news of
OUR PEOPLE OUR PARTNERS OUR COMMUNITY summer 2014
third edition
Table of Contents
4
“We Are RockPile” Curt Dacar
5
In Memory of Diane Hodges Curt Dacar
Gathering the Stones that Make the Pile Tyler Pittenger
RockPride Doug Galbreth
6
RockLife Photos from the Field RockPile Climbers Kimberly Croll Ron Jackson Sharon Gates Lane Massingale Hayden Keiley
our partners
8
RockLife Awards Ceremony Kimberly Croll
9
RockLife Crawfish Feast Kimberly Croll
RockIn Workover Shirley & Ron Buckman Under the Surface Jessica Kruse
The Bakken ChallengeSuzanne Schimpeler
10 12
2 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
RockLife New Hires & Anniversaries Brittany Moran
14 16 18 20 21
Friends and Family Rubble Kimberly Croll
22
Congratulations on Your Next Big Step Kimberly Croll
23
RockLife Holiday Party Kimberly Croll
OUR COMMUNItY
our people
3
RockTalk Judy Dacar Kimberly Croll
RockTalk
RockPile Spouses Association - RSA Attention all RockPile Energy Services spouses and significant others!! We know what it’s like being in a new environment. It can be very challenging. We are organizing a group that will welcome and support all new and current members and their families. RockPile Spouses Association (RSA) wants to help with fellowship through organizing social events such as ladies lunches, moms and tots, and crafts and community involvement, just to name a few. RockPile Energy Services Corporate will fund this organization. To get started or to get more details, e-mail Judy Dacar at judykae3@yahoo.com. Please check out our facebook page at RockPile Spouses Association RSA.
Guess Who?! Who is this RockPile Executive? Helpful hint: All of our RockPile Executives can be found on our website homepage at rockpileenergy.com. Send your guess to Kimberly Croll at kcroll@rockpileenergy. com, and be entered to win a RockPile hat. This will be the very coveted Buffalo hat. Friends and family are welcome to participate.
Photo Contest Winner Karla Dacar is our photo contest winner from our 2nd Edition. The photo was of Zonda Baird. Remember, family and friends can participate and win as Karla did
ROCKPILE SWAG Don’t forget RockPile has its own company store. The store is online and accessible at the website listed below. If you have requests for items please contact our store manager, Barb Gunnick. Her contact information is on the website. RockPile is excited to have this avaiable to all staff, families and friends to enjoy. Please note all prices listed on the site include our RockPile logo and you can pay for your items directly on the site. Enjoy!! www.companycasuals.com/RockPile
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 3
We Are RockPile
Dear RockPile Team, In our Fall publication of “Life at the Rock”, I began by highlighting the areas of growth RockPile had experienced through acquisitions and expansion of existing services. That continues to be our model for growth. Our success today is a result of how well we execute on a daily basis, which has been phenomenal. Our level of excellence must continue. I have complete confidence that it will. Through acquisitions and organic expansion, our workforce has grown from just a handful of people to over 300 in two years. We are challenged to maintain the culture of RockPile - a culture of providing the highest service quality with a mission to be “Best In Class” in energy services. We are proactively working to maintain the great atmosphere that our employees keep talking about. New programs are rolling out to support our culture and ability to excel in the midst of such rapid growth. Check out the QHSE article to learn more about these new programs! Welcoming a high volume of new employees on a regular basis has created the need for outside training resources. New training is necessary because our employees are getting stretched to do more than ever before, and to keep us competitive in the market. When we found the consulting group, Echelon Front, we saw a connection between their military background and the way we are set up – using cells or small groups that are interdependent for success and safety (much like the military). We are partnering with Echelon Front to build on our goal to deliver the highest level of excellence regardless of how many services or people we add. This is Extreme Excellence. The feedback has been great after a few quick sessions, and we want to move forward quickly with continuing this program company-wide.
4 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
Safety is a part of our culture and contributes to excellence. Driving is our biggest risk both on the job and personally. The road conditions around North Dakota are often not favorable due to weather, but you can add to that small dirt roads, narrow lanes with little shoulder room and increasing traffic. RockPile is aware of what is out there. Know that we want our employees to be safe on the road whether they are driving our equipment or their personal vehicle. To help in that effort, we have implemented a new driving monitoring system to help make good driving habits second nature. In addition to good driving habits, wearing a seat belt at all times can become second nature too. The AAA Exchange reports that seat belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of death in a car crash. And, even though you may think driving around town isn’t dangerous, statistics say that most car crashes occur within a fivemile radius of home. Make buckling up one of those things you do without thinking. Our employees went the extra mile this year, and it did not go unnoticed. The harsh weather began in October, and it was snowing in Dickinson as this letter was being written. In appreciation of your dedication in spite of inclement conditions, we hosted the Mardi Gras themed crawfish boil to help warm everyone from the inside. We hope you were able to take part in the celebration of your hard work!
