On behalf of the UNECE secretariat and the Chair of the Expert Group on Resource Management (EGRM), David MacDonald, it is with great regret that we inform you of the passing of John Etherington.
John was a longstanding friend of EGRM and an active member starting in 2006 until 2017 when he withdrew from his roles for health reasons. He contributed to the development of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and was the founding Chair of EGRM's Technical Advisory Group. As Chair of the Technical Advisory Group, John led the development of UNFC’s sectoral specifications and bridging documents to the national systems of Russia and China. John's untiring efforts contributed to the global application of UNFC that we witness today.
We have lost a “petroleum reserves” champion - John was a doyen in international oil & gas exploration and reserves auditing with over 40 years’ experience with Mobil Oil in Canada and USA and more recently as Managing Director of PRA International Ltd. John advised many companies on reserves evaluation and audit during his long career. Industry professionals remember John's significant role in the drafting of the 2007 Petroleum Resources Management System.
Our community will remember John for the passion, energy and sense of humor that accompanied the expertise and experience that he was always willing to share. John will be missed by all who knew him and had the pleasure to work with him.
Our thoughts are with his family and we extend our sincere condolences on his passing.
David MacDonald, EGRM Chair
Scott Foster, Director, UNECE Sustainable Energy Division
Charlotte Griffiths and Hari Tulsidas, EGRM Programme Managers