Another Day In Thezachlife

[@stevensaxon8888]

These oil rig videos are fantastic to watch. Please keep making them.

[@TheZachLife]

Thanks

[@C3PEE0H]

@@TheZachLife Back in 83 - 84 I worked for MISCO Mountain Iron Supply Company and rebuilt downhole pumps. I was a farm boy and needed a job, walked in, and set with the manager Paul for a few minutes and he hired me. Trained me on pumps then delivering to active drilling wells and workover rigs. Worked loading pipe, casing, tubing, all of it. I sold a lot of stuff I never knew where it went or what it did. Now, thanks to you, I know. MISCO died in 84? 85? when the bank came to collect keys from us and locked the doors. They brought me back for a few months to fix and deliver pumps to customers. Then, I was fired again. Anyway, your videos have educated me more in the few days I have been watching them than two years with MISCO. Thanks again!

[@royrice6656]

Great videos! I was a pumper for 31 years in west Texas south of Midland in Upton county, Rankin. All the wells were around 8,000 feet so the pumping units were too big for me to work on. I had some shallow wells east of Midland for awhile and they had some small units like yours. We didn’t have any plastic lines. They were all 2” steel. Had to get a gang if we had any problems with flow lines, connections at the battery, etc. With that mesquite it looks like your not too far from where I worked. Keep the vids coming! 👍👍👍

[@micahsattler1268]

@@TheZachLife what part of Texas? Pandhandle or west Texas

[@peter-pg5yc]

all part are interesting, simple to big jobs.

[@Zt3v3]

I had zero understanding of oil wells and I find this fascinating. I love seeing it from the perspective of small business owner, this is awesome.

[@TheZachLife]

Haha Thanks.

[@MrEric_API]

You said you wanted to do some road maintenance.... lol I've seen some crazy stuff used to drag a lease road, but this takes the cake!! Got lucky three times, 1) pulling the polish rod sleeve down. 2) bridle unwrapping 3) dragging that unit, all that way, getting hung up a few times going the way, and it not flopping over. I've had them flop over trying to move them whilst setting up over the well. Love the ride along videos. Keep up the great stuff. Looking forward to seeing a unit running on a single cylinder. I started the oilfield running leases with Fairbanks and continental "one lungers", due to there being no local electric. Take it easy Zack...

[@TheZachLife]

Haha It actually worked pretty well lol. I've actually never took care full time of a gas engine powered well but there are a few still around here running. Mine will be a temporary setup but yeah, hopefully ill get on that project in a few weeks.

[@MrEric_API]

@@TheZachLife ohhh, the fun you have missed out on. Going around first thing Monday morning after weekend drama that make the engines quit. Spinning up the heavy flywheels in 100+ degree weather to restart the beasts. Mag maintenance, bad and/or wet well head gas, or wells that were inconsistent gas producers. I think out of the 200 or so that we had, only a dozen or so were run on propane. None on gasoline. With all the work, they were still neat to have and were cool to pull up to a lease and have one still running since last months visit. Perhaps that's the nostalgia talking....... lol

[@TheZachLife]

@@MrEric_API Haha Sounds like a blast.

[@michaelmcclure8673]

@@MrEric_API I'm sure you miss the sounds of the ole engines popping off all out sequence. It's music to some people ears.🤔

[@calebhefner6760]

You deserve a follow. Was born in raised on the back of double drum, steam truck you name it . I'd make videos out in the patch but my time would be taken up by the editing all "lose your shyt" moments. Thank you. Makes me feel like we're not alone.

[@TheZachLife]

Haha thats how a lot of it goes.

[@myfoundrylife]

Love the channel. I recently started a business recovering oil from abandoned wells with my small mobile production rig. Although it wasn't my original purpose, one side benefit is it saves producers from having to plug certain wells from lack of production.

[@Colt_121]

How can i see pictures or videos of this? Sounds cool.

[@myfoundrylife]

@@Colt_121 I haven't had a chance to record much of it yet, but on my channel I have a video called Testing The New Tools On An Oil Well that kind of shows how it works.

