Energy Pioneers Podcast
Stories from the Pioneers of the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry
Energy Pioneers Podcast
Energy Pioneers Podcast Welcome to the Energy Pioneers Podcast, a show dedicated to the legacy of the pioneers of the offshore oil and gas industry. Each episode features stories of industry pioneers whose leadership, grit, and technological expertise built the modern offshore industry in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world.
For more than two decades, the Oilfield Energy Center (OEC) in Houston has honored these legendary men and women by inducting them into its Hall of Fame. The stories you will hear are from the Hall of Famers themselves, who’s original interviews with the OEC have been digitally remastered and preserved for posterity. Many of these pioneers are no longer with us, and so this podcast series is a way to memorialize their achievements and to pass on lessons learned to the next generation. Energy historian, Dr. Jason P. Theriot, hosts this series and guides listeners through the amazing careers of those Hall of Famers who built the modern offshore industry.
The Energy Pioneers Podcast is available on all major podcasting platforms, including the following:
Spotify Podcast
iHeart Radio Podcast
Episode 2: Mark Childers and Offshore Drilling
Mark A. Childers is an engineer, manager, inventor and pioneer in the development of offshore drilling and production. He joined Humble Oil & Refining Co. (now ExxonMobil) as an engineer in the offshore oil and gas business in New Orleans. At that time the offshore oil and gas industry was still young, but developing rapidly. Humble provided an outstanding training ground via assignments at the division level, headquarters, at its research center (Esso Production Research Co.), and in offshore California. In 1972, Mark joined Ocean Drilling and Exploration Co. (ODECO), then one of the largest worldwide offshore drilling contractors, as a Staff Engineer, subsequently moving up to Operations Engineering Manager then Vice President/Chief Engineer in 1977. Five years later he was named General Manager/Vice President of Domestic Operations. He semi-retired from the industry in 2007, but continued to work in the business as a consultant well into his late 70s. Mark was responsible for many technical innovations and operating techniques affecting safety and drilling efficiency that led to Gulf of Mexico water depth and drilling depth records. He was involved in the design, construction and operation of all types of offshore drilling rigs, and, as a result, he became widely known for his skills and achievements. Mark was most proud of developing and training ODECO’s young drilling engineers, many of whom became leaders in the industry. He is the recipient of many industry awards and spent several years as a spokesman on oil and gas business.
Episode 1: Margaret McMillan and Offshore Survival Training
Margaret McMillan was internationally recognized as an expert in the field of sea survival technology. She contributed to improvements in work vests, life jackets, and inflatable life vests. She spearheaded the development of the Marine Survival Training Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and served as a consultant to that center. She was a founding member of the International Association for Sea Survival Training. She was founder and president of McMillan Offshore Survival Technology, and was involved in aquatics as a competitor, teacher, trainer and program innovator for many years. McMillan was the first woman to be inducted into the OEC Hall of Fame because of her pioneering efforts in the field of offshore safety, which benefit thousands of offshore workers.