SPE News
Each year during its Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE), SPE honors members whose outstanding contributions to the Society and the petroleum industry merit special distinction. Recipients will be recognized at the Annual Awards Banquet on 22 October.
This section lists with regret SPE members who recently passed away.
After years of market shocks, technological breakthroughs, and rising uncertainty, ATCE 2026 will provide new insights on how industry leaders and technical experts are preparing for the next era of the upstream business.
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For the first time, attendees will have open access to both societies’ technical programs, a combined exhibit floor, and joint networking events.
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Two key themes have underpinned the advancement of human society: innovative technologies and an abundance of energy. The people working at the intersection of these two continue to shape and influence our collective future. These people are “Energy Influencers.”
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From the beginning, SPE has focused on knowledge dissemination in four fundamental areas, which I refer to as the core disciplines: drilling, completions, reservoir (including geosciences), and production operations.
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Giovanni Paccaloni, 2005 SPE President and a towering mentor and inspirational figure for SPE young professionals, died 28 May. He was 75. An Honorary Member of SPE, Paccaloni helped launch many successful, legacy SPE young professional (YP) programs.
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SPE leaders share their insights on how COVID-19 and the low oil price environment are affecting the oil and gas workforce, the SPE, and future industry interaction, including academia.
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William Benjamin (Ben) Cline IV, SPE, died 19 April. He was 87. Cline is the cofounder of Gaffney, Cline & Associates, an international oil and gas consultancy. A longstanding SPE member, Cline was a petroleum engineer of many accomplishments, a consummate problem solver, and a mentor and friend to many in the international oil and gas community.
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Valery I. Graifer, SPE Honorary Member and a founding father of the Russian oil industry, died 24 April. He was 90. Graifer was the chairman of the board of directors of Lukoil.
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Planning has begun for the 2021 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) after the cancellation of the 2020 OTC, which was to take place in Houston from 4–7 May. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued health and travel concerns, the OTC Board of Directors felt this decision was the most feasible and responsible for staff, exhibitors, partners, attendees, and the …