Permian Basin Geophysical Society

History of the PBGS: 1962

OFFICERS:

PRESIDENT: J. J. Ekstrom (Texaco Inc.)
FIRST VP: Fred H. Nicolai (Texaco Inc.)
SECOND VP: Carl D. McKeever (Sun Oil Co.)
SECRETARY: James A. Kurfess (Tidewater Associated Oil Co.)
TREASURER: D. G. “Mac” McWilliams (Skelly Oil Co.)

ORIGINAL RECAP: “In April, 75 members were signed up at a Barbeque-Bingo get-together. As a result, total membership reached a new high of over 400”.

Midland was growing and it was a time for celebration and for looking ahead. We celebrated with our 10th Annual Meeting on May 18-19 which was held in the Scharbauer Hotel. Mayor Hank Avery welcomed guests.

Then we looked ahead. Plans were initiated to hold the 1964 Midwestern Regional Meeting of the SEG in Midland (previously an “outback” town, remember?) for the first time. The local Chamber of Commerce listed the following facts about Midland:

  • 72 office buildings
  • 2,000,000+ sq. ft. of office space
  • 650 oil related firms
  • $150,000,000+ on deposit at local banks
  • 64,000 population
  • 24 daily airline scheduled flights with American, Continental and Trans Texas
  • T&P Railway services plus Continental Trailways and Greyhound Bus Lines.

Pretty good for a town “in the middle of nowhere”! Some people didn’t count being in the center of major oil and gas production as being “somewhere”.

We also looked ahead at the Nov. 13 meeting when Hal Jones of Infotronics Corp. (Houston) presented a paper on “Digital Seismic Instrumentation”. This was really the future for many of us.

Joe Pluta, Library Committee Chairman, initiated a long needed program to bind geophysical publications for long term durability.

Finally, at the Dec. 1962 Executive meeting, it was decided that the 1963 officers would serve for 18 months (Jan. 1, 1963 to June 1, 1964) and thereafter the Society “year” would shift to a June through May basis in order to provide better continuity of programs and operations. Planning for the Midwestern Meeting was also a factor. It is unclear whether the guys running for office were aware of this.

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