ABOUT CONTINENTAL DRILLING:

70+ YEARS OF HONEST WORK AND PROVEN RESULTS
Continental Drilling & Service was built on a simple belief: reliable work, done with sharp execution and honest communication, creates trust that lasts. Continental Drilling is grounded in legacy but built for where the industry is going. We serve a broad and evolving set of customers while maintaining the standards that earned our reputation. Since 1953, we’ve operated across the Gulf South as a drilling, irrigation, and pump service company serving energy, agriculture, municipal, and commercial customers with the same discipline and pride we’ve always carried. We’re not reinventing ourselves. We’re making sure people know who we’ve always been, and ensuring that our kids grow up proud of the work of their parents and want to do what dad or mom does. We take pride in our work. We take pride in the relationships we build. We are proud to call ourselves Continental Drilling.
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COMPANY HISTORY

70+ YEARS OF SUPERIOR SERVICE
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1950s
Continental’s story begins with Oscar and Christine Laborde in Shreveport, Louisiana. After Oscar received a water bill that seemed too high, he visited the library, learned how to drill a water well, and tried it in his own yard. Fixing his own problem soon became a side business, as he started drilling wells for others while still working full-time selling Continental engines.

In 1953, Oscar opened Continental Engine & Pump on Texas Street in Bossier City. He sold and serviced Continental Red Seal engines and continued drilling water wells, which soon became a major part of the business. The following year, he built his first drilling rig using a Continental Red Seal engine and a custom derrick. This simple, practical rig set the standard for the company’s future.
1960s
The 1960s brought growth and expansion. In 1962, Continental built and moved into its office at 445 Montgomery Street in Shreveport, creating a home base that became central to the company’s identity. Around this time, the business expanded further into well services, helping both residential and commercial customers.

Before the 1960s, Continental mainly drilled water wells and sold or serviced Continental Red Seal engines for oilfield and farm use. During the 1960s, the company added new equipment, such as a single-pole Wilson pump hoist, and began a long partnership as a Wisconsin engine dealer.
1970s
In the 1970s, regional demand increased quickly. Continental opened its supply house division as water infrastructure projects grew across the area. Service and supply work became so busy that the company paused drilling for a while to keep up.

In 1974, Continental returned to drilling by buying a used Mayhew-1000 drilling rig. Two years later, they added a new Gardner Denver 1400, known as “Rig #1.” In 1979, after Larry Laborde graduated from Louisiana Tech, he and Oscar decided to take on larger industrial and commercial projects. This move set the company up for future growth.
1980s
The 1980s were a busy and important time for Continental. The company added equipment, expanded its facilities, and welcomed the next generation of Laborde leadership. Robert Laborde joined full-time in 1982 as an estimator, managing bidding and sales. Rick Laborde joined after graduating from Centenary College, and Jonathan Laborde started working summers before joining full-time in 1986.

Continental began drilling larger wells that had previously been out of reach. Buying the Skytop Brewster from Ranger Well Service in Kilgore, Texas, allowed the company to drill up to 3,000 feet and take on more challenging projects. In 1989, Continental bought Gary Ironworks, started Continental Machine Shop, created Wholesale Pump & Supply, and changed its name to Continental Drilling & Service.
1990s
In the 1990s, Continental continued to adapt to market needs and expand where opportunities arose. In 1993, the company opened a drilling office in Jennings, Louisiana, to support projects in southern Louisiana. The office stayed open for several years until business in the area slowed.

By the late 1990s, Continental was still meeting the needs of its customers and communities. In 1999, the company bought a Gardner Denver 250 to drill residential wells during the Y2K scare, when many homeowners wanted backyard wells just in case. This showed Continental’s ability to respond quickly and reliably to new demands.
2000s
Although there were no major expansions in the 2000s, this decade was an important bridge in Continental’s story. The company continued to build on its reputation, equipment, relationships, and work ethic over the past fifty years. By this time, Continental was more than just a company started by one man’s determination. It had become a well-known and respected name in drilling, services, supply, fabrication, and fieldwork.

This decade helped keep the company’s legacy alive and prepared it for new activity and leadership changes in the 2010s and beyond.
2010s
The 2010s brought both continuity and change. In 2010, Oscar Laborde was still drilling on Rig #4 at age 86, showing the strong work ethic that shaped the company from the beginning. Oscar passed away in 2011, closing an important chapter in Continental’s history but leaving behind a company built on practical knowledge, persistence, trust, and reliability.

In 2014, Shannon Aymond returned to Continental and opened the West Monroe store. That year, Shreveport went 120 days without rain, drying up many water wells. Continental responded by buying two more Gardner Denver 1000 rigs to drill new house wells and repair those affected by the drought. In 2016, the company bought its first R12 and refurbished it for Shannon, continuing to invest in modern equipment.
2020s
The 2020s have brought big changes and a new direction for Continental. In 2022, the company bought a second R12 and completely rebuilt and refurbished it. In 2023, Larry Laborde passed away, marking another important moment in the company’s family story.

On January 1, 2024, Continental Drilling was purchased, beginning a new chapter for the company and its brand. Two years later, on January 1, 2026, Continental launched its oil and gas division, expanding its capabilities while keeping the name, standards, and legacy built over more than 70 years. Today, Continental has a strong history and the discipline, equipment, and leadership to serve the next generation of customers.
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CDS CAREERS

FOR THE ONES WHO TAKE THE WORK SERIOUSLY
Continental is built by people who show up, do the job right, and carry themselves with pride. If that sounds like you, we want to hear from you. We offer competitive pay and benefits, a team that respects the craft, and a company with a legacy worth being part of.
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