SPE Sanction Membership Program

SPE and all its affiliate offices must comply with US and EU laws that prohibit its personnel from providing or assisting in the provision of certain services to individuals “ordinarily resident in” an embargoed country, or Cuban nationals. SPE employees may only provide to members residing in embargoed countries those membership benefits related to information or informational materials or that are otherwise authorized under US and EU law, including regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, licenses, and interpretations issued pursuant thereto.

For more information refer to the following websites:
http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Documents/ia121603pm.pdf http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/index_en.htm
http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/iran.pdf

“Ordinarily Resident In” generally includes:

  • Individuals, regardless of nationality, residing in an embargoed country
  • Individuals holding an embargoed country passport and a non-permanent visa (student, visitor, temporary, business) for any country outside the US or the EU
  • Individuals holding an embargoed country passport and a non-permanent visa (visitor, temporary, business) for the US or the EU

Available Benefits

The list below indicates which membership benefits are permitted versus those benefits that SPE may not offer.  Additional information regarding this issue may be found at http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/. 

There are a number of activities that SPE supports that are related to informational materials and thus are not limited by the US or EU Sanctions laws. 

Permitted activities include:

  • SPE membership
  • OnePetro accounts
  • Individual membership queries and benefits for publications, technical papers and informational matter
  • Attendance at SPE meetings, conferences, and workshops (cannot be an exhibitor)
  • SPE books and publications
  • Distinguished Lecturer Program
  • Information on SPE.org
  • Energy4me Program (energy education outreach to pre-university students)

There are a number of Services/Benefits that cannot be provided to SPE members in US/EU sanctioned countries (Iran, Sudan, Cuba) because there are US/EU personnel involved in providing these services who would be in violation of US/EU law if they offer them.

Activities that are not permitted:

  • Funding of any type, including:
    • Student support for technical development funds
    • Section rebates
    • Henry DeWitt Smith Fellowship
    • Gus Archie Memorial Scholarship
    • Nico van Wingen Fellowship
    • Star Scholarship and Fellowship
    • Membership Recruitment Contests
    • Membership Development Appreciation Awards
  • Assistance, guidance or support for student chapters or sections, their officers or activities
  • Participation at SPE Forums held in North and South America. Applicants to Forum Series outside of the Americas should consult with the responsible Forum Committee to discuss participation.
  • Programs
    • International Student Paper Contest
    • Outstanding Student Chapter Award
    • Outstanding Section YP Program Award
    • Regional Awards
    • International Awards
    • President’s Award for Section Excellence
    • eMentoring Program
    • Certification Program
    • Insurance Programs
    • Ambassador Lecturer Program
    • Student Job Board
  • Technical Interest Groups, Technical Sections or SPE Professional Networks
  • Volunteer Appreciation Gifts
  • SPEmail accounts
  • My SPE Network accounts