To the wives of the oilfield, I know this is all scary – times two.
Lay-offs are everywhere, and not just only in the oil industry, but we can’t help but get a little more scared with every cent that the price of gas goes down.
It’s already affected my parents.
Now I pray my husband will hold on to his job. I have faith that he’s one of the best employees. (He may eat too much and ask for too many extra jalapeños, but other than that, he’s one they should want to keep around). It’s bigger than that, though. It seems like companies are having to save themselves – and that means cutting even some of the best.
He just called me with the news that the price per barrel has dropped another $9 today alone. It won’t be shocking if the price goes down to a “couple of dollars per barrel” at this point. He’s held his poker face up until this news today. He refused to let me see a glimpse of any fear at all – he’s been my sanity and reassurance, but I could hear the uncertainty in his voice over the phone this time.
When he left one week ago, things were progressing, but not this quickly or drastically. We ran to Costco and left with random items and two cases of water to ease my mind.
Neither of us realized that we should take it any more seriously than that.
2 or 3 days after he left, we knew that this was going to be more than we were prepared for, and we have no way to be together.
One. week. left.
And when he does get home, we have to pray that he doesn’t bring the virus with him. We also have to pray that there isn’t a quarantine that leaves him stuck in the gulf away from us.
If your husband (or boyfriend/fiancé/significant other) is away like mine – offshore, overseas, or even somewhere on land – I’m writing to remind you that you’re doing a good job.
If you’re praying nightly for a solution for Covid-19, the oilfield, and the economy in general, my prayers are alongside yours.
- You are strong enough.
- You will make it through.
- You are a good mom.
- You are a good wife.
- You are the peace and the calm for your family in this storm.
- You are not alone.
To the wives of the oilfield, we can make it through this. This too shall pass.
And the men that we married – the men that sacrifice so much time away from us – we’ll get them through this, too.
I’m feeling the pain of this same fear. Only I’m a single mom working in oilfield. This fear is the real deal. I’ve worked in oil and gas for many years and this is by far the scariest low on this roller coaster way of life. Prayers to all my fellow oilfield workers and their families. This too shall pass.
We lived in the oilfield world back in 1988 when my husband lost his job. My husband left to drive over the road. It was hard with 3 children at home and trying to keep enough money for him to eat while in the truck. Wasn’t easy, but we did it. 1 year later he was rehired with the company and was with them 30. In 2014, he was hospitalized with a throat infection. He was medically induced in a coma and on a ventilator. We survived that, too. 1 month after his 60th birthday, he was let go without a warning. Now, he had been running this facility for 20 years.There was no shut down. The company was prospering. All of his contacts were in shock. I guess you can say we survived that to, even though our retirement savings has taken a very hard hit. We had to live on it in the beginning as well as today. He is working out of his field, but today he called and said they were shutting down. We are in our 60s and our home is not paid for. We still a few years left on it. WE WIL SURVIVE THIS,TOO. SO WILL YOU. TRUST THE LORD.
My husband of 39 years has been though every high and low that the Oil Industry can throw his way. We held on Thur it all and come out stronger for it. I am not worried about a job right now, I am worried about losing someone close to me or losing my on life. This virus is a lot more scarier than losing a job. Don’t get me wrong I worry but I am really scared tonight. Too many things not holding up as far as who were more likely to die if you get the virus. Too many unknowns to unsettle me at this time. Sorry
All we can do is give it to GOD, it’s all in his hands on how fast this Corona virus will be stabilized and things can return to normal
Pray, Pray for your finances and your families health, give it all to Him, we can not do anything about it, it’s out of our control. PRAY ???
Thank you so much for that encouraging story, I felt like it really hit home! My husband works on a oil rig in deep water out in the gulf and they are laying off left and right, they may not let them go back to work for months, also praying he even gets to come home, we too have two little babies and a 14 year old.. iam a stay at home mother and just trying to prepare us and pray and have faith in all the mist of this pandemic, I pray for each and everyone of our families that God will hold us together and we lean on him and trust in him that he is going to take care of us all no matter what happens, I pray for our country and our president! I pray all the sickness to be healed and gone in Jesus name!