From Oil Gushers to Energy Diversification -
California’s Petroleum Hub and Country Music Capital
Bakersfield, CA
April 16 - 18, 2026
HEADQUARTERS HOTEL – Double Tree by Hilton, Bakersfield, California 93308; 1-661-323-7111 or (661) 632-2202 (fax).Rate is $132.00 plus fees/taxes per night (no matter if single occupancy or double occupancy. Shuttle services are available from the Bakersfield Airport. For Group Rate Mention “Petroleum History Institute” - Group nightly rates good until April 2, 2026. Contact the hotel directly for reservations and mention the Petroleum History Institute meeting.
Emergency Contacts Throughout Symposium:
Stephen Testa (Symposium Co-Chair); Cell (209) 402-6574
Vaughn Thompson (Symposium Co-Chair); Cell (805) 794-0070Symposium Schedule
Thursday, April 16, 2026
4:00-6:00
Registration at the HQ Hotel; pick up materials and chat.
6:00-8:00
Icebreaker Reception at the HQ Hotel; cash bar.
Silent Auction opens.
Friday, April 17, 2026
6:00-8:00
Breakfast on your own (café on site)
7:45
Welcome and introductions.
8:00
12:00-1:30
Lunch on your own.
5:30
Symposium presentations conclude; final remarks by host.
6:30-9:00
Awards Dinner; HQ Hotel; Dinner served @ 7:00 p.m. Silent Auction ends near close of dinner.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
6:00-8:00
Breakfast on your own (café on site)
8:00
Gather in hotel lobby for field trip.
8:15
Board charter bus.
8:30
Bus departs for field trip.
Lunch
Box lunch at West Kern Oil Museum at Taft.
~5:00
Bus returns to HQ Hotel.
~6:00
Informal Farewell Dinner Gathering; site to be announced.
Poster Presentations are available throughout the symposium:
PROSPECTING HISTORY: PATTILLO HIGGINS AND THE CHALLENGE OF PRIMARY SOURCES IN PETROLEUM HISTORY - Christian Kelleher
CALIFORNIA PETROLEUM-RELATED PHILATELIC ITEMS - Jeff Spencer
HAROLD SULLWOLD: CA PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST AND CARTOONIST – Stephen Testa
ORDER OF ORAL PRESENTATIONS
7:45-8:00
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
8:00-8:30
INTRODUCTION TO THE SAN JOAQUIN BASIN - S. A. Reid
8:30-9:00
THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF NAMSON AND DAVIS’ BALANCED CROSS SECTIONS: A REGIONAL STRUCTURAL MODEL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – Yannick Wirtz
9:00-9:30
THE OIL MEN OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE MINING BUREAU (1880-1929) - Stephen M. Testa
9:30-10:00
THE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF THE MONTEBELLO OIL FIELD: TRIUMPHS, TRIBULATIONS, AND CHALLENGES IN A SUBURBAN-URBAN SETTING - Daniel C. Steward
10:00-10:15
Morning Break
10:15-10:45
PIPELINES, TANK FARMS AND OIL TANKERS: UNION OIL’S EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF PETROLEUM TRANSPORTATION TO THE CALIFORNIA COAST - Paul W. Rood
10:45-11:15
PRESBYTERIAN PETROLEUM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - Gregg Wilkerson
11:15-11:45
FREDERICK RUSSELL BURNHAM: ADVENTURER, SCOUT, EXPLORER, CONSERVATIONIST AND CALIFORNIA OILMAN - Vaughn G. Thompson
11:45-1:00
Lunch
1:00-1:30
HOLLYWOOD STARS AND THE OIL PATCH - Matthew R. Silverman
1:30-2:00
GEOTHERMAL INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT: A LEVERAGE OF HISTORICAL PETROLEUM INDUSTRY CAPABILITIES AND VISION IN CALIFORNIA - Rog Hardy
2:00-2:30
AMERICA’S OIL HISTORIAN: THE LIFE AND WORK OF PAUL GIDDENS - Rasoul Sorkhabi
2:30-3:00
THE CHALLENGES OF AN OIL HISTORIAN IN THE 21st CENTURY - Jeff Spencer
3:00-3:15
Afternoon Break
3:15-3:45
GREAT POTENTIAL, MIXED RESULTS: THE JOHN GRAY INSTITUTE AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY - Penny L. Clark
3:45-4:15
ERNEST O. ESTWING AND HIS FAMOUS GEOLOGY PICKS, FIRST DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN 1934 - Stephen Mulqueen
4:15-4:30
FINAL REMARKS AND FIELDTRIP REVIEW