US research organizations get new leadership
New leadership is taking the reins at two key oil and gas industry research-support organizations based in the US.
A new management team is taking shape at Gas Technology Institute, the new corporate name of the merged Gas Research Institute and Institute of Gas Technology.
Meanwhile, a new executive director has been tapped to take over from one of the founders of the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council.
Topping other news of recent personnel moves is the appointment of a former Alberta energy regulator to a key position at TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.
GTI
"Our focus is still on technology related to finding, delivering and using natural gas," said John F. Riordan, recently named president and CEO of GTI. "But we are now a broader and deeper 'one-stop' technology organization, able to help a wider range of customers meet their technology needs."
He noted that GTI will continue to manage a cooperative research and development program of broad value to gas customers and the gas industry through 2004, using funds authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. On June 1, the company filed its application with FERC for a $70 million program in 2001. Final review of the application is expected in October.
At the same time, Riordan pointed out, GTI is also working to develop new business with individual companies and other organizations ready to invest in projects, products, and services designed to meet their business objectives.
GTI headquarters will be in the existing IGT facilities in Des Plaines, Ill., a Chicago suburb. All Chicago-area staff will be consolidated there by yearend.
GTI businesses
In broad terms, GTI will have two lines of business. The first offers:
- Program management, not only of FERC projects, but also of programs funded voluntarily by the utility industry and by government agencies.
- Research and technical services, specializing in gas operations, combustion, power generation, environmental remediation, gas processing, and process engineering.
- Technology development and field services for gas producers, including expertise in drilling test services, emerging resources, field diagnostics, and produced water management.
- Educational courses, seminars, and workshops for gas industry personnel and others, as well as development of advanced "e-learning" technology.
Leading this part of the business is Stanley Borys, executive vice-president and COO. Borys joined the IGT executive staff in 1994.
GTI also has a technology investment business-a wholly owned subsidiary designed to bring advanced technology to the market and to provide returns to GTI. It works with individual companies and organizations under a variety of business arrangements to achieve this goal. It has current major holdings in waste and renewable energy processes, distributed power generation (including fuel cells), space heating and appliances, and information and electronic-commerce businesses.
Reporting to Riordan as president of this subsidiary is William Burnett. Burnett served GRI for more than 20 years in various senior management positions.
Among other members of the GTI senior management team, reporting to Borys, are:
Marlon McClinton, vice-president, program management; Peter Barone, vice-president, FERC support; Terry Keane, vice-president, E&P services; Robert Stokes, vice-president, research and deployment; and Michael Dugan, vice-president, education.
PTTC
Donald F. Duttlinger has been named executive director of the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC), Washington, DC.
He succeeds Deborah Rowell, founding executive director, who has stepped down.
Since 1992, Duttlinger has been president of Intechtra Services Inc., Houston.
Prior to joining PTTC, he served as onshore operations training manager for Mobil Oil Corp./Baker Energy in Africa.
Before that, Duttlinger worked as senior engineer for Schlumberger Technical Services in Indonesia.
TransCanada
Celine Belanger, one of the high-profile women in Canada's oil and gas industry, will join Calgary-based TransCanada PipeLines as a senior executive and head of its regulatory team.
Belanger is a former head of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and is currently president of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association.
A graduate of the University of Alberta, Belanger will join TCPL in July.
The company said her appointment reflects the importance it is placing on regulatory reform and negotiations with stakeholders, including industry and government.
Other moves
In other personnel moves, Byron Grote has been appointed CEO of BP Amoco Chemicals, effective August 2000. He replaces Bryan Sanderson, who will retire September 2000. Grote, who is currently an executive vice-president, has most recently been responsible for managing the acquisition and integration of ARCO into BP Amoco PLC. He started his career in the oil business when he joined Standard Oil Co. (Ohio) in 1979, where he managed international oil supply and trading activities.
Jerry H. Mouser has been named senior vice-president, new business ventures, of Tesoro Petroleum Cos. Inc., San Antonio. He has more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry. Before joining Tesoro, Mouser was president, worldwide sales and marketing; president, Americas; and a director and a member of the executive committee of KBC Advanced Technologies PLC, Weybridge, UK.
William H. Wallace has been promoted to vice-president, operations, of Abraxas Petroleum Corp., San Antonio. He will be responsible for US drilling and production activities. Wallace was manager, operations. He joined the company in 1995 as superintendent and senior operations engineer.
Steven J. Benedetti has been named vice-president, international, of Samson International Ltd., Tulsa. He will be based in Houston. Benedetti was country manager-new ventures manager of Unocal Patagonia Ltd., Buenos Aires. His previous positions at Unocal included numerous other assignments in South America and Europe.
Burckhard Bergmann has been elected chairman of Ruhrgas AG, Essen. He succeeds Friedrich Späth, who has resigned. Bergmann has been a board member since 1980 and vice-chairman since 1996. He will stay in charge of gas purchasing.
The Peruvian government appointed Rafael Samaniego president of the board of directors of the state oil regulator Perupetro SA, following the resignation of Juan Assereto, president since June 1997. Samaniego is president of the petroleum committee of the National Mining, Petroleum, & Energy Society and was manager of administration and contracts for Petrotech Peruana Inc., a unit of Delaware firm Petrotech International Inc., which operates Block Z-2B on Peru's continental shelf. Samaniego was formerly employed by Belco Petroleum Co., New York, which operated Block Z-2B from the late 1960s until late 1985, when the firm was sold to Enron Corp. and the block shortly thereafter was nationalized by the Garcia administration. Petrotech won a tender for the block at the beginning of the state oil industry's privatization, in late 1993.
