SPE/AIME Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal for Technical Leadership
The Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal recognizes achievement in improving techniques and practices of finding and producing petroleum.
Russell Johns is the George E. Trimble Chair of Energy and Mineral Sciences and the acting head of the department of energy and mineral engineering at Pennsylvania State University. Prior to his current position, he taught at The University of Texas at Austin and worked for Shell Oil and Colenco Power Consulting. Johns is an SPE Distinguished Lecturer and former editor in chief for SPE technical journals. He received the SPE Cedric K. Ferguson Award, SPE Distinguished Member Award, SPE PhD Pipeline Award, SPE International Award in Reservoir Description and Dynamics, and SPE IOR Pioneer Award.
He holds a BS degree in electrical engineering from Northwestern University and MS and PhD degrees in petroleum engineering and water resources from Stanford University.
SPE Cedric K. Ferguson Award
The Cedric K. Ferguson Medal is presented to young professional authors of an SPE peer-approved technical paper who are members of SPE and are 35 or younger on the date of peer approval. Coauthors 36 or older who were SPE members on the date of peer approval receive the Cedric K. Ferguson Certificate.
Feifei Zhang is a professor in petroleum engineering at Yangtze University. Before joining Yangtze University, he worked as a professional technologist with Halliburton Landmark in Houston. He currently serves as an associate editor for SPE Journal and SPE Drilling and Completion and is a member of SPE Data Science and Engineering Analytics Advisory Committee. He has authored over 30 technical papers and holds 12 international patents.
He holds a PhD degree in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa and a bachelor’s degree in geology engineering from Jilin University.
Certificate—Md Aminul Islam
Md Aminul Islam works as a principal engineer in drilling and well operations at Equinor ASA in Norway. Prior to joining Equinor, he was a senior drilling engineer in the oil and gas sector in Bangladesh. He was also a lecturer at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
He has been an SPE member since 2007 and has delivered keynote speeches at several SPE events both abroad and in Norway. He has authored over 30 technical papers, written book chapters, received the Equinor R&D Innovation Award, and holds several international patents.
He holds an MSc and PhD in petroleum engineering from NTNU and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from BUET, Dhaka.
SPE/AIME DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal
The DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal recognizes distinguished and outstanding service to SPE, to the professions of engineering or geology, and to the petroleum industry.
Saeed Al-Mubarak is an intelligent fields and petroleum engineering consultant at Saudi Aramco. He is the intelligent fields focus area champion who has led several teams and knowledge-sharing initiatives including the Saudi Aramco strategic team managing the world’s largest intelligent fields, the Experts Hub. He was the chairman for the SPE Digital Energy Technical Section, a member in the SPE Management and Information (M&I) Advisory Committee, and the SPE M&I Award Advisory Committee. He served as an industry advisor of the Texas A&M University SPE Student Chapter. He is a recipient of the SPE Middle East Regional Management and Information (M&I) Award, World Oil Innovative Thinker Award, 2013 Saudi King’s Award for Innovation, SPE International Award for M&I, the SPE International Distinguished Service Award, and the SPE International Distinguished Member Award.
Mubarak holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in petroleum engineering, both from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.
SPE Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty
This award recognizes superior teaching, excellence in research, significant contributions to the petroleum engineering profession, or special effectiveness in advising and guiding students.
Baojun Bai is a professor and the Lester R. Birbeck Endowed Chair in Petroleum Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T). Bai is an SPE Distinguished Member and received the SPE Mid-Continent Regional Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty, and the SPE Mid‑Continent Regional Service Award. He serves as the editor of the Elsevier book series Developments in Petroleum Science.
Bai holds a PhD in petroleum engineering from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, a PhD in petroleum geology from China University of Geosciences, a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from the Graduate School of RIPED in PetroChina, and a bachelor’s degree in reservoir engineering from Daqing Petroleum Institute, China.
SPE Distinguished Member Award
SPE Distinguished Membership, limited to 1% of SPE professional membership, recognizes SPE members whose achievements and/or service to the Society are deemed worthy of special recognition.
