AAPG’s annual recognition of geoscience excellence this year honors 18 outstanding members and geoscientists who have been chosen the recipients of the Association’s honors and awards for 2026.
Leading this year’s awards list are two individuals who have excelled throughout their careers in leadership and in advancing the science of petroleum geology literally around the world – William “Bill” Bosworth, this year’s recipient of the Sidney Powers Memorial Award, and Jeffrey “Jeff” Aldrich, selected for the Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award.
Both will be among the award recipients recognized and honored during a special event held Aug. 26 during the IMAGE ’25 conference in Houston.
Bosworth also will be honored that night with the HoD Honorary Member of the House award.
All Association honors and awards, approved by the Executive Committee, are presented to recognize superior achievements to the profession, the science, the Association and the public.
Technical award winners are yet to be announced.
“It is important that the organization recognizes its volunteers for their efforts in keeping AAPG moving forward, and to sincerely appreciate those who bring the science to the public and their peers,” said AAPG President Deborah Sacrey.
“This is truly one of the best parts of being the AAPG president,” she added, “to personally thank each and every one of the honorees for their contribution to the profession and the Association.”
Complete biographical information for all recipients will be published online later this year in the AAPG BULLETIN.
The 2026 AAPG honors and award recipients, as approved by the Executive Committee, are:
Sidney Powers Memorial Award
Presented in recognition of distinguished and outstanding contributions to, or achievements in, petroleum geology.
● William “Bill” Bosworth, exploration manager and senior adviser for Apache Egypt, Cairo, Egypt – Honored for his four decades of geoscience excellence, and for developing cutting-edge concepts on rift basin evolution and their relationship to petroleum systems, focused especially on east and northern Africa. He also is honored as a “thought leader,” not only to his company colleagues but to the entire exploration community – he has presented nearly 100 talks at major conferences, published more than 100 articles in leading journals (including the AAPG BULLETIN), and his publications have been cited over 8,400 times. He also is active in a plethora of AAPG activities, including as a mentor to young geoscientists and as a force in the IBA program in Africa.
(Past AAPG honors include the Vlastimila Dvorakova International Ambassador Service Award, an HoD 9 Year Certificate of Service, an AAPG Certificate of Merit, the James A. Hartman Service to Students Award, and Distinguished Service Award. He also is this year’s HoD Honorary Member of the House recipient.)
Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award
Presented in recognition of outstanding and exceptional leadership in the petroleum geosciences.
● Jeffrey B. “Jeff” Aldrich, Sproule-ERCE, Denver – Honored for exceptional leadership and extraordinary service to both AAPG and to petroleum geosciences throughout his entire 46-year-career. Highlights include a term as AAPG vice president-Sections; active participation in the House of Delegates, EMD, DPA and DEG, of which he was president; leadership in creation of AAPG international Regions; modernization of Datapages and its migration to a new platform; originator and co-chair of the RMAG 2023 Helium and 2025 Helium/Hydrogen Conferences; creation of the Water Resources Management System through the DEG; developed the concept of AAPG’s first free public forum at a large conference (2008 ICE, Cape Town, South Africa); and leadership/participation on dozens of committees.
(Past AAPG honors include an EMD Certificate of Merit, three AAPG Certificates of Merit, a DPA Best Paper award, AAPG Distinguished Service Award and AAPG Honorary Member Award.)
Honorary Member
Presented to those who have distinguished themselves by their service and devotion to AAPG as well as the science and profession.
● A.O. “Femi” Esan, ENReC, Midland, Texas.
(Past president of AAPG Africa Region; previous AAPG honors include two Certificates of Merit.)
● Richard D. “Rick” Fritz, Xplora Energy, Tulsa.
(Past president of AAPG and the DPA, past chair of the AAPG Foundation Trustee Associates and current executive director of the AAPG Foundation; previous AAPG honors include a Certificate of Merit, DPA Distinguished Service and Life Membership, the Harrison Schmitt Award and the Distinguished Service Award.)
Norman H. Foster Explorer Award
Presented in recognition of distinguished and outstanding achievement in exploration.
● James “Jim” Zaslaw, Hebron Energy, Oklahoma City, Okla. – A successful geologist and independent oil operator who has been discovering new oil fields for more than 40 years, “from grass roots to granite,” with his crowning achievement being large recent discoveries in the very mature North Texas area on the Waggoner Ranch. His team shot reputedly the largest private 3-D seismic survey (1,000 square miles) ever by an independent; to date, they’ve discovered numerous Caddo Fields and the multi-pay structural Grayback Southeast Field (8 million-plus barrels of primary production).
Robert R. Berg Outstanding Research Award
Presented in recognition of a singular achievement in petroleum geoscience research.
