William D. (Bill) McCain, Jr., a 50-year veteran of the oil and gas industry and academia, and 2019 SPE Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award winner, died 20 September. He was 86.
McCain was a visiting professor of petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University. He began his engineering career with Esso/Exxon, then joined the petroleum engineering faculty at Mississippi State University, serving as head of the department for 11 years. He then joined S.A. Holditch & Associates, retiring as senior vice president, chief engineer, and member of the board of directors. McCain was associated with the Petroleum Engineering Department at Texas A&M in various full- and part-time roles since 1984, and established the William D. McCain Jr. Chair in Petroleum Engineering.
He held three US patents, published 38 technical papers, and presented and participated in many technical conferences. He was the author of five books, including three editions of Properties of Petroleum Fluids. McCain was an SPE Distinguished Member and served in numerous leadership and committee positions in SPE, including chairing the Education and Accreditation Committee and the Mississippi Section, and serving as technical editor of SPE Reservoir Engineering. McCain held a BS degree from Mississippi State College and MS and PhD degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology, all in chemical engineering.