Wind, Waves & Wells with Joe

Deepwater Horizon - John Guide's Story, 16 Years On

16 years on from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

On April 20th 2010, 11 men lost their lives in one of the most significant offshore disasters in modern history.

This episode of Wind, Waves & Wells is a re-release of a conversation that was never widely heard.

John Guide was the BP Drilling Supervisor for Deepwater Horizon, working from the office at the time.

In the aftermath of the incident, much of the narrative focused on BP from the outside looking in.
This is the perspective from inside the operation.

John shares his full career journey into deepwater drilling…
What Deepwater Horizon was really like as a rig…
And his honest view on what happened before, during, and after Macondo.

From the negative pressure test…
To the cement job, decision-making, and investigation process…
To the media narrative, legal battles, and personal toll…

This is a rare insight into the side of the story that was largely unheard.

This is not about blame.
This is about understanding.

00:00 Intro music
00:20 John’s introduction and why he came forward
01:00 Career background and offshore journey
03:00 Deepwater Horizon as a rig and BP operations
05:00 Macondo well background and rig change from Marianas
07:00 Budget, schedule, and operational realities
08:30 Challenges of deepwater drilling and Macondo conditions
09:50 “Well from hell” myth vs reality
11:30 Running casing and cement job overview
13:30 Float equipment issues and pressure anomalies
15:30 Cement job execution and well integrity checks
17:00 Negative pressure test explained
18:30 Why the operation continued after the test
20:00 What the investigation found about the negative test
21:00 What actually caused the incident
23:00 Accountability and “everyone should have done better”
24:30 Investigations begin and first experiences
26:00 Working relationships vs legal conflict post-incident
28:00 Media narrative and public perception
30:00 Scale of the industry vs public understanding
32:00 Was BP treated fairly?
33:30 Investigation process vs real incident investigation principles
35:30 Politics and influence on findings
37:30 Pressure, schedule myths, and Nile well clarification
40:00 Cement bond log decision and misconceptions
43:00 Hollywood portrayal vs offshore reality
46:00 Trial experience and being targeted
49:00 Centralisers controversy and model inaccuracies
52:00 Cement failure and unanswered questions
54:30 Schlumberger helicopter myth addressed
56:00 Media influence vs technical reality
58:00 The toll of investigations and legal pressure
01:00:30 Criminal investigation experience
01:03:00 Financial aftermath and compensation discussion
01:05:00 BP support during and after the incident
01:07:00 Planning, engineering, and “failure from day one” myth
01:10:30 What people get wrong about Macondo
01:13:00 Was it preventable?
01:15:00 Living with the incident years later
01:16:30 Human side of BP and offshore workforce
01:18:30 Final reflections and key takeaway
01:20:30 Career reflections and proudest moments
01:22:30 Closing thoughts

Deepwater Horizon - 16 Years On Leo's Story

16 years on from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. On April 20th 2010, 11 men lost their lives in one of the most significant offshore disasters in modern history. This episode of Wind, Waves & Wells is a re-release of an incredibly important conversation. Leo Lindner was on board the rig that night. He shares what it was like to live and work on Deepwater Horizon in the years leading up to the incident… What really happened in the hours before the blowout… And the reality of surviving something that never really leaves you. This isn’t a film script. This is the lived experience. From safety culture and decision-making offshore… To pressure from the top, risk tolerance, and the human cost of getting it wrong… This is a conversation that every person in the energy industry should hear. A story that still echoes 16 years later.

00:00 Intro music
00:20 Leo’s path into offshore and early career
02:30 First experiences offshore and joining Deepwater Horizon
06:30 Life on the rig and the reality behind “safety first”
10:30 BP operations, pressure, and decision-making offshore
14:00 The Macondo well, timeline pressures, and warning signs
18:30 Critical decisions, risk-taking, and the “Swiss cheese” effect
23:00 Leadership, authority, and offshore hierarchy
28:00 Unions, workforce power, and industry structure
34:00 Deepwater Horizon film vs reality
40:00 The night of the disaster begins
44:30 Explosion, evacuation, and survival
49:30 What went wrong technically and operationally
54:00 Aftermath, confusion, and the reality offshore
59:30 Corporate response and controlling the narrative
01:05:00 Long-term impact on workers and the industry
01:10:00 Mental health, trauma, and living with it
01:14:00 Speaking out, responsibility, and final reflections
01:18:00 Life after the rig and stepping away from offshore
01:22:00 Changes in the industry since Deepwater Horizon
01:26:00 Automation, jobs, and the future of offshore work
01:30:00 Reflections on leadership, responsibility, and risk
01:34:00 What still needs to change in the industry
01:37:00 Final thoughts and messages to offshore workers
01:39:30 Closing reflections
01:41:00 End

