Interviewer: Preetam Prakash

Affiliation: University of Arizona

David Berden had contacted Preetam following the appearance of an article in the Meridian Star regarding the project. David and Preetam met a few days later at a local diner for an interview. David had somewhat of an unusual work history in that he had worked as a credit manager for nearly 13 years prior to going to work offshore as a sample catcher. He had worked as a mud logger during the majority of his time offshore and had eventually been laid off during the downturn of the late 1980s. Afterwards he went to work with an insurance company. When the oil industry picked again, David had been asked to come back and work offshore but had refused to head back out. He had enjoyed his time working offshore, especially the people that he had come into contact with, but said that he had been close to “burning out” at the time of the downturn and did not have desire to work in the industry again. Nevertheless, he considered working offshore to have been a very valuable learning experience in multiple ways.