Norman Warpinski named 2008 SPE Drilling and Completion Award winner

“The best part of it all has been working with and being associated and in many, many cases friends with, all the incredible individuals that make up both the SPE and the petroleum industry,” Mr Warpinski said in accepting the award.

Mr Warpinski began his career as an aerospace engineer and holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana.

Prior to his current position, he worked from 1977-2005 at Sandia National Laboratories.

Without individuals like Norm Warpinski, Mr Brett said, the industry would not have achieved its high level of technical excellence.

“Where does technology come from?” Mr Brett asked just prior to Wednesday’s plenary session. “It comes from people. It comes from innovators, inventors, who push the limits of knowledge forward.”