"That these few girls stand together": Finding women and their communities in the oil and gas industry
Abstract
Women were involved in all facets of the petroleum industry, whether as support staff back at camp for men working in the fields or as the scientists deciding where to send those men to drill. Women had a presence in the hallowed halls of university geology departments from their earliest days, and found acceptable fields of study that eventually became integral to the exploration for oil. They learned more about a complex industry to better assist their executive bosses, and used their skills to help their husbands succeed. This dissertation casts a wide net to capture the variety of women's involvement with the oil and gas industry. As a support system, as students, as scientists, and as secretaries, women have contributed to the oil industry both economically and culturally. Today, women can be still be found on oil rigs, in boardrooms, in administrative offices, and in the role of supporting oil field husbands. Their importance may not lie in their influence on the industry itself, although that influence is considerable in light of their small numbers. The greater significance might be continuations of patterns of female employment, and the creation of environments in which women in similar circumstances could encourage each other and provide mutual support in both professional settings and family life.
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- OSU Dissertations [11222]