From Apprentice to Electrical Contractor

Darrell Reid is a journeyman electrician working for various area contractors in the oil/gas industry for the last five years.  He got his experience assisting other electricians while completing theory course work by correspondence.  He started out as a floorhand (worm) and worked his way up to a derrickhand.  Now it was time to go out on his own, and become an oil field electrical contractor that employs electricians.  He became well known in the oil field business as a major asset to them.  Darrell started out his business, Sand Butte Rig Service, Inc., in 2007, with himself and one other electrician.  He now has four electricians working for him.

The oil field electricians usually work long hours, outdoors, in all weather conditions, dusty, dirty, hot, wet or in confined spaces and in other uncomfortable places. They usually have to stand for long periods of time and may also be required to work at heights on masts, towers and roofs.  Electricians risk injury from electrical shock, falls, and cuts.  Work is generally hard and physically demanding. 

When the drilling slowed down a few years ago, Darrell and Dan Moline, Vice President of Lending, for Wyoming National Bank in Riverton visited about SBA Express Loans.  He ended up needing the Express Loan for two years in a row and repaid the loans consecutively each year.  Now, after going through one year, he has applied for another Express Loan, which is being processed at this time.

Darrell enjoys being with his wife, Annette, and their two sons, ages eight and two.  In the oil/gas industry there are times when his business takes him outside of Wyoming for jobs.  He doesn’t like to leave his family, but has to go where the work is.  When he gets a call to go to North Dakota, off he goes.  They have just rented office space in town and Annette hopes to be able to move their office things in soon.  Now she will have lots of space to work on the accounting records for the business.  When Darrell finds time away from work, he likes to volunteer his time at the USA Wind River Wrestling Club, which consists of local kids from the Pavillion, Wyoming area, ages 3 to 16.  Both his sons are active wrestlers, following in their fathers’ footsteps.