Baker Hughes Inc.,
Houston, has appointed Russell J. Cancilla vice-president of HS&E and security. Previously, he served as chief security officer for Baker Hughes since June 2006. Prior to joining Baker Hughes, Cancilla worked for Innovene as vice-president and chief security officer. Before joining Innovene, he worked at BP PLC as vice-president, resources and capabilities for health, safety, security, and environment; and vice-president, real estate and management services. In 1991, Russ worked at the White House as the military aide (executive assistant) to the President. This was followed by his appointment as principal deputy assistant secretary for the US Department of Commerce’s Foreign Commercial Service. Cancilla has a bachelor’s degree in criminology and a graduate degree in operations management. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Executive Program.
Baker Hughes provides reservoir consulting, drilling, formation evaluation, completion, and production products and services to the worldwide oil and gas industry.
Aker Solutions,
Oslo, has acquired the remaining 50% of shares in WIRTH Maschinen & Bohrgeräte Fabrik GmbH, bringing its ownership to 100%, pending antitrust clearance. In August 2007, Aker Solutions acquired 50% of the shares in WIRTH, with an option to buy the remainder.
WIRTH, Erkelenz, Germany, is a privately held supplier of drilling equipment.
Aker Solutions is a unit of Aker Solutions ASA, a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products, and integrated solutions to the oil and gas, refining and chemicals, mining and metals, and power generation industries.
GEP,
Paris, has elected Jean Ropers president of the French oil and service and supply company association. He is a graduate of Lyon-based INSA and Rennes-based IAE. Ropers spent most of his career in Total SA’s E&P division. He was director of Total’s drilling/well operations department in the 1980s. Ropers was expatriated several times (Indonesia, Abu Dhabi) and was also seconded to ADCO, to a Total subsidiary, and to Sonatrach. He rounded off his Total career at the end of 2004 as senior vice-president of operations in its development/production division. In 2005, Ropers was appointed president of CEP&M (Committee for Offshore Oil Studies). He then was named vice-president of GEP in 2007 and president of the GEP-led CITEPH Program that funds technological innovation in oil E&P.
GEP (Groupement des Entreprises Parapétrolières et Paragazières) is the trade association of the French oil and gas supply and services industry.