Abdelhafid Feghouli has been appointed vice-president of Algerian state oil and gas company Sonatrach, in charge of downstream activities.
Faghouli, who was formerly director of the human resources and communication department, succeeds Bachir Achour, who become adviser to the chairman and managing director of the company.
Faghouli also has served as general manager of Algeria's national refining company Naftec.
Upstream moves
ExxonMobil Corp. announced two new executive appointments.
Steve Simon, currently president, ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Co., will be elected a senior vice-president.
Steve Pryor, currently deputy to the president, ExxonMobil Refining, will be appointed president of the unit and will be elected a vice-president of the parent firm.
Repsol YPF SA has appointed Antonio Brufau as chairman. Brufau succeeds Alfonso Cortina, who is resigning. In 1989, Brufau was named to the board of Gas Natural SDG and member of its executive commission, where he designed and actively participated in the 1992 merger of Catalana de Gas and Gas Madrid.
In 1997, he was named chairman of Grupo Gas Natural SDG. In 1996 Brufau was appointed a member of Repsol YPF's board and currently also is a member of the company's audit and control commission.
Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Corp., a wholly owned affiliate of Kerr-McGee Corp., Oklahoma City, has named Don Vardeman vice-president, marine engineering.
Vardeman has 25 years of experience with Kerr-McGee and nearly 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He started with Sun Exploration & Production Co., a predecessor of Oryx Energy Co., and in 1979 joined Kerr-McGee as the district electrical engineer in Midland, Tex. In 2000, he was director of worldwide deepwater facilities.
Swift Energy Co. announced that Bruce H. Vincent has been appointed president. Vincent has served Swift Energy in a variety of strategic positions for the last 15 years, most recently as executive vice-president, corporate development. He will continue to serve as secretary of the company and as president of Swift Energy International.
Prior to joining the company in 1990, Vincent held a number of senior management positions in both industry and financial institutions.
Houston Exploration Co. announced that Steven L. Mueller has been named executive vice-president and chief operating officer. Mueller joined the company in 2001 as senior vice-president and general manager of the onshore division. Mueller has 30 years of industry experience, and prior to joining Houston Exploration he was senior vice-president, exploration and production, at Belco Oil and Gas Co. He has also held management positions at American Exploration Co., Fina Oil, and Tenneco Oil Co.
Separately, Joanne C. Hresko has been named vice-president and general manager, onshore, and Tim R. Lindsey has been named senior vice-president, exploration.
Hresko joined the company in 1992 as operations manager and has supervised the onshore region's exploration and production operations for the past several years. Prior to joining Houston Exploration she worked at Tex/Con Oil & Gas Co., a subsidiary of BP Exploration.
Lindsey joined the company in 2003 as vice-president, exploration, after spending the majority of his career with Marathon Oil Co.
Houston-based Newfield Exploration Co. announced the promotion of five members of its leadership group.
David F. Schaible was promoted to executive vice-president, operations and acquisitions. Previously, Schaible served as vice-president, acquisitions and development. Schaible was one of the founders of Newfield and has served in increasing roles of responsibility since 1989. Prior to joining Newfield, Schaible worked for Tenneco Oil Co.
Elliott Pew was promoted to executive vice-president, exploration. He was previously vice-president, exploration. Prior to joining Newfield, Pew was senior vice-president, exploration, with American Exploration.
Lee K. Boothby was promoted to vice-president, Midcontinent. Prior to this promotion, Boothby was president, Newfield Exploration Mid-Continent Inc.
During 1999-2001, Boothby was managing director, Newfield Exploration Australia Ltd. and managed the company's operations in the Timor Sea (divested in 2003) from Perth. Before joining Newfield in 1999, Boothby worked for Cockrell Oil Corp., BG Group PLC, and Tenneco.
George T. Dunn was promoted to vice-president, gulf coast. Previously, he was general manager, Gulf Coast. Prior to joining Newfield in 1992, Dunn was employed by Meridian Oil Co. and Tenneco.
Gary D. Packer was promoted to vice-president, Rocky Mountains, from his previous position as general manager, Rocky Mountains. Prior to joining Newfield in 1995, Packer worked for Amerada Hess Corp. in both Rocky Mountain and Gulf of Mexico divisions and also for Tenneco.