Committees
The Society of Petroleum Engineers Aberdeen Section
Student Development Committee
The Student Development Committee (SDC) engages with all university student activities at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and it is our mission to encourage all these students to pursue and develop a successful career in the oil & gas and energy sector.
SDC is formed by industry members, officers of the SPE Student Chapters and academic sponsors from the following five universities registered under SPE Aberdeen Section;
- University of Aberdeen www.abdn.ac.uk
- Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen www.rgu.ac.uk
- University of Dundee www.dundee.ac.uk
- Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh www.hw.ac.uk
- University of Strathclyde, Glasgow www.strath.ac.uk
Our core values and activities include:
- To collect, disseminate, and exchange technical knowledge
- To provide opportunities for students to enhance their competence
- Encourage and aid the formation of SPE Student Chapters and to further liaise with industry to provide support to the universities and their Chapter.
- SPE Aberdeen Section has long encouraged high standards of academic achievement among petroleum engineers and we annually provide bursaries to students studying petroleum engineering-related subjects.
- We also support attendance at technical events, assist students obtain internships, organise company tours and technical speakers.
Keep an eye on our social media channels for the announcement that SPE Aberdeen Section will be inviting applications for their student bursary awards that will be awarded early in 2024.
If you are a member of one of our five student chapter universities: Aberdeen, RGU, Dundee, Heriot Watt and Strathclyde then you are eligible to apply.
For all enquires email aberdeen.admin@spe-uk.org
Committee Members
Graham Skinner
Student Development Chair
Graham Skinner
Student Development Chair
Graham Skinner is Health & Safety Manager, for Offshore Energies UK and is responsible for the management of health and safety issues while fostering collaboration between members to enhance offshore safety in the UK. This role also includes aviation safety, local resilience, and security matters. Graham is a Chartered Engineer and member of the Energy Institute.
Graham’s start in the energy industry came with a drilling contractor and led to roles in the Middle East and Africa on land rigs and mobile offshore drilling units. During this time, he took on varied roles from drilling operations management to safety and risk management. Moving in 2013 to the UK Health and Safety Executive he regulated the safety of offshore well engineering and operations within the UK as a Specialist Inspector during which time he investigated high potential incidents, inspected well designs and well integrity management systems. Graham joined OEUK in February 2023 and has been busy developing strategies for emerging industry issues such as Process Safety Leadership and Maintenance Backlog reduction.
Rob Lee
Vice-chair - Student Development
Rob is the Head of Petrophysics Solutions at Shell, where he has worked for his entire 32 year career in the industry. As Principal Technical Expert for cased hole petrophysics, he’s kept busy throughout the Shell group, providing advice, support, and training courses, on all aspects – increasingly abandonment/decommissioning work – in various corners of the world.
In previous years he has been involved with the Continuing Education committee supporting their Well Abandonment seminars, but his passion for teaching drew him towards the SPE Student Development Committee. There, he enjoys supporting all of the chapters throughout Scotland, whether it’s simple engagement forums, technical presentations, social events or working as a judge on the bursary panel.
Rob Lee
Vice-chair - Student Development
Graham Skinner
Student Development Chair
Graham Skinner is Health & Safety Manager, for Offshore Energies UK and is responsible for the management of health and safety issues while fostering collaboration between members to enhance offshore safety in the UK. This role also includes aviation safety, local resilience, and security matters. Graham is a Chartered Engineer and member of the Energy Institute.
Graham’s start in the energy industry came with a drilling contractor and led to roles in the Middle East and Africa on land rigs and mobile offshore drilling units. During this time, he took on varied roles from drilling operations management to safety and risk management. Moving in 2013 to the UK Health and Safety Executive he regulated the safety of offshore well engineering and operations within the UK as a Specialist Inspector during which time he investigated high potential incidents, inspected well designs and well integrity management systems. Graham joined OEUK in February 2023 and has been busy developing strategies for emerging industry issues such as Process Safety Leadership and Maintenance Backlog reduction.
Rob Lee
Vice-chair - Student Development
Rob is the Head of Petrophysics Solutions at Shell, where he has worked for his entire 32 year career in the industry. As Principal Technical Expert for cased hole petrophysics, he’s kept busy throughout the Shell group, providing advice, support, and training courses, on all aspects – increasingly abandonment/decommissioning work – in various corners of the world.
In previous years he has been involved with the Continuing Education committee supporting their Well Abandonment seminars, but his passion for teaching drew him towards the SPE Student Development Committee. There, he enjoys supporting all of the chapters throughout Scotland, whether it’s simple engagement forums, technical presentations, social events or working as a judge on the bursary panel.
