PBPA - Permian Basin Petroleum Association
01/11/2025 | Press release | Archived content
Dennis Johnson honored as PBPA Top Hand for contributions to Permian Basin
Midland Reporter-Telegram
by Mella McEwen
Dennis Johnson grew up surrounded by large Permian Basin oilfields.
A native of Sundown in Hockley County, "My dad worked for Jones & Laughlin Supply in Sundown. I was playing in his pump shop since I was three years old," he recalled.
That exposure to the Permian Basin's oil and gas industry put him on a career path that began when he earned a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University. But it's not only his only qualification for being designated the Permian Basin Petroleum Association's Top Hand.
Realizing Summit Petroleum, which he founded with son Matt in 2007 after leaving Henry Petroleum, needed an office building, they chose to also benefit the community. Instead of just an office building, they have built the Summit Center at 3200 Mockingbird Lane, a 20-acre site that will include a 4-acre park, retail shops and restaurants as well as office space. Already several restaurants have opened their doors, and the Johnson family recently hosted a soft opening for its pickleball pavilion. As Matt explained in the decision to build beyond an office building, "The answer lies in our desire to lift up our community and try to increase the quality of life for our friends and neighbors."
Ben Shepperd, president of the PBPA, told the Reporter-Telegram: "It is truly an honor for us to be able to present him with the PBPA Top Hand award. His contributions to the Permian Basin oil and gas industry are legendary. He literally started the Permian renaissance we are enjoying today through his work at Henry. Since then, he has continued his success for the better part of the last two decades with summit Petroleum. Now, he has launched the beautiful Summit Center in north Midland, something the whole community can enjoy.
"What some folks may not know is how much of a role he played in building the PBPA up to where we are today. Dennis helped lead the PBPA from our successful, historic roots to the larger and even more effective advocate that we are today. I am truly grateful for his friendship and mentorship over the years."
Dennis's path to chairman and chief executive officer of Summit began by doing roustabout work for a construction company, primarily tending to Texaco leases. He then worked summers as a roughneck for two drilling companies: Sitton North in Lubbock and Broderick in Odessa.
"Through that experience I decided to pursue petroleum engineering," he said.
Asked why he choose petroleum engineering, he explained: "I thought it would be more interesting. I was 18-19 years old. An electrical engineer works on one circuit. A petroleum engineer works 6,000 to 20,000 feet below. You can't see what's happening. You have to interpret a lot of data to make the most reasonable decisions. (That) has not disappointed."
Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, which have fueled the shale revolution, require a lot of analysis, he added. "It's not as easy to control as a lot of other processes. It's rewarding and challenging."
The Permian's hard rock and unconventional reservoirs require complex stimulation and completion programs, he said.
Johnson said he was very lucky to have some mentors guiding him throughout his career. At Exxon, Senior Drilling Engineer Bill Burchard helped him as the company drilled 20,000 to 30,000-feet deep vertical wells.
Next, at Union Texas, Engineering Manager Rod Erskine at the company's headquarters in Houston served as a mentor. "I also carpooled with him in Houston," Johnson noted.
Also at Union Texas was John Freeman, district manager in Midland. "He taught me a lot about supervision and delegation when I was district engineer and then operations manager," he recalled.
He joined Henry Petroleum in 1980 as vice president of drilling and production, rising to president, chief operating officer and partner before leaving to found Summit.
"(Jim Henry) was a good mentor on raising funds and private placement, also keeping a good balance of life between work and family and church," said Johnson.
He noted that when he joined Henry, the two men talked about Johnson eventually starting his own company. "We structured it so I could participate in buying into Henry Petroleum and buying alongside Henry in oil and gas projects. I've been participating for 27 years."
Since he and Matt Johnson founded Summit in April of 2007, Summit has been active in drilling over 755 wells (237 of which are horizontal), and with cumulative A&D transactions of over $1.3 billion. Summit Petroleum continues to be active with 2-3 horizontal rigs running in the Permian Basin with approximately a $250 million capital budget.