Behnam Jafarpour is a professor of chemical engineering and material science at University of Southern California’s (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering with joint appointments in electrical and computer engineering and civil and environmental engineering departments. He started his academic career as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University in 2008 prior to joining USC in 2011. He has received the SPE Junior Faculty Research Initiation, SPE Western North America Regional Distinguished Faculty Achievement, SPE Western North America Regional Management and Information, SPE Western North American Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics, and SPE Western North American Regional Formation Evaluation awards.
Jafarpour holds PhD and master of science degrees in civil and environmental engineering and electrical engineering and computer science, respectively, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Iskander Diyashev is an instructor at PetroSkills and a professor of practice in the petroleum engineering department at Texas A&M University. Prior to his current roles, he held engineering and leadership positions at S.A. Holditch & Associates, Schlumberger, Sibneft, and Geo-Alliance. He served on the SPE International Board and contributed to various technical committees and conferences. Diyashev served as SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 2005–2006 and 2017–2018.
He holds a PhD in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University and BS and MS degrees in physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
Joseph Frantz Jr. is CEO of Frantz & Associates LLC, a consulting company working in the upstream oil and gas sector. Prior to his current role, he worked for Getty Oil, Texaco, Range Resources, and Unbridled Energy. He also did consultation work for S.A. Holditch & Associates and SLB. He was awarded the SPE Eastern Regional Service Award, SPE Completions Technology and Optimization Award, and is a two-time SPE Distinguished Lecturer.
He holds a BSc in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Pennsylvania State University.
Jennifer Miskimins is a professor and department head of petroleum engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, where she holds the F.H. Mick Merelli/Cimarex Energy Distinguished Department Head Chair. Miskimins was awarded the 2014 SPE Completions Optimization and Technology Award and the 2023 SPE Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty. She served on the SPE International Board of Directors and currently serves as the chair for the SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technical Conference and Exhibition. She served as the 2023 AIME President and was the editor in chief for the 2019 SPE Hydraulic Fracturing: Fundamentals and Advancements Monograph.
Miskimins holds a BS from the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology and MS and PhD degrees from the Colorado School of Mines, all in petroleum engineering.
Shauna Noonan is an Oxy Fellow and Senior Director of Global Supply Chain Initiatives. She has 30 years’ experience at Oxy, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips. She has been awarded the SPE Outstanding Technical Editor Award, the SPE A Peer Apart Award, SPE Gulf Coast Section Regional Production and Operations Award, the Schlumberger Gold Award, and the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC) Award. She served as 2020 SPE President.
She holds a BSc in petroleum engineering from the University of Alberta.
SPE Distinguished Service Award
The SPE Distinguished Service Award recognizes exceptional devotion of time, effort, thought, and action to the Society that sets them apart from other contributions.
I. Yucel Akkutlu is a petroleum engineering professor and William Keeler Faculty Fellow at Texas A&M University, where he holds the John Edgar Holt ‘27 Chair. An SPE member since 2018, he was the recipient of the SPE Lester C. Uren Award, an SPE Distinguished Lecturer, and executive editor of the SPE Journal. He also received the Texas A&M College of Engineering Faculty Excellence award and the 2015 AIME Rossiter W. Raymond Memorial Award.
He received a PhD in petroleum engineering from the University of Southern California.
Eissa Al-Safran is a professor of petroleum engineering and former vice dean for research and academic affairs at the College of Engineering and Petroleum at Kuwait University. Al-Safran received the SPE Middle East Regional Distinguished Achievement for Petroleum Engineering Faculty Award, SPE Middle East and North Africa Regional Production and Operations Award, the SPE Distinguished Membership Award, the SPE Middle East and North Africa Regional Service Award, and the SPE International Production and Operations Award.
He holds BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees in petroleum engineering and an MSc degree in mathematics and science education, all from The University of Tulsa.