[@Colt_121]

@@myfoundrylife Ok I'll check it out. Thanks

[@pyr3x849]

I wish my dad was more like you man. You got an amazing work ethic.

[@Naltddesha]

Wow, I’ve yet to see an oilfield type vlog (I guess is what you’d call this style?) this is so cool. I’m from NE Oklahoma was in the oil and gas industry the first 10 years I entered the work force. Drilling rig, pulling unit, electrical oilfield work, and wireline logging, plugging, and perforating. I’d love to see more videos like this

[@danielgratz7611]

One of your best videos Zach. Keep er flowing in the pipes! Haha

[@TheZachLife]

Thanks

[@mikehamilton3833]

Great example of how much work it takes to try and make a living in the stripper well business. You are a bundle of energy. Long hours working alone is hard. Good luck to you and stay safe.

[@TheZachLife]

Haha Thanks.

[@josephanthonypuccio4704]

Zach your a madman! .. great videos… I remember seeing those iron horses all over Southern California growing up…( at least that’s what us kids called them)… never knew they were skid mounted units. Carry on Lad !! you’re making Red Adair proud!

[@midgard8550]

I really love these oil well videos. Lots of good information about the trade and ways of life in Texas. Fascinating really. Zach has a soothing demeanor and is enjoyable as a narrator. I wonder how deep those Pump pipes are hitting oil deposits??

[@TheZachLife]

most of my stuff is about 1600'

[@alkennedy1124]

Just subscribed to your Channel nice I love this stuff I’m old now 60s but I can do , I’m a junker car crusher and metal collector nice thanks buddy BigAl California.praise Jesus Christ grace amen 🙏

[@scorpionlxvi]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience

[@xXxGelXeSxXx]

You make good music brotha... I watched this during lunch today with the captions on and everytime the drills are played in time lapse, captions show [music]. Towards the end of this video, you have a badass industrial beat going on! Thank you for this!!!

[@TheZachLife]

Hahaha thanks.

[@garrisonkarr9445]

WOW !! ... a darn practical method of movin' that critter! ... KISS principle at work! ... Keep Pump'n that Crude!

[@joshjones3408]

That's was neat how you got the shot with clouds moving at 3:17👍👍👍

[@craigasketch]

Watching this guy work reminds me of my family way out in the permian basin. People don't realize those wrenches and fittings he's throwing around are heavy! Keep making these videos so you can get a wench truck with AC!

[@TheZachLife]

Haha I need to fix it.

[@peter7624]

Everything on the oil field looks heavy to me. I work on my own cars and motorcycles, always have done, but this stuff all looks as heavy as hell to me! Great video Zach. Keep on truckin' fella.

[@mattthescrapwhisperer]

New subscriber here. Really enjoying your channel. Dragging that rig is a good way to flatten out the fire ant hills! I have a small Jensen mounted on the back of a trailer that pumps water for demonstrations at tractor shows. It was built by an elderly buddy of mine who is a retired oil platform supervisor from the north slope up in Alaska.

[@TheZachLife]

Awesome, Thats pretty cool.

[@ET_Don]

Now that's what I call multitasking. Dragging the pumping unit to a new well so you can use it as a skid for road maintenance along the way. lol

[@zowiefenderblast4602]

You sir are an operator! I tip my hat and give you a cheers!

[@TheZachLife]

Thanks.

[@makeeler9505]

Love your vids keep em coming!!

[@joshjones3408]

Got to be the best little beat for plumbing

[@richardbrown8150]

Awesome video thank you for the educational information

[@kc033056]

Great video Zach! I really appreciate you going thru all the aggravation to bring us along. A video when you have the rig come would be cool, how long of a process is it when they come? What about capturing the gas, is it worth it? It’ll be interesting to see you set up a well with an old engine. Is electricity a big expense for you. Kc

[@TheZachLife]

The amount of gas here would not amount to a measurable amount as far as getting paid. When I say a lot of gas I'm comparing it to other wells around here that produce almost no gas at all. A gas show in a well like this can be a good indicator especially in new/unknown well. Electricity is a big expense for us. Its usually about 1/3 of our base operating expensive.

