Macmichael Nwaiwu is a graduate of the University of Houston who currently serves as a senior engineer at DTE Energy. In addition to his professional work, Macmichael Nwaiwu is involved with the Society of Petroleum Engineers.Organized in 1957, the Society of Petroleum Engineers is a professional membership organization that represents the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. The society, which was originally a constituent of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, has grown since its founding to include more than 164,000 members from 143 countries. Members of the society benefit from a variety of programs that provide technical knowledge and educational resources relevant to the oil and gas industry. One such initiative is the Competency Management Tool, a web-based self-assessment that evaluates industry specific knowledge. The tool evaluates technical and soft skills in areas that range from geosciences and engineering to business administration and logistics. Moreover, the tool connects members to career prospects. Additional information on the tool can be found at www.spe.org/training/cmt/.
Leveraging skill-sets tailored to oil and gas infrastructure management, Macmichael Nwaiwu designs and implements projects to benefit DTE Energy’s gas transmission pipeline in the Detroit area. As lead engineer of transmission integrity management, Macmichael Nwaiwu carries out his responsibilities with the aid of a team comprising four other engineers and several data analysts. Natural gas has no smell or taste, and is invisible to the naked eye. People can detect natural gas odor only because mercaptan, a chemical humans experience as a foul smell, is added for safety purposes. The chemical composition of natural gas is dominated by methane, which comprises roughly 90 percent of it. The remaining 10 percent or so is taken up by traces of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, ethane, and other gases. Natural gas originates underground in deposits of hydrocarbons. One theory goes that the deposits formed as a result of prehistoric sea life that ultimately created an energy-rich sediment. In any event, it’s from these deposits that extraction firms source raw natural gas, which is distributed throughout the United States via millions of miles of pipeline.
A successful petroleum and natural gas engineer, Macmichael Nwaiwu divides his time between serving as the executive chairman at Global Dynamic Integrity Solutions Ltd. and senior natural gas engineer for DTE Energy Company. With more than seven years of field experience, Macmichael Nwaiwu belongs to such professional organizations as the American Gas Association (AGA).A trade organization serving the natural gas industry, AGA recently launched an education campaign known as Your Energy. This initiative was created to teach people living in the United States about the many ways natural gas affects their lives. By raising awareness of natural gas’ critical role in everyday life, AGA hopes to challenge the belief that keeping natural resources in the ground is the only way to improve the climate.Through Your Energy, the organization will bring consumers’ attention to a range of information. According to the campaign, natural gas continues to be a major component in reducing carbon emissions in the U.S. and serves as a safe and an affordable fuel for cooking meals and warming homes. Further, natural gas energy is reliable and environmentally friendly, thanks to its partnerships with hydropower, wind, and solar energy producers.The organization plans on spreading this information and more through social media engagement, advertising, and community outreach efforts. Your Energy will also provide consumers and policymakers with resources regarding the positive impact of natural gas.