Cheers,
Curt Dacar Chief Executive Officer
We Are RockPile
GoodBye to a FrienD
We lost a valued member of the RockPile family with Diane Hodges’ passing in April. Diane came to RockPile in January of 2012 when we were just a handful of people. She was uniquely gifted to help us grow to where we are now. She had the distinction of actually beginning her career in the oil field, on a truck, boots on the ground. This experience, along with her unsinkable positive attitude, made her truly one-of-a-kind. She knew that adding the right people was the key to success and she was instrumental in making that happen. Diane brought all the tools needed for success, from recruiting to compensation to benefits. Her coworkers became like family, and we miss her and her infectious laugh today and always. Diane had a vision for what we wanted in the HR department, and she had a strong voice in where we were going. She was critical to our choices because of the value she brought to our decision-making, and I am certain that the things she did to help us get to where we are now will be felt for a long time. She left pretty big shoes to fill, but even more than her contributions to RockPile Energy Services, she will be missed as a friend, a mother, and a daughter.
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 5
Rock Life
ROCK
Ben Sprague conversing with a client
Tanner Zillich and Chey Harmon
6 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
Rock Life
Dusty Zastoupil
Usimk Etima Edet and Deanna Dapolito Brad McCartney and Charlie Reed Bravo Black Crew
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 7
Rock Life
Performance Awards
Carl Easthouse Field Specialist
Chris Roland Field Engineer
Ben Sprague Service Supervisor
Michael Kelly Electronic Technicain
Joe Marsh Dir. of Corporate Finance Chad Mehan Hydro Cell Leader Roger Buckman Rig Supervisor Bryant Kibbey Hydration Cell Leader
Eric Wood Field Specialist Johnny Postell, Wireline Operator
8 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
Chris Hill Ground Cell Leader Dave Buckman Operator
Rock Life
Crawfish Feast Carissa Suter
Judy and Curt Dacar
Alex Gates
Phillip Coats
Henry Messer Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 9
Rock Life
October 2013
ARLEN KUBAS BRETT ORTIZ CHAD OLSSON CHEYENE HARMON CHRISTOPHER ESTEP CODY ZASTOUPIL CURTIS BUCKMAN DANIEL GOLL DAVID BUCKMAN DUSTIN SNYDER DUSTIN ZASTOUPIL JAMES BEYNON JASON SHONG JASON WILLIAMS JESSICA KRUSE JONATHAN HART-WOOD JUSTIN BRADSTREET KASEY BERGER MATHEW ROTHSTEIN MICHAEL BENJAMIN MYSTIC IAMURRI NATHAN BYRE ROBERT GONZALEZ ROGER BUCKMAN RONALD BUCKMAN SCOTT MASTERS SHIRLEY BUCKMAN TANNER ZILLICH TODD EDMOND TYLER ROLLER USIMKA ETIM-EDET VERONICA SOLIS ALICIA EPPS BLAKE CAPRON BRIAN HARTMAN BRIAN SMITH DUANE POPPENGA JOEL DUFAULT JOSEPH WEHNER MATTHEW LONDON MATTHEW WIMMER SEAN WIEDERKEHR TYLER BARNES
Parts Clerk Pump Operator Lab Technician HP Operator Field Mechanic HP Operator Electronic Technician Wireline Senior Operator HP Operator Wireline Specialist Pump Coordinator
AUSTIN GRUBBS BRYCE WILKIN CHARLES BOBROWSKI EVELYN GUILLEN JESSE HOFHINE JORDAN JAGO PHILIP DANIELSON
Bulk Plant Operator HP Operator Pump Operator HR Administrator HP Operator HP Operator Field Mechanic
December 2013
HP Operator Field Mechanic Field Mechanic AP Administrator
ADAM ROMERO ARTHUR DUKES BRADY OAKLAND BRANDON KILLIAN BRIDGET ZILLICH CARLOS HUNTER CHAD MCALLISTER CHARLIE OVERTON CHRISTOPHER JENSEN DEON LEREW DILLAN BAHR DUSTIN NYGARD EDWARD WILLENER JACOB HOUSER JAMES JENSEN JASON PIERCE JOSHUA LONG JOSHUA WYRICK KEITH FRANCIS KENNETH NIMER LEON BOSTICK MATTHEW HILDRETH MATTHEW YORK NICK VANCIL RAYMOND GALBRETH ROCK NELSON SAMSON BENTI SHAD MACK THANE TOBOL
HP Operator HP Operator Bulk Plant Operator Electronic Technician Finance Intern Pump Operator HP Operator HP Operator HP Operator Field Service Manager Bulk Plant Operator General Counsel Wireline Senior Operator Field Mechanic Field Mechanic Pump Operator HP Operator Field Engineer Field Mechanic Senior Pump Operator HP Operator Field Mechanic Pump Operator HP Operator Director of QHSE Rig Hand HP Operator HP Operator Bulk Plant Operator
