Boots & Coots

Boots & Coots/IWC is one of the world's premier well control companies. Founded in 1978 by Red Adair's lieutenants, Asger "Boots" Hansen and Ed "Coots" Matthews, Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc. was responsible for putting out about one third of the more than 700 oil well fires set in Kuwait by retreating Iraqi soldiers in the Gulf War. In 1997, the company was purchased by International Well Control. The company worked with Halliburton in Iraq in the aftermath of the Iraq War; however, there were only nine fires to deal with, a far cry from the number from the previous war. In spite of signing a two-year contract including renewal options with Halliburton in 2004 to continue operating in southern Iraq, the company faces an uncertain future.