Drilling Rigs Don’t Come with a Driver’s License

Rig — Buying a rig means more than just kicking the tires. Someone has to be able to drive the truck. Source: iStock

Howard "Porky" Cutter, MGWC — Howard “Porky” Cutter, MGWC

Most equipment that we sell is for an individual or a company that we know, or we know the history of the specific equipment.

Recently, we sold a rig for a client in Virginia to an African company. The prospective purchaser drove from Canada to inspect the rig, which was drilling on a well site at the time. After watching the rig operate, he decided to buy it. Once the owner completed the well, he took the rig back to his shop to clean it up and ready it for shipping.

When the rig was ready the people traveled again from Canada to view the rig and close the deal. We met the purchaser at the bank to make the financial exchange. Once everything was settled and the money cleared the bank, we released the rig to the purchasers.

Then the new owners asked us to assist them in finding someone to drive the rig to the Baltimore port for shipping. We advised them it would be best to contract a trucking company to haul the rig to the Baltimore port. They didn’t want that. They wanted to hire someone to drive it. We advised against this because of United States permits and legal requirements.

Several days later, a person arrived at the rig’s location in a taxi to drive the rig to the port. First the driver called us to see if he must drive the rig with the mast up. We instantly knew the driver had a serious problem. We called the original rig owner to see if he could return and lay the derrick down. He did and then the driver asked what the stick between the seats was for. The previous owner explained to the driver and sent him on his way. The driver had no tag, no permits and no CDL, and when he left the driveway he was grinding gears. We were sure that he’d never reach the Baltimore port.

Three days later we called the new owners to be sure that the driver had delivered it to the port. We were told that, other than two flat tires, he made it fine.

Since that time, the client has called and wants two more rigs similar to the previous one.

Teaching and consulting drilling is our primary goal. Selling equipment is not our main interest. If you need a teacher, an on-site instructor or an operator nationally or internationally, call the experts.

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