Fred F. Meissner (November 10, 1931 – September 18, 2007) was an American geologist and engineer who contributed to the fields of geology,

geophysics Geophysics () is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. The term ''geophysics'' som ...

, engineering, petroleum engineering,

geochemistry Geochemistry is the science that uses the tools and principles of chemistry to explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the Earth's crust and its oceans. The realm of geochemistry extends beyond the Earth, encompassing the ...

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proce ...

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which rel ...

, mining,

economic geology Economic geology is concerned with earth materials that can be used for economic and/or industrial purposes. These materials include precious and base metals, nonmetallic minerals and construction-grade stone. Economic geology is a subdisciplin ...

, and fishing.

Biography

Meissner was an honored exploration geologist, college professor at the

Colorado School of Mines The Colorado School of Mines, informally called Mines, is a public research university in Golden, Colorado, founded in 1874. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, science, and mathematics, with a focus on ene ...

and consultant, and a pioneer of the concept that

methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane on Ear ...

gas could be extracted from coal beds (see

coal bed methane extraction Coalbed methane extraction (CBM extraction) is a method for extracting methane from a coal deposit. Coal bed methane (CBM) is one of the factors restricting safe production of coal in underground coal mines. It is also a form of high-quality ener ...

). He was the 2008 recipient of the Sidney Powers Memorial Award.AAPG Explorer. November 2007
Meissner Could ‘Think Like Oil’
/ref> He also received the Grover Murray Distinguished Educator Award in 2005, the Mines Medal in 1997, and the distinguished service award in 1987. As an independent petroleum geologist and consultant, Meissner developed exploration projects in the Rocky Mountains and other U.S. and foreign (Indonesia, Nigeria, Chile, Jordan) areas for sale and promotion to industry partners. He has consulted for a number of major and independent petroleum companies, both domestic and international. As a

adjunct professor An adjunct professor is a type of academic appointment in higher education who does not work at the establishment full-time. The terms of this appointment and the job security of the tenure vary in different parts of the world, however the gener ...

, Meissner taught advanced

petroleum geology Petroleum geology is the study of origin, occurrence, movement, accumulation, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels. It refers to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to the search for hydrocarbons (oil exploration). Sedime ...

, a graduate level course, and was a guest or temporary replacement lecturer for courses taught by other professors. He was also a member of numerous graduate student committees. From 1980 to 1991 Meissner was exploration manager at Bird Oil Corporation; he also served as exploration manager of the Rocky Mountain region for

Standard Oil of Ohio The Standard Oil Company (Ohio) was an American oil company, a successor of the original company established in 1870 by John D. Rockefeller. It was established as "Standard Oil Company of Ohio" as one of the separate entities created after t ...

(Sohio). During his career he was associated with Webb Resources, Filon Exploration Corporation, Trend Minerals Corporation, and

Shell Oil Company Shell USA, Inc. (formerly Shell Oil Company, Inc.) is the United States-based wholly owned subsidiary of Shell plc, a UK-based transnational corporation "oil major" which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 18,000 ...

. Meissner held a number of leadership positions with the

American Association of Petroleum Geologists The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is one of the world's largest professional geological societies with more than 40,000 members across 129 countries as of 2021. The AAPG works to "advance the science of geology, especially as ...

(AAPG), which honored him with the A.L. Levorson Award for the Rocky Mountain Section in 1975. He is also a member of the

Geological Society of America The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. History The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitch ...

and was elected a fellow in 1988. He served as president of the

Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG), based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the oldest and largest regional geological societies in the United States. The society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1922. It is a regional affili ...

(

RMAG The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG), based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the oldest and largest regional geological societies in the United States. The society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1922. It is a regional affi ...

) in 1997 and the organization named him Scientist of the Year in 1976 and presented him with the Distinguished Service Award in 1991. In 1986 he received the Distinguished Service Medal from Colorado School of Mines.

