The SPE Podcast

This session explores how the oil and gas industry can move beyond legal compliance to build inclusive cultures that authentically support employees with disabilities at every level. While policies and regulations provide a baseline, true inclusion requires a deeper, sustained commitment to accessibility, awareness, and organizational mindset shifts. Through dialogue with industry leaders and inclusion experts, participants will gain insights into how companies can foster environments where employees with disabilities are empowered to contribute fully, without barriers or stigma. The discussion will highlight practical strategies, leadership responsibilities, and cultural enablers that support long-term change and innovation in workforce inclusion.

Moderated by Mohammed Althani, Petroleum Engineering Specialist at Saudi Aramco

Speakers:
Carlos Sarmiento, Director of Culture, Diversity and Inclusion at SLB
Tiana Ellwanger, Manager of Engagement, Culture and Diversity at Petrobras

From JPT to SPE Journal, OnePetro to technical guidance documents, SPE’s publishing portfolio is broader and more dynamic than many members may realize. In this column, I unpack SPE’s current publication options, explore how AI and open access are reshaping scholarly publishing, and share what SPE is doing to strengthen paper quality, transparency, and impact in an evolving digital landscape.

This SPE Live brings together representatives from an operator, service company, and academia to discuss the future of hydraulic fracturing. Over the past decades we have witnessed enormous progress in the development of unconventional reservoirs. The fundamental question is where are we going from now on and what is next? This SPE Live will shed some light on potential paths for our energy future. We will discuss current progress, challenges that are lying ahead, and what
we should do now to get ourselves prepared. It will serve as a great precursor to the SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technical Conference next month (February). Join the online discussion to learn more about where we are heading!

Moderated by: Terry Palisch, Chief Technology Officer, CARBO Ceramics

Speakers:
Mukul M. Sharma, Professor, “Tex” Moncrief Chair in the Department of Petroleum, Geosystems & Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
Leen Weijers, SVP of Engineering at Liberty Energy
Amit Singh, Senior Team Lead for Hydraulic Fracture Technology at Chevron

The SPE Reservoir Advisory Committee (RAC) convenes over 40 internationally recognized experts to address significant challenges and emerging opportunities in reservoir and petroleum engineering. In this exclusive SPE Live session, RAC-selected leaders will present the committee’s strategic roadmap, spotlight ongoing initiatives in reservoir engineering, CCUS, subsurface characterization, and energy storage, and examine how the RAC is influencing industry best practices and technological requirements amid a rapidly evolving energy sector. These discussions are informed by insights from a recent global survey of SPE Reservoir members. Join our moderated discussion with RAC experts on emerging trends in reservoir engineering, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and digital and low-carbon solutions. Gain practical insights into how RAC advances innovation, shares knowledge, and creates sustainable value across the reservoir field.

Moderated by Zoya Heidari, Professor at University of Texas A&M

Speakers:

Hamid Emami-Meybodi, Associate Professor at The Pennsylvania State University Muhammad Navaid Khan, Senior Specialist in Reservoir Engineering at ADNOC Rahim Masoudi, SPE Reservoir Technical Director. Chief Technical Lead at EnQuest/Veri Energy

What do today’s membership trends mean for SPE? While declining numbers and an aging demographic can be unsettling, the reality is that these challenges are not unique to SPE. As professional associations everywhere face generational shifts, SPE members have an opportunity to hear about the success stories ongoing now and reflect on what will sustain our community in the years ahead.