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VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 1 • FALL 2018 OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE A Golden Past, A Brighter Future CENTER FOR PUBLIC HISTORY HOUSTON DESIGNED TO INSPIRE AND EXCITE. Avenida Houston, Texas’ largest convention campus, is Houston and the new Marriott Marquis. In addition to the newest place to sip, stroll and savor in downtown the new restaurants and cultural offerings, the Houston. The central campus includes the George R. campus features events, festivals and other programs Brown (GRB), Discovery Green park, Hilton Americas- designed to inspire visitors to explore the city. HOUSTON IN THE HEADLINES The famous Texas hospitality makes for a fun-filled visit The host city of Super Bowl 51 has a bustling arts scene but Houston is also full of surprises. and a slew of international restaurants. We found plenty London Evening Standard, 2017 of reasons to visit right now--or any time. Food Network Magazine, 2017 With robust international influences from a diverse pop- ulation, the sprawling metropolis offers plenty of diverse Houston’s foodie scene one of the most original and neighborhoods to explore, along with exotic cuisines, inspired in the country. of-the-moment boutiques, and innovative art offerings. Open Table, 2017 Vogue, 2017 Houston is like New York City with its density of mom Houston, is, in fact, about as multicultural a city as and pop ethnic restaurants. exists in the country. Esquire Magazine, 2017 CNN, 2017 To book your next program, call 713-853-8949. VISITHOUSTON.COM #INSPIRED LETTER FROM THE EDITOR EMERITUS Anniversaries As the Offshore Technology made it possible for offshore production to expand became Conference (OTC) celebrates its important elements of my research, which was greatly golden anniversary, we look back enhanced by my work with the Offshore Energy Center at its activities and reflect on how interviewing inductees into its Offshore Hall of Fame at the they have helped Houston emerge Ocean Star Museum in Galveston. For me, the cherry on as “the energy capital of the world” top of my research was writing a series of historical essays while boosting the regional econ- on offshore history for Offshore magazine as part of its sixti- omy. Anniversaries are obviously eth anniversary celebration. all around us. While I worked on OTC has become a central part of the global offshore this issue of Houston History, a industry by providing a place for those involved in the in- magazine I edited for half of my dustry to discuss the latest advances in offshore technology, to network with colleagues from around the world, and to Joseph A. Pratt thirty-year career as a history and attend exhibitions of the latest equipment developed to help Editor Emeritus business professor at the University of Houston, I had a significant anni- move the offshore industry into deeper waters in harsher en- versary of my own—my seventieth birthday. vironments. OTC now holds conferences in Brazil and Asia, Reflecting on the past, I realized that the fiftieth anni- as well as meetings focused on Arctic technology, extending versary of OTC’s first annual conference in May 1969 also its far-reaching impacts on the offshore industry and on the marked the fiftieth anniversary of my marriage and of my city of Houston internationally. first serious piece of historical research on the oil indus- We have published several single-topic issues of the mag- try, my senior thesis at Rice University on the history of azine on other significant Houston institutions celebrating HOUSTON my dad’s union, the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers milestones, notably the Texas Medical Center, the Johnson (OCAW). Doing real research – complete with trips to Space Center, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the DESIGNED TO INSPIRE AND EXCITE. several archives, conducting interviews, studying secondary University of Houston, the Houston Ship Channel, Houston sources, writing, and editing – put me firmly on the path Emergency Medical Services, and the Center for Public Avenida Houston, Texas’ largest convention campus, is Houston and the new Marriott Marquis. In addition to to becoming a professor who taught and wrote about the History, our home base at UH. OTC’s golden anniversary, similarly offers a fitting occasion to celebrate the history of the newest place to sip, stroll and savor in downtown the new restaurants and cultural offerings, the energy industry for forty years at four different universities. An important part of my preparation for becoming a an organization that has helped our city evolve into a ma- Houston. The central campus includes the George R. campus features events, festivals and other programs historian of the oil industry were my summers working in ture metropolis while enhancing the lives of Houstonians. Brown (GRB), Discovery Green park, Hilton Americas- designed to inspire visitors to explore the city. the labor gangs of oil and petrochemical plants to help pay my way through Rice. This was hot, nasty work. I cleaned out