Frank W. Harrison, Jr. was born on October 24, 1928 in Bastrop, Louisiana, where his father was employed by United Gas Production Company. Frank earned a bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Geology from Louisiana State University (1950), while achieving the rank of Cadet Colonel in the ROTC and was President of the College of Arts and Science.

After graduation, Frank took a job with Union Producing Co. in Jackson, Mississippi. Soon after, his professional career was interrupted by his commitment to serve his country in the Korean War, where he served the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 as a 1st Lt. artillery officer in command of a front line battery. He received the U.N. Service medal with two Battle Stars, Korean Service Medal, and Commendation ribbon with medal pendant.

In 1959, Frank became an independent geologist and consultant in Lafayette. He joined in a partnership with Mr. Jack P. Martin, and together they made significant new oil and gas discoveries in southwest Louisiana. In addition to his exploration activities, Frank cultivated a reputation as one of the preeminent expert witness geologists appearing before the Commissioner of Conservation at Office of Conservation unitization hearings. Frank was a highly sought witness for contested hearings and he represented a large number of independent and major oil companies that were operating in Louisiana. Frank’s style was that of the consummate gentlemen, but with a sharp wit and iron-clad technical skills.
Throughout his career, Frank has been continuously involved with professional societies, where he has assumed positions of leadership. At the local level, Frank was one of the earliest members of the Lafayette Geological Society (LGS; founded 1952), where he served as President from 1961–1962 and was awarded Honorary Membership in 1970.

Regionally, Frank has been a long-time supporter of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies (GCAGS). In 1959–1960, he was on the GCAGS Executive Committee and Convention Committee in 1966. In 1974, Frank served as General Chairman of the 24th Annual Meeting of GCAGS in Lafayette. In 1980, Frank served as the GCAGS President. In 1982, Frank was awarded Honorary Membership in GCAGS, and in 1990 the Transactions of the 40th Annual Meeting of GCAGS were dedicated to him in honor of his long service to the association. In 2020, Frank was awarded GCAGS’s highest honor, the Don R. Boyd Medal.

Nationally, Frank has served at the highest level, being elected as President of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) in 1981. During that time, Frank’s infectious optimism about the oil and gas industry led his fellow Executive Council members to give him a sign that read “Optimistic Oil Company—Frank W. Harrison, Jr., President.” After giving this some thought, Frank did indeed establish the Optimistic Oil Company, Inc., headquartered in Lafayette, where he still serves as President. Frank is Certified Petroleum Geologist (CPG) #1010 with the Division of Professional Affairs (DPA) of AAPG, and in 1986, he was awarded Honorary Membership in AAPG. Frank has also generously given his time and talents to the AAPG Foundation. In 1978, Frank became a Founding Member of the Trustee Associates of the AAPG Foundation and served the Foundation Chairman in 2000. In 2017, Frank was honored by the foundation with the prestigious “AAPG Foundation Chairman’s Award.”

Frank Harrison has been involved in positions of leadership in numerous other geological and scientific societies. He served as Vice President of the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES) in 1969, and Chapter President in 1982. He was President of the Louisiana Association of Independent Producers and Royalty Interest Owners in 1977, and President of the American Geological Institute in 1989 and was awarded the 1993 Heroy Distinguished Service Award. Additionally, he maintains membership in the American Institute of Professional Geologists (where he served as State President in 1997), the Geological Society of America, the Independent Petroleum Association of America (where he served on the Board of Directors in 1971, 1973, 1978, and 1979), and the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. In 2009, Frank was honored as “LAGCOE Looey,” a symbol for the “working oil man.” He is also a registered Professional Certified Geologist in Arkansas and Texas.

Frank has made many outstanding contributions to the research of geology in the Gulf Coast Basin, presenting over 17 papers, multiple talks, and scientific articles to societies and geological groups nationwide. In 1962, Frank and his colleagues from Lafayette presented a paper at the 12th Annual GCAGS Meeting in New Orleans on the Camerina and Cib. haz. stratigraphic interval of southwest Louisiana and earned the Best Paper Award. He presented and authored additional timely and insightful research on the Camerina zone of southwest Louisiana, the Lafayette Bol. mex. basin, the Tuscaloosa Trend, the salt domes of the Gulf Coast, the petroleum geology of Louisiana, and unitization in Louisiana.

Throughout his career as an independent explorer, Frank Harrison drilled over 500 wells, including many deep wildcats with the legendary J. P. Owen. He made significant Miocene age finds in Deep Lake Field and Johnson’s Bayou Field in Cameron Parish. Additional successes included Riceville Field in the Camerina zone of southwest Louisiana, Maurice Field in the Lafayette Bol. mex. basin, Beaver Dam Creek in the Tuscaloosa Trend of central Louisiana, and a portion of Krotz Springs Field. For his lifetime achievements within the oil and gas industry, Frank was honored with the Colonel Edwin L. Drake Legendary Oilman Award in 2003 and the Ben H. Parker Medal from the American Geological Institute in 1994.
Frank has lived an active philanthropic life in his community of Lafayette Louisiana, serving as Chairman of the Lafayette United Givers Fund and Director of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and is the recipient of the City Wide Outstanding Citizen Award. He served on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and was Chairman of the Board, on the Board of Trustees of the Lafayette General Medical Center. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors for Premier Bank, Banc One Corp. of LA, public utility (Entergy), and an insurance company. He was a Board member of the Louisiana Methodist Foundation 2000–2004, and a member of the board of Trustees Asbury Methodist Church.

Frank has been at tireless advocated of his alma mater, LSU. He has established two full professorships in geology at the university and was a member of the LSU Foundation Board of Directors. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from LSU in 2010. He is in the LSU Basic Sciences Hall of Fame and in the LSU Ole War Skule Military Hall of Fame, where he received the Fred Dent Patriotism award. He is also a charter member of the LSU Geology Endowment and LSU Lafayette alumni chapter alumnus of the year 1985/86. He is in the LSU Kappa Sigma Chapter Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious John Tower Award.

Today, at over 90 years old, Frank Harrison could easily relax and rest on his laurels. He is tireless in his pursuit of oil and gas. He is a credit to his community and an inspiration to geoscientists across the Gulf Coast and nation. He is a gentleman, an explorer, and a legendary elder statesman in our profession.

Ronald E. Neal
Co-Owner and President of Houston Energy, LP