The story
The history of the SPE began well before its actual establishment. During the decade after the 1901 discovery of the Spindletop field, the American Institute of Mining Engineers (AIME) saw a growing need for a forum in the booming new field of petroleum engineering. As a result, AIME formed a standing committee on oil and gas in 1913.
In 1922, the committee was expanded to become one of AIME's 10 professional divisions. The Petroleum Division of AIME continued to grow throughout the next three decades. By 1950, the Petroleum Division had become one of three separate branches of AIME, and in 1957 the Petroleum Branch of AIME was expanded once again to form a professional society.
SPE became tax-exempt in March 1985.
The first SPE Board of Directors meeting was held 6 October 1957. SPE continues to operate more than 100 events around the world.
From Wikipedia’s article on Society of Petroleum Engineers, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4