Atchafalaya Black Gold

Leroy Terry


Although the wide bodied jet seemed to struggle to leave the runway at Newark International, my thoughts were far from the usual apprehension of flying. This was the first big assignment I was given after joining my father's firm. I had no doubt as to my abilities, but there was a feeling of uneasiness about this assignment.

I was fresh out of college with a master's degree in petroleum engineering and had been with my father's firm but a short time, eight months to be exact. It was shortly after my mother's death that I made the decision to accept my father's offer to join the organization.

Other firms had sent representatives to offer me positions with their companies after graduation, and I visited several of the more prominent ones. They made good offers with attractive benefits. The final decision was made as I talked with my father after my mother's funeral.

Most of the other firms needed someone in their overseas operations and the opportunities they offered were extraordinary. I was not against leaving New Jersey, but it seemed now, more than at any time in the past, my father needed me.

I stared at the gold lettering on the front of my briefcase that read, "John David Slater." My father, David Winston Slater, the head of the New Jersey based petroleum exploration company of Slater and Hanson, named me John for his father, the founder of the company and David after himself. The company has been in our family for over seventy-five years.

The feeling of importance and self-esteem that I used to get while looking at that briefcase seemed to have faded away to a feeling of apprehension.


The words of his father came over the telephone intercom. "John, come to my office please."

In his father's voice John sensed an excitement that he had not heard for a while. During the long illness of John's mother, David had become withdrawn. He was not at all like the man who was always deep into the business of oil exploration. David would normally become excited at the prospect of a new oil find and at times would even accompany his geologist to remote parts of the world on expeditions. Since his wife's death, David seemed to have almost lost interest in the business.

John had hoped that his joining the firm would put a spark back into his father's work.

As he entered David's office and took a seat, a strange feeling came over him. He could not put his finger on it, but he had never felt this way before.

David's voice was deep and serious as he said, "John, before you joined the firm, our office in Houston got word that a small geology company in Morgan City, Louisiana, has possibly located a new dome of oil in the Atchafalaya Basin near Lafayette Louisiana.

"Normally this would not be of much interest. Until now that part of the Basin had been off limits to oil drilling because of the environmental laws. Now there is a strong indication that certain areas may be open to drilling in the near future and this find is smack in the middle of one of them.

"The company, St. Martin Oil, has held the mineral rights to that particular area for several years. We have been contacted by Mr. Brent Camus, the head of the company and given an option to go in with them on developing that area for oil production.

"If the bill that was introduced to the Louisiana State Senate by Senator La Borde of Houma, Louisiana, passes, we could be drilling in the Basin by the end of the year. I want you to go there and meet with their geologists and confirm their findings. If they are correct, our lawyers will work with them on a joint venture for drilling in the area.

"If the environmental wackos can be convinced to relax some of their restrictions, it could be a gold mine. "Atchafalaya Black Gold!"

After several hours of looking at geology and topographic maps of the area, his father closed all the files and with a worried look said, "John, I want to talk to you about this."

"Yes, I have a lot of questions that need to be answered as well. Why was I chosen over the more experienced geologist for this?"

David had a look of uneasiness about him. "John, I'm going to be very honest with you. We really need this find. Since you have been away things have happened that have put the company in a very bad position."

"What things Dad?"

"What I'm about to tell you must not leave this room. Understand?"

"Go ahead," John said staring at his dad.

"Shortly after I bought out Hanson Oil two years ago and kept Olin Hanson on as a member of the board, things began to go wrong around here."

"Like what?" John said curiously.

David continued. "Well, at first I thought it was the stress of your mother's illness that was making me have the feeling that all was not right. Then one evening I left the hospital early and stopped by here on the way home. I noticed a light on the telephones. Everyone should have been gone by this time. I quietly picked up the receiver and overheard a conversation between Olin and another man - a conversation that sent chills down my back. Olin has been selling company information to an outside firm for over a year, to cover debts that he has incurred from his gambling. An audit has shown that the business has suffered to the extent we may have to file bankruptcy because of it."