W. Henson Moore

Through innovation and determination, Henson Moore marshaled the talents of the DeLong Corp. (jackup platform technology), McDermott International (engineering and construction) and Southern Production Co. (drilling know-how) to form the Offshore Company in 1954. The company's drillship, D-1, made the first discovery from a floating vessel in March 1959 in 93-ft of water in the middle of the Gulf of Paria. Moore's unbending will to grow his company resulted in the construction of numerous jackups, drillships and semisubmersibles each with innovative solutions to problems faced by the fledgling offshore industry.