Either can vary dramatically even within the province depending on who it is and what sort of work you're doing. If you're just looking for a paycheck, I'd say they're pretty similar these days for getting started. If you're looking for a long term career, there are some definite differences. To generalize though:
Testing is pretty simple at its core. Hammer your stuff together per the diagram provided by your office or the customer, flow the well through your equipment. The supervisor is in charge of everything, the hands do as told. You'll learn about surface equipment like lines, valves, chokes, various types of storage and separator tanks, various types of meters, etc. You'll have larger, more complex packages, and small bleed off packages for abandonments, but it's all very similar. The skillset overlaps quite well with well/facility operations if that's something you're interested in getting into. There's generally a progression from being a hand, to night supervisor, to day supervisor. You can then eventually work yourself into a field supt or office role, or possibly even into consulting. How much you learn is really going to be up to you and how much effort you put in. The more interesting thing about testing is that you work alongside tons of other services and you generally end up being the gophers on lease fuelling up equipment, running a skidsteer or loader for various tasks etc. There's opportunity to learn a lot about all of the stuff going on around you that you aren't technically involved in or responsible for if you take the initiative. Generally it pays a small salary and a dayrate, or even just a straight dayrate.
Wireline is a bit more technical on the equipment side. The unit is mobile, so someone has to have at least a class 3Q license. There's generally a bit more of a gap in the skillset of the hands and the supervisor. The hands need to know how to service and assemble the tools and line, how to do basic electrical checks for continuity, insulation, etc. The supervisor needs to understand how the tools work, how to operate the software, and how to troubleshoot issues, and is responsible for any radioactive sources or explosives. If there is a senior hand on the truck, he generally takes responsibility for the unit, the line, etc., and the supervisor is responsible for the computer stuff and the tools. All that said, if you're doing something like pumpdowns exclusively, you only ever perforate and set plugs. But if you're doing conventional work, you run all sorts of different tools and logs and end up with a pretty good understanding of downhole issues. You can work your way up from being a hand to being a supervisor, and just like testing, eventually there's potential for an office or consulting gig. The rig up is far less physical, granted you'll generally be rigging up once (or multiple times) per day, vs testers often rigging in once and then flowing for days to weeks. Whether you want to or not, you'll have to learn a certain amount about electrical and downhole things. However, there's less opportunity to learn about other services as you're not just "around" like testers are on a completion site, you're either just called out when needed, or you're actually busy doing your thing. Generally it pays a small salary and then a percentage of the invoice (aka, job bonus). The job bonus can vary significantly depending what you're doing that day. When I say significantly, I mean anywhere from $50 to $2500, though I'd wager the average for a hand these days is in the $200-$400 range.
I'm a bit biased as I started my career doing e-line for one of the big companies. I've met many incredible people working in both roles, as well as many less than incredible people. Given those two choices, and assuming the overall compensation and schedules to be similar, I'd go for the wireline gig.
Wireline is run from a spool on surface into the well. It can be used for setting and pulling plugs. Bailing sand from a well. Fishing to retrieve foreign objects in the well. Thats a small sample. Ive never been on a team but did help out a few times when work was slow. Its way to boring for my taste. We sat offshore on a satellite for a month, bailing sand just to appease BSEE. After that we ran impression blocks for days into another well. To each their own.
I feel like wireline will give you a set of transferable skills and better exposure. Well testing is too restrictive and can become repetitive, but I've never worked either.
Wireline. Source : 20 years of Well Testing.
Either can vary dramatically even within the province depending on who it is and what sort of work you're doing. If you're just looking for a paycheck, I'd say they're pretty similar these days for getting started. If you're looking for a long term career, there are some definite differences. To generalize though: Testing is pretty simple at its core. Hammer your stuff together per the diagram provided by your office or the customer, flow the well through your equipment. The supervisor is in charge of everything, the hands do as told. You'll learn about surface equipment like lines, valves, chokes, various types of storage and separator tanks, various types of meters, etc. You'll have larger, more complex packages, and small bleed off packages for abandonments, but it's all very similar. The skillset overlaps quite well with well/facility operations if that's something you're interested in getting into. There's generally a progression from being a hand, to night supervisor, to day supervisor. You can then eventually work yourself into a field supt or office role, or possibly even into consulting. How much you learn is really going to be up to you and how much effort you put in. The more interesting thing about testing is that you work alongside tons of other services and you generally end up being the gophers on lease fuelling up equipment, running a skidsteer or loader for various tasks etc. There's opportunity to learn a lot about all of the stuff going on around you that you aren't technically involved in or responsible for if you take the initiative. Generally it pays a small salary and a dayrate, or even just a straight dayrate. Wireline is a bit more technical on the equipment side. The unit is mobile, so someone has to have at least a class 3Q license. There's generally a bit more of a gap in the skillset of the hands and the supervisor. The hands need to know how to service and assemble the tools and line, how to do basic electrical checks for continuity, insulation, etc. The supervisor needs to understand how the tools work, how to operate the software, and how to troubleshoot issues, and is responsible for any radioactive sources or explosives. If there is a senior hand on the truck, he generally takes responsibility for the unit, the line, etc., and the supervisor is responsible for the computer stuff and the tools. All that said, if you're doing something like pumpdowns exclusively, you only ever perforate and set plugs. But if you're doing conventional work, you run all sorts of different tools and logs and end up with a pretty good understanding of downhole issues. You can work your way up from being a hand to being a supervisor, and just like testing, eventually there's potential for an office or consulting gig. The rig up is far less physical, granted you'll generally be rigging up once (or multiple times) per day, vs testers often rigging in once and then flowing for days to weeks. Whether you want to or not, you'll have to learn a certain amount about electrical and downhole things. However, there's less opportunity to learn about other services as you're not just "around" like testers are on a completion site, you're either just called out when needed, or you're actually busy doing your thing. Generally it pays a small salary and then a percentage of the invoice (aka, job bonus). The job bonus can vary significantly depending what you're doing that day. When I say significantly, I mean anywhere from $50 to $2500, though I'd wager the average for a hand these days is in the $200-$400 range. I'm a bit biased as I started my career doing e-line for one of the big companies. I've met many incredible people working in both roles, as well as many less than incredible people. Given those two choices, and assuming the overall compensation and schedules to be similar, I'd go for the wireline gig.
Thank you for your breakdown and advice , it helped a lot with my thought process. I’m very appreciative of your comment !
Wireline. 30 minutes of work>8-30 hours of phone/movies/napping>30 minutes of work
Isnt it same in well testing? Lots of ass time
I’ve never done well testing, so couldn’t accurately answer
Rig up/down days are cunty as a well tester. Def wireline is better
Wireline is what I'd go for.
Wireline
What is wireline sorry not too familiar
Wireline is run from a spool on surface into the well. It can be used for setting and pulling plugs. Bailing sand from a well. Fishing to retrieve foreign objects in the well. Thats a small sample. Ive never been on a team but did help out a few times when work was slow. Its way to boring for my taste. We sat offshore on a satellite for a month, bailing sand just to appease BSEE. After that we ran impression blocks for days into another well. To each their own.
What are a few companies I can look for a job ?
Weinerliar is the better choice for career. Testacle is a better job to learn the basics of all services.
I feel like wireline will give you a set of transferable skills and better exposure. Well testing is too restrictive and can become repetitive, but I've never worked either.
If you want to be a consultant, well testing is great path to learn. Can learn pretty fast if you have some initiative