Sami A Al-Nuaim, manager of Saudi Aramco’s Petroleum Engineering Application Services department, was named president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) for 2019 at SPE's Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in Dallas last week.

 

In addition, four Aramco researchers received distinguished awards, and company staff contributed to about 20 scientific papers and panels, said an Aramco statement.

 

Al-Nuaim delivered a keynote address about the importance to the energy industry reaching talented students, harnessing technological change, and quantifying and communicating the industry’s outstanding global sustainability performance.

 

Al-Nuaim’s election marks the second time a Saudi Aramco petroleum engineer has been named to lead the distinguished professional organisation since it was officially formed in 1957 from the predecessor organisation, the American Institute of Mining Engineers (AIME), which dates back to 1871. 

 

Speaking to an audience of more than 8,000 attending the annual conference, Al-Nuaim spoke of the oil and gas industry’s focus on energy sustainability as a means of correcting public misconceptions and attracting new talent. “We are dedicated to enabling innovation through the application of science and imagination. That’s how we contribute to our communities, our industry, our world,” Al-Nuaim said. “At Saudi Aramco, we believe that innovation is the key to helping people reap the benefits from all the opportunities inherent in our resources and their resultant products.”

 

Al-Nuaim said the industry has made continuous progress reducing its carbon footprint, and cited the work of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), an organisation of industry leaders including main founding member Saudi Aramco, committed to reducing the collective, average methane intensity of their core upstream operations to below 2.25 percent by 2025. He noted that the addition of three major US oil and gas companies into OGCI is a major milestone.

 

Al-Nuaim said that he also plans to build strong bridges between geoscience schools around the world to share top academic programs and curricula and strengthen their programs by reflecting recent advances in technology and engagement with communities. This interaction, he said, will help produce “citizen engineers” who innovate, advance the industry, and most importantly, care about the community and environment.

 

Also at SPE ATCE, Faisal N Al-Nughaimish, manager of Saudi Aramco’s Gas Drilling department, joined SPE’s board after the three-year term of Khalid A Zainalabedin, manager of the Reservoir Description and Simulation Department, ended.

 

The leadership roles held by Saudi Aramco officials are a reflection of the important membership base the SPE has in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and a long, mutually beneficial relationship between the SPE and the company, said Aramco.

 

Al-Nuaim joined SPE back in 1983 when he was a student at King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM). He is one of many Aramco engineers who have had made significant contributions to the organisation’s scientific fronts.

 

Saudi Aramco has been a longtime supporter of SPE, which has about 150,000 members worldwide. During the conference, the company showcased its leadership position in the upstream world, while also telling stakeholders about the diversification of its business portfolio — especially in regard to research and development globally and in the US.

 

Recognizing their service to the industry, SPE gave awards to four Aramco employees: 

• Anuj Gupta, Petroleum Engineering consultant with Aramco Services Company (ASC), received the prestigious DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal.

• Ghaithan A Al-Muntasheri, chief of technology at the EXPEC Advanced Research Center, and Ashraf M Al-Tahini, director of Research and Development at ASC, were awarded SPE Distinguished Membership Awards.

• Zeid M. Ghareeb, a Saudi Aramco petroleum engineer, received SPE’s Young Member Outstanding Service Award. 

 

Multiple technical papers to which Saudi Aramco researchers and engineers contributed were discussed, along with best practices for training and development. Sunil L Kokal, a principal professional with Saudi Aramco’s EXPEC Advanced Research Center, and Salam P Salamy, administrator of Saudi Aramco’s Upstream Professional Development Center, led an engaging panel discussion about continuing education, knowledge transfer, and the shifting profile of engineers. - TradeArabia News Service