Awards & Scholarships

Edwin Oliver Bennett was born in San Pedro, California, in 1893. From Stanford University, he received an A.B. in 1917 and, in 1919, an M.E. in Mechanical Engineering. In 1943, Texas A. & M. conferred on him a D. Eng. His initial job as Engineer, Pipe Line Department, Standard Oil Co. of California, was interrupted by World War I. For two years, he served as Engineer in Charge, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at Langley Field, Va.

From 1919 to 1924, he resumed his activities with Standard of California. These covered drilling and production, natural gasoline, and engineering in the Production Department. For the next two years, he was with the U. S. Bureau of Mines as Natural Gas Engineer and Petroleum Technologist. Later, he was placed in charge of Oil Recovery.

Among Mr. Bennett's many achievements, was the development of a back pressure method for gauging gas wells. He also advocated the use of gas in connection with oil recovery.

In 1926, he resigned from U.S.B.M. to organize one of industry's first petroleum engineering departments for Marland Oil Co. of Texas. After the merger of this company with Continental, he became Chief Petroleum Engineer and later, also Assistant General Manager, Drilling and Production Department. During this period, he developed production techniques and methods which are standard practice today.

In 1943, Mr. Bennett resigned from Continental to enter the petroleum consulting field, and he now heads E. O. Bennett & Associates.