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Author
James G. Speight earned a BSc and a PhD in chemistry from the University of Manchester,
England. Since 1998, he has been employed at CD&W Inc. as a consultant/author/lecturer on energy
and environmental issues. From 1984 to 1998, Dr. Speight was employed at Western Research
Institute as chief executive officer, chief scientific officer, and executive vice president. He worked
at Exxon Research and Engineering Company from 1980 to 1984, Alberta Research Council from
1967 to 1980, and the University of Manchester from 1965 to 1967. While at the University of
Manchester, Dr. Speight earned a research fellowship in chemistry.
Dr. Speight has more than 40 years of experience in areas associated with the properties and
recovery of reservoir fluids, including heavy oil and tar sand bitumen; refining conventional petroleum as well as heavy oil, tar sand bitumen, synthetic fuels, and biofuels; the properties of fuels,
synthetic fuels, and biofuels; the properties, behavior, and processing of natural gas, including
gas-to-liquids; the properties and behavior of coal, including coal liquids; and the properties and
behavior of oil shale, including shale oil. His work has also focused on the environmental effects
and remediation technologies related to fossil fuel and synthetic fuel processing with special focus
on high-boiling petroleum residues and coal tar on the environment as well as the regulations pertaining to such products.
Dr. Speight is the author of more than 400 publications, reports, and presentations and has taught
more than 70 courses. He has served as the editor and founding editor of Petroleum Science and
Technology; editor of Energy Sources. Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects;
and editor, Energy Sources. Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy. He has also served as the
adjunct professor of chemical and fuels engineering at the University of Utah; as a visiting professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago; and as a visiting professor at the Technical University
of Denmark (Lyngby, Denmark), University of Petroleum (Beijing, China), University of Regina
(Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada), and University of Akron (Akron, Ohio).
Dr. Speight is the author and coauthor of more than 40 books and bibliographies related to fossil
fuels, synthetic fuels, biofuels, fuel processing, and environmental issues. He is also the recipient of
the following awards:
Diploma of Honor, National Petroleum Engineering Society. 1995. For Outstanding
Contributions to the Petroleum Industry.
Gold Medal, Russian Academy of Sciences. 1996. For Outstanding Work in the Area of
Petroleum Science.
Specialist Invitation Program Speakers Award, NEDO (New Energy Development
Organization, Government of Japan). 1987 and 1996. For Contributions to Coal Research.
Doctor of Sciences, Scientific Research Geological Exploration Institute (VNIGRI),
St. Petersburg, Russia. 1997. For Exceptional Work in Petroleum Science.
Einstein Medal, Russian Academy of Sciences. 2001. In Recognition of Outstanding
Contributions and Service in the Field of Geologic Sciences.
Gold Medal—Scientists Without Frontiers, Russian Academy of Sciences. 2005. In
Recognition of Continuous Encouragement of Scientists to Work Together Across
International Borders.
Author
James G. Speight earned a BSc and a PhD in chemistry from the University of Manchester,
England. Since 1998, he has been employed at CD&W Inc. as a consultant/author/lecturer on energy
and environmental issues. From 1984 to 1998, Dr. Speight was employed at Western Research
Institute as chief executive officer, chief scientific officer, and executive vice president. He worked
at Exxon Research and Engineering Company from 1980 to 1984, Alberta Research Council from
1967 to 1980, and the University of Manchester from 1965 to 1967. While at the University of
Manchester, Dr. Speight earned a research fellowship in chemistry.
Dr. Speight has more than 40 years of experience in areas associated with the properties and
recovery of reservoir fluids, including heavy oil and tar sand bitumen; refining conventional petroleum as well as heavy oil, tar sand bitumen, synthetic fuels, and biofuels; the properties of fuels,
synthetic fuels, and biofuels; the properties, behavior, and processing of natural gas, including
gas-to-liquids; the properties and behavior of coal, including coal liquids; and the properties and
behavior of oil shale, including shale oil. His work has also focused on the environmental effects
and remediation technologies related to fossil fuel and synthetic fuel processing with special focus
on high-boiling petroleum residues and coal tar on the environment as well as the regulations pertaining to such products.
Dr. Speight is the author of more than 400 publications, reports, and presentations and has taught
more than 70 courses. He has served as the editor and founding editor of Petroleum Science and
Technology; editor of Energy Sources. Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects;
and editor, Energy Sources. Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy. He has also served as the
adjunct professor of chemical and fuels engineering at the University of Utah; as a visiting professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago; and as a visiting professor at the Technical University
of Denmark (Lyngby, Denmark), University of Petroleum (Beijing, China), University of Regina
(Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada), and University of Akron (Akron, Ohio).
Dr. Speight is the author and coauthor of more than 40 books and bibliographies related to fossil
fuels, synthetic fuels, biofuels, fuel processing, and environmental issues. He is also the recipient of
the following awards:
Diploma of Honor, National Petroleum Engineering Society. 1995. For Outstanding
Contributions to the Petroleum Industry.
Gold Medal, Russian Academy of Sciences. 1996. For Outstanding Work in the Area of
Petroleum Science.
Specialist Invitation Program Speakers Award, NEDO (New Energy Development
Organization, Government of Japan). 1987 and 1996. For Contributions to Coal Research.
Doctor of Sciences, Scientific Research Geological Exploration Institute (VNIGRI),
St. Petersburg, Russia. 1997. For Exceptional Work in Petroleum Science.
Einstein Medal, Russian Academy of Sciences. 2001. In Recognition of Outstanding
Contributions and Service in the Field of Geologic Sciences.
Gold Medal—Scientists Without Frontiers, Russian Academy of Sciences. 2005. In
Recognition of Continuous Encouragement of Scientists to Work Together Across
International Borders.