Ace Barnes

As any oil and gas driller knows, unruly oil wells can trip, clog or catch fire. Oil wells have been ignited by everything from cigarette lighters to lightning.

One of the industry’s most famous sons is Ace Barnes, who has been fighting errant oil wells for the past 70 years. In 1991, along with many of his peers, he traveled to Kuwait to extinguish many of the 600 wells caused by Iraqi military forces as part of their scorched earth policy. He has been profiled in the video series “America!”, People magazine, and other media.

Born and raised in Rockwell County, just outside of Dallas, Barnes began working in the oil patch when he was 15 years old. After high school, he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas, for a few years, but soon chose to “quit and go make some money.” In 1978, he became the first employee of Boots and Coots, now a service of Halliburton. Today, at 84 years old, he continues to rescue wells across the globe.

Investor Does this industry continue to hold your interest?

Barnes Yes. Every day is different and no two projects are the same. Some are as bad as another, and some are as good as the others.

I was in Kuwait after the Gulf War, helping to put out those well fires. I was over there for 160 days. Those were interesting times. In fact, I have been fortunate to have worked all over the world, except in Russia.

Investor Did you ever consider moving to any of those far-flung places?

Barnes No. I don’t plan on leaving Odessa. I’ve traveled all over the world and it is the best place in the world to work if you have to work outside. I also have a place in the mountains in New Mexico that I frequent quite often.

Investor And you have been featured in a movie called “America’s Heart and Soul?”

Barnes I have been told that. (Laughs) I have not seen the production for that. I think I had one line in that movie.

Investor Have you seen many technological changes in fighting oil and gas well fires over the decades?

Barnes Not that much. We still put them out with the same basic methods, the same ways. We can put them out with fire. Sometimes we use explosives. We use those if we can’t put them out with water.

Investor Do those methods involve a lot of people?

Barnes Not really. It doesn’t usually take but a couple of people. Sometimes we have three or four people out there, and sometimes we only have two. Sometimes there is just one of us. It just depends on the job, and how many people are available.

Investor Have you worked recently?

Barnes The last job I was on was about a month ago. The well was in West Texas, and we were called out to increase the mud rate. The well was near reaching total depth.

You see, all of our jobs are not fires. Some jobs are just blowouts and sometimes there are other problems. But the situation is usually in bad shape when we are called out.

Investor Would you recommend this type of work as a career?

Barnes It’s hard to say. For this type of job, you need lots of experience. And you have to get that type of experience from other sources.

You can be a roughneck on a drilling rig, and you’d learn a lot. You can be a mud engineer on a rig, and you learn a lot. But you have to be qualified to do this. I have a son, but I did not lead him into this kind of work.

Investor Because it’s dangerous?

Barnes Well, of course, it is dangerous, but that is not all of it. Yes, we are always concerned about anyone getting hurt. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, and when you get to a job you are always hoping that no one has already been hurt.

But also, it’s not any way to become a millionaire. Then again, I wouldn’t change my job for anything. I have been in the business since 1949.

Investor Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your life was in danger?

Barnes No, not really. We might take some risks, but we don’t take any chances. There is a definite difference. That’s just the way you have to look at it.

Investor What has been a highlight of your career?

Barnes I have met some of the most interesting people while traveling all over the world. I met the Shah of Iran once. I’ve met Muammar Gaddafi.

Investor Anyone else?

Barnes Well, of course, Boots Hansen and Coots Matthews are just two of the finest men that you would ever want to be working with or for. I was also involved in projects with Red Adair. He was a nice fellow to work with as well. Most people in the oilfield are nice people.

Investor Any other highlights?

Barnes Sure, every job. You get a sense of satisfaction in knowing you accomplished something on every job you complete. My wife used to tell me this job was an ego thing. I told her it wasn’t.

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