The Jim & Joe Show - Rig Fires, Bottles of Piss and $140 Oil

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells , Joe is joined once again by Drillers Shack for a wide ranging and unfiltered conversation covering offshore life, industry culture, and the global energy situation. The episode kicks off with some classic offshore discussion as Joe talks about his recent trip offshore and how a busy hitch always makes the time pass quicker. The conversation then moves into a controversial topic currently circulating in the offshore sector around helicopter weight limits and the debate about whether BMI or body weight should determine offshore travel restrictions. From there, the discussion turns to social media and the growing number of TikTok “blueprint” sellers claiming to teach people how to get offshore jobs. Joe explains why he believes charging people for this kind of advice is wrong and why he chose to publish his own guide for free. The episode then shifts into geopolitics and energy markets, looking at the developing crisis in the Middle East, the potential impact on oil prices, and the strategic importance of key shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al Mandeb. Joe and Drillers Shack discuss how disruptions in these areas could send shockwaves through global energy supply and why the world is still heavily reliant on hydrocarbons despite political narratives suggesting otherwise. Along the way there are plenty of offshore stories, including wild rig experiences, bizarre working conditions, helicopter rides across the Gulf of Mexico, and even a story about putting out a rig fire using bottles of welder’s urine. The episode finishes with the Wheel of Names segment where Joe and Drillers Shack share some of their best and worst offshore experiences, proving once again that life offshore always comes with stories. If you enjoy honest conversations about the energy industry, offshore culture and global energy politics, this one is for you.

00:00 Intro and catching up after Joe’s offshore trip
01:05 Offshore helicopter weight limits debate
03:20 BMI vs body weight and safety arguments
06:40 TikTok “blueprints” selling offshore careers
09:30 Why Joe wrote a free offshore guide instead
11:50 Offshore culture and social media misconceptions
14:30 Geopolitics and the Strait of Hormuz situation
16:00 Oil prices, Brent vs WTI and market reactions
18:30 Iran, Israel and Middle East tensions
21:40 Nuclear deterrence and regional power dynamics
23:00 The Bab al Mandeb choke point and Red Sea shipping
25:30 Tankers, oil futures and global supply impacts
27:30 Energy security and the reliance on hydrocarbons
29:10 UK energy policy and domestic production debate
32:00 Drilling offshore Somalia and security risks
35:00 Armed rigs and working in high risk regions
40:40 Wheel of Names segment begins
41:00 Worst rig experiences offshore
45:00 Rig fire story and the infamous bottles of welder’s urine
50:00 Joe’s worst offshore accommodation story
53:00 Life on rough Gulf of Mexico rigs
55:00 Helicopter taxis and offshore travel chaos
58:00 Offshore stories from around the world

It's OK!.. I am off shift - Frank & Finn

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells, I sit down with Frank and Finn, two pipeline NDT specialists who have spent years working across the offshore energy industry inspecting pipeline welds before they are sent to the seabed. The conversation dives into what life is really like on pipeline vessels around the world. From the intense pace of weld inspections every few minutes to long rotations offshore, the reality of the job is often very different from how people imagine working in the energy industry. Frank and Finn also talk about the book they wrote together, sharing the strange, funny and sometimes unbelievable stories that come from years of working offshore. The episode covers everything from the characters you meet in the industry, the financial highs and lows of offshore life, cultural differences on international vessels, and how the industry itself has changed over time. There are plenty of laughs along the way, but also some honest reflections on the reality of working in energy, the sacrifices people make, and the unique culture that develops when crews spend weeks or months together offshore. If you have ever wondered what life on a pipeline vessel actually looks like, this episode gives a rare glimpse behind the scenes.

Matthew Hatami - Owning an Oil Company and Leasing Mineral Rights in the US

In part two, the conversation shifts to Matthew Hatami’s wider career across the oil and gas industry.

We talk about his time working in the Permian Basin and North Africa, the difference between US operations and overseas work, and what it actually takes to build an exploration company from scratch. Matthew explains how mineral rights and acreage deals work in the United States, the challenge of competing for land, the risk involved in drilling exploration wells, and what it was like to raise capital, drill wells, operate assets and eventually sell the package.

