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This is the 28th volume of Memorial Tributes compiled by the National Academy of Engineering as a personal remembrance of the lives and outstanding achievements of its members and international members. These volumes are intended to stand as an enduring record of the many contributions of engineers and engineering to the benefit of humankind. In most cases, the authors of the tributes are contemporaries or colleagues who had personal knowledge of the interests and the engineering accomplishments of the deceased. Through its members and international members, the Academy...
This is the 28th volume of Memorial Tributes compiled by the National Academy of Engineering as a personal remembrance of the lives and outstanding achievements of its members and international members. These volumes are intended to stand as an enduring record of the many contributions of engineers and engineering to the benefit of humankind. In most cases, the authors of the tributes are contemporaries or colleagues who had personal knowledge of the interests and the engineering accomplishments of the deceased. Through its members and international members, the Academy carries out the responsibilities for which it was established in 1964.
Under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering was formed as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. Members are elected on the basis of significant contributions to engineering theory and practice and to the literature of engineering or on the basis of demonstrated unusual accomplishments in the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology. The National Academies share a responsibility to advise the federal government on matters of science and technology. The expertise and credibility that the National Academy of Engineering brings to that task stem directly from the abilities, interests, and achievements of our members and international members, our colleagues and friends, whose special gifts we remember in this book.
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BY ROBERT A. HUBBARD, FRANK E. ASHFORD, MEMBERS OF THE CAMPBELL FAMILY, AND JOHN MORGAN SUBMITTED BY THE NAE HOME SECRETARY
JOHN MORGAN CAMPBELL SR., an influential petroleum engineer, educator, and author, was born March 24, 1922, to John M. and Ione Marie Campbell in Virden, Illinois. He passed away on Aug. 24, 2013. [Note: U.S. Obituary Collection, 1930-Current shows August 24, 2013, as DOD, as does his membership record.]
John’s early career was shaped by service to his country during World War II. In 1943, as a young engineer, he was assigned to the Manhattan Project, where he quantified the atomic laboratory process for plutonium enrichment. During this time, he met and married his wife, Gwen.
Following the war, he attended the University of Oklahoma from 1946 to 1951, earning master’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering. While completing his studies, he began his teaching career by lecturing in undergraduate courses and discovered a lifelong passion for education. After three years in industry at BS&B Inc., John returned to the University of Oklahoma as a professor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering, where he remained until 1968, including 10 years serving as department head.
In 1968, he founded John M. Campbell & Co., launching a new phase of his career as an educator and consultant to the oil and gas industry. That same year, he authored the first edition of Gas Conditioning and Processing. His unparalleled conceptual understanding of engineering laid the groundwork for the development of the textbook series, which has become a classic in the oil and gas industry.
Volume 1: The Basic Principles was directed toward those responsible for operating the industry’s many facilities. John believed these dedicated and diligent professionals needed a foundational understanding of the essential principles of oil and gas technology. At the same time, he recognized that young engineers, many of them taking their first steps into the commercial oil and gas sector, also required exposure to the practical and operational side of the industry. These students, he often said, needed more than theoretical knowledge; they needed to understand how technology is applied in real-world facilities.
Recognizing the gap between traditional university training and real-world operations, John developed Volume 2: The Equipment Modules in 1981. This work aimed to bridge that divide, combining conceptual instruction with practical insights to better prepare engineers for the complex demands of oil and gas operations. Together, the two volumes have helped generations of professionals gain both a solid theoretical foundation and practical insight necessary for success.
John’s influence extended far beyond the written page. Over the next 25 years, he developed and taught short courses for oil and gas companies around the world, sharing his knowledge and helping to shape the careers of countless engineers and operators. He also published numerous technical articles while working at BS&B Inc., establishing himself as a technical leader with a rare ability to explain difficult concepts in clear, relatable terms.
John’s contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including the John Franklin Carll Award for Distinguished Professionals from the Society of Professional Engineers (SPE) in 1978 and the Hanlon Award from the Gas Processors Association in 1987.
His approach to teaching was grounded in mentorship and encouragement. Known for his wisdom, patience, and generosity, he was always the first to recognize the accomplishments of others. He often told students, “Remember that your knowledge, when projected to those waiting for enlightenment from you, will always be multiplied back to you many-fold, when you give yourself to them with no restrictions.”
Colleagues remember him as a remarkable person and a natural leader. Bob Hubbard, a past-president of John M. Campbell & Co., reflected:
I met Dr Campbell when I joined the company in 1980. He was a remarkable person and a natural leader. He had the unique ability to distill complex topics into understandable pieces. He was technically brilliant but also understood the human side of our business. I am proud to have known him and enjoyed his friendship. I will miss him.
Through his writing, teaching, and example, John left a legacy that continues to shape the oil and gas industry worldwide.