WATER HAULING BLUES... in New Mexico!

Hey all, I'm new to the forum and would like to first introduce myself.
I have 2 years of experience hauling & disposing all types of water and drilling fluids in the Permian Basin. In 2012, I started my own company called Champion Oilfield Services, LLC. I hauled as a sub-contractor for the first 6 months to learn the in's & out's of the business and honestly I did very well. I emphasized a strong work ethic early on and clear communication with onsite company men. The lease company (which will remain nameless) seemed to respect me and my efforts until they eventually decided to get greedy and help themselves to my hours. Needless to say, I have since moved on and I now own 2 units with professional drivers on-hand and I have a 3'rd unit leased on to me. We currently haul in and around Carlsbad, NM.

Now here's the bad... in order to sustain (atleast in this part of the country) you must be on Oil Companies Vendor's Lists. And right now I'm having serious difficulty with this part of the process. The one company that I have secured is only "spoon-feeding" us hours. The other companies that I talk to will only take you on if you have a "sponsor" from within the oil company bring you on. Most of the truck owners here see this as a "controlled mafia" but at the same time I can understand the importance of "knowing who you do business with" and the quality of the work being offered. So I can respect the system but I also despise it at the same time.

So here's my question... is the same Vendors List "system" in place in other areas of the country? I'm seriously considering picking up shop and relocating across state lines into Texas or Oklahoma but I want to be better informed about "how to do business with Oil companies" in other areas before making a move.

Thanks for reading!

 

Thanks RockinChair! We take really good care of our trucks... as you already know if they don't work, we don't work!

The same thing is true here in NM... most outfits want the easy loads but I guess that's human nature. We also offer all of those services that you mentioned and we do them with pride. Now it's just a matter of finding the right company to work for.

BTW, who are some of the major oil players where you are located?

 

Thanks RockinChair, I will give it some thought!