APRIL BROWN BRIAN ROACH BRYCE KLEIN CASEY THOMAS DANIEL ZEBLEY EDWIN GRAYSON JASON KARR JERRY MAGLIETTO JOSHUA ROBY JOSHUA TUPER KEVIN BERGER MARY BRANDT MATTHEW ROSE MATTHEW ROSS NATHALIE MANZEY NICHOLAS WOODRUFF SEAN BYBOTH TROY DAVIS TYSON GRAYSON WINFORD WOMMACK WYATT NEIDHARDT LIA STAPLETON
Mgr of General Accounting HP Operator Rig Hand Wireline Operator Electronics Technician Wireline Gunloader Buyer Service Supervior Electronics Technician Field Mechanic District Accountant HR Manager Certification Coordinator Buyer QHSE Administrator Service Supervisor Wireline Operator Mgr of Operational Accounting Wireline Operator Wireline Specialist Rig Hand Senior Corporate Accountant
January 2014 Shop Hand Field Mechanic Rig Operator Rig Hand Field Mechanic Rig Operator Rig Operator HP Operator Rig Supervisor Lab Technician Rig Operator Lead Bulk Plant Operator Rig Hand HP Operator Bulk Plant Supervisor HP Operator Rig Hand Rig Hand Senior HSE Specialist HP Operator Accounts Payable Lead HP Operator Wireline Operator II Rig Supervisor Field Service Manager Rig Hand Finance Adminstrator Rig Hand Rig Hand Rig Hand HP Operator Executive Administrator
November 2013
RANDY LEE ROBERT DE LUMEAU SPENCER WORTHEY SUMMER LEE
10 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
February 2014
Rock Life
March 2014
AARON ESPESETH ALEXANDREA GATES ALLEN HOLCOMB ANDRE GRIMES ANDREW MADRID ANDREW RENNA BRAD MAYORAL BRIAN BEGANO BRIAN COX BRIAN TODD CASEY ANTHONY CLANCY HEDMAN COLE URLACHER COLIN KLINGER DAVID SCHRIEFER DAVID SNODGRASS DUSTIN KREIS DYLAN MILLER JAMES MOORE JAMES WOOD JERRY GARCIA JOSHUA WHITE KORI KNISLEY LEMUEL LEE LEVIN BLACK MARC TUMBERG MARION LARA MICHAEL ROME NICK SANCHEZ RICHARD HAMILTON ROBERT HENDRICKSON ROGER HUFF RYAN STELLMACH SCOTT SELL SUZANNE SCHIMPELER TIMOTHY WOODSON TYLER JACOBSON TYSON NUNLEY
HP Operator District Accountant HP Operator
ANTHONY NELSON BLAKE SCHULTE CHAD JACOBSMEYER CHRISTOPHER TOLMASOFF DARRYL DUTKE DAVID AREND DONELLE NOEL DOUGLAS GEORGE DYLAN SPORCICH ERIC MCDANIELS ETHAN MCGUIRE GREGORY DUENES JEREMY BELDEN JOE TENORIO JOEL KOLSTE JOHN ARAGON
HP Operator Service Supervisor Wireline Operator I HP Operator HSE Specialist HP Operator Electronic Technician Pump Operator Shop Mechanic HP Operator Field Engineer Electronic Technician Wireline Operator II HP Operator HP Operator HP Operator HP Operator
April 2014
Field Engineer HP Operator HP Operator Pump Operator HP Operator HP Operator Senior Pump Operator HP Operator Rig Hand Field Engineer HP Operator Service Supervisor HP Operator Wireline Operator HP Operator HP Operator Pump Operator Rig Hand HP Operator HP Operator HP Operator Rig Hand Receptionist Electronic Technician Service Supervisor HP Operator HP Operator HP Operator HP Operator Sales Administrator Electronic Technician Field Engineer Pump Operator
JOSHUA STEVENS JUAN GONZALEZ JUSTIN MONTGOMERY LAKOTA PUGLIESE MARIO SORTO REED NASH RICHARD BLACK ROBERT SUAVIA RON WANCZYK ROY MORGAN STERLING MORRIS STEVE LEE WALTER LLOYD WILLIAM MOLINA
HP Operator HP Operator Shop Mechanic Bulk Plant Operator Wireline Operator II HP Operator HP Operator Service Supervisor HP Operator Wireline Specialist Wireline Operator I HP Operator Dir. of IT HP Operator
Celebrating Years of Service September 2013
Curt Dacar - 2 years
January 2014
Bill Morris - 2 years Boyd Hofland - 2 years Brian Smith - 2 years Gene Molbert - 2 years Howard Rough - 2 years Justin Pittenger - 1 year Kevin Drake - 2 years Paul George - 2 years Zonda Baird - 2 years
February 2014
Andrea Horning - 2 years Anthony Villegas - 2 years Brittany Moran - 2 years Cecil Henderson - 1 year Chris Roland - 2 years Devin Gemelli- 2 years Grant Bell - 2 years James Evans - 2 years Jeremy Hill - 1 year Joe Marsh - 1 year Joseph Kovacich - 2 years Kenneth Lammers - 2 years Marcus Dacar - 2 years Michael Kelly - 1 year Rhett Collins - 2 years Scott Blood - 2 years Shawn Ostwald - 2 years Shawn Raglin - 2 years
