SPE Live Podcast Technical Director Series: Beyond SCADA - AI and Data Science Shaping the Future of Production

This SPE Live brings together the SPE Drilling and SPE Completions Technical Directors for a forward-looking discussion on how the profession is evolving to meet increasing technical complexity, cost pressures, and expectations for safer and more sustainable operations. The session will explore how advances in drilling and completions technologies—alongside digitalization, automation, and data-driven workflows—are reshaping well construction and delivery across conventional, unconventional, and emerging energy applications. Beyond technology, the discussion will emphasize the people and leadership dimensions of technical excellence. The Technical Directors will share perspectives on cross-discipline integration, workforce capability development, and SPE’s role in fostering collaboration, knowledge transfer, and professional growth. Attendees can expect insights on how the drilling and completions communities can work more effectively together to deliver value today while preparing the profession for the energy systems of tomorrow. Moderated by Robin Macmillan, 2022-2025 SPE Drilling Technical Director. Consultant. Speakers: • Peggy Rijken, SPE Completions Technical Director. Chapter Manager, Geomechanics Technology Center at Chevron • Sarah Kern, SPE Drilling Technical Director. Director of Strategic Engagement at EIC Rose Rock

This month’s column shares practical ideas gathered from professional sections and student chapters worldwide, including fresh approaches to communication and meeting formats as well as creative ways of building community and recognition. These real‑world examples highlight the diversity of SPE and offer plenty of “food for thought” for leaders looking to strengthen engagement and deliver more value to their members.  

Production operations are evolving rapidly—from traditional SCADA monitoring to AI-enabled intelligence. In this SPE Live, the SPE DSEA Technical Director and the SPE Production and Facilities Technical Director explore how advances in data infrastructure, analytics, and machine learning are transforming operational decision-making, improving efficiency, safety and shaping the future of intelligent production systems. Moderated by Silviu Livescu, 2020-2023 SPE DSEA Technical Director. Co-Founder and CTO at Bedrock Energy Speakers: • Sushma Bhan, SPE DSEA Technical Director. Former Shell CDO of Subsurface/Wells • Greg Stephenson, SPE Production and Facilities Technical Director. Chief Production Engineer at Occidental Oil & Gas Co. (Oxy)

Production data is often treated as a direct measurement, but in practice, it results from a chain of transformations linking reservoir conditions to reported flow rates. Fluid properties defined by pressure, temperature, and composition govern phase behavior and physical characteristics such as density and compressibility. These properties directly influence how flow measurement technologies respond under operating conditions, regardless of measurement principle. The same fluid description is then used to translate measured quantities into engineering outputs such as phase rates, allocation, and well performance. As a result, any inaccuracy or inconsistency in fluid properties propagates through both measurement interpretation and reservoir analysis. As production conditions evolve, changes in fluid behavior can simultaneously affect measurement response and reservoir conclusions, even when the measurement system itself remains unchanged. This panel will examine the chain from reservoir conditions to reported production data, focusing on how fluid properties influence each step and how inconsistencies propagate into engineering decisions. The objective is to clarify the sources of uncertainty and how to better align measurement and reservoir workflows in practice. Moderated by: Lester Yi, Lead Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical (IC&E) Engineer at ExxonMobil Speakers: Muhammad Navaid Khan: Senior Specialist in Reservoir Engineering ad ADNOC Amin Amin: Chief Operating Officer at Belsim Engineering

This month's podcast features an update on SPE’s path to financial sustainability: stronger revenues, new partnerships, and emerging opportunities—from geothermal initiatives to AI-driven licensing—are improving the outlook. While challenges remain, recent progress highlights a more resilient Society and a forward-looking strategy focused on long-term member value.

Join us for this SPE Live hosted by SPE’s Education and Accreditation Committee where our panelists will discuss how Petroleum Engineering (PE) education changes have been driven by technological innovations and the evolving energy landscape. We will examine how PE programs are integrating new topics while continuing to value traditional engineering skills. The session will showcase changes to educational curricula that address critical themes such as energy growth, AI advancements, and industry evolution. Please join this discussion on how PE education is shaping the future of geo-energy skills, and more importantly, explore how industry practitioners could be engaged in this process. Moderated by Juliana Leung, SPE EAC Chair. Professor, Canada Research Chair in Data Analytics in Subsurface Flow Systems at University of Alberta     Speakers: Siyavash Motealleh, Principal Reservoir Engineer at BP AGT Peyman Pourafshary, P.E. Professor & Vice Dean of Research and Academic Affairs, School of Mining and Geosciences, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan     Marshall Watson, Chair of Texas Tech Bob L. Herd Dept. of Petroleum Engineering, Texas Tech University  

As global demand for clean, reliable energy grows, geothermal is emerging as a uniquely capable resource for delivering both firm, low carbon electricity and consistent, long term thermal output. In recent years, the geothermal startup sector has also benefited from a significant increase in investment from both established energy companies and new entrants, strengthening technology development and accelerating field deployment. Advances in drilling, subsurface imaging, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), closed loop designs, next generation heat exchange architectures, and broader technology innovations across the subsurface sector are expanding access to resources in regions previously considered uneconomic or inaccessible. These developments are redefining geothermal’s role across the energy system-supporting industrial heat demands, commercial thermal loads, district heating networks, and dependable baseload power. This SPE Live session brings together leaders in technology innovation, project development, and stakeholder engagement, featuring the COO and Co Founder of Gradient Geothermal, a Technology Specialist from Underground Ventures (UGV), and the Director of Stakeholder Engagement at XGS Energy. The panel will examine why geothermal heat and power are gaining momentum now, the technical advancements across EGS, closed loop systems, and general subsurface technologies driving that progress, and the practical considerations that shape real world project deployment. Attendees will gain a clear, balanced understanding of geothermal’s capabilities today, the challenges that remain, and the opportunities ahead for scaling both thermal and electric applications. Moderated by: Katerina Yared, Global Energy Portfolio Lead at 3M Oil & Gas, Carbon Capture, Geothermal Speakers: Caity Smith, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at XGS Energy Soraya Bornaz, Technology Specialist at Underground Ventures Johanna Ostrum, COO/Co-Founder at Gradient Geothermal

This month’s podcast highlights how artificial intelligence is influencing SPE programming, publications, and new tools, while also transforming day‑to‑day operations across our industry. The column explores energy supply implications and practical field applications, showing how SPE is helping members turn AI into a tool for progress.

The hydrogen sector is expanding across production, storage, transport, and end-use applications. This SPE Live session will examine the technical competencies and multidisciplinary skills required to succeed in this growing field. Young professionals will share their perspectives on industry expectations, emerging job roles, research trends, and how early-career engineers can strategically position themselves for long-term career growth in hydrogen-related projects. Moderated by: Sonia Lopez Kovacs, Reserves Audit Leader at Repsol Spain   Speakers: Cindy Dianita: Assistant Professor at University of Indonesia Amine Ifticene: Production Engineer at OXY Sarah Wheeler: Research Engineer at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

The Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS) is a system developed for consistent and reliable classification and categorization of hydrocarbon resources according to technical uncertainty and project maturity and commerciality. The SPE Oil and Gas Reserves Committee (OGRC) is committed to continuing to provide relevant resources framework to the industry as technology and business drivers change and has received feedback from the public to support the update of the current 2018 PRMS. This SPE live will give an overview of PRMS utilization and its ongoing update. Speaker: Herman G. Acuña, President at Ryder Scott Company Moderated by Dan Olds, Managing Senior Vice President at Ryder Scott