John Robert Suman
John Robert Suman | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 9, 1890 Daleville, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | January 5, 1972 (aged 81) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Geologist, petroleum engineer, corporate leader |
| Known for | Directional drilling innovation; leadership at Humble Oil and Standard Oil |
John Robert Suman (born April 9, 1890, in Daleville, Indiana – died January 5, 1972, in Houston, Texas) was a distinguished geologist, petroleum engineer, and corporate leader.
Biography
During his childhood, Suman relocated from Indiana to Southern California. He initially enrolled at the University of Southern California before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated with honors from the Mining College in 1912. His professional journey commenced as an assistant geologist at Rio Bravo Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company responsible for supplying oil to the railroad and managing its land holdings. Under the mentorship of prominent geologists Edwin T. Dumble and William Kennedy, Suman advanced rapidly, attaining the position of chief engineer within one year. In 1917, he accepted a role as technical superintendent for Texas and Louisiana operations at Roxana Petroleum Company, a branch of Royal Dutch Shell. He returned to Rio Bravo in 1919 as assistant to the vice president, ascended to general manager by 1925, and departed from the company in 1927. Notably, in 1923, he was among the founders of the Houston Geological Society and served as its inaugural president for two years.
Suman joined Humble Oil and Refining Company, the primary operating unit of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, in 1927. By 1933, he had become vice president responsible for production based in Houston. That same year, he innovated by employing directional drilling to control a blowout near Conroe, Texas, successfully stopping an uncontrolled discharge estimated at approximately 7,000 barrels daily by injecting water and drilling mud into the producing formation. Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, his leadership was pivotal in positioning Humble Oil as a dominant petroleum producer in the American Southwest. Between 1945 and his retirement in 1955, Suman held the roles of vice president and board director at Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. He presided over the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) in 1941 and was honored with AIME's Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal in 1943 as well as the prestigious John Fritz Medal in 1958.
On December 16, 1912, Suman married Beatrice Mary Mowers (1888–1976). They had two sons—John Robert Suman Jr. (1916–2004) and Richard Harlan Suman (1917–1999)—both following careers within the petroleum industry.
Selected publications
- John R. Suman, Petroleum Production Methods, Gulf Publishing Company, 1921
- John R. Suman, "The Sanding of Oil Wells," Transactions of the AIME, vol. G-25, no. 1, 1925, pp. 196–198
- John R. Suman, "The Saratoga Oil Field, Hardin County, Texas," AAPG Bulletin, vol. 9, no. 2, 1925, pp. 263–285
- John R. Suman, "The Well-Spacing Problem—Low Well Density Increases Ultimate Recovery," in Drilling and Production Practice, American Petroleum Institute, 1934
- John R. Suman, "Oil Production—A Continuing Challenge," Journal of Petroleum Technology, vol. 7, no. 12, 1955, pp. 10–12