Junichi Sugiura is the vice president and co-founder of Sanvean Technologies. He was formerly a Schlumberger principal engineer in the UK. He is an SPE Distinguished Member and SPE Distinguished Lecturer. He has received the SPE Europe Regional Drilling Engineering Award, SPE Europe Regional Service Award, and SPE A Peer Apart Award. He served as 2019 SPE ATCE vice-chair and was a 2020 SPE ATCE chair. He is an associate editor for SPE Drilling and Completion and a technical editor for SPE Journal.
He holds a BS degree in electrical engineering honors from The University of Texas at Austin.
Ali Yousef is a principal petroleum engineering professional and chief technologist of reservoir engineering technology division in the Saudi Aramco Upstream Advanced Research Center. He has more than 28 years of experience in upstream research and technology.
He has received the Saudi Aramco President and CEO Excellence Award and the SPE IOR Pioneer Award. Yousef was recognized by the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques in 2018, received World Oil 2020 and 2022 awards, 2023 Special Meritorious Award for Engineering Innovation, and 2023 Suzanne West Environmental Excellence Award for successful field demonstration of zero liquid discharge produced water management technology. He is the recipient of SPE Distinguished Membership and has also been elected as 2021 Fellow of Energy Institute.
Yousef holds a BS degree in chemical engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and MS and PhD degrees in petroleum engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
SPE Giovanni Paccaloni Young Professional Service Award
The SPE Giovanni Paccaloni Young Professional Service Award recognizes contributions to and leadership in the public and community arenas and SPE, the profession, and the industry by a member younger than 36.
Olawale Ajayi is a petroleum engineer employed by NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) as a reservoir engineer for swamp and offshore assets. He previously worked for PETEX’s technical partner in Nigeria and Chevron. He has served as co‑chairperson for the SPE Nigerian Council Young Professionals and co-chairperson for communications and protocol for SPE Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition in 2023 and 2023. He was a 2023 TWA Energy Influencer.
Ajayi holds a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Port Harcourt and a master’s degree from the University of Port Harcourt and IFP School, France.
Gabrijel Grubac is a senior engineer at Blade Energy Partners, involved in stimulation and completion in oil and gas and deep geothermal projects. He received the 2021 South Central and East Europe Regional Young Member Outstanding Service Award. He has volunteered with SPE Tech Days, advisor for SPE Virtual Career Pathways Fair, Ambassador Lecturer program, SPE Europe GeoHackathon, and SPEcial Geothermal Talks.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Wyoming and a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Belgrade.
Eelah Muzan is a production technologist with Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria. She joined SPE as a student member and transitioned into a professional member with the Port Harcourt Section where she has functioned in several capacities including treasurer, secretary, and Young Professionals chair. She also served for 2 years as the Young Professionals Subcommittee chair for SPE Nigeria Council.
Muzan holds a BEng in chemical engineering from UCSI University, Malaysia and an MS in petroleum engineering from Heriot‑Watt University.
Baraa Hameed Salman is a renewable energy researcher at the Petroleum R&D Center, Iraqi Ministry of Oil. His research focuses on the adoption and integration of renewable energy in the oil and gas industry. He serves as the SPE Baghdad Section communication chairperson and student chapter liaison.
He holds an MSc in renewable energy engineering from Heriot-Watt University and is pursuing his executive MBA remotely in the US.
Vlada Streletskaya is assistant to the rector of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas in Moscow, Russia. In 2018, she was appointed as director of the Russian National Committee of the World Petroleum Council. She received an SPE Star Fellowship for Russia and Caspian Region and SPE Russia and Caspian Regional Young Member Outstanding Service Award. She also previously served as president of the Gubkin University SPE student chapter.
She holds a master’s degree from Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas.
Adam Zalewski is a principal research engineer, production technology, in Equinor ASA in Norway. Before joining Equinor, he started his career at BP. He received an SPE Star Scholarship for the North Sea Region and the SPE North Sea Regional Young Professional Service Award.
He started his SPE volunteering journey as a student chapter president for SPE University of Aberdeen. He has served as a Young Professional chair for SPE Aberdeen Section, chair for SPE London Section, and currently as a program chair for SPE Stavanger Section. He serves on the ATCE Technical Program Completion Committee and Young Member Engagement Committee.
