Risking Lives for Exxon? No Thanks

About this video

The guest recounts working for Petroleum Helicopters flying to oil rigs in Louisiana, where he flew a hurricane evacuation mission through the outer bands of a hurricane. He describes how oil companies wait until the last minute to evacuate workers to avoid shutting down production and losing money, creating dangerous conditions where the helicopter experienced 90-knot winds. After that experience, the guest decided the pay wasn’t worth risking his life for a commercial operation, though he felt differently about taking risks when he served in the military for a worthwhile cause.

Key takeaways

• The guest describes oil companies keeping workers on platforms until the last possible moment during hurricanes to avoid production losses
• The guest recounts flying a dangerous hurricane evacuation mission with 90-knot winds where workers had to crawl to the helicopter
• The guest concluded that risking his life for commercial oil companies wasn’t worthwhile, contrasting it with military service for a greater purpose

Episode details: published May 14, 2025 · 18.8K views · 1:03 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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