It is our pleasure to announce that Les Magoon, our longtime founding co-principal of the Basin and Petroleum System Modeling (BPSM) Industrial Affiliates Program at Stanford University, has been selected to receive AAPG’s most distinguished award, the 2021 AAPG Sidney Powers Medal. Les is best known for popularizing the petroleum system concept. Since 1990 Les has been the leading advocate of this concept for industry and academia. Les championed and promoted its widespread use through countless lectures (e.g., AAPG Distinguished Lecturer; 1990-1991) and his book co-authored with Wally Dow on The Petroleum System – From Source to Trap (AAPG Memoir 60). The book is the most popular AAPG Memoir in history with nearly 5,000 copies sold through three printings. Les also promoted exploration in many worldwide basins through geochemical oil-source rock correlations and by creating detailed summaries and maps of oil and gas systems as the basis for U.S. Geological Survey total petroleum system assessments. Among his other major contributions, Les played a key role in the global acceptance of computerized basin and petroleum system modeling as an exploration and resource assessment tool through many high-profile publications. Les continues to contribute as a valued mentor for our talented PhD candidates in the Stanford BPSM program. It has been my pleasure to call Les friend and colleague for so many years. Congratulations Les, for this well-deserved recognition by AAPG!
