History
The faculty members who have walked the UT PGE halls are responsible for many significant inventions and discoveries that impact industry. Many graduates of the department have served as CEOs of major oil companies, built their own businesses from the ground up or have contributed to substantial energy research findings, including modern-day hydraulic fracturing. All these successes have led to a top-rated petroleum engineering program.
Historical Milestones
1930s
- – The Department of Petroleum Engineering was formed with Frederick Plummer as the first chair
- – First petroleum production textbook was written by Frederick Plummer
- – The first two degrees were awarded
1940s
- – PGE became one of the largest petroleum engineering programs in the country
- – Petroleum Extension Program (PETEX) officially established
1950s
- – The first Ph.D. was awarded
1980s
- – New petroleum engineering building opened, which is our home today
2010s
- – Unveiling of the Ben H. Caudle Student Excellence Center
- – Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering officially named the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering in honor of the transformative philanthropic support from alumni Jeffery Hildebrand and Mindy Hildebrand
“The Hunt: The Story of Oil, Engineering and UT-Austin” – Regional EMMY-nominated Documentary
From the LeDuc Woodbend Fields in Edmonton, Canada, to the Eagle Ford Shale in San Antonio, UT PGE went on a hunt with an award-winning film crew in the summer of 2012 to capture the department’s rich 83-year history and its influence on Texas and the world.
Chapters of our History – Told by Famous Faculty and Alumni
This video debuted at the 2010 UT PGE Distinguished Alumni Reception and Dinner, and includes: memories by George Fancher Jr. (1930’s-1950’s), memories by Ben Caudle (1950’s-1980’s) and memories by Larry Lake (1980’s-2010).
