Organizations / Earl & Wright Consulting Engineers

Austin W. Earl saw an opportunity to provide civil and structural engineering for San Francisco Bay defense department construction needs during World War 2.  Defense work played a major role in those early years – munition facilities, airplane hangars and runways, marine docks and wharves.  After the war the firm continued waterfront facilities for refineries, fuel handling, buildings and bridges including construction means and methods and lift equipment for large heavy lifts.   In 1949, Jonathan G. Wright was promoted to partner of the firm forming Earl & Wright.  Increasing demand for oil products led to a 1954 study for a Santa Barbara ocean oil production Platform Hazel which was quickly followed by Platform Hilda.  Earl & Wright provided bridge construction engineering for Arizona’s Glen Canyon arch bridge, Richmond – San Rafael Bridge, San Mateo – Hayward Bridge.   Cook Inlet Alaska Platforms followed in the 60’s, floating drydocks, BART Bridges, and the San Diego – Coronado Bridge.   The 70’s saw the firm expand to the leading national firm engineering international offshore oil and gas exploration ships and semi-submersibles, and multiple major oil production structures from offices in San Francisco, Texas, London and Perth, Australia.

• Ninian Oil Field, North Sea, Scotland
• Maui Field – Gas Production Platform, New Zealand
• Chevron Richmond Refinery – Long Wharf
• Thistle Oil Field Platform, North Sea, Scotland
• Dry Dock No. 2, Pier 70, San Francisco