Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Betsy Plumb. New Orleans, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Mr. Alden "Doc" Laborde is the founder of ODECO. He also served in WWII, so he was interviewed for the study of the connections between WWII and the offshore oil and gas industry. I contacted Doc at his office, and he agreed to be interviewed. Betsy Plumb of the National D-Day Museum and I met him at his office for the interview.

Alden "Doc" Laborde was born near Alexandria, Louisiana, the son of a school principal. Like others in his town, when he finished high school he enrolled at LSU where he joined the ROTC. He entered Annapolis in 1934, graduated and served as an ensign from 1938 to 1940. He then returned home and remained in the reserves until WWII began. At that time he was called back to the Navy and remained there until the war ended in 1945. Upon his return, Alden got a job working on a seismic crew and then took a job working for Sid Richardson Oil Company on a barge in the marsh. He used the opportunity to learn about drilling and then in 1948 was hired by Kerr McGee as director of marine operations. During his four years with Kerr McGee, he became convinced that offshore drilling should be done from a movable unit. When he could not convince others at the company, he quit and went in search of partners. With backing from Murphy Oil Company, he founded Ocean Drilling and Exploration Company (ODECO) and built the first movable offshore rig, named the Mr. Charlie. He remained with the company until Murphy merged its drilling and exploration companies and sold its rigs to Diamond Offshore.