Harrison L. Townes, an AAPG past president who promoted governmental support for independent petroleum geologists and was instrumental in raising the Association’s international profile in the 1990s, died March 7 in Tulsa. He was 96.

An AAPG member since 1952 – and an Honorary member since 1997 – Townes served as AAPG president-elect in 1991-92 and then as president in 1992-93.

His role on the Executive Committee followed years of leadership and service with AAPG’s Division of Professional Affairs, which he led as president in 1988-89. He also was a founding member of the Division of Environmental Geosciences, served in the House of Delegates and was an active member of the Governmental Affairs Committee.

He became a member of the AAPG Foundation Trustee Associates in 1991.

Townes, a native of Wauseon, Ohio, was introduced to geology in eighth grade by an uncle who showed him a college geology textbook. Townes almost immediately decided to become a geologist, and he eventually received a bachelor’s degree in geology from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where he started his career with a small oil company.

Three years later he joined White Eagle Oil Co. in Midland, Texas, where he had success developing several prospects. Six years after that he became exploration manager for Helmerich & Payne in Tulsa. 

In 1966 Townes became a consultant, and during that time became interested in political affairs, including an active role in the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association, serving as its president in 1981.

In 1982 he started Toklan Oil Corp., a public company, and did consulting work until his retirement in 2016.

While AAPG president, the first AAPG-sponsored meeting outside of the United States was held in Caracas, Venezuela. Also during his presidency, he traveled on AAPG’s behalf to Norway, England, Egypt, Australia and Canada to help establish AAPG’s international presence.

In addition to Honorary membership, Townes received an AAPG Certificate of Merit in 1987, a DPA Distinguished Service Award in 1989, and DPA Life Membership in 1997.