SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS
CULTIVATING NEXT-GENERATION EXPERTISE IN UPSTREAM PRODUCTION ENGINEERING
The Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC) is committed to mitigating the upstream talent gap by fostering the next generation of petroleum and production engineers. By bridging the gap between advanced academic research and field-ready industrial operations, our scholarship initiatives secure a continuous pipeline of highly qualified professionals. Through dedicated capital endowments established across key engineering institutions, we ensure a sustainable future for artificial lift innovation and industry-wide technical stewardship.
ACADEMIC ENDOWMENT PORTFOLIO
The Cleon Dunham Endowed Scholarship
Founding Global Endowment
Established to honor the foundational milestones and pioneering vision of Cleon Dunham, this flagship endowment serves as the benchmark for ALRDC’s academic capacity-building efforts. The fund incentivizes top-tier engineering students to achieve professional excellence and maintain standard-setting performance in optimization technologies.
Target Profile:
Target Focus:
The Dr. James F. Lea, Jr. Endowed Scholarship
The University of Tulsa • McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering
Executed in direct alignment with the Tulsa University Artificial Lift Projects (TUALP) industry-university research consortium. This fund celebrates Dr. Lea’s profound 45-year legacy, which includes 21 years of leading-edge technology development at Amoco Corp, service at Sun Oil Company, and academic tenure as Chair at Texas Tech University. Dr. Lea holds 8 patents, co-authored foundational textbooks, and was designated an SPE “Legend of Artificial Lift.”
Target Profile:
Target Focus:
Award Scope:
The O. Lynn Rowlan Endowed Scholarship
Colorado School of Mines • Department of Petroleum Engineering
Established via the Colorado School of Mines Foundation utilizing an innovative dual-funding framework comprising a perpetual core corpus alongside an active current-use fund for immediate deployment. This fund honors Mr. Rowlan’s 45 years of industry excellence as Vice President of Engineering for Echometer Company and consultant for Amerada Hess Corporation. An author of over 90 technical papers and co-author of Gas Well Deliquification, he holds a U.S. patent on plunger lift analysis and received the SPE Legend of Artificial Lift Award.
Target Profile:
Technical Focus:
Governance Note:
HISTORICAL IMPACT & CONTINUITY
ALRDC maintains an exhaustive, auditable ledger of student support stretching back across prior application cycles. This historical continuity demonstrates our compounding investment in human capital and the long-term professional advancement of the global artificial lift community.
CORPORATE & INDIVIDUAL GIVING
Direct Principal Amplification
To allocate capital directly to the corpus of the Dunham, Lea, or Rowlan funds, contact the ALRDC Treasurer at treasury@alrdc.com for dedicated routing documentation.
Institutional Foundation Routing
Gifts processed directly through the Colorado School of Mines Foundation or The University of Tulsa Advancement office must explicitly reference the specific ALRDC scholarship name to bypass general university asset pools.
Cleon Dunham
(January 1, 1941 – February 6, 2023)
completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University in 1964, earning a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering. His professional journey led him to a remarkable 36-year tenure at Shell Oil Company. In his later years at Shell, he took on the role of coordinating oilfield automation and artificial lift for the company’s global production operations based in The Netherlands. Notably, Shell played a pioneering role in advancing artificial lift automation, a technology Cleon passionately championed. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Shell spearheaded the development of automation technologies for various applications, including rod pumps, ESPs, and gas lift mechanisms. Cleon played a pivotal role in the evolution of these technologies and tirelessly advocated for their widespread adoption.
Originally, the automation journey involved mobile units traveling from one pumping unit to another, collecting dynamometer cards. This process eventually transformed into real-time surveillance systems that transmitted well data directly to engineers’ desktops. In his paper titled “Bridging the Information Gap Between Operations and Engineering” (SPE 3967), written in 1973, Cleon documented the early advancements and highlighted the lasting significance of automation technology in production and operations.
Cleon’s recognition stems from his groundbreaking work in designing and implementing automation systems. His expertise covered a range of applications, from gas lift and sucker rod pumps to ESPs, as well as innovative techniques like water, CO2, and steam injection for enhanced oil recovery. In the nascent era of oilfield automation, Cleon reminisces that the absence of service providers for necessary hardware and software prompted them to create the solutions themselves. These systems centered on monitoring, control, and optimization of artificial lift processes, encompassing both on-site hardware and desktop software for communication and performance analysis.
Upon retiring, Cleon established Oilfield Automation Consulting in 2000, where he held the position of President. Additionally, he co-founded the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC) in 2001, alongside Jim Lea, Tony Podio, and Bill Lane – all distinguished recipients of the SPE Legends of Artificial Lift Award. ALRDC’s mission revolves around fostering global collaboration and knowledge-sharing among artificial lift stakeholders, from users to suppliers, researchers, and consultants. The organization’s achievements span organizing conferences, raising funds for Petroleum Engineering scholarships, promoting consortia, and providing a platform for innovative artificial lift technologies.
Actively engaged in industry standards development, Cleon contributed to API’s 19G Task Group, which shapes standards and recommended practices for gas lift technology. His role extended to the International Standards Organization (ISO), where he served as Task Group Secretary for various gas lift standards under ISO 17078. He boasts four patents and has delivered training courses on artificial lift across diverse locations, from Argentina and Bolivia to Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Middle East. Cleon’s involvement extended to mentoring programs, committee memberships, and participation in SPE events.
Known for his candid advice, Cleon imparts valuable wisdom to aspiring engineers. He emphasizes staying attuned to industry developments through conferences, technical papers, and networking. Cleon discourages rushing into management right after college, advocating for the cultivation of robust technical skills that can lead to a fulfilling and lasting career journey.
If you would like to contribute to the Cleon Dunham Endowment Scholarship by check please send to:
Ronda Brewer
Texas Tech University
Box 43111
Lubbock TX 79409-3111
or
Click here to Donate