Pride International Inc.
Houston, has announced three appointments for its Latin America Land and E&P Services group. K. George Wasaff has been named chief executive officer, James M. Mitchell joins as chief financial officer, and Carlos F. Etcheverry has been promoted to chief operating officer.
Wasaff previously was employed by El Paso Natural Gas Co., Enron Corp., and most recently by Ashmore Energy International and Prisma Energy.
Mitchell joins Pride from Grant Prideco Inc., where he has been employed since 1999. He previously held positions with Azurix Inc., EVI Inc., and Arthur Andersen LLP.
Etcheverry was employed by Halliburton Co. as country manager-Argentina prior to joining Pride in 2002.
In another announcement, Pride International Inc. has named Jeffrey L. Chastain as vice-president, investor relations, for the company. Chastain, who holds bachelor’s and MBA degrees from the University of North Texas, has 23 years of experience in investor relations and analytical roles in energy and financial investment industries.
Pride International Inc. is one of the world’s largest drilling contractors, providing onshore and offshore drilling and related services in more than 25 countries.
Mustang Engineering
Houston, has announced that Ronald Walker has joined its process plants group as a professional services specialist.
Walker has more than 20 years of experience in business development and project management in the refining and chemical industries. Based in Mustang’s La Porte, Tex., office, he will provide staffing support to clients for onsite engineering and support services. He will also provide chemical and polymer project development support for the office.
Mustang Engineering, a subsidiary of John Wood Group PLC, is an independent services provider specializing in design, engineering, procurement, project management, and construction management. The company offers these services through its six business units: upstream oil and gas, midstream, pipeline, automation and control, refining and petrochemicals, and process and industrial.
John Wood Group PLC is an international energy services company operating in 44 countries. Wood Group provides a range of engineering, production support, maintenance management, and industrial gas turbine overhaul and repair services.
Liberty International Underwriters
Houston, has appointed Tommy Laurendine as head of risk engineering for its US exploration and production line of business.
Laurendine has over 25 years of experience as an offshore structural engineer. He most recently served as chief of the office of structural and technical support at the US Minerals Management Service.
Liberty International Underwriters, a division of Liberty Mutual Group, is a global specialty lines business with an emphasis on niche insurance products distributed through the independent broker network.
Wärtsilä Corp.
Helsinki, Finland, has announced a joint venture agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. to manufacture dual-fuel engines for LNG carriers. The company will be named Wärtsilä Hyundai Engine Co. Ltd., and be located in South Korea.
The technology shift towards dual-fuel machinery in LNG carriers has significantly increased demand for Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engines, with Korea holding in excess of 70% of the global market share in LNG shipbuilding. Hyundai Heavy Industries is a leading shipbuilding company.
Extreme CCTV Inc.
Vancouver, Canada, has announced the appointment of Peter Beare as managing director of its European operations.
Beare has over 15 years of executive management experience, and is well known in the UK and Europe for his service with Baxall Ltd., the UK’s premier manufacturer of CCTV surveillance cameras. He also has US management experience with B&B ARMR and Ultrak.
Extreme CCTV Inc., headquartered in Burnaby, BC, Canada, specializes in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced infrared illuminators, and precision engineered video surveillance products.
GlobalSantaFe Corp.
Houston, has announced the appointment of Blake Simmons as senior vice-president, operations. Simmons will be succeeded as president of Applied Drilling Technology Inc. (ADTI), GlobalSantaFe’s drilling management services subsidiary, by Steve Morrison.
Simmons is a graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering, and joined Global Marine Inc. in 1983. In his new position, he has responsibility for the company’s worldwide contract drilling operations.
Morrison earned his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Louisiana Tech University. He held a variety of positions with Atlantic Richfield Corp. and Vastar Resources prior to joining ADTI in 1996.
GlobalSantaFe Corp. is a leading provider of offshore oil and gas drilling and drilling management services.