The IOM3 Energy Transition Group (ETG) promotes and represents the materials, minerals and mining related sciences, technologies and practices involved in the energy transition including those involved in oil and gas extraction, greenhouse gas reduction including renewables. The ETG has links with relevant national and international bodies in industry, government and academia to promote professional activities for public benefit related to the energy transition. The ETG promotes the sciences, technologies and practices involved in the energy transition providing a focus for IOM3 members interested in this area and advises on regulatory and policy issues on any matters concerning the energy transition to significantly reduce the impact of climate change while meeting societal needs. The ETG leadership team actively encourages contributions and suggestions from the ETG membership, please reach out to us at ETG@iom3.org.
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Anthony Palmer
Tony is a senior executive within the energy industry with over 35 years in global leadership roles, combining commercial acumen with deep technical expertise. He has shaped and delivered major investments across the oil, gas, LNG and low carbon power sectors, leading complex, high value projects and negotiating commercially critical agreements in international markets. His career with BP spanned three decades, including extensive periods of time working in North Africa, the Middle East and has lived in China and Indonesia.
Now based in London, Tony’s executive work focuses on developing methanol to power projects at Power32, alongside serving as a Non‑Executive Member of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee. He holds an undergraduate degree in Engineering Geology & Geotechnics and post graduate degrees in Petroleum Engineering and Business Administration. Tony and is a Chartered Engineer as well as a Fellow of both the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and the Energy Institute.
Abigail Stanley BEng
Abigail Stanley holds a BEng in Materials Science and Technology from the University of Birmingham. Currently, Abigail works as a senior consultant within the Nuclear Industry, using her knowledge of materials to focus on key issues such as spent fuel corrosion and waste encapsulation within cementitious materials
Andrew Duncan
Andrew Duncan is Lead Consultant with Intertek CAPCIS in Manchester.
Andrew has a degree in Metallurgy & Materials Science from Nottingham University, is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining, and Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion.
He began his career at BP’s Sunbury Research Centre working on advanced electrochemistry and failure investigations. After BP, and a short period in nuclear power, he worked as Plant Metallurgist at Associated Octel, Specialist Inspector with the UK’s Health & Safety Executive’s Offshore Division, and is currently active in asset integrity management at Intertek CAPCIS. He has worked in over twenty countries, ranging from Alaska, Siberia, North Sea, South Africa, Malaysia, India, Middle East, working in oil & gas fields, refineries, petrochemicals and chemicals industries.
Whilst at the HSE he led the External Corrosion Project and Key Programme 4 (KP4) on the management of Ageing & Life Extension (ALE) of the UK’s offshore oil and gas production facilities.
He has had several magazine articles published, written Guidance documents for the Energy Institute, and given numerous presentations on subjects such as “Ageing & Life Extension”, and “Asset Integrity Management and the Law” to highlight the importance of understanding the relationship between practicing Engineering and the UK’s health and safety Regulations.
Andrew is active in mentoring and sharing knowledge with younger Engineers and Scientists to help develop their careers to become the best they can be.