tanks once filled with sludge from who knows what and scraped out carbon black residue from the large “dryers” used to make synthetic rubber. Compared to these jobs, HOUSTON IN THE HEADLINES the summer I worked twelve hour-days, seven days a week laying pipeline across East Texas seemed almost like a va- The famous Texas hospitality makes for a fun-filled visit The host city of Super Bowl 51 has a bustling arts scene cation. Doing grown-up work for grown-up pay for the first but Houston is also full of surprises. and a slew of international restaurants. We found plenty time gave me greater discipline, a serious work ethic, and a Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary with this issue, London Evening Standard, 2017 of reasons to visit right now--or any time. fuller understanding of where money comes from. Food Network Magazine, 2017 Houston History is published by the Welcome Wilson As I taught in universities, it disturbed me that oil in With robust international influences from a diverse pop- Houston History Collaborative in the UH Center ulation, the sprawling metropolis offers plenty of diverse Houston’s foodie scene one of the most original and particular and energy in general were slighted in the curric- for Public History (CPH). It is the only in-depth neighborhoods to explore, along with exotic cuisines, inspired in the country. ulum. Someone needed to teach students about the pro- publication of our region’s history; it trains students of-the-moment boutiques, and innovative art offerings. Open Table, 2017 duction and consumption of energy, so I spent the last two in historical research, writing, and collection of Vogue, 2017 decades of my academic career training Ph.D. students in oral histories, giving them marketable workplace Houston is like New York City with its density of mom energy-related history, helping build a new sub-discipline in skills; and it makes our region’s history accessible to Houston, is, in fact, about as multicultural a city as and pop ethnic restaurants. the history profession called “Energy History,” and creating students, teachers, researchers, and anyone interested exists in the country. Esquire Magazine, 2017 a new “Energy and Sustainability Minor” for undergradu- in Houston’s past. Our work at the magazine relies CNN, 2017 ates at the University of Houston. on the support of generous community donors. While completing multiple research projects and books Please consider helping us continue our community on the history of oil companies and the offshore industry, outreach, innovative training, and research by I have been impressed by the innovativeness and resilience subscribing to the magazine or donating. Visit of offshore companies, which have developed an amazing www.houstonhistorymagazine.org and click on “Buy To book your next program, call 713-853-8949. VISITHOUSTON.COM #INSPIRED array of new technologies to lower costs and continue to Magazines” or “Donate.” expand into deeper waters. The technological marvels that Table of Contents FEATURES: 1| OTC at 50: Bold Vision Led to VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 1 • FALL 2018 Unimagined Success By Joel Parshall OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE: A Golden Past, A Brighter Future EDITORIAL STAFF The Offshore Industry, Houston, and Joseph A. Pratt, Editor Emeritus 6| the Creation of OTC Debbie Z. Harwell, Editor By Joseph A. Pratt Dani Amparo, Intern Laura Bernal, Intern Calvin Blair, Intern Emily Burleson, Intern Jennifer Gonzalez, Intern Intern Deeper Through the Decades: Elora Lowe, Intern 12| An Interview with Carl Wickizer Johnny Zapata, Khurram Hamid, Social Media Intern Edited by Joseph A. Pratt Adriana Castro, Oral History Intern Ruben Castro, Oral History Intern Paulina Wilson, Oral History Transcriptionist Marsha Van Horn, Art Director 20| Connecting the World: OTC as a Platform for Global ADVISORY BOARD Exchange Monica Perales Oscar Gutiérrez By Johnny Zapata Martin Melosi William Kellar Susan Bischoff Fred Korge Betty Trapp Chapman Jim Saye Barbara Eaves Anne Sloan Steven Fenberg “A Love Affair 50 Years and 25| Counting”: OTC’s Economic and EDITORIAL POLICY Cultural Contributions to Houston Houston History is published twice a year by the By Debbie Z. Harwell Welcome Wilson Houston History Collaborative in the Center for Public History at the University of Houston. We welcome manuscripts, interviews, photographic essays, and ideas for topical issues on the history and OTC at 100: A Look culture of the Houston region, broadly defined. Please 31| Ahead to 2069 send correspondence to Houston History, University By Joseph A. Pratt of Houston, Center for Public History, 3623 Cullen Blvd., Room 320, Houston, TX 77204-3007 or email [email protected]. Phone 713-743-3123. © 2018 by the Center for Public History. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of 38| OTC Distinguished it is expressly prohibited without written permission of Achievement Awards the publisher. The Center for Public History disclaims By Offshore Technology responsibility for statements of fact and opinions of Conference contributors.