5. France. Summer was eventful for the SPE French Young Professionals (YPs) Section. A new-initiative group was created and is currently working on the new program for the coming year. A New French YP Section was launched in Pau, in southern France. Gerald Latchimy-Parassouramin, 2005–06 SPE Student Chapter president, leads this section. He and four other former members of the student chapter organized a first meeting with YPs in Pau during May. The first meeting was a real success. The main goal was to invite YPs working for service companies and academia in the oil and gas industry to join the Pau YP Section.
The Paris YP Section organized a visit to the Schlumberger Technology Center in Clamart during July. Members of the French YP Section participated in the SPE YP workshop held 29 October–1 November in Geneva. It was an opportunity for all participants to expand their network and learn the challenges faced by the industry worldwide.
—Natalia Quisel, Schlumberger
—Carlos Chalbaud, Gaz de France