● Roberto Hernandez, Geomap S.A. and La. Te. Andes S.A., Salta, Argentina – Honored for his pivotal role in the study and experimentation of Central Andes deformation, which contributed to advancing structural geology concepts in fold-and-thrust belts; contributions to an integrated conception of the Devonian petroleum system model in the Central Andes; and promoting and contributing to the development of specific structural modeling software for the Central Andes (Andino 3D), which incorporates thermochronological data.
● Qinhong “Max” Hu, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China – Honored for his research on nano-petrophysics, and his innovative experimental and modeling techniques that he has developed to link fracture/pore scale structure to macroscopic transport, focusing on fracture-matrix interaction in low-permeability rock. His study of pore structure and associated anomalous diffusion behavior in the matrix of tight shale shed light on steep initial declines and overall low recovery of hydrocarbons, even in hydraulically stimulated fractured systems.
(Dr. Hu has been an AAPG associate editor, and faculty adviser for the University of Texas-Arlington AAPG Student Chapter.)
Distinguished Service Award
Presented to members who have distinguished themselves in singular and beneficial long-term service to AAPG.
● Lizbeth Calizaya Carlan, Shell, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
(Previous AAPG honors include a Certificate of Merit and the Young Professionals Exemplary Service Award.)
● David Ferrill, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas.
(Past president of the AAPG Petroleum Structure and Geomechanics Division.)
● Isabelle Le Nir, SLB, Clamart, France.
(Past affiliated society president; she also is this year’s HoD Distinguished Member of the House recipient, where she has chaired several committees. Previous AAPG honors include the HoD 9 Year Certificate of Service.)
Grover E. Murray Memorial Distinguished Educator Award
This award annually recognizes and rewards superlative contributions to geological education.
● Eugene “Kip” Hering, Occidental Petroleum (retired)/San Diego State University (retired), Escondido, Calif. – Honored for his nearly two-decade-long teaching career at San Diego State University, “generating enthusiasm for petroleum geology at both undergraduate and graduate levels.” He is a longtime faculty adviser for the SDSU AAPG Student Chapter, started a “Student Field Experience Fund,” provided guidance for SDSU IBA teams, and has a lab/library in the school’s geology department named in his honor.
● Jose M. Jaramillo Mejia, director general of GMAS SAS, Bogóta, Colombia – Honored for an award-winning 30-plus-year teaching career in Colombia, continuing even today through his consulting firm GMAS SAS, where he has trained more than 165 geoscientists and prepared several professors who are now teaching internationally. He has been dean of geology for Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellin; geology adviser for Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogóta; and geology adviser, Universidad de los Andes, Bogóta.
Harrison Schmitt Award
This award annually recognizes individuals and organizations whose accomplishments fall beyond the parameters of other AAPG awards.
● Guilherme Estrella, Petrobras (retired), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Honored for his remarkable career and, specifically, his leadership and pioneering work that led to the 2006 discovery of the Brazilian pre-salt province, earning him the title “Father of Pre-Salt,” despite his insistence that the achievement was a team effort, sparked by “successive generations” of geoscientists.
Public Service Award
This award annually recognizes and encourages AAPG members to take a more active part in public affairs.
● Katie Smye, research scientist, principal investigator of the Center for Injection and Seismicity Research, the University of Texas at Austin – Honored for her work toward improved understanding of risks and hazards associated with production and injection in the Permian Basin (including induced seismicity, both deep and shallow; shallow drilling risks, blowouts, casing collapse, sink holes).
Geosciences in the Media Award
Recognizing notable journalistic achievement in any medium that contributes to the public’s understanding of geology, energy resources or the technology of oil and gas exploration.
● Henk Kombrink, editor-in-chief, GEO ExPro magazine, Aberdeen, Scotland – Honored for his work in publishing the industry and geoscience-focused magazine that is accessed in more than 150 countries.
Young Professionals Exemplary Service Award
Presented in award members who have promoted growth, awareness and expanded opportunities withing AAPG for young professionals.
● David F. Lankford-Bravo, BP, Sugar Land, Texas – Active leadership and participation through AAPG’s Young Professionals, IMAGE (technical session co-chair), Student Chapter leadership and Section activities.
(Previous honors include Best Student Expo Poster Presentation award.)
● Paula Ramirez, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada – Active leadership and participation as a liaison for AAPG Student Chapters in the Latin America and Caribbean Region; support for various LACR conferences and workshops; Student Activities co-chair for the 2022 ICE Organizing Committee; LACR Student and YP Leadership Summit; now involved in Canada Region activities.
● Maria Elena Veliz, Beicip-Franlab, Quito, Ecuador – Active leadership and participation as president of the UCE (Ecuador) Student Chapter; IBA coordinator for the Latin America and Caribbean Region; membership coordinator for the Young Professionals.