Our First President: A Tribute to John R. Suman

This Outstanding Geologist, Petroleum Engineer and Executive Exemplified Leadership
In the early part of this century, the field of petroleum geology was loosely defined. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists wasn't formed until 1917. To be a petroleum geologist in Houston during the 1920s meant that you may have been required to perform other duties as well. Today, the dividing line between the work of geologist, geophysicist, petroleum engineer, and landman is well drawn. Back then, the line was thin-people and conipanies operated with independence. The important thing was to produce oil-and frequently that meant you were involved with all aspects of petroleum exploration and development: searching for it, leasing acreage, arranging financing, finding a driller, and producing oil!
It is little surprise then that John R. Suman, the Houston Geological Society's first president, entered the petroleum industry with a bachelor's degree in mining engineering that he earned in 1912 from the Mining College at the University of California (Berkeley). After working during college as an assistant assayer and surveyor, he came to Houston with Rio Bravo Oil Company (a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company) as an assistant geologist. Here he worked under Dr. Edwin T. Dumble, the great pioneer geologist and former director of the Texas Geological Survey, and William Kennedy, frequently called "Daddy of the Salt Dome Country" from his prime days as a geologist during Spindletop. Dumble urged many geolo- gists to concentrate on petroleum engineering, and Kennedy probably influenced Suman with his knowledge of drilling and other phases of the oil game. After just one year at Rio Bravo, Suman assumed the duties of chief engineer and served in that capacity until 1917. It was this assignment that defined his professional career. His interest in applying engineering and scientific knowledge to the production of petroleum continued throughout his long and colorful life.
Evidently, the abilities and knowledge of the compactly built, dynamic Suman caught the eye of others in the industry. He joined Roxana Petroleum (a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell) and served as technical superintendent of its operations in Texas and Louisiana for two years. He again became associated with Rio Bravo in 1919, serving as assistant to the vice president and general manager. lie was promoted to the higher position in 1925, and held it until he left the company in 1927. During this time with Rio Bravo, he also held the positions of assistantmanager in 1922 and manager in 1923 for the East Coast Oil Company of Mexico, another subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railway Company. From 1923 to 1926 he was general manager of the Texas operations for the Associated Oil Company of California.
In 1923 he was very active in the petroleum industry in Houston. He, along with Wallace E. Pratt, Alexander Deussen, Donald Barton, David Donoghue and others, was instrumental in forming the Houston Geological Society and guiding it through its first two years as president-our only two-term president.
He was also active in the AAPG, serving as regional director from 1922 to 1924, and nominated for president in 1926. A glimpse into Suman's humor is seen in a letter he wrote for the AAPG's 50th anniversary:
"In my association with AAPG, I became very closely acquainted with Wallace Pratt and Alexander Deussen. It was my impression that they were practically running and dominating the political aspects of the association, particularly in the election of the president. It seems that in the early days anyone they put up for president was practically elected at the time of the nomination. They did make one grievous error in this respect when they nominated me; as I remember I was running against Alex McCoy. Alex McCoy defeated me for the presidency, and I think the power of Messrs. Pratt and Deussen began to fade after this catastrophe."
Suman's first major invention was the Double Pitman Pump for oilfield producing operations, which was patented in 1916. In his long and brilliant career, he played a key role in the development of the modern rotary drilling rig, the unitized drawworks, and in directing corporate engineering and research efforts that led to significant advances in reservoir engineering.
In 1921, his book Petroleum Production Methods was published. It was one of the first contributions to the engineering literature that outlined the technology of the time and discussed the petroleum engineer's role in the industry. The book went through three editions and was a popular college textbook.
Alva Ellisor, in her book Rockhounds of Houston, tells an interesting story of Suman's next career move. Wallace E. Pratt was a neighbor and very close friend of Suman's. One day when Mr. Pratt suggested that he join Humble, Suman said he was satisfied where he was for he had time to play golf. Undaunted-and used to getting what he wanted - Pratt talked to Beatrice Suman and told her that "husband John" was getting into a rut and losing his ambition. So, in 1927 "husband John" became Humble's director of production in the northern division!
In this capacity he added further to a rapidly emerging petroleum production technology and became increasingly active in the area of petroleum conservation. In 1930 he was named chairman of the Yates Pool Advisory Committee, one of the first attempts at unitization in the West Texas oil fields. A year later he published the article "Principles Governing Equitable and Efficient Oil Pool Development." In that article he outlined the principles of oil production and the benefits that could be derived from unit operations or other types of cooperative development. He further asserted that, from a physical or operating standpoint, the conservation principles called "the new conception" could be carried out. Three years later he followed up with an article on the problems of well spacing and how low well density can increase ultimate recovery.
The interests of Suman were by no means exclusively or narrowly technological. He was interested in human as well as petroleum engi- neering and was largely responsible for the expansion of the company's industrial relations program (what we would call today the human relations program). To other operators in production, he was a one-man public relations department; being described as so diplomatic and persuasive that he could cause agreement to emerge out of a meeting originally composed of 26 men with the same number of different opinions.
In 1933, Suman was elected vice president of production for Humble and continued to serve on the board of directors. It was also during this year that Suman made one of his most dramatic and important contributions to the petroleum industry - directional drilling. A blowout occurred in the Conroe field and resulted in a crater and the uncontrolled flow of about 7,000 barrels of oil daily. There were only two options: one, let the offset wells produce an equal amount of oil, which would have resulted in rapid and wasteful depletion of the reservoir energy, with a resulting loss of millions of barrels of oil; or two, in some manner control and shut in the well. Mr. Suman conceived the idea of drilling a directional well into the producing sand and then flooding the sand with water and drilling mud to stop the flow and gain control of the well. After prolonged negotiations with the owners of the cratered well and with the assistance of the Railroad Commission, the Humble Oil & Refining Company assumed responsibility for killing the cratered well. Many in the oil industry were skeptical, but the venture was a success and has provided the industry with one of the most effective ways of controlling wild oil and gas wells!
In 1942 he was awarded an honorary Doctor Engineering degree by the South Da