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Members of the Penn State SPE Student Chapter showed some school-age children how to construct their very own oil reservoir using colored sand and black paint at the Engineers Week observance in Pittsburgh's Carnegie Science Center in February. The Chapter, along with members from the Pittsburgh Petroleum Section gave out information on petroleum engineering and engaged students and adults alike in discussions about career opportunities in the petroleum industry. Pictured are two students making their own oil reservoir.

The Dallas Section Young Professionals have launched a new website to keep their 300 members informed of both YP and section events and activities. Check it out at http://www.dallasspeyp.com/.

Recognizing a need to address technology advances and gaps in the areas of drilling systems automation and production and operations, the SPE Board Committee on Membership approved two new technical sections in 2008. Both sections have made significant progress in advancing their agendas, and all indications point to greater activity in the year ahead. Read more »

Over the last 10 days it has come to our attention that criminals are using SPE’s corporate name in an attempt to commit fraud on the public.

To date, there are two major fraud schemes of which we are aware.  One involves individuals who have items for sale on Craig’s List. Another requests people to conduct an evaluation of Wal-Mart and Western Union. In each case an individual receives a fraudulent check with SPE’s name as the payer, along with a San Francisco address. The individual is then asked to deposit the check, and forward funds to another person.

SPE is in no way involved in this fraud scheme.  SPE has no San Francisco address, and would never request that a payee forward funds to anyone.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, SEND MONEY TO ANYONE BASED ON THESE FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS.

SPE has contacted its bank, and notified the proper authorities.

If you receive an unexpected check from The Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.,  and are asked to in turn send money to someone else please contact Cheryl Finnerty at 972-952-9424.

Gabrielle Guerre, ExxonMobil

Gabrielle Guerre, a reservoir engineer with ExxonMobil, has recently been named to the New Faces of Engineering by the (US) National Engineers Week Foundation. Guerre, who works in Houston, manages a waterflood and steamflood project in California.

Guerre currently serves as the SPE Gulf Coast Section (GCS) Drilling Study Group treasurer.  Prior GCS experience includes serving on the Young Professionals (YP) Board and organizing the Roughneck Camp for Houston area Oil and Gas new hires and interns.  She also was a volunteer for the annual Young Professionals Emerging Engineers Conference.  At ExxonMobil she has been instrumental in recruiting volunteers for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, Science Ambassadors, United Way, and Junior Achievement.

Avinash Sarangi and Sandeep Kumar put together a one-year anniversary video (complete with techno-music background) to celebrate the accomplishments of the Bangalore Section in its first year. The celebration included Zaki Bassiouni's Distinguished Lecture, followed by a banquet and networking.

The Intervention and Coiled Tubing Association (ICoTA) is now accepting nominations and entries for the 3rd Annual Intervention Technology Award. The award, which recognizes outstanding technical innovation or technology application in well intervention, will be presented at the SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing and Well Intervention Conference and Exhibition later this year. Read more »

Energy4me, SPE’s energy education outreach program, now offers new tools for SPE members to give classroom presentations, updating the Magic Suitcase program. Each SPE section will receive an Energy4me Kit and "Oil and Natural Gas" book by the end of January 2009 that members can use when giving classroom presentations to primary, intermediate, and secondary schools. Read more »