You likely work on triples with a better class of people than I do. We tend to use singles and doubles, with rig hands right out of prison or treatment and some that are probably still using. When I started back in 1985 we didn't have much drug use, but plenty of alcohol. I could follow the beer cans to town on some rigs. Now it's amazing the meth use. Years ago I was visiting with a rig hand about his former cocaine use and his comment has always stuck with me. He said he thought about cocaine every minute of every day.
Again...congratulations on the new job and I have no doubt you'll do a tremendous job.
I have worked eight different states, but mostly North Dakota and Montana, and mostly on triples, although I have worked on a couple of double rigs and one converted workover we used to drill short throw short radius laterals back in the 90s. Those went out a window cut in production casing in an older field at first (Tioga Madison Unit) and later were drilled out of a fresh hole cut to just below the Base of the Last Charles Salt and cased by a bigger rig. We were doing a lot of experimenting in those days, but for the task, the rig was good.
Overall, though, most all of the hands up here have been held to a no alcohol on location, no drug, pre-employment/post accident/random drug test policy, and it has improved safety records, cut down on drama and trainwrecks, and generally increased the level of professionalism from back when I broke out ('79, when alcohol was seen as the big problem).
I feel for you if there are still problems out there.
I recall hearing that some of the west coast hands had switched from recreational weed on days off (which would not clear out of their system for 30 days) to coke because it would be gone with the weekend, but the results of that were pretty bad. One guy I knew even had the motorcycle club he rode with pull his colors because he'd gone so far downhill. What a waste.
Sad, because before getting wrapped up in that, he was one hell of a hand. It seemed the ones who wanted to be supermen were most prone to that, not having (or not recognizing) the natural ability to just keep going for 24-36 hours. Casing crews were especially prone to something that would keep them awake and going just a few more hours, and that's how meth made its inroads. I've seen guys lose six figure jobs over it. Pity.
Encourage the ones out of rehab to stick with staying clean, they likely need it. I've been spared that (quit drinking in '89, and it wasn't that hard for me compared to some), but have relatives who have fought their way out of that spiritual sump, and they need all the encouragement they can get. It doesn't have to be the end of them. A bit of bad road or a wrong turn need not define the journey.
In the meantime, the rest of us keep it rotating to the right.
