Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's

Latest revision as of 02:09, 12 April 2019

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. This is a photo that I took in 1973 in the Amazon jungle in Peru near Lagunas in Loreto while I was working as a Geophysical Observer for Petty Geophysical or Petty Ray Geophysical (subsidiary of Geosource) doing geophysical exploration using Texas Instruments DFS-3 units (Digital Field Service) for Sun Oil Company. Friends I remember working on the crew included Trevor Hill (from Gympie Australia), Bob Brady (Australian), Peter Wilke (Australian), Doug Broussard (from Lousiana), Al Kerekis (refugee from Czeck Republic), Leo Ledene (Canadian), and Breezy in the engine shop - I never did know Breezy's real name.. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's. TBD Caption. Click on the Photo to enlarge. All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's

by Hugh Pickens

Article Begun on December 26, 2018

I recently ran across some photos that I took in the early 1970's when I worked for Petty Geophysical in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. From 1973 to 1975 I worked as a Geophysical Observer managing an eighty man geophysical team and running the instruments as we did a large scale geophysical survey exploring for oil. It seems that the me of almost 50 years ago is another person altogether. I remember being him and I remember how I felt in my first really challenging job and how I responded. Yet although I remember being him, he is another person, someone I remember being. I decided to just put some of these photos on the web. I don't have time now to label each one or write a detailed article. I will just leave these photos up and write some captions for them as I have time and the spirit moves me.

All photos copyright Hugh Pickens and may not be copied or used with my express permission.

[edit] Names

Let me write down some names of people that I used to work with on the Geophysical Survey team. Maybe one of these people will do a search on their name and find it here.

Richard Hollenbaugh, Peter Wilkie, Doug Broussard, Leo Ledene, Trevor Hill, Bob Brady, Al Kerekes, Jorge Estrada. If we worked together, please contact me at hughpickens@gmail.com.

[edit] About the Author

Hugh and Dr. S. J. Pickens

Dr. Pickens married Hugh Pickens on December 24, 1984 with whom she recently celebrated 32 years of marriage.

Hugh Pickens (Po-Hi '67) is a physicist who has explored for oil in the Amazon jungle, commissioned microwave communications systems across the empty quarter of Saudi Arabia, and built satellite control stations for Goddard Space Flight Center in Australia, Antarctica, Guam, and other locations around the world. Retired in 1999, Pickens and his wife of 33 years moved from Baltimore back to his hometown of Ponca City, Oklahoma in 2005 where he cultivates his square foot garden, mows five acres of lawn, writes about local history, photographs events at the Poncan Theatre, produces the annual Oklahoma Pride series with his wife at Ponca Playhouse, and recently sponsored the first formal dinner in the Marland Mansion in 75 years. Pickens is presently in the process of planning the construction of an Art Museum in Northern Oklahoma. Pickens can be contacted at hughpickens@gmail.com.

[edit] Pickens' Publishing

In 1996, Pickens edited and published My Life In Review: Have I Been Lucky of What?, the memoirs of Jack Crandall, professor of history at SUNY Brockport. Since 2001 Pickens has edited and published “Peace Corps Online,” serving over one million monthly pageviews. Pickens' other writing includes contributing over 2,000 stories to “Slashdot: News for Nerds,” and articles for Wikipedia, and “Ponca City, We Love You”. Pickens has written the following articles available on his wiki at Research and Ideas.

[edit] History, Biography, and Politics

• My Biography of Jon Carson -The Man Who Won the Presidential Nomination for Barack Obama (>675,000 pageviews)
• My Discovery that Barack Obama's Mother Grew Up in Ponca City February 6, 2009 (>245,000 pageviews)
• Academy Award Winning Screenwriter Chris Terrio (>375,000 pageviews)
• My Uncle Donald and America's Fresh Water Submarines in World War II (>90,000 pageviews)
• History of the 100-Year Old Oil Refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma (>500,000 pageviews)
• What Happened to Okies after "The Grapes of Wrath" (25,000 pageviews)

[edit] Science and Technology

• Stories on Slashdot
• Stories on Soylent News
• Building NASA's GRO Remote Terminal System (GRTS) in Australia
• Why I enjoy Writing for Slashdot
• Why I enjoy Writing for Wikipedia

