Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteRussell Robin was born in 1931 in Breaux Bridge. At 17 he got a job on a dredging crew with McWilliams Company and five years later served in the Korean War for 2 years. He was discharged in 1954, came back home, got married, and resumed his work dredging. Less than half a year later, he got a job as a deckhand with Phillips Petroleum Company on a drilling rig off of Eugene...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Tom McGuire; Emily Bernier. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaTom Becnel referred us to Joe Robinson, a 94-year old who worked in the oil and gas industry and is a member of his church. He talked to Joe and told him we would be coming by, so we called to confirm the time. Tom and I met Joe and Mildred at their home. While we were there, Emily called and came over as well.Joe Robinson has been involved in the oil...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): S. Wiltz. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteBilly Rodgers was born in 1926 in Northeast Texas, near oilfields, but they never found oil on his family's land. He didn't think he would attend college, but after serving in Korea, he attended school using the G.I. Bill, and majored in Engineering. He was hired by Humble Oil and Refining Company (later Exxon), and worked in Texas and Louisiana. He discusses life in Grand Isle and...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Bayou Blue, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaElgin Rogers is a friend of F.J. Matherne. I had called him when I was in town in September, but our interview was cancelled at the last minute. This time around F.J. called and set up the appointment for me.Elgin was educated at the MacDonald Mission School because his parents were so poor. This was a local school for orphans and the poor of southern Louisiana. Before finishing...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Andrew Gardner; Diane Austin; Betsy Plumb. Patterson, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaPete Rogers was recommended to me by Robert Shivers in Patterson. I came to discover that the social networks of retired oilmen in the region are very community-based; although I had talked to numerous Shell hands in Morgan City, none had mentioned Pete. Pete is 87 years old, and began work for Shell well before WWII. Prior to working on the survey crews in the...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI had heard about Loyd Olin since arriving in Louisiana because Corine Paulk is good friends with his wife, Sue. Sue is part Houma and Loyd is part Choctaw. Several connections have been made to Loyd both through his wife being related to F.J. Matherne (he's her uncle) and Loyd himself being the cousin of Barbara Davis in New Iberia. I had heard both from Barbara and Corine that Loyd was extremely...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Sell. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Christian "Buster" Olivier was recommended by Hartwell Lewis, a fellow Rotarian. He is retired, but formerly active in both local business and government. He is about 90 years old (according to another informant), still alert, active. His home is within walking distance of the municipal buildings and the Dupont department store, which he managed until 1978. Christian Olivier was...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was referred to Marcelle Ordogne by Steve and Jean Shirley because she is a long-time resident of Morgan City. When I called her and told her about the study, Marcelle said she would be happy to participate. She is very busy, though, and we were having a hard time finding a time to get together. She asked if I could come right over, and I did. We talked for a couple of hours, turning the...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. Priest. Houston, TXAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalLloyd Otteman began his career with Shell in 1954 after he graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in civil engineering. Throughout his career he worked in various capacities including mechanical engineer for the Technical Services Division, Bellaire Research Center, and New Orleans area, marine. He became manager of Mechanical Engineering Research in 1966...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteMr. Patrick Ottinger was born in 1946 in Lake Charles and moved to Lafayette when he was 10 years old. His father was a land man/scout for Stanolind Oil and moved the family to Lafayette when the industry moved from Lake Charles to Lafayette because of Mr. Heymann's Oil Center. Since graduating LSU law school in 1973, he has practiced law in the interest of his clients,...

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Interviewer(s): T. Priest. Harahan, LA.

Affiliation: University of Houston/History International

Mr. Chris Oynes is the regional director of the Gulf OCS for the MMS. He attended Cal State Fullerton and George Washington Law School. Instead of going into practice he starting working for the Bureau of Land Management in 1975, and got involved with the OCS in 1978. He became branch chief in 1983 and now regional director.

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Bryant. New Iberia, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaShawnee Patout's daughter, Debbie Bryant, interviewed her at her home in New Iberia. The interview is primarily about Shawnee's husband, George Patout, and his career in the oil and gas industry.After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Shawnee Patout's husband, George, worked his way up in the oil field. He started as a roustabout with Shell in Houma, was transferred to...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. Priest. Houston, TX.Affiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalRichard Pattarozzi graduated college in Illinois in 1966 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He joined Shell that same year and served as a facilities engineer in New Orleans. In 1969 he became a drilling engineer for offshore and stayed in that role for 6 1/2 years. In 1972, the company made him a senior engineer and transferred him to Midland. After a short tour, he...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Christy. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalCharles Pearce was born in the Atchafalaya Basin and grew up on a houseboat. He is the son of a commercial fisherman who moved to Morgan City in the early 1940's to work in the oil field. His father roughnecked for Humble Oil and then transferred to production at Duck Lake. Mr. Pearce went to work at Chicago Bridge and Iron Works and learned to weld at age 16. He...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Patterson, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaKen Perry participated in the previous study and had talked then about the history of his business, the Perry Flying Center, and his involvement in the offshore oil and gas industry. When I called to ask if he would be willing to record an interview for the archives, he was very happy to participate. When I arrived at the Center, Ken was out fueling a helicopter. He came in shortly and we went...