Brian MacNeill, CEO of Enbridge Inc., has been named chairman of Petro-Canada.
Enbridge is Canada's largest pipeline company. Petro-Canada is Canada's second-largest integrated company. Both are located in Calgary.
MacNeill has been on the Petro-Canada board since 1995 and replaces Jim Stanford as chairman. Stanford stepped down earlier this year as Petro-Canada CEO and was replaced by Ron Brenneman, a former Exxon Corp. executive.
Stanford said a new CEO doesn't need an old CEO looking over his shoulder, in explaining his resignation from the chairmanship. He denied any friction with Brenneman.
Since becoming CEO, Brenneman has embarked on an aggressive cost-cutting program at Petro-Canada. It has cut about 10% of its 4,400 employees, put most of its overseas interests up for sale, and is leasing out the top executive floors of its Calgary office tower.
MacNeill said Petro-Canada management will develop a vision for the company, and the board will assist them and work with them to achieve it. MacNeill was appointed President and CEO of Enbridge Inc. in 1991. Prior to that, he held financial positions with Interhome Energy, Home Oil Co. Ltd., and Hiram Walker Resources Ltd. He is also Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board to the 16th World Petroleum Congress (Calgary 2000).
Prize CEO
Meanwhile, a junior company in Calgary has a new CEO.
Greg Noval, former CEO of Canadian 88 Energy Corp. has been named CEO of Prize Energy Inc. Both are Calgary firms
Noval stepped down as Canadian 88 CEO in March when Duke Energy Corp. bought 20% of the company and installed a new CEO, Joseph Pritchett. Noval holds 10% of Canadian 88 stock and remains on the board.
Prize Energy was 45% owned by Canadian 88 until January and will become independent of that company July 1.
Noval said a new business strategy is being put in place that will see Prize evolve as a premier intermediate oil and gas player over the next 24-36 months.
Noval founded Canadian 88 in 1988 as a small junior company and built it into a significant intermediate natural gas producer with discoveries in Alberta.
Nigerian E&P changes
Two majors have new chiefs for their Nigerian E&P units.
Alan Halsey has been named chairman of Texaco Overseas (Nigeria) Petroleum Co. Ulted (TOPCO), and managing director for Texaco's exploration and production activities in Nigeria. Most recently, Halsey held the position of president of Texas Petroleum Co., Texaco's Colombia unit. He will be responsible for Texaco's significant upstream operations in Nigeria, including TOPCO, which operates the joint venture state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Co. (NNPC) has with Texaco and Chevron Corp., substantial exploration operations in the Nigeria deepwater, and development of the Agbami discovery. He succeeds Simone Gregori, who has retired.
Paul Warwick has been appointed as the Chief Executive of Conoco Energy Nigeria Ltd. and Conoco Exploration & Production Nigeria Ltd. The appointment took effect Dec. 1, 1999. CENL is the technical partner of Express Petroleum & Gas Co. Nigeria. It is the operator of the OPL 220 production-sharing block. The UK native is a chartered engineer and fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and has had over 20 years experience in the oil and gas business.
Other upstream moves
In other upstream personnel moves, Hugh L. Boyt has been named president, North America, of Santa Fe Snyder Corp., Houston, subject of a merger bid from Devon Energy Corp. (see related story, this page). He succeeds Billy Hargett, who has resigned. Boyt will be responsible for all US and Canadian operations. Timothy S. Parker has been promoted to president, international operations. He was executive vice-president, exploration. Duane C. Radtke has been named executive vice-president, exploration and production. He was executive vice-president, production. Prior to that, he was president of the company's Southeast Asia operations.
David McDonald has been named chairman of Indo-Pacific Energy Ltd., San Francisco. He succeeds Alex Guidi, who is continuing as a nonexecutive director. McDonald has 45 years of oil industry experience. Immediately prior to his retirement in 1995, he held the position of managing director of a group of Lasmo PLC companies
Thomas J. Morrow has been promoted to president of Challenger Minerals Inc. (CMI), the oil and gas subsidiary of Global Marine Inc., Houston. He was vice-president and general manager of CMI.
Morrow joined the company in 1990 as director of domestic sales for Applied Drilling Technology Inc., another Global Marine subsidiary. Before that, he served with Amoco Production Co. and TXO Production Corp.
Grant W. Henderson, president of Belco Oil & Gas, New York, has been appointed to the additional position of COO. He replaces Laurence D. Belfer, who will continue as the company's vice-chairman as well as serving as chairman of the executive committee.
John L. Rainwater has been elected CEO of Prime Natural Resources Inc., Houston. He was president of Prime Natural Resources LLC, the company's California subsidiary. Rainwater succeeds Edward L. Moses, who has retired. John L. Moran has been named executive vice-president. He was vice-president, exploration.
Charles W. Seely of Fort Worth, has been elected president of the North Texas Oil & Gas Association, Wichita Falls, Tex. Elected vice-president are Ken Haggart of Graham, Tex., and Jeff R. Dillard of Wichita Falls.
Downstream moves
Two US refining companies have new vice-presidents.
Richard K. Leicht has been promoted to vice-president, refining, of Cooperative Refining LLC, McPherson, Ky. He was manager, refining operations. Leicht joined the company in July 1992 as assistant processing superintendent. Kenneth R. Sims, assistant manager, McPherson refinery operations, has been promoted to manager, refinery operations.
S. Clark Johnson has been named executive vice-president, refining operations, of Frontier Oil Corp., Houston. He was senior vice-president, marketing, supply, and terminals at Kerr-McGee Refining and also served as president of Coastal Mart Inc., a subsidiary of Coastal Corp.
Johnson will assume additional responsibilities related to the company's recent acquisition of the El Dorado, Kan., refinery.
