Interviewer: Jacob Campbell

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Mr. Bergeron read the description of the study in the Courier article, and called to say that he wished to participate. We met at the main Terrebonne Parish library for this interview. He regularly commutes to New Orleans for work every day, but had this Monday off so was able to speak with me. Mr. Bergeron has always maintained a separation between his work and family lives, travelling regularly and not sustaining many friendships from work. As a result his social network is made up entirely of family, with almost no work ties. He is proud of his work, however, and his knowledge of the industry and articulation make this an informative interview.

David was born in Houma in 1956, near Southdown sugar plantation where his father worked in the mill. He graduated from Terrebonne High in 1974, and started as a roughneck for Wheless Drilling Co., based in Shreveport, a job he attained with the help of his future father-in-law. He made driller after three years of work, and toolpusher the following year. He enrolled in a seven and seven program in petroleum technology at Nichols State, finishing in 1980; adding a petroleum safety degree in 1982. In 1980 he took a job with Placid Oil, entering a drilling foreman training program later that year. After becoming a drilling foreman the following year, he worked on rigs throughout the Gulf until the company went bankrupt in 1994. He took a job with Eagle Consulting, but did not like the hours and began with Shell in 1996 as drilling supervisor, moving off rigs to the office, a position he currently holds