March 2014
Allen Crum - 1 year Chad Mehan - 1 year Charles Torgerson - 1 year
David Grubbs - 1 year Doug Caron - 1 year Hayden Keiley - 1 year Henry Messer - 1 year Jordan Willis - 1 year Kyle Halvorson - 1 year Marshall Svoboda - 1 year Mitchell Fuss - 1 year Phillip Coats - 1 year Roxanne Kuntz - 1 year Sean Spoor - 1 year Shane Eads - 1 year Sharon Gates - 1 year Thomas Wischnewski - 1 year Wyatt Poff - 1 year
April 2014
Carl Easthouse - 1 year Daniel Duke - 1 year Deanna Dapolito - 1 year Edward Lemus - 1 year Edward Wiesen - 1 year Eric Wood - 1 year Jacob Youngblood - 1 year Jason Horn - 1 year Jesse Kraft - 1 year John Jeffs - 1 year Jordan Dyke - 1 year Juan Alfredo Lozano - 1 year Michael Barnes - 1 year Robert Jenkins - 1 year Stephanie Leger - 1 year Tanoi Rucker - 1 year Todd Warnberg - 1 year Travis Haag - 1 year
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 11
Rock Life
ROckPile’s Holiday Party 2014
Brian Hartman, Carissa Suter & Megan Willies Matthew Rothstein
Walt Crandall and Vickie
RockPile Dancing the night away
James Mathiesen
Shirley and Ron Buckman
Mark Berseth & Guest
Eric Wood
Rob Ebnet 12 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
Rock Life
4 Guest, Brian Hartman, Allen Crum, Guest, Jordon Dyke, Hayden Keiley Guests Ed Niesen and guest
Chris Hill and his wife
Sean Wiederkehr and Guest Coree and Boyd Hofland Cheyene Harmon and Kayla Buckman
Amy and Marshall Svoboda
Blaise Herberg and Guest
Derek Falls and Guest Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 13
Gathering the Stones that Make the Pile
Gathering the Stones that Make the Pile
By Tyler Pittenger
“Salesman.” This term brings with it a negative connotation, developed over decades, filled with pushy, fast-talking guys named Geno with bad cologne and cheap suits trying to sell us a car we don’t need, filled with accessories we’ll never use for a price we can’t afford. Fortunately, things have changed over the years and a certain amount of integrity and professionalism has infiltrated the sales industry. Unfortunately, there still exists a certain level of distrust toward the “salesman” that has been engrained in all of us over the generations. It is this very level of distrust that we as Oil & Gas Sales Professionals must overcome in order to grow our sales and build relationships with our clients. How do we overcome this stigma and build our clients’ trust you ask? By simply saying, “Trust me!” right? Wrong. The key lies in the trust equation:
Trust =
(Credibility+Reliability+Intimacy) (Self Orientation)
Basically, this says “Put your client’s needs and expectations ahead of your own”. Sounds easy, but it is more difficult than one might think. Trust isn’t something that happens overnight. Sometimes, it takes many years and many transactions to develop. I have laid out five steps that should be followed every time we interact with our clients:
S
eek. Seek to fully understand your client’s problem & situation. You can do this through a series of open & closed14 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
ended questions. Closedended questions require a “Yes” or “No” response and usually begin with “Will”, “Do”, “Are” or Is”. For example, “Do you intend to bid this out to multiple vendors?”, or “Are you going to be held personally accountable for the success of this project?” are both examples of closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions require more elaboration and usually begin with “What” or “How”. For example, “What are your objectives for this project?”, or “How will this impact your production targets?” You can’t begin to advise your client without first understanding their true situation. Never assume you know the problem and never feel like a question is too stupid.