Babs Oyeneyin
Retired Professor of Petroleum Engineering at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen UK, and CEO of I-Flow Energy Holdings Ltd/WTL Energy Ltd- a consortium of oilfield asset acquisition , green energy technology development and service company . With a background in mechanical engineering from University of Benin, MSc and PhD in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University he has over 40 years of oil industry experience with integrated professional experience spanning industry, academia, consultancy, technology facilitation, research and development, and professional training . As well as his more recent academic interests, Babs Oyeneyin was the founder and chairman of the Global Joint Industry Sand Management Network, was the 2011/2012 President of the Mining institute of Scotland and currently an active leadership team member of the Energy Transition Group of IOM3. Babs Oyeneyin is a Chartered Engineer , an integrated Energy Consultant and a recognised specialist in integrated sand management, multiphase flow dynamics/ flow assurance and oil/gas well engineering. He is a Registered Engineer(COREN) , Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science(FAS) , a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy(FHEA) , a Fellow of the Institution of Materials, Minerals & Mining [FIMMM] , and a corporate member of a number of professional bodies including the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Nigerian Society of Engineering, Energy Institute and Society of Underwater Technolog
Mandar Thakare
Mandar holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering (Mumbai, India), MSc in Surface Engineering (University of Nottingham), a PhD in Tribology (University of Southampton, Schlumberger plc funded) and an MBA (Alliance Manchester Business School). Prior to Element Six Ltd., he held a post-doctoral research position at the Osney Thermofluids Lab, University of Oxford, working closely with Rolls-Royce plc on gas turbine seals. During this period, he also tutored undergraduates in Engineering Science at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. After his PhD, he worked for Schlumberger plc, developing wear-corrosion resistant solutions for downhole directional drilling systems. During this period, he was responsible for identifying and qualifying coatings and materials solutions for Schlumberger tools deployed globally, through new suppliers and technologies. He has published journal papers, book chapters and conference papers on the subject of tribocorrosion and is a member of the IMechE Tribology Committee, as well as a reviewer for journals such as Wear, Tribology International, ASME Journal of Tribology. In 2020, he was also elected Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IoM3) and is part of the IoM3 Energy Transition Group’s leadership team.
Reza Sanaee, PhD CEng FHEA FIMMM
As we undergo a paradigm shift in conventional energy generation and exploitation into a much more diverse range of sustainable sources, it is vital to keep a clear vision for future of energy industry in UK and beyond. This is further critical taking into account that transition into net zero emission energy industry is a timely journey covering challenges not only in technical terms but also in management, social responsibility, biodiversity, risk and economical value chain. I would welcome a multidisciplinary collaboration in efficiently achieving such sustainable energy industry through implementing a comprehensive strategic outlook. I intend to employ my over 18 years of experience and academic education in expediting this process, leveraging existing infrastructure and know-how and adopting best practice across all energy sectors focused primarily in UK but looking further afield for best lessons-learned scenarios.
Gareth Hinds
Gareth Hinds is Senior NPL Fellow and Science Area Leader in the Electrochemistry Group at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, United Kingdom. His primary expertise is in the development of novel in situ diagnostic techniques and standard test methods for assessment of corrosion and material degradation in energy applications. Gareth is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and holds visiting professorships at UCL, the University of Strathclyde and Harbin Institute of Technology. He is the author of over 200 publications and is currently President of the European Federation of Corrosion and Immediate Past President of the World Corrosion Organization.
Henry Oughton
Henry is a dynamic and impact-focused incorporated materials engineer with experience simultaneously leading high-value programmes and developing innovative products. He has consultancy experience in civil and defence nuclear environments, leading multi-disciplinary teams to solve complex, high-impact problems that are economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. He is recognised for his strategic thinking, clear communication, and hands-on approach to problem solving and delivery excellence.
Bob Smith CEng MIMMM
Bob Smith is a senior executive with over 30 years’ experience driving innovation and performance across the energy sector, from upstream oil and gas to renewable power and circular economy solutions. Currently COO at Greenback Recycling Technologies, he leads the development of cutting-edge solutions to tackle plastic waste, including one of the world’s first commercial chemical recycling plants. Bob previously managed the world’s largest offshore wind farm at London Array, delivering record-breaking reliability and pioneering digital operations. His leadership at BP, Mytrah, and Pulse Tidal spans solar, wind, and marine power as well as oil and gas, making him deeply aligned with the IOM3 Energy Transition Group’s mission to accelerate net-zero solutions. A Chartered Engineer with degrees from Cambridge and Stanford, Bob has lived and worked across many geographies and has been a committed member of IOM3 throughout his career.
Ola Otele – CEng MIMMM, ChPP MAPM
Ola Otele is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Project Professional with over two decades of experience delivering complex, high-value capital projects across the energy sector, including offshore, onshore, LNG, subsea, and FPSO developments. He has extensive international expertise and experience spanning Europe, Asia and Africa, successfully managing greenfield and brownfield projects from concept through operatorship transfer.
