Episode 6: Red Adair

Well control experts have played important roles in the oilfield through time. One name stands out, the feisty, fearless, fire-fighting legend from Texas Paul “Red” Adair. Red Adair’s remarkable career span nearly 60 years. In 1959, Adair went off on his own and co-founded the Red Adair Company, which specialized in extinguishing oil well fires and capping blowouts. His innovative approach to well control, combined with a fearless attitude, quickly earned him a reputation as the "Hellfighter"—the title to a 1969 Hollywood film, loosely based on his career. Red Adair and his well control team responded to nearly every major oil disaster and blowout in the second-half of the 20th century, from the Ixtoc oil spill to the Piper Alfa tragedy.