Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Golden Meadow, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

The interview, set up by Melvin Bernard, took place in Mr. Plaisance's home; he was tracking the stock prices on the TV while we talked. Some of the discussion was around the institution of well spacing regulations by the state. He also talked briefly about the deal Huey Long cut with Texaco to lease Louisiana Land & Exploration land, so as to stop Standard Oil of California from gaining a position in Louisiana. He had a few things to say on unions: since some parts of Texaco, such as the refineries, are union, the whole company gets similar pay scales, even when local sectors are not unionized. He contrasted this with contract workers, who may get more money per hour, but get no benefits. He talks a lot about how to control "kicks" while drilling.

After high school, in 1948, Hurby Plaisance started working on Rowan inland barges in Timbalier Bay. In 1952 he then became a Texaco employee on steam rigs on lake fields around Houma, Leeville, Golden Meadow, and elsewhere in southern Louisiana. By the time he retired from Texaco in 1987, he had risen to senior drilling supervisor, responsible for the company's offshore fields out of Morgan City.