The Empty Quarter

by David Wilkinson

There are many ways for a young man to go to hell when trying to find himself. Logan Wilson knows. Deadended in Texas, about to lose his fiancée Caitlin, Logan has impulsively committed himself to work a risky exploratory oil rig in Saudi Arabia’s Rub al Khali desert, the bleak Empty Quarter . The Empty Quarter is a daunting place of heat, sand and scorpions where oil riggers work under a boss, Jamie Strong, who is Logan’s increasingly unreliable and possibly unstable friend. As they precariously search for a legendary high-pressure gas reservoir, Logan is plunged into dangerous depths in his relations with Jamie, the other roughnecks, and the oil company. The consequences could be explosive, Logan realizes as he desperately struggles with his situation and with himself. He now harbors a single barebones plan—to survive the hell of The Empty Quarter .

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I worked in the west Texas oil fields over 30 years ago, right out of high school. This book brought back a lot of memories, both good, bad and forgotten. Well written by a guy who lived and knows his subject. Recommended to anyone who's ever been in the oil patch or wondered what working on a drilling rig is about. Great job.