Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Galliano, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaAfter my interview with Butch Renois, Butch went over to visit with Martial Babin, an 80-year old Chevron retiree who lives on the east side of the bayou. Butch called me at the motel to say that Mr. Babin had agreed to talk to me. Mr. Babin was Butch Renois' former boss for part of their time with the Chevron operation out of Leeville. Martial's second wife passed away in 2001; at one point in...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(S): T. Priest. Dallas, TXAffiliation: University of ArizonaMilo Backus is largely credited with being the father of 3-D seismology. Longtime head of research at Geophysical Services, Inc., he masterminded the creation and application of many digital signal processing techniques in the 1950s. He developed the concepts behind deconvolution in the changeover to digital technology, and led the development and promotion of the practical application of 3-D...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaP.T. is Dub Noble's brother-in-law. He owns Bailey's Basin Seafood in Morgan City. It was brought to my attention that P.T. had been interviewed for the previous project, mainly about his business and the regulations that were affecting small business owners in the area during the 1980's. I had Tom McGuire look at the previous interview to pick out topics I needed to discuss further. My...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. P. Theriot. Houston, TXAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalJim Baker is a retired Houston port captain for Lykes Brothers. A native of West Virginia, Baker is a graduate of King's Point U.S. Merchant Academy (1949). As a cadet, he traveled throughout the Caribbean and West Indies aboard ship for several years before landing a job with Lykes Brothers. His career with the steamship line spans nearly three decades. His positions...

Scope and Contents Audio Only.Interviewer(s): T. Priest. Houston, TXAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalGene Bankston grew up in Southeast Oklahoma. After serving in World War II as a B-17 gunner he studied petroleum engineering at the University of Oklahoma, earning his degree in 1949. He began working for Shell that same year and quickly rose through Shell's ranks. He worked towards economically evaluating prospects in order to maximize profits for...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaWe met Herb Barrett when Diane, Tom, and I attended a breakfast meeting of the Halliburton retiree's club in Houma. Herb was born in Duncan, Oklahoma in 1928. He graduated from high school in 1946 and went to the University of Oklahoma to study petroleum engineering. He left after two years to take a job with Halliburton working in the machine shop and as a cement truck driver. He was transferred...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Amelia, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Julie Barrilleaux in 1999 when I interviewed her boss, Earl King, Jr., as part of the study of the impacts of the offshore oil and gas industry on individuals and families in southern Louisiana. I returned to visit Earl in 2001 as part of the offshore history study and spent some time talking with Julie as well. When I began looking specifically for women who were involved in the industry, I...

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Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Sell. Montegut, LAAffiliation: University of Arizona.Roland Belanger was recommended by his son, Kevin, who is chief executive officer of the South Central Planning and Development Commission, the regional planning agency. Roland and his wife still live in Montegut in a house which was menaced by the hurricane floods of September. They are long term residents of Montegut. Roland is one of the Montegut residents who worked for Texaco his entire...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Grand Isle, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaArthur Bellanger, referred to me by Jean Landry, was born and raised in Lockport, and visited Grand Isle while his father, a carpenter, was building camps. After school, Arthur took a job with Louisiana Power and Light, and for 11 years was responsible for electrical work from Leeville to Fourchon to Grand Isle. He then took a job with Conoco, getting tired of being on call 24 hours a day for...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Jerry Benton through his sister, Mary Samaha. I had a brief interview with him in January when I stopped by to talk to Mary, and she called Jerry to come over. He is the oldest son of Mary's mother and stepfather, Escoe Benton. Jerry helped to run Benton Casing for many years. Since selling off his father's business due to the recession of the 80's, he has slowly been saving money and has...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Sell. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaBobby Bergeron is the Parish President of Terrebonne Parish. As such, he was someone I wanted to interview to gain his perspective on oil and community development. Other people also recommended him because he also represents something of a success story in oil service business.Bobby Bergeron worked in the oil fields as a floor hand during summer vacations from high school. After...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Tom McGuire; Diane AustinAffiliation: University of ArizonaMelvin Bernard is part of the network of Chevron people I got into after first interviewing Butch Renois early on in the project. Some of the discussion deals with his recollections of the relations between Otto Candies and Humble: Otto could speak French, and thus negotiate land leases for Humble, so Humble gave Otto all of the company's supply/crewboat business. He also passed on some...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Grand Isle, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaFrank "Peco" Besson was recommend to me by Jean Landry. I called him at his souvenir and bait shop along the highway, and he told me to come over. He was doing some repair work, getting the shop ready for the season. Most of the first side of the tape is concerned with looking through photos and other materials Peco has at the souvenir shop. The second side has some discussion of oil and gas...

Scope and Contents Audio Only.Interviewer(s): T. Priest. Weimar, TXAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalMr. James Bibee graduated from University of Tennessee with a degree in Geology in 1950, and immediately went to work for Gulf. After spending a couple of years with another company in Colorado, Gulf hired him again in 1956 to work offshore at their New Orleans office. He worked on the 1970 and 1972 lease sales at the time when bright spots became an...