Mel Whitby has over 52 years of engineering experience, including 40 years of experience in the oilfield industry, with extensive knowledge in research and development, engineering, and operations management. Mel recently retired from a leading major Drilling Systems provider, where he previously held the positions of Director of Research and Development and subsequently the Director of Industry and Regulatory Affairs. Mel is a named inventor on 25 US Patents and multiple International Patents.
Since 2010, due to his involvement as a subject matter expert with the Gulf Oil spill, Mel has been heavily involved in the Industry efforts as a member of the Joint Industry Task Force. As Chairman of API Sub-Committee 16 (Drill Through Equipment), Mel participated in the re-write of Standard 53 (was RP-53) and the revision and writing of multiple API specifications.