An Oil Geologist Abroad: Exploration with Family in Bolivia, Spain, and Nigeria, 1956-1966This compilation of stories was written alternatively and chronologically by a couple who lived on three continents in the decade between 1956 and 1966. Eric Ericson writes of his search for oil in the jungles of Bolivia during communist agitation, the Basque mountains of northern Spain under the dictatorship of Generalissimo Franco, and Nigeria at the dawn of Nigerian Independence and prior to the Biafran War. Gulf Oil's Okan I was the first off-shore discovery in Nigeria and produced one billion barrels of oil by the year 2000. Libby Ericson tells of raising their two sons, and giving birth to their third, in difficult and challenging places and situations, and of the generosity and kindness always found in these very different cultures. Eric retired from Gulf Oil in 1981, began his own consulting business in Boulder, Colorado, and continues his keen interest in the oil and gas industry. They moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1995 where Libby pursues her love of art. They spend their summers in the Colorado Rockies near where they met at the University of Colorado. |
Contents
| 9 | |
| 11 | |
| 13 | |
| 16 | |
| 20 | |
| 24 | |
| 27 | |
Lima to Cochabamba with Frank | 31 |
Spanish and German Workmates | 102 |
The Neighborhood and Bullfights | 107 |
Castillo I and Cueva de Altamira | 113 |
Our Cabin and Spanish Life | 118 |
Travels in Spain | 125 |
Travels with the Boys and David | 131 |
Vitoria I Blows in on to Nigeria | 137 |
Isabel Joan and Marianistas | 143 |
New Office Typhoid and Hepatitis | 34 |
Home? | 38 |
Asuncion de Guaryos | 44 |
Augustina and Hepatitis | 48 |
Missionaries and Ayoreo Indians | 53 |
Move and Mark | 58 |
Airplanes and a Volcano | 64 |
Vacation and Fishing | 68 |
Santa Cruz Office | 74 |
Stateside Astronauts and Rio De Janeiro | 76 |
Drilling and on to New York | 80 |
Santa Cruz Farewell Bolivia | 84 |
Part II | 89 |
Colorado Rockies and Hello Spain | 91 |
Madrid and Vitoria | 96 |
Part III | 149 |
Steamy Lagos | 151 |
Federal Palace Hotel and the Fever | 156 |
Ikoyi Club and Okan I | 160 |
Mini Minor Schools and JFK | 165 |
Okan Field Sarumi and Snakes | 172 |
Shopping Femmi and School | 178 |
Oil Production Ju Ju and Sarumis Party | 185 |
Pauls Emergency and Teef Man | 191 |
Robertkiri Oil Field and Cameroon | 196 |
Davids Village Marks Party and Loompi | 203 |
Revolution and Transfer | 208 |
Biafran War and Going Home | 213 |
Epilogues | 215 |
Common terms and phrases
Africa American arrived asked Augustina Aurella Ayoreo Basque beautiful became began Bolivia boys Bright British brought brucellosis Camiri Cantabrian Mountains Chagas disease Che Guevarra CIEPSA Cochabamba Colorado David decided doctors door drilling drive drove English Eric Europe European expatriates experience exploration field finally foreign France French friends Gene geologists geology geophysical German guitar Gulf Oil Gulf's heard Hotel Ikoyi Indians Isabel John knew Lagos Libby Lima lived looked Loompi Madame Madrid manager Mene Grande Mike K months morning mountain Muslim never Nigerian night offshore Oil Company oil production Okan operation party Paul personnel plane Port Harcourt Quechua returned road Santa Cruz Shell BP soon Spain Spanish spoke stay street told town trip visited Vitoria wanted watched wife World War II York Yoruba young YPFB