He holds an MEng in petroleum engineering from the University of Aberdeen.
SPE/AIME Honorary Member Award
Honorary Membership is the highest honor SPE confers upon an individual. It is limited to 0.1% of SPE’s total membership and is conferred on individuals for outstanding service to SPE or in recognition of distinguished scientific or engineering achievement in fields encompassed in SPE’s technical scope.
Birol Dindoruk is the American Association of Drilling Engineers Endowed Professor of Petroleum Engineering at University of Houston. He has earned the SPE Lester C. Uren Award, SPE Cedric K. Ferguson Medal, and SPE Distinguished Membership. In 2017, he was elected to National Academy of Engineering for his theoretical and practical contributions to enhanced oil recovery and CO2 sequestration. He was the SPE Data Science and Engineering Analytics Technical Director, SPE Reservoir Dynamics and Description Technical Discipline Advisory Committee member, and SPE Distinguished Lecturer. He has been active in various editorial positions under SPE and Elsevier. He is the editor in chief for SPE’s peer-reviewed journals and previous editor in chief of Elsevier’s Journal of Natural Gas and Engineering.
He holds a BSc degree from Technical University of Istanbul in petroleum engineering, MSc degree from University of Alabama in petroleum engineering, a PhD from Stanford University in petroleum engineering and mathematics, and an MBA from University of Houston.
Curtis Hays Whitson is a professor of petroleum engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He is an SPE Distinguished Member, two-time recipient of the SPE Cedric K. Ferguson Award, Best Paper Award in SPE Reservoir Engineering, and SPE/AIME Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal. He received the 2010 Excellence in Research Award from Statoil and was elected to the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences in 2012.
He holds a BSc degree in petroleum engineering from Stanford University and a PhD degree from the Norwegian Institute of Technology.
SPE John Franklin Carll Award for Distinguished Professionals
The John Franklin Carll Award recognizes contributions of technical application and professionalism in petroleum development and recovery.
Anil Ambastha is a Chevron Fellow and senior principal simulation engineer at Chevron Techology Center in Houston. Prior to joining Chevron, he worked as a faculty member in petroleum engineering at the University of Alberta and a staff reservoir engineer at Shell Canada Ltd. Ambastha was program chairperson and chairperson of SPE Edmonton Section. He also served as SPE San Joaquin Valley Section director and SPE Sumatra Section technical director. He has received the SPE/AIME DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal, SPE IOR Pioneer, SPE Distinguished Service, SPE Lester C. Uren Technical Excellence, and SPE Distinguished Member awards. He has also received SPE Outstanding Technical Editor award 15 times, Outstanding Associate Editor award, and SPE A Peer Apart award.
Ambastha holds BTech, MS, and PhD degrees from Indian Institute of Technology, The University of Tulsa, and Stanford University, respectively, all in petroleum engineering. He also holds an MS in operations research from Stanford University.
SPE Lester C. Uren Award for Technical Excellence
The Lester C. Uren Award recognizes distinguished achievement in petroleum engineering technology by a member who made the contribution before age 45.
Tao Yang is a senior specialist in reservoir technology at Equinor ASA in Norway. Before joining Equinor, he worked for Whitson AS, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yang has served as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer and received the SPE North Sea Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamic Award, SPE Distinguished Membership Award, OG21 Technology Champion Award from the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, NTVA Honorary Award, and EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers) Alfred Wegener Award.
Yang holds a BSc in applied chemistry and a PhD in chemical engineering from China University of Petroleum.
SPE Public Service Award
The SPE Public Service Award recognizes distinguished public service to a country, state, community, or the public through excellence in leadership, service, or humanitarianism, provided the service is above the requirements of employment.
