The American Petroleum Institute has elected two major oil company executives to leadership positions in the organization.
ExxonMobil Corp. Chairman and CEO Lee R. Raymond has been elected to a 1-year term as API's chairman effective Jan. 1, 2002.
"The oil and natural gas industry plays a critical role in the US and global economies," Raymond noted. "I look forward to this opportunity to again lead [API], particularly now with the heightened emphasis on the need for a comprehensive national energy policy to enhance our nation's energy security and economic future."
Previously, Raymond served as API's chairman during 1996-97 and was also a member of the organization's board during 1987.
Raymond served as president of Exxon Corp. from 1987 to 1993, when he became chairman and CEO until Exxon's merger with Mobil Corp. in late 1999. Immediately prior to being named a senior vice-president and elected to Exxon's board in 1984, Raymond served as president and director of Esso Inter-America Inc., executive vice-president of Exxon Enterprises, and president of Exxon Nuclear Co. Inc. He first joined Exxon in 1963.
Separately, David J. O'Reilly, chairman and chief executive officer of ChevronTexaco Corp., was elected API's treasurer, also effective Jan. 1, 2002.
O'Reilly has served on API's board since 1995, as chairman of the API downstream committee in 1997, and currently serves on the organization's executive committee and policy committee.
Prior to the completion of the merger of Chevron Corp. and Texaco Inc., O'Reilly served as chairman and CEO of Chevron since Jan. 1, 2000. O'Reilly was elected vice-president in 1991, president of Chevron Products Co. in 1994, and a director and vice-chairman, worldwide exploration and production, in 1998.
Other upstream moves
W. Rufus Estis has joined Houston-based Nuevo Energy Co. as vice-president, finance and administration.
Before joining Nuevo, Estis served as vice-president, finance, Southeast Asia, for Devon Energy Corp. since 1996. During 1993-96, he served as manager, financial and international accounting, for Santa Fe Energy Resources Inc. During 1988-93, Estis was vice-president and finance manager for British Gas Exploration & Production, and during 1976-88, he held various accounting positions with Tenneco Oil Exploration & Production.
Downstream moves
Michael Blackburn has been named general manager, lubricants and specialty products, one of the three downstream business units of Conoco Inc.
Blackburn brings to the Conoco unit 25 years of experience. Most recently, he served as president and marketing director for Conoco Thailand.
Blackburn also serves as a member of the management committee of Excel Paralubes, a base oil manufacturing joint venture owned 50% by Conoco and Pennzoil; and a member of the management committee of Penreco, a white oil petrolatum and solvent joint venture owned by Conoco and M.E. Zukerman Specialty Oil Corp. Blackburn also is director of Conoco Specialty Products Inc., a unit of Conoco.
William G. Miller has been appointed to the newly created position of vice-president, planning and development, for Frontier Oil Corp. unit Frontier Refining & Marketing, Denver.
Miller joins the Frontier unit with 28 years of experience in the refining and petrochemical industries. Most recently, Miller served as vice-president for Williams Refining & Marketing, a subsidiary of Williams Cos. Inc., Tulsa.
Fred Kellogg has been promoted to director, strategic planning and acquisitions, for Philadelphia, Pa.-based Atofina Chemicals Inc. (formerly Elf Atochem North America). Kellogg most recently served as group finance director for organic peroxides and organic intermediates.
Before working at Atofina, Kellogg served as an administrator at the Mayo Clinic. Prior to that, Kellogg worked in the finance department for M&T Chemicals, a predecessor firm of Atofina.
Dale Spiess has been named president, olefins-polyolefins division, of Nova Chemicals Corp., effective Nov. 1, succeeding senior vice-president and president Dan Boivin, who will retire at yearend. Boivin, a 35-year chemical industry veteran, had been with Nova Chemicals for 8 years.
Spiess, who joined Nova Chemicals in 1998 as senior vice-president, polyethylene sales and marketing, also has more than 35 years experience in the chemical industry.
