Innovation drives self-reliance in offshore oil

Engineer witnesses nation's great push to develop industry over last 3 decades

In a scene from Deepwater Horizon — a film based on the 2010 offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico — the daughter of a technician demonstrates the workings of deepwater oil rigs by jamming a metal straw into a shaken-up can of soda and sealing it with honey to block the fizzing liquid.

The young girl describes oil from reservoirs beneath the seafloor as "mean, old dinosaurs", and proudly says that "it was my daddy who tamed the dinosaurs". The scene ends with the can exploding ominously, spewing soda all over the kitchen table.

Although the show-and-tell presented by the girl is an oversimplified portrayal of offshore drilling, it conveys a crucial message: navigating the operation demands a blend of courage and intelligence in risky environments, requiring the taming of nature.