[@elonmust7470]

@@TheZachLife Could these wells be operated on well head gas? I'm assuming that electricity is still more economical, but I don't know why.

[@kansasadventure1831]

Some great videos!

[@63connie78]

enjoyed watching whole thing.........almost like being there.....especially appreciate explaining the history, geology of producers in your area.

[@TheZachLife]

Thanks

[@demartin5366]

This is simply awesome, Zach! Thanks for all the trouble you go through to get these fantastic videos. I feel that heat for you. I live in far southwest Indiana and our humidity and heat in the summer is unbearable, I can sure relate. Please stay hydrated out there in those oil fields. That mesquite sure doesn't provide any shade. That is really interesting how the state of Texas classifies your oil leases. Loved watching you drag that pumping unit over to the well site, that is the coolest!! That's a great way to grade your lease roads. Stay safe out there and keep the videos coming!

[@TheZachLife]

Yeah the humidity is what kills you. Thanks and thats the plan.

[@misterbacon4933]

Really enjoy your explanation! Learn a lot! You are now an international vlog!!! Greetings from the Netherlands! 🇳🇱

[@TheZachLife]

Hallo, Thanks for watching.

[@bro.weaver1282]

If the rod hits the horses head and makes a clank, we usually put a pvc pipe and slip it over the rod to keep things quiet. In this 120$/ per barrel oil, if your not pumping it, then might as well plug it.

[@TheZachLife]

I agree and it keeps from wearing the threads off the polish rod. The noise from that Bethlehem was a big bolt in the crank weights thats loose and bangs up and down every stoke.

[@davidhollfelder9940]

Hmm. “Spirit of 76”? Back in the ‘80s, I worked with a guy who did this as a side biz for clients. He briefly tried to describe it .. naturally, I was surprised how involved this work really is. Now I got to see it live. Thx.

[@johnkufeldt3564]

like the time lapse referal to previous content, good usemof time. cheers from Calgary.

[@arthurbrumley5186]

Zach I know that this video was from sometime back but that has happened to me before. I used a slim rod box and cut an old polish rod and made an extention to get me by until the next time that I needed to get a rig back on the well

[@TheZachLife]

Thats not a bad Idea.

[@timthetiny7538]

Hope your lower gunsight came in! Gotta show us more oil coming out of the ground!

[@TheZachLife]

I'll do it.

[@hankhopkins3587]

Out here in Oklahoma,we well service, I drive a pumptruck, I used to own 2 pulling units, they say oil field gets in your blood,, I guess it's true,, enjoyed your time...

[@mister4053]

Hair cut looks good brother! Love your videos 👌 hello from Oklahoma city! You are about the smartest country ass iv ever seen! You can do it all man. You seem like a good hearted genuine person. Keep them coming sir 😎

[@TheZachLife]

Hahaha thanks.

[@chrism4008]

Oh!! that polish rod POV was really cool!!!

[@wapiti3750]

Sounds like a souped up Formula 1 motor! You sure that truck isn't made by Lotus?! 🙂 8:00

[@horatioyen256]

1:45 windmill powered pump jack then like those windmill jack water wells

[@VicsYard]

Got a 1994 Ford F700 juice brakes. The brakes system stinks. Lot of money to fix. Great truck

[@georgen.8027]

They make 2-peice super small AC units with flexible refrigerant lines designed for truck sleepers and small apartments. Maybe stick one of those on that truck

[@horatioyen256]

31:05 couldn't you use that as pluging 50% of your inactive wells or is it diftent because it's an injection well?

[@derrick_builds]

Love the use of the Pott County Speed Wrench. Keep up the good work. You ever have issues running over your feed lines?

[@elonmust7470]

Been watching Puddin?

[@derrick_builds]

@@elonmust7470 Very much so.

[@elonmust7470]

@@derrick_builds He's a great guy. Always wondered about the tattoos though.

