Houston-based energy marketer Dynegy Inc. took temporary possession of Enron Corp.'s Northern Natural Gas (NNG) pipeline Jan. 31 and named Dan Dienstbier as the pipeline's president.
Dynegy acquired the pipeline after Houston-based Enron failed to repay a $1.5 billion equity infusion Dynegy made as part of its failed attempt to merge with Enron last fall. After the merger proposal fell through, Dynegy claimed the right to acquire the pipeline, which had been put up as collateral for the $1.5 billion in cash.
Following Dynegy's withdrawal from the merger, Enron sued to stop Dynegy from acquiring the pipeline, but unless Enron raises enough cash to buy back the pipeline, Dynegy is scheduled to take permanent possession of NNG at the end of June. Dienstbier will be responsible for NNG's day-to-day operations until its ultimate fate is decided.
Dienstbier had served as an overseeing NNG executive before it was merged into the company that ultimately became Enron. In 1985 he was named president of Enron's pipeline group but left the company in 1988.
During July 1992-October 1993, Dienstbier served as chief operating officer of Arkla Inc., which was subsequently bought by a predecessor of Reliant Energy Inc., Houston. He left Arkla and became president and chief operating officer of American Oil & Gas Corp., a small exploration and production company, until it merged with Lakewood, Colo.-based KN Energy Inc. He left American in 1994 and 1 year later was appointed to Dynegy's board.
Upstream moves
Norman F. McIntyre has been named president of Calgary-based Petro-Canada.
Ron Brenneman will continue in the capacity of CEO. The move takes place as Petro-Canada undertakes the significant expansion of its international activity resulting from the $3.2 billion acquisition of Veba Oil & Gas GMBH's international oil and gas operations (see related story, p. 36).
In his new position, which is based in London, McIntyre will represent Petro-Canada's interests in aligning the newly acquired assets with the company's strategy and direction. He will continue to play a senior role on the executive leadership team and advise the CEO on matters of business policy and overall strategy.
With a 20 year career with Petro-Canada, McIntyre most recently served as executive vice-president, upstream.
Peter A. Carwardine has been named president and CEO of Virtus Energy Ltd. Carwardine's appointment came as part of the reorganization of the Calgary-based oil and gas company, which has producing properties in Western Canada.
As part of the restructuring, Randy Maksymowich will assume the position of chief operating officer.
Most recently, Carwardine served as executive vice-president, business development, and chief operating officer for Virtus. He joined the company in January.
Before joining Virtus, Carwardine served on the executive team of Calgary-based Encal Energy Ltd., which was subsequently sold in April 2001 to Calpine Corp.
Michael Duginski has been hired as vice-president, corporate development, for Berry Petroleum Co., Taft, Calif. Most recently, Duginski worked for Texaco Inc. where he was responsible for new business development and gas and power operations in California and southeast Asia.
Thomas S. Liberatore has been named regional manager, east, for Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.
In his new position, Liberatore will supervise exploration and production activities in the Houston-based company's eastern region. Liberatore joins Cabot after serving most recently as vice-president, exploration and production, for North Coast Energy Inc., Twinsburg, Ohio.
He began his career as a geologist and has held various operating positions of increasing responsibility for Presidio Oil Co. (which was later acquired by Tom Brown Inc., Denver) and for Belden & Blake Corp., North Canton, Ohio.
Other moves
Robert C. Skaggs Jr. has been named president and CEO of Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Columbia Gas of Maryland, both based in Pittsburgh. Skaggs succeeds Anthony Trubisz Jr., who retired Dec. 31, 2001.
In his new position, Skaggs oversees NiSource Energy Distribution Group companies in Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Skaggs began his career in 1981 working for Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., Charleston, W.Va. In 1984, he was promoted to manager, rate and regulatory affairs, for Columbia's Service Corp. He served as president and CEO of Commonwealth Gas Services (Columbia Gas of Virginia), Richmond, Va., in 1989.
Skaggs has served as president and CEO of Columbia Gas of Ohio and Columbia Gas of Kentucky since 1996. Following the merger of NiSource and Columbia Energy Group in November 2000, he was named president and CEO of Bay State Gas Co. in Massachusetts and Northern Utilities in New Hampshire and Maine.
Previously, he served as executive vice-president and chief financial officer for the Columbia Gas Distribution Cos., Columbus, Ohio.
Paula G. Rosput, president and CEO of AGL Resources Inc., Atlanta, has been elected chairman of the company. Rosput succeeds Raymond D. Riddle, who has served as the nonexecutive chairman since Aug. 1, 2000, when Rosput was named to her current position. Riddle will remain chairman of the board's executive and audit committees.
Rosput joined the company as president and chief operating officer of AGL's natural gas distribution unit Atlanta Gas Light Co. in 1998. Before joining AGL, Rosput served as president of Duke Energy North America, a unit of Duke Energy Corp., Charlotte, NC; president of PanEnergy Power Services, later acquired by Duke Energy; and senior vice-president of Pacific Gas Transmission Co., San Francisco.
James F. Whitesides has resigned as president of AmerenEnergy, the energy trading and marketing subsidiary of Ameren Corp., St. Louis.
Clarence Hopf Jr., currently AmerenEnergy senior vice-president, energy trading, will continue to be responsible for day-to-day operations at the trading and marketing subsidiary. Hopf joined Ameren in 1999 from Cinergy Power Marketing & Trading, Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was managing director, trading and operations.
Effective Feb. 1, Charles B. Stanley became executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Questar Market Resources, a unit of Salt Lake City-based Questar Corp.
Previously, Stanley served as president and CEO of El Paso Oil & Gas Canada Inc., a unit of El Paso Corp., Houston.
Questar Market Resources conducts nonregulated oil and gas exploration and production in 16 western US states and Canada, as well as gas gathering and energy trading.
Stanley began his career in 1981 as a research and field geologist for the Virginia Geologic Survey. During 1984-89, he was involved with exploration and appraisal for British Petroleum Co. PLC. Beginning in 1989 he served in a variety of positions with Maxus Energy Corp., Dallas, eventually being named vice-president, international exploration and development.
Stanley joined Houston-based Coastal Corp. in 1995, serving 4 years as president, CEO, and director of Coastal Gas International Co.
Rose M. Robeson has been named vice-president and chief financial officer of Duke Energy Field Services (DEFS), a 70-30 respective joint venture of the natural gas gathering and processing businesses of both Duke Energy Corp. and Phillips Petroleum Co.
Robeson joined DEFS in May 2000 as vice-president and treasurer. Previously, she was with Kinder Morgan Inc. (formerly KN Energy) during 1996-2000, where she held the position of vice-president and treasurer from 1998. During 1987-96, Robeson was with Total Petroleum Inc., ascending to the position of assistant treasurer.
She started her career in 1982 as a certified public accountant with McGladrey & Pullen and joined Ernst & Young in 1984.