A
dvise. I prefer to think of us as “advisors” rather than “salesmen”. It is not necessarily our job to come up with the solution, but rather to give our client’s options and information to guide them in making the decision. A lot of times, we are the experts and our client’s rely on us for advice and expertise (think of your own financial advisor). This is where self-orientation becomes important. Making sure we are recommending certain products or services because it makes sense for their application and not necessarily because it is more expensive. A lot of times, a cheaper alternative may suffice, and it is our job to make sure our client has options and understands the implications of each. This does not, however, mean that we provide services for free because we want to make our clients happy. This does not result in a win-win solution and I’ll explain a bit more in the last step.
L
isten. Actively listening to our clients is probably one of
the most important skills we can employ as advisors. For those of you that have been through the “Managing and Leading People” seminar, you learned that a small amount of communication, less than 10%, is delivered in the words that the other person is actually saying. The other 90% is registered through Vocal and Visual cues. That is, how your client is saying those words (tone, intonation) and what they are doing while they are saying them (body language, eye contact) conveys more about what is actually going on in their mind than what is being said. Picking up on those cues will tell you a lot about what they are really thinking.
E
xecute. Once the client has decided what he/she is going to do and has accepted what you have proposed, the next step is executing that agreement and making good on the promises you have made. Up to now, you have had multiple discussions and negotiations with your client and he/she has, for lack of a better term “stuck their neck out” to bring you in. This is where we as advisors prove our merit by “doing what we say we will do”. Many times, the person who awarded you the opportunity did so against their management’s better judgment, so it is extremely important that we provide the service requested for the price agreed upon. Obviously, circumstances arise that may add additional cost and/or change the initial design. Those situations can be explained. What I am referring to is intentionally drafting a low bid with the intent of adding in additional charges or “hidden fees” later. This is a definite way to ensure you don’t get another opportunity to do business with your client again.
S
Gathering the Stones that Make the Pile
atisfy. As discussed in the “Advise” step, our responsibility is to make sure the client has the information they need to make an informed decision. This may include promoting a cheaper product simply because it is a better fit for their application than perhaps a more expensive one, knowing full well that it means less revenue for you. However, we are not a charity and are in this to make money, so with every negotiation it is important to keep a win-win mentality and satisfy both parties’ objectives and expectations. Although RockPile signs our checks, our clients pay the bills and in our business, continued business is good business. It is extremely important that we make them a return customer. Sell a job at a high price and although you may look like the hero within your department, the client may feel taken advantage of and is likely to not hire you again. On the other hand, sell a job at a price too low and while you’ve made your client look good to his management, your management may displace them with a different customer with better margins or not even put them on the schedule at all. Then you will be in the awkward position of having to face your client and explain to them why you can’t execute the job you sold them. At this point you have just ruined your credibility and lost your client’s trust. I hope this gives everyone a little insight into what is involved in the Sales process. It’s not all just client entertainment filled with golf tournaments and fine wine as some might think. As you can see, there is a lot of discussion, relationship building and politicking involved in architecting a successful Sales plan.
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 15
RockPride
By Doug Galbreth RockPile’s Rapid Growth has Forced QHSE changes in Light of Staying “Best in Class” cated with each new job and has been very successful in
R
apid growth in the past six months has been phenomenal, but has come with some challenges. We are quickly turning those challenges into opportunities to make improvements in quality and safety. One of the greatest challenges we have faced has been experienced through high volumes of transfers and promotions - leading to frequent new hires. Getting new hires and new-tothe-crew employees up to speed quickly has led to the creation of several programs that contribute to Quality and emphasize Safety.
F
or starters, you may have already noticed an increased QHSE presence on the job site as we translate our mission to provide the highest Service Quality in the industry into action; action that has resulted in programs designed to empower our employees with improved ways to communicate that aggressively promote efficiency and safety. We have also begun several new training programs that support quality, safety and leadership.
I
n order to contribute to the continued success of our people, we are developing Best Practices for RockPile. Quality Managers are training Quality Coaches in Best Practices. Redundancy from site to site eases the pain felt from transfers, and builds confidence within crews knowing that the proper and correct method to perform the job has been taught. This contributes to quality for our clients.
O
ne example: the Quality department has created a Pre-Job Checklist. This provides a formalized way to check equipment for performance and safety. It is repli16 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
helping crews spot potential problems before they arise.
