Section 6 

 THE PILOT PROGRAM 



6.1 CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH OIL COMPANIES 



6.1.1 Introduction 



Obtaining the cooperation of the oil companies turned out to be the single 

 most serious difficulty encountered in conducting this program. Lack of oil 

 company support was not anticipated, because initial contact with oil company 

 biologists and executives was positive. The difficulty seems to come at the 

 level of the immediate supervisors in charge of platform work. The problem 

 obtaining support from oil company employees at that level seems to be related 

 to several factors: 



1. They are busy people, and it is easier to say no than yes. 



2. They are afraid that the men under their supervision will turn into 

 whale watchers and their output will decrease. 



3. They have anti-envrionmental ist sentiments. 



The lack of cooperation from the oil company supervisors caused several dif- 

 ficulties in implementing the Pilot Interview Program: 



1. It took us much longer than anticipated to arrange permission to use 

 the platforms. 



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