Permian Strategic Partnership Expands, Welcoming Education Powerhouses

Midland, Texas – The Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP) announced today that the Texas Tech University (TTU) System and The University of Texas (UT) System – two of the largest university systems in the country and national leaders in research, higher education and healthcare – joined the organization as its 23^rd and 24^th members.

“The University of Texas and Texas Tech University systems joining the Permian Strategic Partnership is a watershed moment for not only our organization but for the entire Permian Basin,” said Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, Chairman of the PSP. “With two of the premier university systems in Texas – and the country – joining our ranks, education and economic opportunity will grow exponentially for thousands across the Basin. I would like to thank the UT System and TTU System’s boards of regents, including Chancellor Milliken and Chancellor Mitchell, for their support, leadership and commitment to the Permian Strategic Partnership and expanding educational and healthcare access across the Permian Basin.”

Through these historic partnerships, the TTU System and UT System become the first university members of the PSP, bringing unparalleled academic resources and expertise to the coalition. The TTU and UT systems join a roster of twenty-two of the top oil and gas industry companies dedicated to responsibly developing resources in the Permian Basin while improving residents’ quality of life in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico.

“Today is a momentous day for the Permian Strategic Partnership, as we welcome the Texas Tech University System and the University of Texas System as the first academic members of our growing coalition,” said Tracee Bentley, President and CEO of the PSP. “These systems are synonymous with higher education and healthcare in Texas, bringing a legacy of innovation and community investment. With the support of these two powerhouse institutions, we will be able to expand academic access and support for the Permian Basin to levels never before seen in the region.”

In the four years since its inception, the PSP has achieved extraordinary feats in the Permian Basin. By uniting academic pioneers with industry leaders, it’s revolutionizing public-private partnerships and expanding its impact. Through its critical work in the region, the PSP has committed over $145 million in member company contributions, which have been leveraged into over $1 billion in collective investments across the Permian Basin, impacting education, healthcare, workforce development and road safety in the region.

“The Permian Strategic Partnership’s efforts are improving lives and economic outcomes all across the Permian Basin region, and the University of Texas System is proud to be a partner in supporting and magnifying its good work,” UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said. “With UTPB’s longstanding presence and investment in West Texas, this partnership is a natural fit for the UT System, and we look forward to helping build upon PSP’s record of success.”

“The Permian Basin is paramount to the continued prosperity of our state and offers an incredible opportunity to advance education and health care in Texas,” said Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., chancellor of the TTU System. “The recent growth fostered by local leaders and the PSP has been phenomenal in boosting academic access and infrastructure in the region, specifically at the Midland and Odessa campuses for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The TTU System is proud to have been a longstanding partner of the Permian Basin for more than 50 years and will continue to support this vital region as a member of the PSP.”

About the University of Texas System

The University of Texas System has enhanced the lives of Texans and individuals worldwide through its commitment to education, research and healthcare for 140 years. With 14 institutions collectively enrolling over 254,000 students, the UT System stands as one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions annually produce over 66,000 graduates and award more than one-third of the undergraduate degrees in Texas, as well as over 60% of the state’s medical degrees. The combined efforts of UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics resulted in over 10.7 million outpatient visits and more than 2 million hospital days last year. The UT System’s $3.8 billion research enterprise is one of the nation’s most innovative and ranks No. 1 in Texas and No. 2 in the nation for federal research expenditures. The UT System has an operating budget of $29.1 billion for fiscal year 2024 and employs more than 116,000 faculty, health care professionals, support staff and student workers.

About the Texas Tech University System

Established in 1996, the Texas Tech University System is one of the top public university systems in the nation, consisting of five universities – Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and Midwestern State University. Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the TTU System is a nearly $3 billion enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and outreach with approximately 21,000 employees and 63,000 students, more than 375,000 alumni, a statewide economic impact of $16.4 billion and an endowment valued at $1.7 billion. In its short history, the TTU System has grown tremendously and is nationally acclaimed, operating at 26 academic locations in 22 cities (20 in Texas, 2 international). In addition, the TTU System is one of only nine in the nation to offer programs for undergraduate, medical, law, nursing, pharmacy, dental and veterinary education, among other academic areas.

About the Permian Strategic Partnership The Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP) is a coalition of 24 leading Permian Basin energy companies and higher education institutions who joined together to work in partnership with leaders across the region’s communities to address current and future challenges to the responsible development of the vast oil and natural gas resources of the Permian Basin in the states of New Mexico and Texas. The PSP members are: Apache, BPX Energy, ChampionX, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Coterra Energy, Devon Energy, Diamondback Energy, Endeavor Energy Resources, EOG Resources, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Helmerich & Payne, Kinetik, Mewbourne Oil Company, Occidental, Ovintiv, Permian Resources, Pioneer Natural Resources, Plains All American, SLB, The Texas Tech System, The University of Texas System and WaterBridge Resources. For more information, visit www.permianpartnership.org.