Terry Palisch, President of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) International, concluded his first visit to Guyana this week, signaling the country’s expanding relevance in global energy discussions and the transfer of technical expertise.
Palisch, who also serves as Chief Technology Officer at Carbo Ceramics, praised Guyana’s rapid progress in oil and gas development. “To think that a discovery well happened in 2015 and in 2019 there’s first oil in a frontier landscape, offshore deep water, that’s remarkable,” he said in an exclusive interview with OilNOW.
The SPE Georgetown Section was established in 2020, followed by the creation of a Student Chapter in 2024. Palisch said these platforms are vital for technical knowledge sharing and capacity building among local professionals. “It’s a way to bring technology into the country,” he stated. “But as I said, it’s a two-way street.”
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He explained that innovations in Guyana, including fast-tracked offshore developments, are now informing operations in other countries. “Some of the things that are being done in Stabroek [Block] are first of their kind,” he noted. “The global community can learn from what’s going on here.”
Palisch met with the newly elected SPE Guyana board during his visit, offering strategic advice while emphasizing their autonomy. “My goal has been to give them ideas, but it’s their job to execute,” he said. One suggestion included leveraging visiting international experts by inviting them to share knowledge with the SPE community.
He confirmed Guyana’s inclusion in a wider regional network, with active SPE sections in Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Discussions are underway to expand collaboration across Caribbean nations. “Maybe hold an event that’s for the Caribbean nations,” he added.
Looking ahead, Palisch reaffirmed SPE’s commitment to its core oil and gas mission while embracing emerging areas like geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen. “We’re going to need oil and gas at least to the end of the century,” he said. “But we’ve begun to really lean into some of these other technologies.”
On the topic of early STEM education, Palisch acknowledged the potential for deeper community engagement. “STEM education is the groundwork,” he said, pointing to the ‘Energy4me’ program, which equips SPE members to promote science and engineering in high schools. He welcomed ideas to extend outreach to younger students.