T
he Safety Net program is another way we are working to empower our employees to maintain safer working environments and contribute to service quality. You no longer have to try and remember to report individual issues at a later time. With the Safety Net phone app, potential problems or safety concerns can be reported as they are discovered, saving time and avoiding hazards.
T
he Square Wheel Sessions are also helping with productivity, efficiency and safety. These once a week, no-holds-barred sessions are held with crews to address needs or changes that will contribute to getting the job done better and safer. They really are “no-holds-barred”.
New training programs have been put in place to support Service Quality and Safety
C
ommentary Drive Program. We have engaged the Smith Driving System to train employees as instructors. Our instructors will train mentors for each crew to assist in staying current with safe and efficient driving techniques. Driving a 120,000 lb. piece of equipment, at any time, requires a heightened awareness. Add adverse weather conditions in the winter months, and this becomes an especially important program for our drivers. There will also be instruction for technical driving in tight spaces, techniques for reverse driving, and more. This program aims to increase safety for all of our employees, drivers, others on site, and the surrounding communities.
RockPride
C
ell Leader & Operator Certifications. This program enables RockPile to provide certifications to our partners on the qualifications of our employees. An employee first gains a referral from the Field Service Manager. That employee is then observed by a Quality Coach and undergoes a written evaluation to obtain the final certification. The certifications ensure Quality for our partners and provides another level of training during the observation phase.
NPT per stage by crew
L
eadership Training. Ever thought that you had what it takes to be a Navy Seal? This program led by Echelon Fronts was designed by two former Navy Seals and teaches extreme excellence. They know that a life could be on the line if the job is not done properly, and they are teaching us what it takes to lead others into doing the job the right way.
Q
HSE will continue to work on finding ways to empower RockPile employees to drive quality throughout the organization. We are 100% committed to developing better processes that elevate Service Quality and provide safe work environments for our employees and the communities in which we operate.
Safety Net User Participation
A
s we grow, we know that new challenges will arise - challenges that are not even on our radar today. And, we know that the programs that we have implemented keep us in front of the growth. Our service and safety records are evidence, and our employees make all of the difference.
W
e are grateful for their contributions.
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 17
RockPile Climbers
Wireline Operator RED ALPHA CREW
RonJackson
Where did you grow up? Chicago, I loved the big city because there was always something to do and lots of girls. But I enjoy Dickinson because of the wide open space and the hunting and fishing. Where do you see RockPile in 5 yrs? Competing with the best of the best, and eating THEIR lunch. 5 things you use duct tape for? 1. To fix a screen door 2. To patch up a pool 3. To repair my golf club 4. To tape a guy to a basketball pole. 5. We use Duct tape to wrap the grease head regularly during rig up.
If you could be a superhero, who would you be? It would need to be a superhero that can fly, I would say Green Lantern, What book are you reading now? Robert Kiosaki - Rich Dad Poor Dad
What is your favorite sport? Basketball, because I played my whole life. I played center, I wasn’t the tallest even at 6’7” but I could jump the highest.
What is one lesson you have learned as a parent? Children need to know that you do as you say, I believe it builds trust in the long run. What qualities do you value most in people? A sense of responsibility, Integrity, Standing up for what you believe in. What was your first car? 1970’s Toyota Celica, it was huge. What historic figure would you like to meet? Martin Luther, the Founder of the Lutheran Church. He helped give everyone access to the bible. During that time, only the heads of the church were allowed access to the bible. He spent his whole life working to accomplish this, and succeeded.
HP Operator BLACK ALPHA CREW
Lane Massingale
What cartoon did you love as a child? I like the ninja turtles cartoon the most! My favorite ninja turtle is Leonard. They are coming out with anothe movie soon. What’s your favorite quote? If you ain’t first, you’re last. 18 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
What do you do in your spare time? I go shooting or hang out with my daughter playing mostly.
What superhero power would you like to possess? The ability to fly
5 things you use duct tape for? 1. To seal holes in any kind if surface imaginable. 2. Tape up peoples possessions or belongings. 3. Wad it up on the end of a stick to reach an object you can’t grab. 4. Hold boot soles on. 5. Basic building materiel for any broken object.
What is the farthest you have ever traveled? To South Africa. I went there for a hunting trip. I came back with a Kudu and an Impala, they are displayed in my house. “Howard is jealous” ~Kimberly
If you could do life over what would you change? I would go find Mark Zuckerberg and sell him the idea for Facebook. If you could pick any historic figure to meet who would it be? Col. Paul Tibbets
Tell us your favorite family memory? My brother and I snuck out one night to go shoot paintballs at the neighbors cows. Where Did you grow up? Wood, South Dakota on a farm and Ranch. Now I live in Winter, South Dakota so I still go home often, living only 45 mins away.
