Saturday, January 1, 2011

What do driving to work, keeping your home warm, and choosing plastic bags at the supermarket all have in common? While these three activities at first seem unrelated, they do share one trait: they all require oil. In fact, we probably don't think about it, but in some way or another, oil and natural gas affect the majority of our everyday lives. Beyond the obvious tasks such as treating your car to a fresh oil change or firing up the gas grill for a backyard barbecue, oil and natural gas are also key elements in most manufactured goods.

Being that these are heavily relied upon resources, it's no wonder the oil and natural gas industry has a strong presence around the world and in our own country. In fact, the United States is among the top oil producers in the world, as well as a top consumer. And for the employees in this industry, it is no small job to keep up with the demand.

Not exactly the typical 8-to-5 office career, workers in this industry often travel from one remote jobsite to the next, and work odd shifts throughout the day and night, seven days a week to complete their tasks. And they are often on site for the entire duration of the project, which can be up to weeks at a time. So for these workers, the jobsite doubles as a temporary second home. They need simple amenities such as living quarters, large quantities of water for drinking and bathing, and generators to provide electricity.

Click here to read the full article.

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