Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
Faculty Information

john lee
W. John Lee, P.E.
Regents Professor and L.F. Peterson Endowed Chair
3116 TAMU - 407C Richardson Building
College Station, TX 77843-3116

Dr. W. John Lee is known throughout the world in petroleum reservoir engineering. He is the author of three textbooks published by SPE, Well Testing, Gas Reservoir Engineering, and Pressure Transient Testing.  Dr. Lee was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 1993, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences in 2006, and to Georgia Tech's first class of its Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni in 1994. He became an Honorary Member of AIME/SPE (the societies’ highest recognition) in 2001.

Dr. Lee received the SPE DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal (the society’s top service award) in 2004, the AIME/SPE Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal (the societies’ top technical award) in 2003, and the AIME Mineral Industry Education Award in 2002. He received SPE's Reservoir Engineering Award in 1986 and was named a Distinguished Member in 1987. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of SPE, has been a Distinguished Lecturer, and received the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award in 1982.

After receiving BChE, MS, and PhD degrees from Georgia Tech, Dr. Lee worked for the Reservoir Studies Division of Exxon Production Research Company from 1962 to 1968.  His work focused on simulator reservoir studies of major Exxon reservoirs in Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and South Texas.  Later he joined and eventually headed Exxon Company, USA's major fields study group where he supervised integrated field studies of Exxon's largest domestic reservoirs.  In 1975-76, he was District Reservoir Engineer for Exxon's Houston District.  He joined Texas A&M University in 1977 and currently holds the Peterson Chair in Petroleum Engineering.  He also joined S. A. Holditch & Associates, Inc., petroleum engineering consultants, in 1980 and retired as Executive Vice President in 1999.

Education
  • PhD, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1963
  • MS, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1961
  • BChE, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1959
Areas of Specialization
  • Reserves
  • Project Evaluation
  • Unconventional Resources
Distance Learning
  • Dr. Lee was the founding director of the department’s distance learning program, which offers courses leading to the Master of Engineering degree and continuing education courses, both offered through the Internet and through other media.
Publications
  • More than 100 publications, 150 presentations, and 3 books. Topics include pressure transient testing and gas reservoir engineering.
Awards and Honors
  • Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, 2006
  • Texas Society of Professional Engineers "Dream Team," 2001
  • American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
    • AIME/SPE Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal, 2003
    • Mineral Industry Education Award, 2002
    • Honorary Member, 2000
  • Society of Petroleum Engineers
    • DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal, 2004
    • Honorary Member, 2001
    • Board of Directors, 1996-1999
    • John Franklin Carll Award, 1995
    • Invited paper, SPE Distinguished Author Series, 1987 and 1994
    • Distinguished Service Award, 1992
    • Distinguished Member, 1987
    • Regional Service Award, 1987
    • Reservoir Engineering Award, 1986
    • Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, 1982
    • Distinguished Lecturer, 1978-1979; 2005-2006; 2006-2007
  • Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni, Georgia Tech, 1994
  • National Academy of Engineering, 1993
  • Texas Engineering Experiment Station
    • Senior Fellow, 1990; Fellow, 1987, 1989
  • TAMU Association of Former Students
    • Distinguished Achievement in Continuing Education Award, 2001
    • Distinguished Teaching Award, College of Engineering, 1983
  • Tenneco Award for Teaching Excellence, 1983 and 2000
  • Outstanding Achievement Award in Teaching, Texas A&M Student Engineers' Council, 1982
  • Halliburton Education Foundation Award, 1982-1983
Honorary Societies
  • Briaerean Society
  • Phi Eta Sigma
  • Phi Kappa Phi
  • Pi Epsilon Tau
  • Sigma Xi
  • Tau Beta Pi
  • Theta Tau
Biographical Listings
  • Who's Who in America
  • Who's Who in Engineering
  • American Men and Women of Science
  • Who's Who in Technology
  • Who's Who in the South and Southwest

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