Personnel Moves and Promotions: Citgo Petroleum names Rodríguez president, CEO

May 2, 2005
Félix Rodríguez was named president and CEO of Citgo Petroleum Corp.

Félix Rodríguez was named president and CEO of Citgo Petroleum Corp., Houston, replacing Luis Marín. Rodríguez is also a new member of Citgo’s board of directors, along with Bernard Mommer, Eudomario Carruyo, Juan Carlos Boue, and Asdrúbal Chávez.

Rodríguez, with more than 29 years of experience in the Venezuelan oil industry, has served as vice-president of Petroleos de Venezuela SA since March 2004. Prior to that, he served as production director in charge of operations for western Venezuela.

Other moves

Brazil’s Mines and Energy Ministry named José Fantine as the new head of the National Petroleum Agency (ANP).

Fantine is a chemical engineer and former employee of Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras), having reached the post of CEO at its retail unit, BR Distribuidora.

Fantine currently works at the engineering research center Coppe at the federal university of Rio de Janeiro.

Fantine has in the past voiced his support for Petrobras’s monopoly over petroleum exploration, but told the local press that he supported the current model of ANP-conducted licensing tenders because it has attracted foreign investments to the country.

The appointment has to be confirmed by the Senate floor following approval by the Senate’s infrastructure committee.

ANP is currently headed by ANP Director Haroldo Lima after Sebastião do Rêgo Barros’s term expired in January.

Houston-based independent Vanco Energy Co. named John F. Imle Jr. president of the company.

Imle has more than 40 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, mostly in international arenas. After retiring early from Unocal Corp. as vice-chairman, he worked as an energy consultant, with emphasis on Asia.

Imle has held various technical and management posts in exploration and production, including overseeing Unocal’s worldwide oil and gas operations as company president.

As a senior executive, he also was responsible for international business development, primarily new ventures in emerging nations.

Cheniere Energy Inc., Houston, appointed Stanley C. Horton as president and chief operating officer.

Horton has over 30 years of experience in the natural gas and energy industry. Most recently he served as president and chief operating officer of Southern Union’s CrossCountry Energy LLC and Panhandle Energy. He previously was president of Northern Natural Gas Co., Transwestern Pipeline Co. LLC, and Florida Gas Transmission Co.

Houston Exploration Co. appointed Jeffrey B. Sherrick as senior vice-president of corporate development. His duties include overseeing the company’s reservoir engineering and assessing new prospects.

Previously, Sherrick was senior vice-president of production and nonregulated services at El Paso Production Co.

Tom Kerestes has agreed to join the Methane Energy Corp. subsidiary of Torrent Energy Corp., Vancouver, BC, as vice-president operations. Kerestes, a 25-year veteran of the industry, has managed multiple drilling and completion programs for companies such as Gulf Oil, Pennzoil, Beau Canada, Husky Energy, Keywest Energy, Atlas Energy, and Compton Petroleum.

Kerestes will manage Torrent’s pilot coalbed methane well program at Coos Bay, Ore.

Environmental Partners Inc., Issaquah, Wash., will deal with environmental facets of the drilling program.

Storm Cat Energy Corp., Calgary, appointed Keith J. Knapstad as vice-president, operations US.

Knapstad previously managed Powder River basin assets for J.M. Huber Corp., Houston.

Before that, he worked for Marathon Oil Co. subsidiary Pennaco Energy Inc., managing a team responsible for development of various Rocky Mountain producing areas.