AAPG - The formative years (1915-1926). [A historical perspective of the development of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists]
- American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, OK (United States)
In the year 1915 there were no more than a few hundred geologists in the world who might identify themselves as petroleum specialists. Operators had had good success drilling along creeks in Pennsylvania, on hills in Oklahoma, and on mounds in the Gulf Coast without much regard for the subsurface geology. Although Union Oil of California had formed a geological department in 1900, geological input was generally looked upon with skepticism. It is reported that when Bill Skelly hired the first geologist to work for his company, he went to great pains to inform his investors that he was paying the man out of his own pocket rather than from corporate funds. By the fall of 1915, J. Elmer Thomas, a geologist with Minnehoma Oil Company in Tulsa and later to become the first president of AAPG, felt motivated to invite 30 fellow petroleum geologists to an October 2 dinner at the Hotel Tulsa for the purpose of, in his own words, 'fostering friendship within our ranks and of permitting the mutual benefits that would arise from the occasional exchange of data and ideas{hor ellipsis}.' Twenty-seven attended and during the discussion that took place, James H. Gardner suggested that they form a geological society. October 25th and the convention was held on January 7-8, 1916. Approximately 60 geologists attended. During the next ten year, membership grew from 94 to 1,504. The name Southwestern Association of Petroleum Geologists was adopted in 1917 and changed to American Association of Petroleum Geologists in 1918. Association business was conducted from the offices and homes of the members of the Executive Committee until August, 1926, when a permanent office was established in Tulsa under business manager J.P.D. Hull.
- OSTI ID:
- 5585334
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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