Awards

The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) awarded Meissner the A.L. Levorson Award for the Rocky Mountain Section in 1976, and awarded him an honorary AAPG membership in 2001. He was a member of the Geological Society of America and was elected a fellow in 1988. He was named Scientist of the Year by Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) in 1976, presented with the RMAG's Distinguished Service Award in 1991, served as president of RMAG in 1997, and is an honorary member. In 1986 he received a Distinguished Service Medal for career achievement from Colorado School of Mines and was awarded the Mines Medal for unusual and exemplary service to the School in 2000. Meissner was active in the

Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

at Corinthian Lodge #35 in

Leadville, Colorado The City of Leadville is a statutory city that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 2,602 at the 2010 census and an estimated ...

and was a 32 degree. Meissner was a prolific technical writer and authored over 45 publications, papers, and poster sessions focusing primarily on hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation. His 48 years of industry experience included 16 years with

working the Permian Basin,

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Missis ...

Rocky Mountain The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

and

Mid-Continent Oil Province The Mid-continent oil field is a broad area containing hundreds of oil fields in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The area, which consists of various geological strata and diverse trap types, was discovered and ex ...

areas. He had over 20 years cumulative experience with several independents that “found oil and were sold” including Trend Exploration, Filon Exploration, Webb Resources, and Bird Oil. He was a principal in all, with professional responsibilities ranging from exploration manager to vice president. After leaving Bird Oil in 1991 he has been an independent consultant and professor of geology at the Colorado School of Mines where he sat on thesis committees, taught a graduate course in Advanced

Petroleum geology Petroleum geology is the study of origin, occurrence, movement, accumulation, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels. It refers to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to the search for hydrocarbons (oil exploration). Sedime ...

, and was a guest lecturer. Self-described as an explorationist, he was recognized internationally for his expertise in understanding and predicting the behavior of petroleum systems, including aspects of hydrocarbon generation and migration, basin-wide hydrodynamics, abnormal pressure, and the occurrence of fractured reservoirs, especially as they relate to “basin-center” oil and gas accumulations. His consultancy, Fred F. Meissner and Associates, undertook investigations for clients in several domestic U.S. areas as well as in West Africa, South America, Europe, Asia and Canada. He also provided public and private instruction on subsurface fluid pressures and their relation to patterns of petroleum generation, migration and accumulation worldwide, and taught several short courses for the Rocky Mountain Region of

Petroleum Technology Transfer Council Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...

(PTTC).

Thinks Like Oil

Ray Thomasson, a past

AAPG The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is one of the world's largest professional geological societies with more than 40,000 members across 129 countries as of 2021. The AAPG works to "advance the science of geology, especially as ...

president and Meissner's prospecting partner, told a story related by Meissner's Shell friend and protégé Larry Meckel that typified Meissner's philosophy and style of teaching: "Fred said that

is a science and the application of petroleum geology is an art form. Just as in fly-fishing, you have to start with the right equipment and you have to know how to use that equipment – that’s the science. But to be successful you have to think like a fish – that’s the art form."

History

Meissner was born and raised in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

and graduated from South High School. Both of his parents were the first generation in their families that was not involved in the extraction of Western U.S. natural resources. It was here that his connection to the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

was cemented. He developed an interest in rocks and mining and attended the Colorado School of Mines, graduating with the degree in

Geological Engineering Geological engineering is a discipline of engineering concerned with the application of geological science and engineering principles to fields, such as civil engineering, mining, environmental engineering, and forestry, among others.M. Diederichs, ...

in 1953. He was an

ROTC The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. Overview While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...

cadet at Mines and received a commission upon graduation, but deferred his call to

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

era service for one year in order to complete his master's degree, graduating in 1954, the year he joined

. Funded by a Shell fellowship, his master's thesis concerned the geology of the Doctor Mine, a lead

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic t ...

replacement deposit in the Leadville Limestone, in

Gunnison County, Colorado Gunnison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,918. The county seat is Gunnison. The county was named for John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer and captain in the Arm ...

. After completing a tour of duty with the

United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

in 1956 he began his professional career with

, where he worked for the next 17 years. While enrolled in Advanced Petroleum Geology as a graduate student (a course Meissner taught at Mines), he studied the hydrodynamic work of Dr.

