Severe labor shortage slows oil recovery

MyWestTexas.com :

"With demand outstripping supply for everything from inspection and repair crews to supply ships to power tools, the price for all of these things is going up. Also on the rise are wait times for some much-needed oilfield services and equipment as competing oil and gas producers sign longer than usual contracts in order to avoid finding themselves at the back of the line.

'There's so much work down here for diving it's unbelievable,' said Jeff Sikut, president of Avondale, La.-based J&J Diving, an underwater pipeline inspection and repair company that is turning away two to three potential new customers a day. Sikut said he'd love to hire an additional 50 divers and take on additional work, but the available labor pool is extremely shallow."