The evolution of 'man camps' — from tents to basketball courts and swimming pools

[Elderberry]

Houston Chronicle by Jordan Blum 10/31/2019

The evolution of 'man camps' — from tents to basketball courts and swimming pools

CARLSBAD, N.M. — After a long day of driving a truck to deliver sand used for fracking oil wells, Gilbert Herrera is laughing with friends and chowing down on a freshly cooked meal in the main dining hall.

Just outside the dining room are basketball and volleyball courts. Next door is a game room with leather chairs, billiards and table tennis. Soon, he’ll crash in his own room with a large memory foam mattress and a private shower.

Herrera, who’s taken to the Permian to help support four kids and 14 grandchildren, is staying in temporary housing for oilfield workers popularly known as man camps. But as shown by the amenities that are making Herrera’s 12-hour days a lot easier to the take, the man camp, once a collection of bunk beds and group showers, is getting a serious upgrade here in the booming Permian Basin.

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/The-evolution-of-man-camps-from-tents-14582605.php

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Oil Companies have been running oilfield camps since the oil business started.

I recall seeing a number of them, no longer operational but at times with retirees still in them, up and down the Gulf Coast 50 years ago when I worked for a major.

The difference with them was that the employees actually lived there fulltime with their families.  I remember working with many of the older hands like roustabouts and pumpers back then and finding out each camp had their own baseball team to compete against one another.  Some of these guys told me that they were actually hired due to their baseball prowess.

That was a different time, when there were a surplus of laborers and a shortage of jobs for them, so companies could be selective.

That is definitely not what is happening now.

How is your son doing out there lately, @Elderberry ?

[Free Vulcan]

Grandpa hobo'd and worked for the CCC during the Depression. Upgraded, but definitely nothing new.

[Elderberry]

My son was home for a couple of weeks. He was able to compete in a longsword tournament at Oklahoma City. He said he beat out several instructors and tied for 12th overall. The fellow he tied with had won the Lone Star Open a while back. He said a lot of what he saw made him think that they were focusing on training for the next level and did not maintain a solid grasp of fundamentals. He scared a lot of them with his speed, force, and with his footwork as he was always facing his opponent. He just told them, he just gave them a taste of what Houston swordfighting was all about. Back in August he made it to the quarterfinals in the Purple Heart Tournament. He just got a suit of arms and he was busy past couple of days fitting it out to suit him. He left for just west of Pecos this morning. I hope he can make it home for Turkey Day. When he was working Eagle Ford I didn't think twice of taking him a Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixins.  On the rig, When he's on, he's the only MWD Field Engineer there. And he only shows up after all the vertical work is done. No longer 12 on, 12 off. Just him.

[Joe Wooten]

I grew up in Glasscock County. When I was 10 years old I remember at least 4 to 5 oil field camps scattered in Glasscock, Reagan, and Upton County. A couple of them were really nice as a natural gas company (I think El Paso?) ran them to keep the employees nearby for the processing plant. They also sponsored a Little League baseball league that our team from St. Lawrence competed in. There was another camp near Midkiff. One camp that was closed was selling off the houses and my Dad bought three of them, remodeling all three as houses for us and the workers in his water well service business. He also had to pay to move them off the oil company property. Those were well built homes that are still standing and being used.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

My son was home for a couple of weeks. He was able to compete in a longsword tournament at Oklahoma City. He said he beat out several instructors and tied for 12th overall. The fellow he tied with had won the Lone Star Open a while back. He said a lot of what he saw made him think that they were focusing on training for the next level and did not maintain a solid grasp of fundamentals. He scared a lot of them with his speed, force, and with his footwork as he was always facing his opponent. He just told them, he just gave them a taste of what Houston swordfighting was all about. Back in August he made it to the quarterfinals in the Purple Heart Tournament. He just got a suit of arms and he was busy past couple of days fitting it out to suit him. He left for just west of Pecos this morning. I hope he can make it home for Turkey Day. When he was working Eagle Ford I didn't think twice of taking him a Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixins.  On the rig, When he's on, he's the only MWD Field Engineer there. And he only shows up after all the vertical work is done. No longer 12 on, 12 off. Just him.

Good to hear him prospering and working hard.

Wish my Texas football team could show some Oklahoma guys how to play football.

Unfortunately, it is the other way around....