Do oilfield workers live away from home?

It depends heavily on the specific role. Rotational drilling and completions crews often work hitches that mean real time away from home — anywhere from several days to a few weeks at a stretch, depending on the contractor — sometimes staying in employer-arranged housing (a "man camp" or crew housing) near the well site during a hitch. Lease operators and other locally-based production roles, by contrast, tend to work and live in the same area day to day, without extended time away. Someone relocating for oilfield work in a major hub like Midland or Odessa may still commute out to well sites regularly rather than working directly downtown. If staying close to home matters most, start with lease operator and other production roles, and ask any employer two questions before accepting: what the hitch is, and where the crew stays during it.