The Jim & Joe Show - Best/Worst Bosses

Welcome back to The Jim and Joe Show. In this episode we talk honestly about life in the oil and gas industry. From the difference between great leaders and terrible ones, to the kinds of stories that only seem to happen offshore. We also touch on the rise of “oilfluencers” and how social media can paint a very different picture of the industry compared to the reality many people experience out in the field. Part storytelling, part reflection, and plenty of laughs along the way.

Matthew Hatami - Deepwater Horizon and the Lessons Still Being Missed

In part one of my conversation with Matthew Hatami, we get into a detailed discussion on Deepwater Horizon, Macondo and well control. Matthew shares the research he has carried out over the years into the disaster, including his views on why the accident happened, why failed negative pressure tests can be so deceptive, and why he believes one of the biggest lessons is still being missed across the industry. He also speaks about the role of mechanical barriers, the SEDCO 711 incident in the North Sea, and why information sharing matters far more than many people realise.

0:00 Introduction
0:25 Matthew Hatami introduces himself
1:12 Starting an exploration company and raising private equity
2:47 Quick message to like and subscribe
2:48 Matthew’s early career in petroleum engineering
3:40 Working for Halliburton in the Permian Basin
4:08 International work in North Africa
4:45 Seeing the industry from service companies and operators
7:50 Writing The Oilfield Survivor’s Guide
9:17 Writing his second book on shale oil and gas operations
11:10 Why controlling costs matters in oil and gas
12:40 How companies reduce well costs
13:21 Operational decisions that become expensive mistakes
15:04 Deepwater Horizon discussion begins
16:00 Matthew’s research into the disaster
17:00 Why he believes the cause is misunderstood
18:40 Similar North Sea incident before Deepwater Horizon
19:30 Failed pressure test example from field experience
21:10 What pressure testing is actually meant to prove
23:05 How communication failures happen during operations
24:40 Why small decisions can lead to major incidents
26:20 Safety culture and decision making offshore
28:05 The pressure engineers face during high value operations
29:40 When engineers have to challenge decisions
31:15 Learning lessons from major offshore incidents
33:05 Why the industry sometimes repeats the same mistakes
35:10 Cost pressure versus operational safety
37:00 The importance of experienced leadership offshore
39:20 How operations can drift away from best practice
41:10 Lessons from decades in the oil and gas industry
43:05 Advice for engineers early in their careers
45:00 What separates good operations from bad ones
47:15 Reflections on the current state of the industry
49:30 What Matthew hopes the industry learns going forward
51:20 Final thoughts from Matthew Hatami
53:10 Closing remarks

 

00:00 Introduction to Matthew Hatami

00:11 Matthew’s career in oil and gas and major companies he worked for

00:50 Starting his own exploration company

02:05 From Halliburton to Hess, Chesapeake and beyond

04:36 Why Matthew wrote Oilfield Survival Guide

06:02 Writing his second book on shale oil and gas operations

07:56 Why cost reduction is critical in the oil industry

10:07 Small operational decisions that become expensive later

11:48 Deepwater Horizon and why Matthew researched the disaster

14:19 What he believes really caused the Macondo disaster

15:45 Why failed negative pressure tests can be deceptive

19:05 The key mistake he believes happened on Deepwater Horizon

20:50 Why “massive flow” is not always the first warning sign

22:17 A real failed pressure test from Matthew’s own experience

24:40 Pressure from investors and making decisions in the field

27:10 How wells can give misleading warning signs

29:24 Why the industry still has not fully learned from Macondo

32:48 The most important lesson from Deepwater Horizon

35:13 Why adding more barriers is not always the answer

37:38 How well control events can build slowly

40:05 Experience gaps and critical decision making

41:59 The Sedco 711 incident in the North Sea

42:21 Why lessons from earlier incidents were not shared

44:44 Leadership responsibility and information sharing

46:44 Why even experienced engineers can miss warning signs

49:10 Why nobody in the industry has seen everything

Mark Lappin - Labour Activist, Energy Realist

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells, I sit down with Mark Lappin, a veteran of the energy industry with more than 40 years of experience across the North Sea and around the world.

Mark has worked across oil and gas, power generation, and renewables, including time at Centrica. He is now Chairman of North Sea exploration company Deltic Energy and remains actively involved in the UK energy debate.

We talk about the realities of energy policy, the future of the North Sea, and why the conversation around the energy transition has become increasingly polarised.

We also discuss:

• Whether politicians really understand how the North Sea basin works
• The gap between falling production and ongoing demand
• Energy security and domestic resources
• Jobs, communities, and the offshore workforce
• The role of oil and gas during the transition

Drawing on decades of experience in the sector, Mark shares a pragmatic perspective on how the UK can balance energy security, jobs, emissions, and the path towards net zero.