Richard "Dick" Foley

---

     This is the story of man who didn't start out to be a geologist and although still a geologist, nevertheless has pursued an entirely different career path since 1985.

     Dick's story commences in El Dorado, Arkansas where his father was employed by Pure Oil Company as a geologist during the "Smackover Boom" of that area.  The family moved to Midland, Texas before arriving in Wichita in 1929.  Dick has a brother, Michael who was co-founder of the Taco Grande chain, but since has sold his interest and is spending his retirement years in California.  Dick's sister, Ruth Krueger, is now retired from teaching at Bishop Carroll High School.

     Dick attended Blessed Sacrament through the eighth grade and then it was on to Cathedral High School where he graduated in 1943.  He then enrolled in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wichita. He stayed in that curriculum for one year, but said he was not happy there because of the smell of the labs.  One day he was riding with a friend and the friend said "why don't you try geology, after all her father is a geologist."  Thus his geological career commenced.

     At about this time, Dick and a friend had heard of a big Jade find in Wyoming, so they went to Wyoming.  Dick decided to attend the geology field camp of the University of Missouri while he was there.  He actually attended field camp for two summers.  After the first summer he enrolled in geology at the University of Missouri where he graduated in 1947.  During his college years, Dick believes that he was influenced most by Dr ver Weibe at WSU and Dr. Cecil Keller at the University of Missouri. 

     After graduation he spent one year in graduate school.  He then took the USGS test and was waiting to hear from them regarding possible employment in June of 1948.  His dad wanted him to take a microscope over to Koch Oil.  The man in charge of exploration at the time was Clark Morgan.  He told Dick he should go to work for Koch.   When Dick inquired as to when, Morgan said “go into the next room and start to work.”   He went to work at 8:00 am the next day and at 10:00 am received a telegram from the USGS telling him where to report for work.  Dick says that he flipped a coin and the "oilfields" won.

     Dick's first wellsite experience was on a well in Pecos County, Texas.   While drilling, the bit fell about 5’ feet and back lashed.  The driller thought he had twisted off, but Dick had him check to see if any weight had been lost or if pump pressure had decreased.  The answer to both questions was no, so Dick convinced the driller to circulate up samples.  Dick found dolomite crystals as big as his little finger nail with oil coating the crystals.  When a DST was taken, the fluid was turned to a test tank on location, the well flowed at the rate of 100-150 BOPH.  Dick indicates that it has been somewhat downhill from this point onward.

     In 1949, Dick went to work for Sinclair. Don Payne was President of the KGS that year.  In 1950 he transferred to Sinclair's Oklahoma City office.  One experience he had during his time in Oklahoma City was at Christmas in 1950.  He and one other geologist were watching 7 wells in the "Golden Trend" area around Lindsay, Oklahoma.  The company allowed the other geologist (who was married) to go home to spend Christmas with his family, thus Dick, who was single, was left with 7 wells to watch.

     In 1951, Dick was the wellsite geologist on a well, which was 15 miles south of Laverne Oklahoma.  The closest control was 15-20 miles away.  Dick started on this well on the 3rd of July and did not return to Oklahoma City until the well was completed on Thanksgiving evening.   When he did return to Oklahoma City that evening, his phone was ringing and it was Thornton Anderson calling to ask whether he would be interested in coming back to Wichita.

(Continued on next page)

Previous --|xx Next