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1956: Elvis released his first album; the film debut of Invasion of the Body Snatchers was frightening American audi- ences; My Fair Lady opened on Broad- way; and J. Ray McDermott began opera- tions at the offshore industry's first dedi- cated steel fabrication yard near Morgan City, Louisiana. Among the major events of early 1956, many are now trivia, but the Morgan City "fab yard" continues to have a profound and lasting effect on the region and the world. Since its humble beginnings on April 1, 1956, J. Ray's Morgan City fabrication facility has built more offshore structures than any other fabrication facility and has served as the model for new offshore fab- rication yards around the globe. "Starting with the first shallow-water tubular steel jackets for oil and gas devel- opment in the Gulf of Mexico, J. Ray has amassed an unequaled base of experi- ence," said Morgan City Fabrication Gen- eral Manager Steve Becnel. "Consistent delivery of high quality products on schedule and with a can-do spirit has earned J. Ray its reputation as a world leader in the marine construction industry. When the industry needed larger struc- tures for deeper water or unstable bottom conditions; when it needed lighter and stronger structures; when it needed light- weight tripod platforms for marginal field developments; when it needed large top- sides for tension leg platforms; when it needed compliant towers and subsea tem- plates; the Morgan City fabrication yard not only delivered those products, but was an active partner in the design process to ensure effective constructability." How It All Began In 1923, an East Texas wildcatter gave R. Thomas McDermott a contract to build 50 wooden drilling rigs. McDermott, who was 24 years old, asked his father, J. Ray McDermott, to supervise construction of the rigs, and the company that is now McDermott International, Inc. was born. R. Thomas named the company after his father, and over the next 20 years, J. Ray McDermott & Co. grew, first establishing itself in Texas and then moving into the oil fields of south Louisiana. In the late 1940s, McDermott was using floating equipment for marshland work. As interest in the Gulf picked up, the com- pany formed joint ventures and made acquisitions that allowed it to pioneer the construction and installation of platforms and pipelines to support drilling and development near shore. By the early 50s, the company had leased land on Bayou Bouef near Morgan City to store and coat pipe. On April 1, 1956, this property offi- cially became the offshore industry's first dedicated steel fabrication yard. Projects of Historical Significance One year after the yard opened, McDer- mott set a new depth record when it fin- ished a jacket for 100 ft. of water. Two years later, the company built one for 200 ft. of water. In 1965, yet another record was set when a platform was built for 285 ft. and again in 1967 with one for 340 ft. The jackets and topsides built at Mor- gan City over the past five decades are a litany of the offshore industry's most sig- nificant projects, including Shell Cognac, Union Oil Cerveza and Cerveza Ligera, Shell Boxer, Ram Powell and Brutus, SOHIO Snapper, Freeport McMoran Main Pass, Mobil NGL and EKPE, Shell Auger, Ursa and Mars, Oryx Neptune, June, 2006 • MarineNews 47 ALL WEATHER PROTECTION ™ from Carolina Cockpit Inc. Light Weight, Corrosion Proof Pilothouses and Cabs Designed and equipped to your specifications and ready to install aboard vessels and equipment. All models include: Aluminium framed, tempered glass windows Door & window locations to order Stainless steel hardware ABS, DNV, GL Approved Carolina Cockpit Inc. 225 Alexander Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871 Ph: 401.683.1661 www.carolinacockpit.com Circle 286 on Reader Service Card Circle 210 on Reader Service Card J. Ray McDermott Celebrates 50 Years in Morgan City Morgan City group in the 1960s. JUNE MN2006 6(41-48).qxd 6/2/2006 4:23 PM Page 47