M. King Hubbert Marion King Hubbert (October 5, 1903 – October 11, 1989) was an American geologist and geophysicist. He worked at the Shell research lab in Houston, Texas. He made several important contributions to geology, geophysics, and petroleum geolog ...

and recognized it as a key to certain aspects of petroleum migration and trapping. While at Shell Oil Company he worked with a number of leading petroleum explorationists and, notably, with

, acknowledged by Meissner as his mentor. While with Shell he was able to apply hydrodynamic concepts to the occurrence of oil accumulations in deep-water

turbidite A turbidite is the geologic deposit of a turbidity current, which is a type of amalgamation of fluidal and sediment gravity flow responsible for distributing vast amounts of clastic sediment into the deep ocean. Sequencing Turbidites w ...

channels that he identified and mapped in the

Delaware Basin The Delaware Basin is a geologic depositional and structural basin in West Texas and southern New Mexico, famous for holding large oil fields and for a fossilized reef exposed at the surface. Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Cavern ...

West Texas West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the arid and semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Del Rio. No consensus exists on the boundary betwe ...

and southeastern

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

. Recognizing the presence and potential of tilted oil water contacts in the turbidities, he presented his ideas to management. The manager derided them, refusing to recognize that water contacts could be anything other than horizontal. Shortly after this, the manager retired and Shell brought in a new manager that recognized the potential of the concept and encouraged Meissner to pursue his ideas. As a result, he developed several prospects, three of which subsequently “found oil fields.” In recognition of Meissner's potential, in 1965 he was transferred to Shell Development Company in Houston where he conducted basic research on hydrocarbon origin, migration and accumulation. In Houston Meissner refined his understanding of the fundamental controls on the existence of petroleum systems. This evolved into a macro-framework understanding of hydrocarbon systems produced as a result of

source rock In petroleum geology, source rock is rock which has generated hydrocarbons or which could generate hydrocarbons. Source rocks are one of the necessary elements of a working petroleum system. They are organic-rich sediments that may have been deposi ...

maturity and the existence of fluid potential energy fields in a basin. This has provided a key to understanding the creation of overpressured and underpressured “basin centered” or “deep basin” oil and gas accumulations currently being exploited in the Rockies.

Bibliography

Meissner was a prolific technical writer and authored over 45 publications and papers focusing primarily on hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation.

Non-fiction

See also: Fred F. Meissner, Fred Franke Meissner *Meissner, F. F., 2002, Experiences of a Petroleum Hydrogeologist, in, Introduction to Hydrogeology by David Deming, p. 330–331: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York. *Fred Meissner. An Epsomite Occurrence in the Tintic District, Utah, Rocks & Minerals Magazine, 1950, Rocks & Minerals Magazine, 1950. Pages 132–134

*Walter Dean, Edward Dolly, Robert McDonald, and Fred Meissner. Oil and gas from fractured shale reservoirs in Colorado and northwest New Mexico,1978 *Fred F. Meissner. Causes of Anomalous Deep Basin Fluid Pressure in Rocky Mountain Basins and their Relation to Regional Gas Accumulation, 2000 *Woodward, Jane, Fred F. Meissner, and Jerry L. Clayton. Hydrocarbon Source Rocks of the Greater Rocky Mountain Region. Denver, Colo: Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, 1984. *Thomasson, M. R., & Meissner, F. F. (2001). Exploration & Development – Rocky Mountain Giants-1: Rockies dominates US onshore in 'discovery' of 1990s giants. The Oil and Gas Journal. 99, 44. *Thomasson, M. R., & Meissner, F. F. (2001). Exploration & Development – Rocky Mountain Giants-2: US Rockies 'discoveries': Analogs for the future. The Oil and Gas Journal. 99, 44. *AAPG Convention, Warme, J. E., Meissner, F. F., & Chamberlain, A. (1994). Field trip guidebook trip #16, RMAG : petroleum geology and sequence stratigraphy of Devonian carbonates of eastern Nevada, and the catastrophic Alamo Breccia. enver? AAPG Annual Convention. *Meissner, F.F., 1987, Mechanisms and patterns of gas generation/ storage/ expulsion-migration/accumulation associated with coal measures in the Green River and San Juan Basins, Rocky Mountain Region, U.S.A., in Doligez, B., ed., Migration of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins, 2nd IFP Exploration Research Conf., Carcais France, June 15–19, 1987: Editions Technip, Paris, p. 79–112. *Thomasson, M.R. and Meissner, F., 2002, Rocky mountain giants: Rockies region dominates US in the 'discovery' of 1990s giant fields; Houston Geological Society Bulletin, Volume 45, No. 4, December 2002. Pages 43–50.

