Poseidon Oil was a subsidiary of Poseidon Energy before the Great War.[Non-game 1]
Background[]
A significant part of the Poseidon cartel, Poseidon Oil was heavily invested in several energy sectors, including oil extraction and refining, nuclear power, and automation. It had a strong corporate identity and maintained a positive public image.[1] However, it was also part of the military-industrial complex, which gave it access to military-grade weapons, including automated anti-ship artillery for defense against naval units, IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) transponders to avoid friendly-fire,[2] and other sophisticated security measures.[3] All Poseidon Oil facilities were connected to the cartel's PoseidoNet, spanning the continent.
Poseidon invested heavily in automation, operating tankers capable of sailing completely autonomously (as long as the navigational computer was operational),[4][5] and implementing fully automated maintenance and repair robots capable of autonomous upkeep of Poseidon facilities, including the Gecko City nuclear power plant.[6]
Assets[]
Major installations belonging to this corporation were:
- Reactor No. 5 in Gecko.[7][8]
- Poseidon Oil Rig,[7][9] converted into a presidential nuclear shelter codenamed PR_002, and after the Great War the main headquarters of the Enclave in the West until its destruction by the Chosen One.
- Navarro Refinery[7] on the coast of California.
- PMV Valdez, an oil tanker, is a functional seaworthy vessel that played an instrumental role in defeating the Enclave by accessing the oil rig.[10]
Appearances[]
Poseidon Oil appears in Fallout 2 and is mentioned in the Fallout Bible and Fallout: The Roleplaying Game. It was also going to be mentioned in Van Buren, the cancelled Fallout 3 by Black Isle Studios.
Behind the scenes[]
- Poseidon Oil would have played a minor role in Van Buren, as one of the sources of funding for the Maxson Bunker and the takeover of Tibbets Prison.[Non-canon 1][Non-canon 2]
- Chris Avellone offered his views on Poseidon's corporate practices in Fallout Bible 8, noting that the PMV Valdez was a very old ship not retrofitted for fusion energy. He also noted it wasn't established whether any tankers were running on fusion, and that Poseidon may have simply wanted an energy source consistent with the company's image. He also noted that it was necessary to provide an adventure seed (obtaining fuel), and reinforce the themes of the game and the desperation of the Resource Wars, the fact that the end game location is an old oil rig derrick, and reference the real-life Exxon Valdez.[Non-game 2]
Gallery[]
Logotype (recreated)
References[]
- ↑ Gecko is plastered with Poseidon Oil logos and corporate propaganda based on classic 50s Americana.
- ↑ The Chosen One: "{107}{}{I hear you're the one who knows all about this ship.}"
A. Ron Meyers: "{113}{}{This ship's a Poseidon tanker. It's equipped with tech that lasted through the war. It's got a FOB that allows access to the navigation computer room, and it's got an IFF transponder that protects it from Poseidon guns.}"
(Marc's dialogue) - ↑ The Chosen One: "{125}{}{What's an IFF transponder and a FOB?}"
A. Ron Meyers: "{128}{}{IFF: Identify Friend or Foe. It means that this ship is identified as a friend, so other Poseidon things - like, say, an oil rig - won't fire at you when you come into range. Oh, and a FOB is some sort of Enclave technology that let's you enter a door electronically. You'd probably find one of them at one of their bases or some such place.}"
(Marc's dialogue) - ↑ The Chosen One: "{136}{}{How do I pilot it?}"
A. Ron Meyers: "{123}{}{How do you pilot this rig? Fill 'er up with some gas - try the Hubologists or the Shi after you've taken care of everything else - and press the button. The computer will take care of the rest, if it's still working. It'll sail right out to the oil rig, and they won't fire at you because you've got the IFF transponder. Just make sure you've got what you need to access everything: FOB, working computer, and fuel. Easy enough, huh?}"
(Marc's dialogue) - ↑ NavCom parts: "{47901}{}{These are computer parts that look like they slot into the interior of a machine. The fact that they say "Poseidon Oil" and "Navigational Computer" on them lead you to believe they fit into a Poseidon Oil Navigational Computer.}"
