looking for someone to share with in January 2012?

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What company do you folks work for as gate guards. We are currently working for Gate Guard Service and have been since April 2011 but we are hearing other companies pay $150 and more compared to $125. Just wondering. We have been working 3 months then take 3 off. We really like it, granted you really have to love your partner since you are in the middle of no where. But we get along great so thats not a problem. Be safe and Hope to hear back from you my name is Cheryl and my email is Grandmad1420 @yahoo.com

It seems that there are bits and pieces of info regarding the gate guard job but not enough.

I’ll try to point out the up and the down sides together.

1. Money

Pro: Well, of course there’s the money. If you don’t need money, full timers have
limitless opportunities. If you still need or want to make money, the pay ranges
from $125 a day to $174. I've made as much as $200 a day on a very busy gate.

Con: Remember that’s for a 24 hour day, 7 days a week. At $125 a day, you’re actually making $5.21 an hour. Your basics (minus food) are provided: septic, electric and water (although you’ll need to buy your drinking water) and add your phone and internet and satellite service.

Some companies hire you as a enployee, taxes with held, others as a Independent
Contractor, your responsible for paying your taxes.

2. Quiet

Pro: There are no noisy neighbors

We have had our share of nature noise: screaming wild hogs, raging bulls, mad cows, howling hounds and coyotes. There’s some noise from the well site but you often are far enough away that you don’t hear too much of it. The ever-present generator hum is a constant that soon fades into the background.

Con: 24/7 is a huge issue for some folks. You can’t go together to do anything – get a cup of coffee or buy a toaster. This is a real hardship if you don’t both
drive. Often your in rural areas and may have to travel 30 - 50 miles for provisions

If you can’t do anything on your own or enjoy quiet time by yourself, this probably isn’t the ideal job for you.

Con: Dust plenty of it. Also when it rains and the big trucks are running the road turns to mud that is like wet cement, sticks to every thing

A license is required. You also have to take a test. These are regulated by Texas DPS-Private Security Bureau. You also have to be fingerprinted and a background ck is done via the FBI. No Prior Felonies, etc. (there are time frames on that though)

Typically the Gate Guard company you get hired on with helps with all of the above. You just have to pay for the license. Each company is a little bit different. Following is a list of a few of the companies:

Gate Guard Services, L.P.
4646 Corona Dr. Suite 163
Corpus Christi, TX, 78411
Phone: 361-949-6992 Call Patty

After calling the office, you will be sent an application packet with the following:

1. Independent Contractor Agreement and Worker’s Comp
2. W-9
3. Finger Printing and background check release forms
5. Level II Security Officer Exam
6. Passport size photo

Other Companies:

KC Services – 956-236-5255 (John)(have some 12 hour/singles gates)

Pro Gate – 830-776-8666

TimeKeepers – 956-821-5815

Primo 361-563-3080 (Brent)

Trinity 979-241-1675 (Ben)

LOMA Rentals
P.O. Box 832427?
Richardson, TX 75083-2427
Doug Farrell
President
doug_farrell@lomaflowbacks.com
817-964-1828

J&G Security.
Beeville, TX 78102
Justin French, Field Manager/Sales Representative 512-825-7567
Jo Ann Blackmon, Office 361-358-0443 (Alternate 361-318-2902)

Sorry for the length of this post but I wanted to provide info based on our experience of working for several companies and a variety of locations and energy companies.

Great information Allegrobusman.

Here is a thread I have been following for a few months over at RV.NET:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25522383.cfm

Lots of good information here also from many people who are working as a gate guard. I have really enjoyed getting so many different perspectives on it.

Would you mind telling me what the name of the Guard Company is and if you know where else in the U.S. they may have these opportunities? With all the buzz around this Fracking thing, we keep hearing that a lot of these oil companies are paying big money for people to just drive around the property, man the gates and if you see anything out of the ordinary call local law enforcement. Do you, or have you, ever done or heard of anything like this? I'm approaching a retirement threshold and I may leave a little early if I can find the right gig.

Thank you in advance for any reply,
Paul

navyAZ1 said:

Well, Miss Ann and I just completed a 9 week run as a Oil Field Gate Guard. First thing I'll tell you this is not for everyone but we have decided that we will go back and do this again after the first of the year. The company we worked for was very good about supporting us and keeping all the needed equipment running well and making sure we had everything we needed. The main thing we missed is we never got to do anything together other than when we were at the gate, if we needed groceries or other supplys one of us had to go to town while the other manned the gate. At times we were quite busy and at times we had nothing to do it all depended on what process was being done on the wells and pipeline. All in all we found it to be well worth the time invested after being there for 9 weeks we have banked over $8,000 to pay for our travels next year. The BH has never been this dirty inside and out, we were lucky and they shut down the oil field for 3 days at Thanksgiving which gave us time to do some cleaning inside, but I still have to clean the exterior. We did find out that in south TX they have an over abundance of large rattle snakes, and huge spiders. We only have 2 encounters with ilegal aliens while there and it wasn't no big deal we just called the Border Patrol and they came out and picked them up after they had left our area. As I said it was a pretty positive experience all the folks we had to deal with at the gate were very nice and considerate towards us. If anyone is interested in doing this type of work just send me a PM and I'll answer all the questions I can.

See Ya At The Elkhart Rally,

Ron & Ann

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I can't say for sure but I think Texas is the only place that has this system. Again, I don't know all the laws but I think the gate guard situation is required by the state for the property owners and oil lease holders protection (that's what I've been told anyway). While we were in WY in June we asked around about gate guarding and were told that the oil fields there did not use gate guards.