The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section has appointed Shankar Bhukya as its new chairman, taking over from Ross Lowdon who has stepped down due to re-location to Houston.
Beginning his career as regional applications engineer at Smith Services in Aberdeen, Bhukya has more than eight years’ oil and gas industry experience and is currently technical marketing engineer at National Oilwell Varco (NOV) for Europe and Sub-Sahara African region. Bhukya is mechanical engineer by qualification.
Bhukya said: “SPE Aberdeen is a fantastic, thriving section which I am proud to be part of. After receiving the SPE International President’s Award for Section Excellence for the fifth consecutive year in 2014, I feel extremely privileged to have been selected as chair of the Aberdeen Section.”
“Each one of my predecessors have been pivotal in the section’s success and I look forward to taking on the responsibility of building upon this platform. SPE Aberdeen has made great strides in recent years towards supporting industry collaboration and I hope to continue this through the many exciting events and initiatives the SPE Aberdeen Section has planned.”
Bhukya has been involved in SPE Aberdeen for more than 15 years. He has co-chaired the Student Development Committee for the last four years, playing an instrumental part in encouraging university and post graduate students to pursue and develop a successful career in the oil and gas industry.
In 2014, he received the SPE Aberdeen Section Service Award for his strong passion and dedication in helping prepare university students for the industry, and for the support he has provided to the SPE student chapters in Scotland for so many years. Bhukya will take over the position of Aberdeen Section chairman from 1 April.
Bhukya continued: “One of SPE Aberdeen’s top priorities is supporting the future workforce by providing a link between university and industry. Through my role in SPE Aberdeen’s Student Development Committee, I have seen the importance of encouraging students to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry. Allowing young people the opportunity to develop their skills through our organised events and workshops will enable SPE Aberdeen to continue to do this.
“ Helping to shape students’ careers, coupled with the commitment of SPE’s volunteers, is what has attracted me to SPE Aberdeen. I look forward to working with the volunteers to build upon the Section’s success and continue its important role in the oil and gas industry. ”
SPE is an international organisation, with thousands of members in the UK, each of whom is affiliated to one of three UK sections in Aberdeen, London and Great Yarmouth. Aberdeen is the largest of these sections with over 2,500 members.