[@derrick_builds]

@@elonmust7470 Can't stand them myself, but have some great friends who went into some tough times and have tattoos as a mark they can't ever escape. Got to roll with Grandma's "Don't judge a book by its cover" lesson with this one.

[@elonmust7470]

@@derrick_builds I feel the same way.

[@benrossbach6501]

Just subed today. Love what your doing thanks so much.

[@TheZachLife]

Awesome, Enjoy.

[@clydeacor1911]

When I was up in the Bakken they had a couple new wells that were producing 2,000 barrels a day, they're far and few between though but they've had wells drilled in the 70's still producing 20 barrels a day.

[@Jejh4lom]

The bakken is also pretty damn deep lol I frac'd up around there and we were pulling 45 min stages then around OKC we were pulling 2-4 hr stages 2-4k foot deep

[@Jejh4lom]

Around here in North Texas our wells are anywhere from 2k and less just low production compared to the oil/gas wells I've frac'd

[@hodwooker5584]

I don’t understand how this video can be about an oilfield operator! I haven’t seen a single crescent wrench with a big chunk of steel welded to it so it can be a hammer and wrench! Of course maybe the fact that i worked oilfield in Wyoming about 50 years ago has something to do with how i remember things where done. Good videos!

[@TheZachLife]

Hahaha.

[@millerliteliker]

Good videos. Do you have anything in Baylor County?

[@RichardThompson-gc1cf]

You need help ? Forget that no one wants to work or knows how to work love your video keep up the good work

[@bapa1]

I worked West Texas oilfields in the 70s and 80s, this all looks familiar. Been there, done lots of this, including trucking. Is this West Texas? Sure looks like it. Carry on. Fun times, I know.

[@michaelsedway9703]

You have to come across some rattlesnakes in your excursions in these pastures. I’m a stagehand now, but was a millwright in the past and enjoy your videos very much. Respect sir

[@TheZachLife]

Thanks, yes quite a few.

[@1RickBaja]

I see the bridle cables to pull the pump pipe up but what forces it down? Is it gravity and weight of all the pipe? Or suction from the fluids???

[@alanpecherer5705]

Random questions: I don't see this on TX wells, but in CA there are wells with no counterweights. I assume this means the wells are much shallower than most TX wells = rod much lighter? When a well engine runs on casing gas, do those engines tend to coke up from the heavy gunk that comes up with the lighter methane/ethane?

[@TheZachLife]

I'm not sure, its possible they are really shallow. The engines usually don't have any problems.

[@randacnam7321]

Orange in municipal/utility anything is communications or signals. Red is electricity. Blue is potable water. Purple is gray water. Green is sewage/waste water. Yellow is gas or liquid fuel.

[@TheZachLife]

Interesting, learned something today.

[@rosewhite---]

what actually pumps the oil from the well up to the tanks?

[@cdelaney84321]

Zach great to watch your videos. I have a question with oil lighter than water would you not be better pumping higher in well?

[@calebhefner6760]

Bro "if we get really lucky" I'm dying laughing

[@sosuzguy]

Nice long video, you are a one man band there! Enjoy seeing your lease work.

[@TheZachLife]

Thanks.

[@burtzorn4059]

Always get a kick out of the difference in oil fields from Texas to Michigan. Never see poly flow pipe. Always steel and mostly all in the ground. Wells are a lot closer together in Texas.

[@luiss2911]

Great videos Zach, I really enjoy watching and seeing how producing on these scrapper well is like. Great explanation in how oil and gas industry is. I was wondering in what formation are you producing out of I’m pretty sure you said it in one of your videos I just didn’t catch it.

[@TheZachLife]

Most of my stuff is 1600'

[@craigsymington5401]

I guess my interest in Texas oil started when watching "Dallas" on TV in the 70s. I wasn't allowed to watch much. I'm not interested in the oil, but Zach seems a lot like me, "can do" and KISS!

[@stroken_7.3_the_legend]

Addicted to your channel please don't stop making these videos

[@TheZachLife]

Haha Thats the plan.

