ASME-IPTI to Recognize Outstanding Contributions in the Petroleum Industry

NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2009– The ASME International Petroleum Technology Institute (ASME-IPTI) will honor five individuals along with an oil company at an awards ceremony to be held on Nov. 12, 2009, in Houston, Tex.

Melody B. Meyer, Ray R. Ayers, Bobby Grimes, Christie L. Brown, and Kenneth E. Arnold – along with Murphy West Africa Ltd. – will be honored for innovation and excellence in the ceremony beginning at 6:00 p.m., at Hilton Americas.

Melody Meyer will receive the Rhodes Petroleum Industry Leadership Award.  She is president of the Chevron Energy Technology Co. in Houston, where Meyer is responsible for research and development programs supporting the firm’s key global operations.  Meyer has worked at Gulf Oil and Chevron for 19 years and been involved on development projects in Nigeria, New Guinea, Angola, Columbia, and other locales.  A graduate of Trinity University, Meyer serves on the board of the National Offshore Industry Association.

Ray Ayers, the recipient of the Silver Patent Award, handles consulting projects on deepwater engineering for Stress Engineering Services.  Ayers spent 31 years at Shell Oil Co. in Houston, where he was involved on research programs in pipeline repair, synthetic fiber mooring systems, seismic noise reduction, and other areas.  He attended the University of Houston and earned a Ph.D. in civil engineering.

Bobby Grimes will be honored with the ASME Exceptional Volunteer Award.  Grimes has been associated with the ASME Petroleum Division since 1989 and served in a variety of executive positions.  He currently serves as vice president of ASME-IPTI.  Grimes is manager of technology services at Hughes Christensen, where he has been employed since 1979.  He attended the University of Houston and received a M.S. degree in mechanical engineering in 1989.

The Keith Thayer Exceptional Early Career Engineer Award will be presented to Christie Brown, an engineering manager at Chevron.  Brown has worked on refinery projects in the United States, Brazil, South Korea, Kazakhstan, and other parts of the world.  She attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a B.S. in mechanical engineering in 2002.

Kenneth Arnold, the recipient of the Ross Kastor Excellence Award, is senior executive vice president at AMEC Paragon, Houston, Texas.  A former employee of Shell Oil Co., Arnold has more than 40 years of experience in the petroleum industry.  He has been involved in facility design and construction, safety engineering, and project management.  He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2005. 

ASME-IPTI also will honor Murphy West Africa, a company of Murphy Oil Corp., with the Project Excellence Award for the development of the Azurite Field, an offshore facility that utilizes a floating production storage and offloading energy drilling system.  The system has the capability to process 40,000 barrels of oil a day.

For additional information on the awards program, contact Kim Miceli at (281) 493-3491.

About ASME
ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.

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ASME Contact: John Varrasi
varrasij@asme.orgor 212.591.8158

Media contact: Regina Nisita
rnisita@affectstrategies.comor 212.398.9680 ext 145