RockPile Climbers What is your favorite state? Colorado. There is so much to do here and it is so beautiful during all times of the year.
P AY R O L L A D M I N I S T R AT O R D E N V E R
Sharon Gates
If you could be a superhero, what power would you possess? Flying, so I can get places faster.
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
What is your favorite food? Mexican What book are you reading now? I am reading Friday Night Lights.
What was your first car and how did you pay for it? I bought my first car from my parents which was a 1995 Ford Thunderbird LS. That car was fast. Since it had a V-8 engine, I would race it off the line of a stop light often upsetting many guys who weren’t ready for a girl with my mad driving skills. I worked my booty off for 3 years to buy that car from them for $2,500.00. Where did you grow up? Chicago, IL. I liked it when I lived there. Not so much now when I visit family that I still have there.
What is your favorite sport? Football, I love watching and cheering on my two favorite teams, the Chicago bears and the Denver Broncos. What do you do in your spare time? My boyfriend and I race our 1963 VW Bug in Deer Trail, CO once a month. It is an Off-Road Race. We are part of a team called Playing Dirty Racing. It’s a family team. This is our first year racing. (See the picture above) My favorite thing to do when I’m not at work is hang out at home with my dogs. Bambie is a miniature pincher and Jane, is a greyhound.
Lab Technician DICKINSON
Hayden Keiley Where do you see RockPile in 5 years? If you would have told me where RockPile is now a year ago, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. This company has absolutely exploded in size since I started and has managed to stay true to its employees and I think that is really saying something. Five years from now I can see RockPile with several new fleets in North Dakota and possibly some exploration into new formations as well. What are you favorite things to do when you are not at work? I love fly fishing in my spare time, it takes me to beautiful places and is my form of therapy. What is your favorite expression or quote? “Whatever you are, be a good one.”
Why the Oil Field Industry? I decided in December 2012 that I needed a break from school because I didn’t like the direction I was going in. I was lucky to land a job in the lab at RockPile and really found what field I want to spend my career in.
What was your first car and how did you pay for it? My first car was a 1991 Dodge Ram 250 12 valve Cummins. I was able to buy it from my grandfather when I turned 16 and I thought I would have that truck forever. I spent a lot of good times with my father working on it and unfortunately had to sell it after his passing. It is my goal to own that truck again someday. What is your favorite sport? Hockey, I started playing hockey at 6 years old and played all of the way through college at Colorado State University. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Littleton, CO and absolutely love going home. I was fortunate enough to always be within an hour drive of the mountains to go hunting and fishing.
Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 19
RockIn Workover
Under the Surface
Rockin Workover
By Ron & Shirley Buckman
T
The New Workover Rig Operation Hits the Ground Running
R W
ockPile’s new Workover Rig operation has already seen significant growth.
OR operations began back in October with three rigs. They added a fourth in December, and number five at the end of April. One rig will be down for routine maintenance and a new paint job for six to eight weeks but there are currently still four rigs running. They have also added to their staff with approximately six new employees to keep pace with the growth.
T
he WOR operation is managed by an experienced and dedicated team. Ron Buckman, the former owner of Team Well Service, and his wife Shirley have over thirty years of experience in the oil industry. They bought their first rig in 2003 and never looked back. Being “lifers” of North Dakota, they knew that reputation and relationship with customers is the most important asset of a business. Their experience working in North Dakota is exceptionally valuable to this business unit from all aspects. They continue the same dedication to service quality and their customers as a part of the RockPile team.
Under Up Next for Bulk Plant
T
he mobilization of Sandbox is creating big value for our customers. The new Sandbox delivery system offers lightning fast turnaround and a smaller footprint on location. All great from an economic perspective and made even more significant by the significantly lower amount of silica dust in the air. We continue to find innovative ways to make what we do better for our environment and our partners.
F
rom January to March, our Bravo crew used Sandbox exclusively, with the exception of one well where both Sandkings and Sandboxes were used. 20 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
he Buckman’s brought with them excellent employees that offer their own depth of experience, and they are adding to that staff with the addition of the new rigs. These types of transitions can be challenging, but the positive attitude displayed by this group has made fast work of assimilating everyone into the RockPile way.
E T
vidence: the crews have stayed busy and maintained a good safety record.
he WOR operation is critical after the drilling phase in keeping wells producing properly. The conditions require regular maintenance and periodic service. WOR operations works occasionally with other services such as the Wireline crews. The experienced WOR crews and management team that RockPile acquired are a big part of all of the services working together toward success.
T
his was an exceptionally hard, cold winter and it had an impact on down time for everyone. As we approach early summer, the Workover Rig crews are looking forward to dry ground and warmer weather with nothing to hinder their work.
