A Century Beneath the Surface
Marking 100 years of the West Texas Geological Socie ty, the 2026 Centennial Conference carries forward the theme: &ldquo\;A Ce ntury Beneath the Surface.&rdquo\;
This milestone event honors a legacy of exploration, interpretation, and innovation that has shaped the Permian Basin since 1926&mdash\;while looking ahead to the next generation of geological challenges and opportunities.
Throughout the week, technical sessions, presentations, and di scussions will focus on how geoscientists continue to unlock value through thoughtful interpretation, integrated data, and collaborative science. Fr om foundational stratigraphy to emerging technologies, the conference emph asizes the connection between our geological past and the future of energy development.
Whether you are a seasoned professi onal, an early-career geoscientist, or a student entering the field, the 2 026 Centennial Conference offers an opportunity to learn, connect, and con tribute within a vibrant geological community. We invite you to engage ful ly, share your insights, and help carry forward the legacy of excellence t hat defines WTGS and SWS AAPG.
We look forward to welcoming you to Midland in September 2026 as we honor a century beneath the surface&mdash\;and continue building what comes next.
\;
The West Texas Geological Society (WTGS) and the Southwest Section of the American Association of Petrole
um Geologists (SWS AAPG) invite you to submit your research for p
resentation at the 2026 Centennial Conference, taking place September 12&n
dash\;16 at the Bush Convention Center in Midland.
Submission Guidelines
&bull\; \; \; \; \; \; \;&
nbsp\; \; \; \; \; \; Submit abstracts to su
bmissions@wtgs.org by Friday, June 26, 2026
& bull\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Include &ldquo\;A BSTRACT SUBMISSION&rdquo\; in the subject line
&b ull\; \; \; \; \; \;& nbsp\; \; \; \; \; \; \; Maximum length: 50 0 words
&bull\;& nbsp\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Images will not be included in the printed abstract bookl et
&bull\; \ ; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \;&nb sp\; Oral presentations: 20 minutes + 5 minutes Q&\;A
&bull\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; A cceptance notifications will be sent via email
&bull\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Acceptance authorizes WTGS to record and di stribute presentation video (optional image blackout available for proprie tary content)
&nb sp\;
Tentative Conference Schedule< /u>
Saturday, September 12t h
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; 100-Year Anniversary C ore Workshop: Early Permian Basin Field Discoveries
o \; \; 17 Cores f
rom early Permian Basin discoveries between 1920-1934
·\;&n bsp\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Rock Solid: Teaching with Energy &ndash\; K-12 Teacher&rsq uo\;s Workshop
o \; \; An Earth Science and energy workshop designed for area K-12 STEM teachers
Sunday, Septembe r 13th
·\; \; \; \; \;&n
bsp\; \; \; \; Vendor Set-U
p
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; FREE Short Course: Fundamentals of S iliciclastic Sequence Stratigraphy
o&nb sp\; \; All day short course instru cted by John Holbrook of Texas Christian University
·\; \ ; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Icebreaker
Monday, September 14th
Full Day Prese ntations &ndash\; SWS AAPG
·\;< span style="font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman'\;"> \; \; \; \;& nbsp\; \; \; \; DPA Luncheo n
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Social Event &ndash\; Casino Night & ndash\; Monte Carlo Glam!
o \;&nbs p\; Join WTGS and SWS AAPG at the Petro leum Club of Midland from 6PM &ndash\; 10PM, formal attire encouraged
o \; \; Blackjack, craps, and roulette &ndash\; Prizes for the top 3 cham pions!
o \; \; <
/span>Heavy hors d&rsquo\;oeuvres, open bar, and live music<
/p>
o \; \; < !--[endif]-->Raffle tickets and gaming chips included with ticket purchase
o \; \; Sponsorship opportunities available
< strong>Tuesday, September 15th
·\; \ ; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Full Day Presentations &ndash\; WTGS
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Networking Luncheon
·\ ; \; \; \; \ ; \; \; \; \; Happy Hou r
Wednesday, September 16th
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \;& nbsp\; Half Day Presentations &ndash\; WTGS
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \;&nbs p\; Ethics Luncheon
Thursday, September 17th
·\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; < /span>58th Annual Rockhound Classic
o \; \; S hotgun start at 8AM &ndash\; Hogan Park Golf Course
·\; \ ; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; Morning departure to conference field trip