Rahul Patil is a senior technology manager at Halliburton. Prior to his work at Halliburton, he was an assistant professor at Hiroshima University in Japan. His volunteer work at SPE includes serving as a peer reviewer for SPE Drilling and Completion and member of the SPE International Award Committee. He was a recipient of SPE South Asia and the Pacific Regional Completions Optimization and Technology Award, SPE South Asia and the Pacific Regional Public Service Award, and SPE South Asia and the Pacific Regional Service Award.
Patil holds a PhD from University of Pune, India, and he completed the business leadership development program III from Texas A&M University.
SPE/AIME Rossiter W. Raymond Memorial Award
The Rossiter W. Raymond Memorial Award recognizes the best paper published in AIME’s fields in a given period where the lead author is a member under 35 years of age.
Shimin Liu is a professor of energy and mineral engineering at Pennsylvania State University. His research interests include coalbed methane, carbon sequestration, geomechanics, flow of fluids in porous media, health, and safety. He is editor in chief for International Journal of Coal Science and Technology.
He holds a PhD in engineering sciences from Southern Illinois University.
Guijie Sang is a postdoctoral research associate at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. He has been an SPE member since 2018 and an editorial board member for Elsevier’s Unconventional Resources. Sang has an interdisciplinary background in rock mechanics, petroleum engineering, geotechnical engineering, and microbiology.
He holds a PhD degree in petroleum engineering from Pennsylvania State University.
SPE Stephen A. Holditch Visionary Leadership Award
The Stephen A. Holditch Visionary Leadership Award recognizes individuals that have devoted significant time, effort, thought, and action and have demonstrated exceptional visionary leadership resulting in a lasting and momentous impact on the Society of Petroleum Engineers and/or the oil and gas industry.
Khaled Al-Buraik is senior vice president of Saudi Aramco’s Southern Area Oil Operations (SAOO). He has been with the company for 36 years serving in several vice president and senior vice president positions. Al-Buraik is the chairman of the board of the joint venture between Nabors and Saudi Aramco—SANAD, chairman of the Aramco Gulf Operations Company (AGOC) board, chairman of the National Industrial Training Institute board, and chairman of the National Power Academy trustee’s board. He has received 7 patents and published 3 articles. Al‑Buraik is a former SPE International Board of Directors member, KSA SPE Board of Directors member, SPE Middle East and North Africa Regional Service Award recipient, and SPE Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal recipient.
He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in petroleum engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.
SPE Technical Awards
These awards recognize outstanding achievements or contributions to the advancement of petroleum engineering in specific technical disciplines.
SPE Completions Optimization and Technology Award
Frank Chang is a senior research science consultant at the Aramco Americas Houston Research Center. He was the executive editor of SPE Production and Operations and served on the JPT Editorial Review Board. He received the Outstanding Technical Reviewer award eight times, the SPE A Peer Apart Award, and SPE Distinguished Membership Award.
Chang holds a PhD degree from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette), both in petroleum engineering, and a BS degree in mineral and petroleum engineering from the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan.
SPE Data Science and Engineering Analytics Award
Supriya Gupta leads AI strategy and business development for SLB in offshore Atlantic. She is a recipient of the SPE Gulf Coast Section Regional Management and Information Award. Gupta has served on the Advisory Committee of SPE Management and Information (M&I) and the SPE ATCE Advanced Analytics Committee.
She holds a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani), India.
SPE Drilling Engineering Award
Guodong David Zhan is a science consultant for Saudi Aramco where he leads the advanced drilling tools team at the EXPEC Advanced Research Center. He is a drill-bit expert and has also been recognized with many international awards such as Hart Energy’s E&P Award, World Oil Award, OTC Distinguished Achievement Special Citation Award, ADIPEC Breakthrough Research Award, Global Energy Show Award, and IoT World Award. Zhan is an active SPE member and has served in many capacities such as SPE and OTC conferences’ section chairman, co-chair, and technical committee member. He also served on editorial boards as a reviewer for many international journals and academic editor for books.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in metallic metals and heat treatment and a master’s degree in materials science and applied chemistry, both from Changsha Institute of Technology, a PhD in metallurgical engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and postdoctoral fellow in nanomaterials and nanotechnology from the University of California at Davis.