[edit] Business and Investing

• An Independent Evaluation of Phillips 66, its Business Strategy, and Execution (>775,000 pageviews)
• Latest News from Phillips 66 (>450,000 pageviews)
• A History of the Ponca Refinery in Ponca City (>268,000 pageviews)
• A Financial Model for Tucows and Ting (>910,000 pageviews)

[edit] Ponca City, Oklahoma

• The Pickens Sponsor First Dinner Served in E. W, Marland Formal Dining Room in 75 Years December 18, 2016
• "Lydie Marland in the Afterlife" Reinterprets the Life of Ponca City's Controversial First Lady June 30, 2017
• The Pioneer Woman Models Should Return to Ponca City July 13, 2007
• The Pioneer Woman Models Come Home to Ponca City February 26, 2010
• President Barack Obama's Mother Grew Up in Ponca City February 6, 2009
• Standing Bear Looks to the Future
• Ponca City, We Love You
• What to See in Ponca City
• Ponca Playhouse to Present "The Broken Statue" January 17, 2012
• What Ponca City Owes EW Marland June 20, 2012
• How Much Money Does the Marland Refinery in Ponca City Earn for Phillips 66? July 23, 2012
• EW Marland and the Movie "The Ends of the Earth" May 23, 2013
• Sculptor Bryant Baker's Lost Masterpiece November 3, 2015
• Ponca Playhouse Production of "Lydie Maryland in the Afterlife" Ends in Triumph

[edit] Art

• The Pioneer Woman Models Should Return to Ponca City July 13, 2007
• The Pioneer Woman Models Come Home to Ponca City February 26, 2010
• Ponca Playhouse to Present "The Broken Statue" January 17, 2012
• EW Marland and the Movie "The Ends of the Earth" May 23, 2013
• Sculptor Bryant Baker's Lost Masterpiece November 3, 2015
• A Ponca City Mystery - Who is this man? April 5, 2018
• Ponca Playhouse Presents: August Osage County"
• Biography of Ninja of Go! Team (Nkechi Ka Egenamba)

[edit] Peace Corps Writing

• Peace Corps Online
• Peace Corps Library
• The Peace Corps "Sharp Incident" in Kazakhstan
• Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on the Nominee for Peace Corps Director
• An Interview with Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter
• An Interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez
• A Profile of Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams

[edit] Personal

• Dr. S. J. Pickens October 21, 2017
• The Anger and the Guilt I can Handle - It's the 'Missing Her' I Can't Stand June 1, 2018
• My Uncle Donald and America's Fresh Water Submarines in World War II (>90,000 pageviews)
• Death Be Not Proud
• My Favorite Christmas
• A Victorian Mansion in Baltimore's Reservoir Hill
• Remembering John D MacDonald and His House on Siesta Key
• Remembrances of My Life as a Geophysical Observer with Petty Geophysical Working in the Amazon Jungle in Peru in the early 1970's

[edit] Pickens Museum

• Pickens Museum
• Doctor Pickens Museum of Turquoise Jewelry and Art
• Doctor Pickens Museum Facebook Page
• Meet the Team that is Going to Design Doctor Pickens Museum

[edit] Phillips 66

Conoco and Phillips 66 announced on November 18, 2001 that their boards of directors had unanimously approved a definitive agreement for a "merger of equals". The merged company, ConocoPhillips, became the third-largest integrated U.S. energy company based on market capitalization and oil and gas reserves and production. On November 11, 2011 ConocoPhillips announced that Phillips 66 would be the name of a new independent oil and gasoline refining and marketing firm, created as ConocoPhillips split into two companies. ConocoPhillips kept the current name of the company and concentrated on oil exploration and production side while Phillips 66 included refining, marketing, midstream, and chemical portions of the company. Photo: Hugh Pickens all rights reserved.

For nearly 100 years oil refining has provided the bedrock of Ponca City's local economy and shaped the character of our community. Today the Ponca City Refinery is the best run and most profitable of Phillips 66's fifteen worldwide refineries. The purpose of this collection of reports is to provide a comprehensive overview of Phillips 66's business that documents and explains the company's business strategy and execution of that strategy.