SPE Industry Summit: What is Next?

Abdul-Jaleel Al-Khalifa, 2007 SPE President • president@spe.org

When I accepted the president’s gavel at the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) President’s Luncheon in September 2006, I promised that I would pursue two initiatives: an E&P industry summit and a new publication focused on talent and technology. I am glad to report that I have delivered on both promises. The quarterly magazine Talent & Technology was launched in March 2007. It has received remarkable praise from many people in our industry. The SPE industry summit was held on June 28, and the outcome has exceeded all expectations. The industry champions, the program committee, and the SPE staff deserve our sincere appreciation for their invaluable support and dedication.

Distinguished industry champions attending the summit included Malcolm Brinded, Executive Director E&P, Shell; Chad Deaton, Chairman and CEO, Baker Hughes; Bernard Duroc-Danner, Chairman and CEO, Weatherford; Ellis Armstrong, Group Vice President Exploration and Production, BP; Tore Torvund, Executive Vice President, Hydro; and Patrick Pouyanne, Senior Vice President for Strategy, Business Development and R&D, Exploration & Production, Total. The summit hosted 75 global industry executives. Features of the summit are covered by other articles in this issue of JPT and in the December issue of Talent & Technology.

The work of the summit was built on a white paper that had been prepared in advance by the program committee. Following is a summary of the main outcomes of the summit:

Many participants commended SPE as the global organization that transcends all borders, with the credibility to promote industry collaboration.
Participants expressed a great deal of support for SPE’s decision to form an Industry Advisory Council. The SPE Board approved forming the council at its June 24 meeting. The council will comprise 15 to 20 industry executives who meet twice a year. Establishment of this council will ensure management engagement in and support of the Society and at the same time will help SPE align its activities with industry needs.
Participants recommended formation of an industry Talent Council to enhance the quality and quantity of petro-technical graduates. Talent Council initiatives would include a pilot project to improve the quality of undergraduate programs in a non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) country. If successful, this pilot program will be replicated in other non-OECD countries. In addition, the talent supply and demand survey will be repeated on annual basis. There also was great support for SPE’s petroleum professional certification program and for SPE’s Energy Education efforts.
The group also recommended formation of an industry committee to address issues related to carbon sequestration. The summit recognized that SPE can serve as a credible organization to advance the science and gain attention to carbon capture and storage opportunities.

Members of the program committee agreed to continue their work and are developing proposals for the new initiatives identified. I am confident that the Industry Advisory Council, the Talent Council, and the committee on carbon sequestration will have far-reaching and ever-lasting effects on the future of our industry. My aspiration is to finalize their mandate and nominations within the next 2 months, and to kick off their first meetings during the ATCE this November in Anaheim, California.