Abstract:
A successful and satisfying career is a cherished aspiration.  But a successful career requires nurturing and planning.  We must identify our own special interests, talents and skills, as well as our personal likes and dislikes.  That’s called “Benchmarking”.  We must also define what constitutes a successful and happy career for each of us, or our Goal.  And we need a map to get to from where we are to where we want to be, including identifying and acquiring requisite skills and experiences.  That’s a Long Range Career Plan.  And since the world around us is continually changing, and our own personal goals change, too, we must frequently reassess where we are, where we want to go, and how we get there.  Everyone needs all the help they can get and active membership and participation in SPE can help immensely in assessing and enhancing both our technical and managerial competencies, and in preparing us for a long and satisfying career.

Biography:
Arlie Skov’s professional career began with Sohio in Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma followed by a move to Oklahoma City 1958.  Arlie was named Manager Special Projects there in 1966.  He then moved to San Francisco in 1975 as Manager Production Planning for BP’s Prudhoe Bay Field on Alaska’s North Slope.  After stints on the Alaska Gas Pipeline project, and as Manager Frontier Research, he moved to Dallas in 1983 as Director of Production Technology, and on to Houston in 1988, as a Senior Consultant with BP worldwide until retirement in 1992.  He then formed a consulting company, Arlie M. Skov, Inc.   

He has long been active in the SPE, serving as the Society’s President in 1991 and as President of the SPE Foundation in 2004 & 2005.  He is a Distinguished Member and an Honorary Member of SPE, and also a Legion of Honor member.  He currently serves on the Boards of Trustees of the SPE Foundation and of AIME.

Arlie graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1956 with a BS in Petroleum Engineering (with Special Distinction), and attended the Management Program at the University of Virginia in 1966.  He served on the National Petroleum Council for six years (1994 to 2000) at the invitation of three U. S. Secretaries of Energy, and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Oklahoma and Texas.  He retired to Santa Barbara CA in 1995, and continues to write and speak on energy matters.

Richard Finken, Forum Chairperson: 562-570-3961 or by email richard_finken@longbeach.gov