Truck Talk

William Baldridge

The typical day starts with a quick meeting with my crew. We cover safety issues or anything we could have done better from the day before. Most of the time this is just a lighter conversation on the ride to work. Once we arrive on location we complete a JSA on today’s task. Before we begin, we do a detailed crossover with the shift we are relieving covering any issues they might have seen and to update one another on the progress of the job. Once complete, we take over and begin normal operations.

William Baldridge

One of the unique skills I bring to the table is being a great problem solver. Our job has a lot of moving pieces, a lot of things working together to complete a sole task. This can lead to abnormal issues or surprises throughout the day. One of the biggest things to a successful crew is being able to work through those problems efficiently. I feel growing up on a farm has given me the upper hand in being very mechanically inclined and able to solve problems quickly. As we all know, time is money! Backed with 10 years experience working as an operator on the ground and in the truck, I feel there’s not much that we cannot work through as a crew.

Juan is my lead on the ground who also has 10 years of experience. He is a very strong operator with great wireline knowledge. An engineer cannot be successful without a strong right-hand man. It takes someone you can trust to do the right thing.

Gamar is my senior operator. He works hand-in-hand with Juan on preparing our tools to complete our job. He is a strong-willed individual with a great work ethic. He brings experience from south Texas which is a little different operation. Together we strive for safety and 100 percent efficiency at the wellhead.

William Baldridge

What I like most about this work is knowing that we are doing our part in providing the world energy and products all produced from fossil fuels. There is not a day that goes by that every person uses something created from oil. I find that very interesting.

William Baldridge

We often face challenges in the field related to well conditions like high pressures or deviated laterals. When we face these, we rely on our experience and coaching from a great leadership team with Silvertip. We work hand-in-hand with the representative on location from the oil company in developing a plan to safely operate in these wells and to overcome the issue.

William Baldridge

This job has changed a lot in the past 10 years. From technology to safety all the way to the mentality. They continually develop technology to assist us in being more efficient and safe. With evolving rules and procedures to keep employees safe, I have seen a mindset shift as well. I feel not only third-party companies but also energy companies have taken a big step to make sure everything is as safe as possible. I feel as we evolve we are always creating a better oilfield.

William Baldridge

It means a lot to me to know I’m doing my part to provide the world with energy. I’m not from the Permian, but I understand how important this work is to the families and the men and women that work here. What I like most about working in the Permian is knowing that we are held to a high standard. The competition here is strong, and to be someone who gets to work here for a company like Silvertip means a lot to me. It proves that hard work and honesty pay off.

William Baldridge

Silvertip brings a culture of excellence to the table. We expect to operate at a very high efficiency. That culture brings the best out in everyone, and we expect to succeed. Backed by a strong management and support team, there’s a reason the Silvertip name is so highly regarded in the world of wireline. All of that and with a safety-first mentality has made me a better engineer and a better leader for my team.

William Baldridge

I don’t feel my thoughts have changed about Silvertip since starting here. I expected them to be the best wireline company out there, and that’s why I pursued a career here. I was definitely surprised at the amount of support we were given in the field. We have a great group of guys. From the techs, mechanics and shop personnel – they give us what we need to successfully complete the job. The FSMs provide technical support when we have an issue we cannot solve. There is a lot of wireline experience in this building. I feel there’s nothing we cannot solve when we work together.

William Baldridge

Since becoming an engineer I have learned a lot about teamwork. We are only as successful as our crew. Without the guys on the ground we cannot do our job. I have learned that coaching goes a long way. When we work as team we can complete tasks more safely and efficiently. I think if you work as a team it builds trust and accountability throughout the crew. None of us is perfect, but if we work together as a team we can provide a perfect service.

William Baldridge

To foster great teamwork, the most important thing is communication. Without it you will never be successful. Be clear on what you expect from one another and be direct on things that we as a team need to work on. My guys know that I expect them to tell me or one another when there is something they are uncomfortable with, and we will get them the specific training or help. We work with a double-check mentality – nothing gets put together without being double checked by someone else. Without team work we cannot do our job.

William Baldridge

I am thankful to be a part of this team at Silvertip. I look forward to continuing my growth as an engineer with this company. Thank you to all of the support staff that helps us in the field everyday whether its supplies, explosives or even just a check in on how the job is going. Success trickles down. From Mike Wood building a great company to the high expectations of Josh our district manager– along with the constant support of our operations managers and FSMs.