I
t’s full steam ahead.
THE
Surface By Jessica Kruse
T
he Bulk Plant Crews really used their competitive spirit in developing better ways to work. The three crews pushed each other and developed a method to unload and return cars within 24 hours. This makes a huge economic impact in the area of demurrage on railcars. And these crews proved again that we can be profitable without sacrificing safety – not a single safety issue since January.
N
ext up for Sandbox in the way of technology is a web-based inventory system. This will be in place by June, and with the current nationwide sand shortage, will be instrumental in managing supply. This new system will allow 24/7 visibility of inventory
from any device (laptop, ipad, phone) that has internet access. We have been working with a system that only allowed access from a single computer. The new system, RockPilelogistics. com, can be viewed by the bulk plant staff, accounting, field personnel and supply chain personnel as well. Thus allowing quicker access to inventory, job shipped quantities, railcars that are en route, and monthly numbers of product moved. This will result in better control over inventory and logistics.
R
ockpile has set a goal of using Sandbox exclusively this summer, beginning in July. With the addition of RockPilelogistics.com and the outstanding crews already in
The Bakken Challenge
By Suzanne Schimpeler
RockPile Energy Services is facing a new Sales and Marketing challenge, how do we get the word out there about our services, innovations and service quality? We not only want our clients to know about us but also the community at large. The marketing team has been working diligently to expose our company through social media. Social media marketing will help gain company website traffic; it will also attract attention and encourage readers to share our information with other social networks. Exposure to social media will increase communication from within and outside the company. It also fosters industry awareness and will help improve our business and help educate the public on the oil & gas industry. RockPile is currently utilizing social media sites and by the end of June the program will be in full swing. These sites will contain our company services, events, employment opportunities and Bakken field accomplishments. We strongly encourage everyone to view these sites on a regular basis to get the latest information from RockPile. We will notify RPES employees once we have these sites developed.
in barrels per day & total producing wells in the Bakken. February oil hit 951,340 barrels/ day (all-time high was 976,453 in 11/13). Ron Ness of the N.D. Petroleum Council expects the state to produce one million barrels each day sometime in May or June. A One Million Barrel Celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25th in Tioga, ND.
1,200,000
ND Oil Production - Barrels Per Day February, 2014 951,340
1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0
Barrels/Day
Bakken Field Information The month of February had increases 11000 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000
North Dakota Producing Wells February, 2014
10,186
The producing wells in February were at an all-time high of 10,186. The total rig count was 189 in February and increased to 193 for March. (see chart to the left) Continental Resources Bakken Facts Citing data from IHS, Continental Resources Inc. reported that Bakken field has surpassed 1 billion bbl cumulative of light, sweet crude oil production during this year’s first quarter. Two thirds of the total was produced in the last 3 years, Continental said. (OGJ, April 28, 2014). The Bakken field alone appears to be the largest oil field discovered in the world in more than 40 years. Continental is the largest producer, driller and leaseholder in the Bakken field. (The Bakken Magazine April 30, 2014) Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 21
Friends & Family Rubble
April Brown double fisted at Oktoberfest in Munich Jessica Kruse and her three children James Collings and his wife Nicole Miguel Dominguez “I’d rather be fishing”
Alvin Gingerich out enjoying nature Suzanne Schimpeler and Veronica Solis enjoing an avalanche game
Walter Lloyd at Yankee Hill enjoying the mountian view Brian Hartman fishing at Eleven Mile Reservoir in Colorado
22 Life At The Rock Summer 2014
Friends & Family Rubble
Aaron Gaipl fishing in Oregon, catching the largest fish of the day Matt Hildreth with his family Morgan, Deeanne, Ashlen, Mary, Avonlea, Eli, Gabe & Sage. Allen Crum & his wife visiting the White House Summer Lee (left) at Red Rocks, CO
congratulations on your next big step! Chris Roland and his fiance, Amanda Bachman are engaged to be married this November Alexandrea Gates and her fiance, Mike Schwab are engaged to be married in August Bryan and Jennifer Harris are expecting their second child soon. We would like to include you in the next edition of Life At The Rock. Please send photos to Kimberly Croll at kcroll@rockpileenergy.com Summer 2014 Life At The Rock 23
Editors:
Kimberly Croll Laura Stein Jessica Kruse Megan Willies Sharon Gates
Printing:
Sir Speedy Summer 2014 Edition
Design Director: Andrea Dacar
Publication Director: Kimberly Croll
Cover Photo:
donated by Hallmark Photos Life At The Rock is a publication for RockPile Employees and their families. Inquiries and information regarding the publication should be directed to Kimberly Croll.