A Geophysicist's Memoir

Reflecting on his 63 years as a geophysicist in the global petroleum industry, Dallas oilman Al Hrubetz traces his journey from the collapse of coal to the emergence of oil as a driving force in the energy world. The tough times of his Depression-era, coal-town boyhood shaped Hrubetz's daring outlook and devil-may-care acumen for overcoming obstacles in the oilfield and the boardroom. A born leader with patriotic reverence, a wry sense of humor and the calculated intellect of a seasoned gambler, Hrubetz recounts his experiences with vivid precision. His memoir peers into a hardscrabble boyhood, post-WWII Marines, covert oil exploration in Dubai, Guatemala, Alaska and even major U.S. cities, all the while juggling the challenges of moving his growing family across the map. His compelling story tracks the evolution of the oil industry over the decades, as he worked up to the C-suite at large oil companies like CONOCO and Texas Pacific Oil, as well as heading up exploration departments at smaller independent companies. He provides candid insight into hard-won or lost oil deals and the oilmen he encountered along the way. In detailing the specifics of his foray into opening his own Hrubetz Oil Company, Hrubetz lays out the intricate planning that went into launching HOC and keeping it and subsequent oil-related businesses afloat through volatile oil industry twists and turns. Additionally, he spotlights the workings of petroleum industry organizations where he served in leadership roles, further contributing to his prominence in the field. More than a glimpse into the work of a geophysicist, Hrubetz's book escorts the reader into the mind of an authentic innovator who carved a unique niche in the burgeoning world of oil. More than a timeline of oil's evolution in American history, Hrubetz's memoir harks back to a pivotal juncture when the shift in energy changed America forever, and brings it forward, making his story keenly relevant today.
About the Author: Albert Hrubetz III, Chairman and President of Hrubetz Oil Co., has been active in the petroleum industry for 63 years. A 1953 graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geological Engineering from the Institute of Technology, St. Louis University, Hrubetz is also a graduate of the Advanced Management and Owner-President Management Program of the Graduate School of Business Administration at Harvard University. Hrubetz joined the Exploration Department of Continental Oil Co. (CONOCO) as a geophysicist in 1953. During the next 14 years, he progressed up through the ranks to Chief Geophysicist, International Exploration and Executive Assistant to President. He had executive responsibility for integrated petroleum operations in the southern U.S., CONOCO's largest and most important profit center. He served as vice president of an independent oil company from 1968 to 1972, with worldwide responsibility for negotiations, exploration and production activities. In 1972 Hrubetz joined Texas Pacific Oil Co. as Senior VP, Exploration and International. In 1975 he was named Executive VP. He also served as a Director of Texas Pacific and as President and Director of its 17 foreign subsidiaries. He was named President of Texas Pacific Oil Co. in May 1978 and CEO in April '79. In 1980 Texas Pacific sold all of its domestic oil properties to Sun Oil Co. for $2.3 billion, the second-largest commercial sale in U. S. history. That year, he founded Hrubetz Oil Co. in Dallas. Hrubetz is a past Director of the American Petroleum Institute, the U. S. Oil and Gas Assoc. and Independent Petroleum Assoc. of America, past Chairman of the Texas Oil & Gas Assoc., and serves on its Executive Committee. A Trustee Associate of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, he is also a member of Dallas Geological Assoc., Dallas Geophysical Society, All-American Wildcat Committee, and Dallas Wildcat Committee. He is past president of the Dallas Petroleum Club, a Trustee Emeritus at the University of Dallas, and Advisory Board member of the Maguire Energy Institute at SMU. Hrubetz is a Knight of Malta and a Knight Commander in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Additionally, he is a recipient of the Alumni Merit Award from St. Louis University in recognition of distinguished achievement in geophysical exploration. He is the author of "Maryville Illinois - Growing up During the Great Depression."