ODECO
Encyclopedia
Ocean Drilling & Exploration Company (ODECO) was a pioneering offshore drilling
company formed by Alden J. "Doc" LaBorde and John Hayward in May 1953.
Charles Murphy, Jr. of Murphy Oil Company
was looking for an innovative technology that would let his small company compete with the big companies drilling offshore. Laborde's design for a submersible transportable drilling rig was suitable and Murphy committed $500,000 to the deal and assisted Laborde in finding additional investors.
ODECO signed a construction contract with Alexander Shipyard in New Orleans. The name selected for the new submersible drilling unit was Mr.Charlie; the commonly used name used for Charles Murphy's father.
As the rig neared completion ODECO needed a company willing to put Mr. Charlie to work. Laborde was relieved when Shell Oil
signed a contract to hire the rig to drill a series of small wells at the mouth of the Mississippi River
.
On June 15, 1954, Mr. Charlie was turned over to ODECO by the shipyard in the Industrial Canal, New Orleans. After provisioning and set up, they set sail for the trip to Mr.Charlies first job. The submergence tests passed with only a few problems. When they reversed the process and raised the barge from bottom, it remained upright and under control.
After successfully drilling the first well for Shell, Mr. Charlie went on to drill almost continuously for around thirty years. With the obvious success of Mr.Charlie rival rigs were built, creating a certain amount of rivalry, particularly when Shell contracted the Mr.Gus. The rivalry ended when Mr. Gus was lost in a storm. ODECO went onto design and build several variations on Mr. Charlie's design.
After noticing the stability of submersible rigs when they were only partially submerged for relocation, Laborde designed and constructed the first purpose-built V-shaped semi-submersible
drilling rig, Ocean Driller, delivered in 1963.
After a time Laborde turned his attention onto designing support vessels particularly for the oil industry. Eventually a new company, Tidewater
, was formed and eventually became the world's largest offshore vessel operator.
and Claymore fields, also in the North Sea, for Occidental Petroleum.
In 1992, Diamond M Corporation
purchased all of the outstanding stock of ODECO Drilling Inc. from 'ODECO Oil and Gas Co.', a subsidiary of Murphy Oil
, and changed the combined company name to Diamond M-ODECO Drilling Inc. before becoming Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. in 1993.
Offshore drilling
Offshore drilling refers to a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled through the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently produce hydrocarbons which lie in rock formations beneath the seabed...
company formed by Alden J. "Doc" LaBorde and John Hayward in May 1953.
Early years
John Hayward was the builder of the Barnsdall rig, and holder of the patent on submersible drilling barge methodology.Charles Murphy, Jr. of Murphy Oil Company
Murphy Oil
Murphy Oil Corporation is an international oil and gas company, founded in 1944 as C.H. Murphy & Co by Charle H Murphy Sr., that conducts business through various operating subsidiaries. Murphy produces oil and/or natural gas in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Republic...
was looking for an innovative technology that would let his small company compete with the big companies drilling offshore. Laborde's design for a submersible transportable drilling rig was suitable and Murphy committed $500,000 to the deal and assisted Laborde in finding additional investors.
ODECO signed a construction contract with Alexander Shipyard in New Orleans. The name selected for the new submersible drilling unit was Mr.Charlie; the commonly used name used for Charles Murphy's father.
As the rig neared completion ODECO needed a company willing to put Mr. Charlie to work. Laborde was relieved when Shell Oil
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
signed a contract to hire the rig to drill a series of small wells at the mouth of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
On June 15, 1954, Mr. Charlie was turned over to ODECO by the shipyard in the Industrial Canal, New Orleans. After provisioning and set up, they set sail for the trip to Mr.Charlies first job. The submergence tests passed with only a few problems. When they reversed the process and raised the barge from bottom, it remained upright and under control.
After successfully drilling the first well for Shell, Mr. Charlie went on to drill almost continuously for around thirty years. With the obvious success of Mr.Charlie rival rigs were built, creating a certain amount of rivalry, particularly when Shell contracted the Mr.Gus. The rivalry ended when Mr. Gus was lost in a storm. ODECO went onto design and build several variations on Mr. Charlie's design.
After noticing the stability of submersible rigs when they were only partially submerged for relocation, Laborde designed and constructed the first purpose-built V-shaped semi-submersible
Semi-submersible
A semi-submersible is a specialised marine vessel with good stability and seakeeping characteristics. The semi-submersible vessel design is commonly used in a number of specific offshore roles such as for offshore drilling rigs, safety vessels, oil production platforms and heavy lift cranes.The...
drilling rig, Ocean Driller, delivered in 1963.
After a time Laborde turned his attention onto designing support vessels particularly for the oil industry. Eventually a new company, Tidewater
Tidewater
Tidewater may refer to:*Tidewater , a geographic area of southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina*Tidewater , a company providing marine services to the offshore petroleum industry...
, was formed and eventually became the world's largest offshore vessel operator.
Later years
ODECO rigs continued to rack up “firsts” in the industry in the 1970s, with Ocean Viking discovering the giant Ekofisk Field for Phillips Petroleum in the North Sea, and Ocean Victory discovering the PiperPiper oilfield
The Piper oilfield is a substantial North Sea oilfield. Oil extracted from it is piped to Scotland, where it is refined at a purpose built refinery on the island of Flotta, in the Orkney Islands....
and Claymore fields, also in the North Sea, for Occidental Petroleum.
In 1992, Diamond M Corporation
Diamond Offshore Drilling
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. is a deepwater drilling contractor which provides drilling services to the oil and gas industry. The company's headquarters are located in Houston, Texas, but they have offices in Metairie, Louisiana, Africa, Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Scotland, Singapore, Norway...
purchased all of the outstanding stock of ODECO Drilling Inc. from 'ODECO Oil and Gas Co.', a subsidiary of Murphy Oil
Murphy Oil
Murphy Oil Corporation is an international oil and gas company, founded in 1944 as C.H. Murphy & Co by Charle H Murphy Sr., that conducts business through various operating subsidiaries. Murphy produces oil and/or natural gas in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Republic...
, and changed the combined company name to Diamond M-ODECO Drilling Inc. before becoming Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. in 1993.