What to Ask Before Hiring an Oilfield Service Company in Midland

Most problems with a service company show up after the job starts. A few questions up front can save you a bad week. These are the ones we would ask in your place, along with where to check the answers yourself instead of taking a company's word for it.

Can they do the work you need?

Ask for a plain list of services and what each one includes. Ours, for example:

• Hotshot transport for oilfield materials and equipment
• Roustabout work: welding, oilfield maintenance, firewall construction
• Vac and kill trucks: produced water hauling, liquid waste removal, tank cleaning, pipeline construction support
• Equipment rental
• Environmental cleanup and site restoration
• Dirt work and remediation: site prep, grading, soil remediation
• Commercial licensed applicator: herbicide and pesticide spraying for leases and rights-of-way

If a company says yes to everything, ask which jobs they do with their own people and equipment.

What does their DOT record show?

If a company runs trucks under a USDOT number, look it up on the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot, which is free and public.

Things to look at on the snapshot: whether the operating status is active, the number of power units and drivers (does it match the fleet they describe?), and inspections, out-of-service rates and crashes over the past 24 months. A new company will have few inspections, which is not a bad sign by itself. A high out-of-service rate on a long record is worth asking about.

Do they hold the licenses the job needs?

Some work needs a license on top of a DOT number. Herbicide and pesticide spraying on leases and rights-of-way, for example, calls for a commercial applicator. Ask for the license number and check it is current with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA pesticide programs).

Vac truck work has its own permit. A company hauling produced water or other oil and gas waste off a lease for hire needs a Railroad Commission waste hauler permit, and each truck must show the company name and permit number on both sides and the rear. See produced water hauling rules.

Are they in your contractor network?

Many operators require contractors to be set up in ISNetworld or Veriforce PEC before they work on location. Ask which ones the company belongs to and whether they meet your company's requirements there.ISNetworld vs. PEC/Veriforce explains what each one checks.

Can they show insurance?

Ask for a current certificate of insurance before work starts. Check that the named insured matches the company you are hiring, the policy dates cover the job, and the limits meet what your master service agreement requires. If your agreement calls for additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation, ask for that on the certificate too. If they are in ISNetworld or Veriforce, insurance is part of what those platforms collect (ISN, Veriforce).

What do their safety numbers look like?

Ask for the company's TRIR and EMR for the last three years, and which written safety programs they have for the work you are hiring them for. If they are in ISNetworld or Veriforce, these numbers are already on file there. ISNetworld vs. PEC/Veriforce explains how they are worked out.

Are their people trained for your site?

If your locations have H2S, ask whether the crew has current H2S training and which course. Ask the same about first aid. Cards have dates, so ask for those too. See H2S Awareness vs. H2S Clear.

When can they answer the phone?

Oilfield work does not keep office hours. Ask when you can reach someone and who that person is. We are open 24/7 at (432) 224-6999.

Have they done this kind of job before?

Ask for a recent job like yours and a contact who can speak to it. A company that has worked for operators in the area will already know their gate, paperwork and safety rules.

Who is your contact?

Ask who you call when something changes mid-job, and whether that person can make decisions.

What happens if something spills?

Ask how the company handles a leak or spill on your location: who calls whom, and who does the cleanup. On a Texas lease, the operator has notice duties to the Railroad Commission, so you want to hear about a spill right away. See Texas RRC spill cleanup rules.

A short checklist

• USDOT number checked on SAFER
• Licenses or permits for the work (TDA, RRC waste hauler) checked
• Certificate of insurance on file, matching your agreement
• ISNetworld or Veriforce status meets your requirements
• Crew training cards current for your site
• 24/7 contact name and number