[@SonoranAstro]

i’ve been binging your videos for the past few hours and have watched your sub count go from 32.1k to 32.4k

[@FishFind3000]

28:20 Smokey the bear: “Only you can prevent wild fires…”

[@lukedesselle2491]

Zach I've been kinda thinking about getting into this business I've got some experience with it but not a whole lot, I farm and raise cattle for a living and have always had an interest in oil production, I'm located in Central Louisiana and know where there are several wells that could be bought, what's an average price for one of these old wells drilled back in the 60s and 70s that are producing a couple barrels of oil a day??

[@rcs3030]

Ah shucks, we'll just drag it over there. It's only about a MILE !!!!!!! Zack I swear there is nothing too tough for you to tackle.

[@Wingnut_Stickman]

It is fun coming along for the ride, and honestly, I don't mind that the a/c doesn't work. Hardly notice. :)

[@TheZachLife]

Haha funny how that works.

[@blanejr1]

On one of your wells, what's the overall weight for all the rods (polish rod and all others connected in the well)?

[@TheZachLife]

It depends. This one is probably about 1700lbs of string weight plus another 1500 to lift fluid on the up stroke.

[@northmanlogging2769]

here I am again... instead of babbit, would a "quick knob" fit in those? Use em on my Skidder to stop the winch line, which gets tore up pretty quick. reusable ferule might be the industry name.

[@obfuscated3090]

Fixing truck AC ain't near as hard as sweating for the remainder of the years of using the truck and if it's a control issue locking blend doors at full cool etc ain't hard either. The Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums have many line mechanics and are an awesome free resource for any year. You can use MIG mix or argon shielding gas to pressure test the system (the HVAC regulator has the same cylinder valve) and shielding gas is "even more inert" than nitrogen which is used because it's cheap. It doesn't take much. Normal fix is pump, receiver dryer and orifice tube but since modern condensers tend to clog I replace those too. It's WAY less work than I thought before I started doing it and I'm rather lazy. Cool workers (you) get more done with less suffering. A vacuum pump, gas regulator, gauge set (cheap is fine, they're just Bourdon tubes and hoses), etc pays for itself in one job at todays labor rates then you can fix your stuff quickly the next time. Just something to think about.

[@TheSoloAsylum]

I want to know how I can get in on one of these sights.

[@demartin5366]

I can't wait to see the Fairbanks Morse ZC engine install. I was curious which model you might use for these units? Back home here for a well like yours we would use a 208. I know it depends on the stroke and depth of the well, I've seen some out in Texas and Oklahoma using the 346 and 508. Good luck with your work, always a pleasure to watch your videos. P.S. Thanks for the sucker rod and bridal ride in this video....that is just the neatest thing!! Im trying to get you more views from my oil field friends up here.

[@TheZachLife]

Haha Thanks. Probably a 208. Ive got a 118 I would like to get going too but I'm not sure if it would pull it.

[@RobertPerrigoOkiechopper]

In the late '80s, I tore down and hauled back to Oklahoma City 242/ 360 Lufkin pumpjacks and the Ajax engines from the Shildler, Oklahoma Phillips field, I hauled 4 a week, I worked for Lufkin.

[@smplyizzy]

Dude you really work for a living. Very interesting.

[@tommyhunter1817]

Man, I’d use red poly so I could see those suckers better laying on the ground! Also how do you keep fluid from backing out that pipe you just spliced in?

[@NicolasDalby-g3g]

Squeeze off clamps

[@MrErichonda30]

How often do you come across rattlesnakes? Do you wear tall boots?

[@TheZachLife]

Often. I usually kill a dozen of so a year.

[@robertmalis4493]

Hope you keep making these oilfield videos they’re really interesting

[@drewodessa2483]

I keep my take-along tools in a 5-gal bucket to grab and go with whatever vehicle I'm taking.

[@Lunch_box]

What part of North Texas are you in? 🤔

[@drewlow9731]

Old oilfield wisdom: People do what you inspect, not what you expect.

