SPE Focuses on Exploring New Horizons With Innovative Solutions at its Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) welcomed nearly 4,500 attendees from 57 countries and 150 exhibitors to its Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) held in Houston.

The Opening General Session, Exploring New Horizons with Innovative Solutions, showcased a panel moderated by 2026 SPE President Jennifer Miskimins. The panel featured
Ahmed Alebri, CEO of ADNOC Onshore; Peter Larden, senior vice president upstream conventional and heavy oil business line of ExxonMobil; Lorenzo Simonelli, chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes; and Ezra Yacob, chairman and CEO of EOG Resources.

On 23 October, SPE President Jennifer Miskimins, department head of petroleum engineering at Colorado School of Mines, presented the State of the Society address at the President's Luncheon and Annual Meeting of Members. Among the highlights, she announced that the SPE Board of Directors had approved SPE's updated strategic plan, including updated vision and mission statements, built around three strategic goals: being the premier source of technical excellence; developing the workforce of the future; and transforming SPE's business model.

"I have shaped my presidency around SPE's tagline of Solutions, People, and Energy," said Miskimins. "In my discussions with members around the world, we focused on the growing demand for affordable, reliable, and lower-emission energy. SPE's strength lies in its people: the engineers, scientists, and industry professionals developing the technologies and solutions needed to deliver that energy safely, securely, and sustainably."

At the luncheon, Miskimins passed the gavel to the 2027 SPE President C. Susan Howes.

Howes, the president of Subsurface Consultants & Associates LLC, said, "SPE offers opportunities to continuously learn, share knowledge, build meaningful professional connections, and grow both technically and personally. These four words reflect not only what SPE does best, but also the culture I hope to reinforce during my presidency. Learn. Share. Connect. Grow."

The technical program featured over 300 technical papers, including more than 15 strategic and special sessions. A special keynote presentation was delivered during the week by Scott Tinker, director emeritus of the Bureau of Economic Geology. Tinker emphasized that achieving secure energy requires both electricity and energy-dense molecules, with oil and natural gas remaining essential because most industrial materials, transportation, and global economic activities depend on fuels beyond electricity alone.

The week was sponsored by ExxonMobil, Chevron, Abaco Drilling Technologies, and other industry partners.

The 2027 ATCE will be held in Denver, Colorado, from 11-13 October.