text: i want to work out in the oil fields in il how do i get started?   you would probably want to start as a geo-phone placement engineer. for starters you would be uncoiling cable from a truck or other equipment and stomping geophones into the ground. (nick name for position is juggie)  the operator fires up the motor and sends a vibration into the earth to detect possible oil.  your duties may take you away from home for a week or more - 4 weeks on one week off - but the pay is to die for.  simply call up shell oil or other oil company and ask them if they have any positions open for a geophone placement engineer, and where you would apply.  warning: the crew you work with may well have a few jerks on hand. if you can deal with them - its almost like a cowboy on the prairie type of feel to it.