HOUSTON, July 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Parker
Drilling Company (NYSE: PKD) announced today the passing of
Robert L. Parker, Sr., the Company's
Chairman of the Board from 1969 until 2006. Mr. Parker, 92, died in
Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, July 9, 2016.
Mr. Parker joined Parker Drilling
in 1947 and retired in 2006 after 59 years of service. The son of
the Company's founder, Mr. Parker was a visionary in the drilling
industry. Under his leadership, Parker
Drilling grew to become one of the most respected and
trusted drilling companies in the world, ultimately operating in
more than 50 countries. His unwavering focus on operational
integrity and customer service resulted in Parker Drilling becoming the first western
drilling contractor to be awarded contracts in China (1980), Russia (1991) and Kazakhstan (1993).
Mr. Parker continuously sought new ways to meet the needs of his
customers and developed new technologies that transformed drilling
operations around the world. Under his leadership, Parker Drilling was a pioneer in the
construction of helicopter rigs capable of operating in remote
locations, as well as in the development of Arctic drilling
techniques employed from the North Slope of Alaska to Sakhalin Island in Russia. In addition, Mr. Parker and his son,
Bobby Parker, were instrumental in
helping to establish health, safety and environmental practices
that have since been adopted throughout the drilling
industry.
"Our hearts are truly saddened today as we say goodbye to an
incredible leader and friend," said Gary
Rich, the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer. "Mr. Parker's keen business sense and passion for the
drilling business set the foundation for over eighty years of
success for Parker Drilling and our
stakeholders. While his business accomplishments are legendary, it
is his humor, warmth and the love he held for his employees and
friends throughout the industry that will truly be missed. He was a
wise leader who always had a kind word. Each day our employees
strive to live up to the high standards he set for us. Our thoughts
and prayers are with his son, Bobby, as well as Mr. Parker's entire
family."
Mr. Parker was a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin (B.S.P.E., 1944). His
achievements include the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Distinguished
Service Medal (1981), the Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement
from the American Petroleum Institute (1999), and the
Waggener-Griffin Award from Spindletop International (2001). In
2007, Mr. Parker was inducted into the Petroleum Hall of Fame.
Company Description
Parker Drilling provides drilling
services and rental tools to the energy industry. The Company's
Drilling Services business serves operators in the inland waters of
the U.S. Gulf of Mexico utilizing
Parker Drilling's barge rig fleet
and in select international markets and harsh-environment regions
utilizing Parker-owned and customer-owned equipment. The Company's
Rental Tools Services business supplies premium equipment and well
services to operators on land and offshore in the U.S. and
international markets. More information about Parker Drilling can be found on the Company's
website at www.parkerdrilling.com.
CONTACT: Jason Geach, Vice
President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development, +1 (281)
406-2310, jason.geach@parkerdrilling.com.
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SOURCE Parker Drilling Company