A proven leader, Ola has directed and managed multi-discipline teams through various stages of project lifecycles. He has operated within diverse project structures, including Operated by Others (OBO), Joint Ventures (JV), and contractor consortium environments. His portfolio includes major projects with International Oil Companies (IOC) and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the energy industries, as well as leading Tier 1 delivery organisations, in achieving safe, cost-efficient, and timely project execution.
Ola is recognised for his collaborative approach, strong stakeholder engagement, and ability to optimise engineering, risk management, and governance processes. He consistently drives value creation through front-end loading, rigorous assurance reviews, and effective change management, ensuring alignment with HSE standards and business objectives.
Ola is passionate about mentoring, continuous improvement, and delivering innovative solutions that enhance asset value and operational performance in the energy transition environment.
He holds a Master’s in Advanced Technology Management, alongside professional certifications in project management (APMQ, Prince2, Scrum Master). He is a Member of the Engineering Council UK– MIMMM, Association for Project Management - APM, and European Federation of National Engineering Association (FEANI).
Martin Cox CEng FIMMM FEI SPE
Martin began his Engineering career in 1979 as a National Coal Board Mining Student Apprentice in the South Nottinghamshire Area working at Calverton and Gedling Collieries. After completing the Mining ET scheme, graduating in Mining Engineering (Nottingham Trent University - formerly Trent Polytechnic) 1983, he joined the offshore industry as a commercial diver, working on subsea projects in the North Sea and Middle East. Postgraduate study in Offshore Engineering at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (1985) followed.
In 1986 he joined BPB Industries working in the evaluation of a variety of exploitation projects for coal, lignite, tar sands and mineral deposits in the UK, Canada, Europe and Africa, transferring into the newly forming oil & gas division for well evaluation and intervention activities supporting drilling, development, production, work over and abandonment operations in the North Sea, with a final UK field assignment on the development of the Dorset oilfields at Wytch Farm. 1991-98 saw Martin overseas, variously as location Manager in Pakistan (including ops in the Baluchistan desert), New Zealand, Australia, and finally to the Netherlands (NAM) assisting a newly forming well construction team, carrying out drilling and completion operations on the northern gas fields, and oil wells in the west.
A UK based period of technology development within the newly formed Reeves company (MBO BPB Industries) started in 1998, working with R&D and engineering groups, travelling extensively in the North Sea, Europe, Libya, Former Soviet Republics of Central Asia, Canada, Alaska, USA to develop opportunities for the application of new technologies, and support existing business streams. 2000 saw a return to Aberdeen, applying the newly developed technologies to the North Sea region until the company was bought out in 2004 by an international service provider. He left the company during the integration period in 2005, joining Expro Group.
After a period of contract management, a new technology development of HP/HT well clean up equipment was closely followed by development in well intervention production lines supporting production and abandonment activities.
Post Expro’s acquisition by an investment bank, Martin joined Aberdeen Drilling Management (2009) to further and combine his experience to manage the investment in, and the application of expertise, capabilities and technology, with a view to future energy requirements and environmental challenges. Development of clean energy potentially available from the coal measures, combined with potential for the development of CO2 abatement techniques continues.
Martin joined the Institute of Mining Engineers (1979), gaining C Eng. 2004. He served as a Director, Council of the Mining Institute of Scotland (MIS), and as President 2008/9. Now serving as a Member & Trustee of The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3) Executive Board, was President 2017/18, now Chair of International Committee, and Member of the Energy Transition Group Leadership Team.
Accreditation: Fellow (FIMMM) IOM3 and Energy Institute (FEI). Vice President IOM3 (President elect 2017), Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) (1984).
Helen Goddin
Helen is an established materials engineer with experience in metallurgy across several sectors, including power generation and chemical manufacturing. She has a particular interest in the energy transition and has served on the IOM3 Energy Transition Group committee since 2022. Her current work focuses on asset integrity management for hydropower plants, covering alloy identification, failure analysis, and life prediction of steel and cast iron components. Previously, she led a research team on ammonia catalysts, supporting hydrogen transport and nitric acid production.
