Committees
The Society of Petroleum Engineers Aberdeen Section
Programme Committee
The Programme Committee organises Evening Technical Meetings which are the core elements of the SPE mission – Education and Networking.
We aim to provide the attendees with a chance to learn from the experts in the industry, hear about the prominent North Sea basin projects and innovative technologies and network with the peers over dinner.
Every year we also have visiting speakers from the SPE’s Global Distinguished Lecturer Programme.
For all the details of upcoming talks and to book a place click here
Events are open to SPE members and non-members.
Please note that members of the following organisations – EI, IMECHE, InstMC and OGUK – can attend our event at the member rate.
If you are interested in helping create our technical programme of evening meetings, please contact Diane Wood our Section Manager on aberdeen.manager@spe-uk.org
Alternatively, please feel free to contact committee member if you have an idea for a meeting or talk.
For all enquires email aberdeen.admin@spe-uk.org
Committee Members
Ian Phillips
Section Director & Chair - Programme Committee
Ian Phillips
Section Director & Chair - Programme Committee
Ian has over 30 years’ experience in the upstream oil and gas industry, including 18 years with oil operating companies (Shell, BP, Marathon and Ramco) and 6 years with a major service company (Halliburton). He worked up from being a reservoir engineer involved in exploration and field development projects to being a Project Director responsible for full field development programmes.
In 2007 he became a founding Director of CO2DeepStore Limited, one of the first companies specifically seeking to provide the service of CO2capture, transportation and deep geological storage to alleviate the worst effects of climate change. In late 2014 he became the Chief Executive of OGIC – the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre – a Scottish government backed research funding agency that is entirely demand-led. OGIC provides grants to support company-led research and development in Scottish Universities. In March 2020 he joined Pale Blue Dot Energy as the Project Director for the Acorn low carbon and hydrogen and CCS project planned for the St Fergus gas plant north of Aberdeen – an early Energy Transition project.
He obtained an MEng in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot Watt University in 1983 and an MBA through the Open University in 1994. He is also a Fellow of the UK Energy Institute and a Chartered Petroleum Engineer.
Ian has been a Director of the Aberdeen Section of SPE since 1986 and has served as Treasurer, Continuing Education Chairman and as Section Chair for 4 years. Since 2012 he has chaired the Offshore Achievement Awards Committee. Ian has also served as North Sea Regional Director on the SPE International Board and as a Director of SPE Europe Limited. Ian was appointed as the current chair of the section in December 2015.
Farisha Ragbirsingh
Programme Committee Vice Chair
Ian Phillips
Section Director & Chair - Programme Committee
Ian has over 30 years’ experience in the upstream oil and gas industry, including 18 years with oil operating companies (Shell, BP, Marathon and Ramco) and 6 years with a major service company (Halliburton). He worked up from being a reservoir engineer involved in exploration and field development projects to being a Project Director responsible for full field development programmes.
In 2007 he became a founding Director of CO2DeepStore Limited, one of the first companies specifically seeking to provide the service of CO2capture, transportation and deep geological storage to alleviate the worst effects of climate change. In late 2014 he became the Chief Executive of OGIC – the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre – a Scottish government backed research funding agency that is entirely demand-led. OGIC provides grants to support company-led research and development in Scottish Universities. In March 2020 he joined Pale Blue Dot Energy as the Project Director for the Acorn low carbon and hydrogen and CCS project planned for the St Fergus gas plant north of Aberdeen – an early Energy Transition project.
He obtained an MEng in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot Watt University in 1983 and an MBA through the Open University in 1994. He is also a Fellow of the UK Energy Institute and a Chartered Petroleum Engineer.
Ian has been a Director of the Aberdeen Section of SPE since 1986 and has served as Treasurer, Continuing Education Chairman and as Section Chair for 4 years. Since 2012 he has chaired the Offshore Achievement Awards Committee. Ian has also served as North Sea Regional Director on the SPE International Board and as a Director of SPE Europe Limited. Ian was appointed as the current chair of the section in December 2015.