[@BiramFarms]

Can you share Murphy part number for a tank level monitor you posted in another video? Thanks

[@jvarnell2010]

Zack, how do you capture the natural gas and / or do you flare it?

[@TheZachLife]

We don't make any gas.

[@rosewhite---]

what do you do with all the water? Is it clean enough to pour on the ground or what?

[@calebhefner6760]

Lol I can't imagine how many times I've said "I hope that's enough babbitt" lmfao

[@unorec1983]

So are these your Wells on your land or Do you lease land with Wells already on them or do you lease land and prospect. Appreciate the videos very interesting on a topic I never realized I wanted to learn about.

[@TheZachLife]

Its complicated I'm working on a series to explain all of this. Should be up in a month or so.

[@unorec1983]

@@TheZachLife Thanks' for the response looking forward to the series

[@bryanbrasuell680]

Show us a video of the wasps nests and them getting after you. Lol there always fun. S/W Oklahoma here in the shallow oil field.

[@darenlowery1235]

That’s one way to grade your lease road!

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

So I was watching this pump ok, then you said there was no blow, which meant no feed of oil and water. I do not know how you picture this, but to me being 40 ft deeper means oil may be flowing to those shallower wells because of water pressure. So I would be surprised if this well did a barrel a day for 11/2 years because the water going in this deep with the gas the drilling company said it was producing means to me several items fighting against this being a successful long term barrel a day well. Seems like all the indicaters are against it but hey, then it could depending on geology in the ground. I don't know how sour your oil is or bacterial growth fouling, but the well may straighten up and fly right. What I am presently thinking is not.

[@Comm0ut]

Would you make more or less money and a more or less reliable income running a well service business vs. what you currently do? What are the pros and cons of each option?

[@joedoakes8307]

yessir , those meskin speed Wrenches are real handy !!!

[@TheZachLife]

Haha

[@ET_Don]

Was that a standard or metric crescent hammer?

[@lennyfitzgerald4714]

Watching from Pa an the natural gas patch I enjoy seeing what its like living and surviving in the oil states👍

[@bobvilla5064]

What do you think makes the oil? There just can't be that many dead dinosaurs down there.

[@SonoranAstro]

it’s lots of dead stuff, ocean life, plants, animals, dinosaurs, bugs etc etc

[@ThaMazda]

Ever thought about adding a mini rooftop a/c unit to your pole truck?

[@TheZachLife]

I just need to fix the A/C lol

[@ThaMazda]

@@TheZachLife that would be easier lol

[@albduke]

This guy is one heck of a mechanic

[@tcsmith4838]

Oh man that cummins sounded good under load!!! Pulling that unit

[@NicolasDalby-g3g]

Dam that would be hard to do by yourself. I usually have a 3 man crew.

[@jasonharper2601]

is there an economical way to get the wells to produce more oil? i herd in the past explosives were used

[@TheZachLife]

The explosives were used to frack wells before hydraulic fracking came the standard after WW2

[@cmh2111]

Hi Zach, I enjoy these type of videos. You may want to investigate better tagging of your video's. You have some decent content that's probably not coming up in search's due to improper tagging. With your content variety you should have been at 10,000 subs by now. : ) I know YT algorithm is tough on new content providers as well and hard to get it to work in your favor. THX

[@TheZachLife]

I agree, I don't ever seem to come up with the time to really get into it. Ill look into it though. Thanks.

[@horatioyen256]

What happend to that well that was on the inactive schedule?

[@bitrage.]

how do you keep track of all the wells?

[@briansumner2700]

A barrel per day crude makes 110 bux a day and uses maybe 3 worth of 3Ph electricity???? As long as u don't have to put 10 grand into it. Does the state make you haul away the salt water for disposal at a further big expense?????? Is there only one pay zone there?? Gunsight. Good vid and we appreciate your explanations.

[@TheZachLife]

This well only had 1 pay in it. We have injection well on this lease to get ride of the water.

[@shartne]

Glad your pumping US oil I dont like wasting money on foriegn oil.