Academic and other works

*Fred F. Meissner and Richard B. Banks. Computer Simulation of Hydrocarbon Generation, Migration, and Accumulation under Hydrodynamic Conditions—Examples from the Williston and San Juan Basins, USA*, Search and Discovery Article #40179 November 10, 2005 *Why There is so Much Gas in The Rockies & Where Future Supplies Will be Foun

Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES) Newsletter, February 2004 *Fred Meissner. Relation of Fractures to Fluid Pressure and Hydrocarbon Generation, Migration and Accumulation", "WeimerFest” Symposium 3 – 5 November 2004 Petroleum Hall, Green Center, Colorado School of Mines Technical and Social Program *AAPG Hedberg Conference, Fred F. Meissner. Petroleum Systems Related to Source Rocks in the Mississippian Antler Foredeep of Eastern Nevada and Western Utah—Emphasis on Source Rocks, Oil Generation, Migration, Entrapment and Timing, AAPG Hedberg Conference "Late Paleozoic Tectonics and Hydrocarbon Systems of Western North America-The Greater Ancestral Rocky Mountains" July 21–26, 2002, Vail, Colorad

References

Computer Simulation of Hydrocarbon Generation, Migration, and Accumulation under Hydrodynamic Conditions – Examples from the Williston and San Juan Basins, USA
SearchandDiscovery.net

Durango Herald
Rocky Mountain Gas Boom
Boise Weekly *
AAPG Sidney Powers Memorial Award Winner
AAPG

Colorado School of Mines *

2003 GSA Annual Meeting Seattle
Geological Society Membership
Geological Society of America

PTTC

External links

CSM Geology and Geological Engineering Faculty
Colorado School of Mines
Rocky Mountain high: the Rockies may be the next important source of natural gas for the U.S.
AccessMyLibrary.com
Early Building Blocks of Engineering Education
Colorado School of Mines
Subsurface Fluid Pressures and their Relation to Oil and Gas Generation, Migration and Accumulation
Appalachian Region PTTC Newsletter

PTTC 2000 BASIN-CENTERED GAS SYMPOSIUM * ttps://web.archive.org/web/20071031133109/http://www.doi.gov/ocl/2006/EffectsOfHighCostNaturalGas.htm The Effects of High Cost of Natural Gas on Small Businesses and Future Energy Technologies Statement of Walter Cruickshank Deputy Director, Minerals Management Service and Tom Lonnie Before the House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Tax, Finance, and Exports Oversight Hearing
Economic Development in Indian Country
Statement of Dr. Robert W. Middleton, Director, Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development Office of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Department of Interior at the Oversight Hearing Before the Committee on Indian Affairs, U.S. Senate

Colorado School of Mines
Weimerfest
Colorado School of Mines
Causes of Anomalous Deep Basin Fluid Pressure in Rocky Mountain Basins and their Relation to Regional Gas Accumulations
Rockies PTTC Newsletter

Energy Pipeline News
Call for Prayer
St. James Cathedral, Orlando, Florida
Prayers for Fred
The Messenger, St. Andrews United Methodist Church
Longevity of Fossil Fuel Resources
Groundwater Resources Association of California
"Crystal Paul” Keating
Colorado School of Mines
LogGeoChem
Evaluations Inc. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Meissner, Fred 1931 births 2007 deaths Colorado School of Mines faculty Shell plc people 20th-century American geologists People from Denver