SPE Formation Evaluation Award
Zoya Heidari is an associate professor in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. She previously worked as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University. She is a recipient of the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA) Distinguished Technical Achievement Award, the SPWLA Young Professional Technical Award, EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers) Arie van Weelden Award, SPE/AIME Rossiter W. Raymond Memorial Award, SPE Distinguished Membership Award, SPE Cedric K. Ferguson Medal, SPE Gulf Coast North America Regional and Southwestern North America Regional Formation Evaluation awards, SPE Innovative Teaching Award, and SPE Petroleum Engineering Junior Faculty Research Initiation Award.
She received a PhD in petroleum engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
SPE Health, Safety, and Environment Award
Kirsty Walker works for SLB corporate HSE team with 29 years of experience in HSE management at SLB and acquired companies. She has been involved with the work of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) Safety Committee since 2005. She has been a vice-chair of the safety committee for the past 8 years and has chaired the IOGP safety data subcommittee for 13 years. Walker has been involved in the initial development and refresh of the IOGP Life-Saving Rules and the development of the IOGP Start Work Checks.
She holds an honors degree in minerals engineering from Camborne School of Mines and a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Birmingham.
SPE Management Award
Bader A. Al Munaifi has spent more than 3 decades at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) where he serves as the deputy chief executive officer. He currently spearheads efforts to drive oil production growth from North Kuwait in alignment with the 2040 strategy. Previously, he led the Gas and Innovation Directorate, where he oversaw gas production growth for KOC and championed innovation and technology initiatives. He also led the South and East Kuwait Directorate, home to Kuwait’s largest oil field—Burgan. He has held board directorship responsibilities in Kuwait Gulf Oil Company and is currently a board member at Kuwait National Petroleum Company, a downstream company within the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation group.
He holds a BS degree in petroleum engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
SPE Production and Operations Award
Eduardo Pereyra is an associate professor at the McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering and associate director at the fluid flow project and horizontal wells artificial lift projects at The University of Tulsa. He previously worked at PDVSA Intevep, Multiphase Systems Integration, and Chevron.
Eduardo holds two BE degrees in mechanical engineering and system engineering from the University of Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela, and a master’s degree and PhD in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa.
SPE Projects, Facilities, and Construction Award
Carolyn Koh is professor of chemical and biological engineering and director of the Center for Hydrate Research at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). She was a Reader at King’s College, London University, before joining CSM. She has been a visiting professor at Cornell, Penn State, and London University. She was a consultant for the Gas Research Institute in Chicago and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, associate editor of the SPE Journal, chair of the US DOE Methane Hydrate Advisory Committee, and served on the US Secretary of Energy Advisory Board.
She obtained her BSc and PhD degrees from the University of West London and postdoctoral training at Cornell University.
SPE Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award
Jack Jones is a reservoir engineering consultant with NSI Fracturing LLC. He has volunteered with SPE as co-chair of the SPE Forum Series in North America, co-chair of the SPE Applied Technology Workshop on Evaluation and Exploitation of Tight Gas Reservoirs, JPT Editorial Review Board, and chairman of the SPE Applied Technology Workshop on Life of Field Surveillance for Unconventional Gas.
Jones holds BS and MSc degrees in mathematics and a PhD in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa.
SPE Sustainability and Stewardship in the Oil and Gas Industry Award
George Koperna Jr. is Advanced Resources International’s vice president of engineering. He has held numerous SPE volunteer positions, including serving on the SPE International Board of Directors as the Northeastern North American Regional Director and chairing its Audit Committee. Koperna has also participated in the SPE Distinguished Lecturer Selection Committee, the SPE Reservoir Award Committee and as its chairperson in 2018, the SPE/AIME DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal Committee, SPE Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal Committee, and SPE/AIME Robert Earll McConnell Award Committee and as its chair in 2023, and the SPE Reservoir Technical Director Advisory Committee.
He holds BSc and MSc degrees in petroleum and natural gas engineering from West Virginia University.