From the Production and Facilities Technical Director

Hisham Saadawi takes office as the first technical director of the newly formed SPE Production and Facilities discipline. Having served twice as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer, Saadawi appreciates SPE's international diversity and aims to encourage more volunteering from all parts of the world.

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I am truly honored to serve on the SPE International Board of Directors as the Production and Facilities Technical Director.

As announced in the SPE website, the SPE Board of Directors has realigned the Production and Operations (P&O) and Projects, Facilities, and Construction (PFC) under one technical director. SPE members will not experience any changes to existing programs or resources. The P&O and PFC disciplines’ “identities” remain unaltered.  

I would like to thank my immediate predecessors; Jennifer Miskimins and Shauna Noonan (P&O) and Howard Duhon (PFC) for their work to raise the profile of both disciplines. Indeed, the SPE now provides many resources to our members including:

Journals

  • SPE Production & Operations. This is the peer-review journal for the P&O discipline.  It covers production operations, artificial lift, downhole equipment, control, multiphase flow, and related subjects.

  • Oil & Gas Facilities (OGF)Since its establishment in 2012, OGF has grown in stature and achieved widespread readership across SPE members of various technical disciplines; not just the PFC discipline. It is a web-only magazine, with frequently updated content. Access is free for SPE members.

Technical Sections

Members from both the PFC and P&O disciplines are involved in three active technical sections that organize seminars, webinars, and workshops:

  • Flow Assurance

  • Separations Technology

  • Water Handling and Management

SPE Connect

This is an excellent tool to solicit advice, benefit from others’ experience, and participate in an ongoing conversation. Our members tend to be more involved in the following two discussion groups:

  • Production

  • Projects, Facilities, and Construction

​Rather than have a director’s blog, I shall be writing a monthly column for Oil & Gas Facilities.  

This is a challenging time for our industry and for the SPE. With the help of the Advisory Committee, made of both P&O and PFC experienced members, my main objectives are:  

  • Assist the Board of Directors in guiding the SPE in these challenging times by identifying and prioritizing SPE programs that meet the members’ needs.

  • Engage and encourage the participation of our P&O and PFC members in forums, workshops, conferences, and the support of our technical sections.

  • Young professional members are the future of SPE. There is a need to ensure their participation in various SPE activities such as writing SPE papers, chairing sessions, and volunteering for committee duties.

  • Having served twice as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer, I visited many SPE sections around the world and I do appreciate the international diversity of the SPE membership. My aim is to encourage more volunteering, particularly from outside North America and Western Europe.

I look forward to serving you for the next 3 years as the technical director for Production and Facilities. If you have any suggestions of how best to serve our communities, please let me know.
Hisham Saadawi
SPE Technical Director, Production & Facilities

Email: ringstonepetroleum@hotmail.com