- ↑ Reactor Maintenance & Repair Robot Control Terminal: "{120}{}{Station #3 Reactor Maintenance & Repair Robot Control Terminal.}'"
Chosen One: "{121}{}{Function?}"
Terminal: "{140}{}{This terminal is used to input command data for the robotic maintenance and repair unit assignedto Poseidon Oil—Reactor #5. This terminal also allows access to PoseidoNet.}"
(GSTERM.MSG) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 PoseidoNet
- ↑ The Chosen One: "{171}{}{That's right, sucker. Right where you can't get me.}"
Enclave communications officer: "{174}{powr15}{I've got you, at Poseidon Oil, reactor number 5. Ah, well, why don't you just sit tight and I’ll order up a little celebration for ya. Including fireworks.}"
(Gcpacoff.msg) - ↑ The Chosen One: "{126}{}{What oil rig?}"
A. Ron Meyers: "{141}{}{There's a big Poseidon oil rig left out on the water. That's the final base of the Enclave, and unless I miss my bet, that's where your friends are, too.}"
The Chosen One: "{143}{}{What else is going on out there on the rig?}"
A. Ron Meyers: "{148}{}{Beats me. I was a Navarro tech, not a rig operator. We talked to them over the comm lines, and that was about the extent of it.}"
(A. Ron Meyers' dialogue) - ↑ Mai Da Chiang: "{141}{}{There is a gang of vagrants who have moved onto the Poseidon Oil tanker on the wharf. There were monsters living inside it, but the vagrants have sealed them into the lower hull. Though they are outsiders, we are grateful to the drifters for this task.}"
(Mai Da Chiang's dialogue)
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook p. 231: "Poseidon was infamous for aggressive strategies in maintaining its market share and profit margins. It operated with a bewildering array of sub-corporations, daughter organizations, and cat’s paws. These ranged from overt branding efforts like Poseidon Oil and Poseidon Gasoline, to back-channel deals made with lobbyists paid millions to make the company billions."
- ↑ Fallout Bible 8: "1. Why is PMV Valdez using fuel instead of fusion cells? It's relatively new (it's carrying a Vault door, and is fully automatic) and it fits perfectly into Enclave's dock. I think the tanker should have been modified by Poseidon Oil to use fusion power instead of burning valuable oil or another flammable fuel.
1. I may be missing some statements from within F2, but my opinions are:
A. Despite the fact that is carrying a Vault Door and is automated doesn't mean the tanker is "new" - it may be old/very old by 2070s standards and not incorporated any fusion technology into its design - and it may be too difficult to retrofit the tanker to run on fusion (although getting the fob was easy). It is not known whether there were any tankers incorporating fusion power sources in the 2070s, although military vehicles would be a different story.
B. Poseidon Oil (during the Pre-War years) would not want its tankers using fusion cells because that would run contrary to the image of the company, despite its practicality. Plus, the idea of something so big running on something so small hurts its self-confidence.
C. Fusion cells are very easy to get (in the game) and thus would undercut the adventure seed of connecting the fuel and the necessity of dealing with the Shi and Hubologists.
D. On some thematic level, the fact that the tanker runs on fuel helps drive home:
i. The fact the player is going to an oil rig.
ii. Brings up images of the real-world Valdez.
iii. Suggests the dinosaur-era technology of the tanker and it also provokes some images of the desperation of the Resource Wars, if you're a Fallout history buff.
E. The fact that there is a Vault Door aboard the tanker does not mean the tanker itself is new."
Non-canon
- ↑ Tibbets Prison design document/1#Area Background
- ↑ Maxson bunker design dcument page 3: "In the year 2067, Senator Todd Peterson decided to build a secret bunker to house himself and his family should war break out. Senator Peterson was a wealthy man in his own right, but lacked the funds necessary for such a project. Through secret dealings with Poseidon Oil and a covert branch of the government known as the Enclave, the final funding for the project was attained. A construction sight was chosen in southern Colorado and work began."
