Altra Energy Technologies Inc.
Houston, has named David R. Jewell vice-president of client relations and product strategy. Jewell has more than 18 years of experience in the energy industry.
Most recently he was an independent consultant and had previously served in different capacities with Duke Energy Services Inc. and its subsidiary, Texas Eastern Transmission Co.
Altra Energy Technologies is a provider of online trading systems, transaction management software, and e-business solutions for the energy industry.
CrystaTech Inc.
Austin, is a new company formed to commercialize the CrystaSulf process for desulfurizing natural gas, HDS hydrogen recycle streams in refineries, and other sour gas streams.
CrystaTech, headed by Dennis Dalrymple, president, has purchased the intellectual property rights to the process and has been granted an exclusive license with the Gas Technology Institute for GTI's rights. CrystaTech is thus the exclusive worldwide licensor for the CrystaSulf process.
Ocean Energy Inc.
Houston, announced the appointment of Robert L. Thompson as vice-president and controller, Philip J. Iracane as vice-president of marketing, and Janice Aston White as vice-president of corporate communications.
Thompson has spent the majority of his 30-year career with Oryx Energy Co. Most recently he was with Cambridge Energy Research Associates as a senior consultant on finance and economics.
Iracane served as vice-president of sales and services for Columbia Gas of Virginia before moving to Ocean Energy. He had previously been with Coastal Gas Marketing and Seagull Energy.
White joined Ocean Energy in 1999 after several years of experience with Tenneco Energy.
Ocean Energy is an independent energy company engaged in exploration, development, production, and acquisition of crude oil and natural gas worldwide.
Questar Corp.
Salt Lake City, has appointed Keith O. Rattie president and chief operating officer. R. D. Cash, who previously served as president, will continue as chairman and chief executive officer.
Rattie moves to Questar from Coastal Corp. and its subsidiary Coastal Gas Services Co. He has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from St. Mary's College-California. He held various positions with Chevron Corp. for 19 years before joining Coastal.
Questar is engaged in energy development and production; gas gathering and processing; wholesale gas, electricity, and liquids trading; retail energy services; interstate gas transmission and storage; retail gas distribution; and information systems and technologies.
Seacor Smit Inc.
Houston, has completed acquisition of Gilbert Cheramie Boats Inc. and re-lated companies.
Gilbert Cheramie Boats, based in Golden Meadow, La., has 1 newly-delivered offshore supply vessel, 14 mini-supply vessels, 8 utility vessels, and 1 additional supply vessel under construction. Its fleet is dedicated totally to service in the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico.
Seacor Smit and its subsidiaries operate vessels supporting offshore oil and gas exploration and development in the US Gulf of Mexico, offshore West Africa, the North Sea, Far East, Latin America, and other regions. Additionally, the company is a provider of environmental services worldwide, including marine oil spill response, training, and consulting.
Transocean Sedco Forex Inc.
Houston, has named Jon C. Cole executive vice-president of shallow and inland water operations; Donald R. Ray executive vice-president of technical services; Eric B. Brown senior vice-president, general counsel, and corporate secretary; Jeffrey L. Chastain vice-president of investor relations and communications; Robert J. Scott vice-president of operations support; and Michael I. Unsworth vice-president of marketing.
Cole, who joined the firm in 1977, is a graduate of the University of Virginia-Charlottesville, with a degree in chemistry and an MBA. He is a director of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
Ray has been with the company 29 years. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from Texas A&M University. He also is a director of IADC and a member of SPE.
Brown received his undergraduate degree from Hope College in Holland, Mich., and his JD from Indiana University.
Chastain received BBA and MBA degrees in finance from the University of North Texas and is a member of both the National Investor Relations Institute and the Petroleum Investor Relations Association.
Scott joined the company in 1969 and most recently served as general manager of operations.
Unsworth has held a variety of engineering and management positions since joining the company in 1991. His degree is in civil engineering from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Transocean Sedco Forex is the world's largest offshore drilling contractor.
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments
Columbia, Md., has appointed Kimberly Abramo product manager for spectroscopy instruments in North America. Abramo joined Shimadzu in 1998 after receiving her PhD in analytical chemistry and toxicology from Duke University.
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments is a subsidiary of Shimadzu Worldwide, a multinational corporation founded in 1875.