Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9 -- Gran Tierra Energy Inc. is opening an office in Rio de Janeiro, and has appointed Julio Cesar Moreira as president of its Brazil business unit.
Moreira has more than 25 years of experience working for international companies in Brazil in senior business development positions.
He most recently served as managing director for IBV Petroleo Ltda. and as Brazil country manager for EnCana Corp. where he helped capture assets that were later sold for a combined value of more than $500 million.
Earlier, Moreira was new ventures and business development vice-president of Unocal Corp.
Gran Tierra said its Rio de Janeiro office will coordinate business development activities targeted at capturing exploration and production opportunities in the onshore and shallow water offshore areas of Brazil.
“These opportunities may include new bid round acreage, production enhancement on acreage that may be acquired with preexisting operations, farm in opportunities, and M&A transactions,” Gran Tierra said.
In addition to maintaining a small office staff in Rio de Janeiro, Gran Tierra said it also is establishing a Brazil technical team in Calgary that will work with Moreira to evaluate Brazil opportunities.
Moreira and the Calgary team will report up through Shane O'Leary, chief operating officer, who previously worked closely with Moreira in his capacity as business unit leader for EnCana Brazil.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].