ConocoPhillips has announced changes in several management positions effective Sept. 1.
Bill Berry, executive vice-president for E&P in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, has elected to retire in January 2008 after 31 years of service. He will serve in a transition role from Sept. 1 until January.
John Lowe, executive vice-president, commercial, will become executive vice-president, E&P, and Ryan Lance, currently senior vice-president, technology, will become president, E&P for Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Other moves
Chevron Corp. has named John S. Watson executive vice-president, strategy and development, a new position effective Jan. 1, 2008.
In his new position, Watson will oversee business development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and Project Resources Co., which supports the development of major capital projects within Chevron.
Watson currently serves as president of Chevron International E&P, a role he has held since December 2004. He joined the company in 1980 as a financial analyst and has served in various roles, including president of Chevron Canada Ltd. and vice-president, strategic planning, for Chevron. Watson also served as the integration executive for the merger of Chevron and Texaco Inc., and in October 2001 was named vice-president and chief financial officer of the company.
Associated with this appointment, Chevron announced that it will restructure its global upstream operations into four operating companies. The new organizational structure for Chevron’s worldwide E&P group expands from two companies-Chevron International E&P and Chevron North America E&P-to four: Africa and Latin America; Asia-Pacific; Eurasia, Europe, and Middle East; and North America.
Newfield Exploration Co. has approved several executive promotions.
David F. Schaible was named president and chief operating officer. Schaible will continue to report to David A. Trice, who will retain the title of Newfield chairman and chief executive officer.
Schaible was one of the founders that joined Joe B. Foster in 1989 when the company began operation and since has held positions of increasing responsibility within Newfield. Prior to this promotion, Schaible served as Newfield’s executive vice-president, operations and acquisitions.
Lee K. Boothby will be named senior vice-president, acquisitions and business development, effective Oct. 1, and will relocate to the company’s headquarters in Houston. He currently is vice-president, Midcontinent.
George T. Dunn will be named vice-president, Midcontinent, and will be relocating to Tulsa, effective Oct. 1. Dunn was most recently vice-president, Gulf Coast.
John H. Jasek will become vice-president, Gulf Coast, effective Oct. 1. Jasek was previously vice-president, Gulf of Mexico.
St. Mary Land & Exploration Co. has appointed Stephen Pugh senior vice-president of the company and regional manager of the ArkLaTex region, which includes the company’s operations in Shreveport, La.
Pugh succeeds David Hart, who is retiring after 15 years.
Pugh most recently served as managing director for Scotia Waterous in Houston. Previously, he worked for Burlington Resources Inc. and its successor ConocoPhillips. Pugh began his career in 1981 at Superior Oil Co.
Separately, St. Mary has promoted Greg Leyendecker to vice-president of the company and regional manager of the Gulf Coast region.
Prior to this appointment, Leyendecker had managed the Gulf Coast region on an interim basis. He joined the company in late 2006 as operations manager for the Gulf Coast region. He previously has worked for Unocal Corp. and its successor owner Chevron in technical and management positions.
Oneok Partners LP has reported several executive appointments associated with the partnership’s plan to begin in the third quarter to report its financial results in four segments: two in natural gas-gathering and processing, and gas pipelines-and two in natural gas liquids-NGL gathering and fractionation, and NGL pipelines.
The partnership has promoted Pierce H. Norton II to executive vice-president, natural gas.
Separately, Terry K. Spencer has been promoted to executive vice-president, NGL.
Garth Johnson, chief financial officer of TAG Oil Ltd., has been appointed chief executive officer, effective Sept. 1.
On that date, Johnson’s predecessor Drew Cadenhead will resign as chief executive, president, and director of the company. Cadenhead will remain with the company in a consulting role during an agreed transition period. TAG Oil’s board will be evaluating the company’s executive management needs.
Johnson, a certified general accountant, has extensive experience in financing, accounting, and regulatory reporting for both US and Canadian companies. He has been a director for several upstream oil companies operating in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Jon Hrobsky has been elected deputy director of the US Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service. He joins MMS deputy director Walter Cruickshank, but each will oversee specific programs.
Hrobsky will assist MMS Director Randall Luthi, who was recently nominated to his post (OGJ, Aug. 6, 2007, p. 5).
Hrobsky formerly served as deputy director in Interior’s Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. Previously, he worked as legislative director and senior legislative assistant with two congressmen from Colorado.
Hrobsky’s work has included helping MMS in the development of rules and regulations for the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, and the 5-Year Leasing Program for 2007-12.
