As SPE’s Distinguished Lecture series wraps up its SPE section presentations for 2020–2021, a new series of virtual presentations stretches through the summer, providing access for all SPE members. Three of the live virtual presenters will be speaking on topics in the health, safety, environment, and sustainability (HSES) discipline.
Each year, SPE selects industry experts, nominated by their peers, to share their knowledge and expertise at SPE section meetings. Despite the many challenges faced this season, SPE’s Distinguished Lecturers gave more than 450 virtual presentations to members in more than 191 SPE sections countries around the world.
Starting on 22 June, 22 presentations will be made available live virtually, broadening the audience from SPE section meetings to all of SPE’s membership.
The three HSES lecturers are Andy Cuthbert, Derrick O’Keeffe, and John Smitherman.
Cuthbert is the global prevention, engineering, and technology manager for well control at Halliburton’s Boots & Coots. He will be speaking on “Capping A Subsea Blowout Is Not Rocket Science—or Is It?” a paper he presented for the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference in July 2020.
O’Keeffe is head of the safety and integrity division at Australia’s National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority. He will speak on “In Relentless Pursuit of Offshore Safety: A Privileged Perspective.”
Smitherman is the president of Stoneman Consulting. He has worked as an engineer in production and reservoir, as manager in operations and drilling, and as an officer with responsibilities including all operational aspects of the business. His presentation, “A Fatal Cleanout—An Engineer’s Role in Safety,” will focus on his close association with an accident investigation.