This is Volume 1 of a two-volume set. The set is the first comprehensive analysis of the Permian Basin in more than 60 years. Collectively, these chapters provide a spectrum of data and interpretations that characterize one of the largest hydrocarbon-producing super basins in the world. This publication will interest all who seek information on the distribution of hydrocarbons in the basin, as well as those wanting to better understand the evolution of the basin during the Phanerozoic.