Personnel Moves and Promotions: Al-Khalifa elected SPE International president

July 18, 2005
AbdulJaleel A. Al-Khalifa, manager of reservoir description and simulation for Saudi Aramco, was elected as 2007 president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers International (SPE).
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AbdulJaleel A. Al-Khalifa, manager of reservoir description and simulation for Saudi Aramco, was elected as 2007 president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers International (SPE).

Al-Khalifa, who is the first SPE member from the Middle East to be elected president of the organization, joined Aramco in 1979 and spent more than 10 years working in reservoir management and simulation and production engineering.

Over the past 10 years, he also served as manager of Aramco’s geological and exploration departments.

Other moves

Mark Western, chairman and chief executive officer of Tekoil & Gas Corp., was appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Pexcon Inc.

Last month, Pompano, Fla.-based Pexcon signed a letter of intent to acquire Tekoil & Gas of Orlando (OGJ Online, May 25, 2005).

Gary R. Heminger has been appointed executive vice-president of Marathon Oil Corp.

In his new position, Heminger also will serve as one of Marathon’s corporate officers, and he will continue in his role as president of Marathon Oil subsidiary Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC (MAP), a position he assumed on Sept. 1, 2001.

MAP will change its name to Marathon Petroleum Co. LLC effective Sept. 1., following Marathon Oil’s recent acquisition of Ashland Inc.’s interest in MAP.

Heminger has been with Marathon Oil for 30 years, which included 5 years in various financial and administrative roles, 3 years as audit supervisor of the Brae Project in the North Sea, and 8 years with Speedway SuperAmerica predecessor Emro Marketing.

During 1995-96, Heminger served as president of Marathon Pipe Line Co. He assumed the position of manager, business development and joint interest, of Marathon Oil in November 1996.

He was named vice-president, business development, for MAP upon its formation Jan. 1, 1998, and a year later was named senior vice-president, business development.

In January 2001, Heminger was named MAP executive vice-president, supply, transportation, and marketing.

Ness Energy International Inc., Willow Park, Tex., appointed Cary E. Hughes as executive vice-president and chief operating officer of the company.

Most recently, Hughes founded and was director of Hughes & Associates.

Natural Gas Systems Inc., Houston, reported that Daryl V. Mazzanti has joined its management team as vice-president, operations.

Mazzanti previously served as US business development manager for Anadarko Petroleum Corp. Prior to that, he held positions of increasing responsibility in operations with Anadarko and Union Pacific Resources.

During his tenure, Mazzanti held positions including production manager and engineering manager for various major producing areas in Texas including the Austin Chalk Trend and Carthage field.

Anders P. Damgaard has been appointed vice-president of Mærsk Olie og Gas AS, Copenhagen. Most recently, Damgaard served as managing director of Mærsk Oil Kazakhstan GMBH. Damgaard started at Mærsk Olie og Gas in 1981 as a well site engineer and in 1982 continued as a petroleum engineer.

After a period with Mærsk in Houston, Damgaard returned to Copenhagen during 1990-92 and was appointed senior drilling engineer. In 1998, Damgaard was placed in charge of overseeing the Gorm field in the North Sea. In 2000, he was stationed with Mærsk Oil Qatar AS where he was appointed manager of the company’s petroleum engineering department.

Access Exploration Corp. appointed Richard L. Shanor vice-president, land.

Shanor has more than 25 years experience as a petroleum landman. Shanor has held prior positions with Texas Oil & Gas Corp. and WCS Oil & Gas Corp.

PetroSearch Energy Corp., Houston, employed five professionals to handle its geology, engineering, land, and production operations.

They are: Wayne A. Beninger, an engineer and geologist, vice-president and chief operating officer; John F. Sobehrad, manager of geology; Bennett A. Thomas, manager of engineering; David Arndt, manager of drilling and operations; and Shellie M. Hayes, manager of land.