Oil Patch Insider

Wadeen Hepworth

Insider this week: Paula Easley breaks tradition at Petroleum Club; Daren Beaudo replaces Ronnie Chappell; sewage plant will travel

PAULA EASLEY MAKES IT IN THE DOOR…. “Women Not Allowed” should have been posted on the door of the Petroleum Club in the 1970s and early 1980s because women were a “no-no” at the club. No membership, no lunch attendance, no admittance inside the hallowed doors before 5 p.m. and no dinner unless the guest of a male member.

In October 1979 the club membership failed to approve a change in its by-laws to allow female members so two oil companies responded by withdrawing their financial support.

On Nov. 20 a “change of house rules meeting” voted women accompanied by a male member could enter before 5 p.m. The next day Bud Dye, council head at the Resource Development Council, and Shell Oil managers Pete Woodson and Dennis Lohse took Paula Easley, executive director of RDC, for a surprise lunch at the club. She later told a reporter, “I thought they were going to toss me out, but they were very nice.”

The event made headlines in The Anchorage Times Dec. 8, 1979, where Paula was quoted as saying that she held the distinction of being, “the first woman not to be thrown out of the Petroleum Club at lunch.”

DAREN BEAUDO REPLACES RONNIE CHAPPELL…. Daren Beaudo, a 10-year downstream public affairs veteran of BP America Inc. in Houston, Texas, is replacing Ronnie Chappell as spokesman for BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. in Anchorage.

Daren was in town long enough to get captured on film, but will be winging back and forth for some time managing assignments in both the second-largest and largest states before he completes his move.

Ronnie was transferred to BP’s headquarters’ in London as per Insider in PNA’s Aug. 25 edition.

JASON WARD’S GOT THE FLYING BUG…. Jason Ward, who has been doing marketing for Security Aviation, has caught the flying bug. He’s headed south for commercial flight training.

NEW MAN ON BOARD AT OIL & GAS SUPPLY…. Tim Sweet has joined Oil & Gas Supply as inside sales manager. Tim has 25 years in the industrial distribution business; he spent the last 10 years at Besco.

The company sells hydraulic and industrial hoses and fittings and designs hydraulic systems through offices in Anchorage and Kenai.

YEAR TO REMEMBER FOR HAZEL MUNOZ…. LCMF’S Hazel Munoz has had one heck of a year. In fact it doesn’t get much better than this.

She welcomed daughter Angelina Janea (a future model judging by pictures), in February, earned her MBA in August, and was promoted to human resource manager at LCMF (an engineering, architectural construction management company) in September.

Stress must roll off Hazel’s shoulders because she always has a big smile, positive energy and much patience.

DAVID FREI MAKES LIFE STYLE CHANGE…. David Frei, who owns the agency that handled the media for Alaska Air Cargo, is moving to New York City to take a position as director of media relations for the American Kennel Club.

To top it off David has published a book called Angel By My Side “a story of a dog who saved a man and a man who saved a dog.”

Tune into NBC right after the Thanksgiving Day parade as David will co-host the national dog show.

DOT TO HOST CONFERENCE…. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will welcome 1,200 delegates to the annual meeting for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials at the Captain Cook and the Egan Convention Center Oct. 10-15. Special guests will be Federal Highway Administrator Mary Peters and Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter.

DOE CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY…. The U.S. Department of Energy was created Oct. 1, 1977, in an effort to consolidate the government’s energy, science and technology programs as well as some defense and nuclear responsibilities. A new website has been created so that the public can view the many DOE achievements. Visit www.25yearsofenergy.gov

NEED A PORTABLE SEWAGE PLANT?.... Some companies rent port-a-potties and some companies rent the whole sewage plant for remote job sites.

Steelfab fabricates a self-contained sewage plant that can fit into a Hercules airplane or can be transported by trailer, barge or air to any site in Alaska.

Called the Alaskapak, the treatment plant uses the activated sludge method — that is a nice way to say that what goes in comes out as good old ash that can be placed on the ground. Even the liquids that leave the plant are so clean they can be discharged into streams.

The end result is due to a bioremediation technique using living microorganisms with respiration and digestive systems that are capable of consuming organic matter in a warm water environment.

Got that? Don’t worry if you haven’t, the system has the blessing of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

Steelfab has units that can be linked together in many configurations to meet any size or demand or they have single 10 x 50 foot units. The units are used across the North Slope by drilling companies, villages and at Alyeska pump 5.

Successful bidder on a remote job? Call Steelfab: have sewage plant, will travel.

Favorite quote: "I do not suggest that you should not have an open mind, particularly as you approach college. But, don't keep your mind so open that your brains fall out." —Gonzaga College High School, 1987

Editor’s note: Oil Patch Insider runs at least twice a month in Petroleum News Alaska. It is compiled by Wadeen Hepworth, who can be reached by phone at 907 522-9469 or by email at [email protected]