Energy Players

OpenLink, a provider of cross-asset trading, risk and operations software solutions, has appointed Thomas D. Gros as CEO. Coleman Fung, the founder and former CEO, will become executive chairman of the board, and Kevin J. Hesselbirg will continue in his dual role as COO and CFO. Tom Gros joins OpenLink from Reuters, where he served as executive vice president and global head of various sales and trading divisions.

Robillard named senior VP, CFO of Hunt Consolidated

Donald F. Robillard, Jr., has been named senior vice president and CFO of Hunt Consolidated Inc., with duties extending to all the group of privately held entities of the Hunt organization. He will have oversight responsibility for financings and continue to direct the company’s treasury and insurance functions. He continues as a board member of Hunt Oil Co. The Hunt companies are engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, refining, power, real estate, ranching, and agribusiness. Robillard’s 24-year career with Hunt began when he joined as manager of international accounting. He was transferred to Yemen Hunt Oil Company where he held various management roles, ultimately becoming vice president of finance. Most recently, Robillard held the position of senior vice president and CFO of Hunt Oil Co. He earned a BBA from the University of Texas in Austin.

Zimmerman vacates president, CEO posts at Storm Cat Energy

Storm Cat Energy Corp.’s president and CEO, J. Scott Zimmerman, has resigned to pursue new challenges. Keith J. Knapstad will act as president and CEO until a replacement is named. The company intends to name a permanent replacement prior to the annual general meeting in June. Storm Cat Energy is an independent oil and gas company focused on the pursuit, exploration, and development of large unconventional gas reserves from fractured shales, coal beds, and tight sand formations.

Summit Energy president Wilhite gets added role

Summit Energy president Steve Wilhite will take on the added role of CEO, succeeding founder Jim Headlee, who will continue as the company’s chairman. Before joining Summit as executive vice-president in 2001, Wilhite provided energy consulting services to several Fortune 500 companies. Prior to that, he served as vice-president of marketing and operations for FPL Energy Services and manager of energy for International Paper.

Baker Hughes makes management changes

Baker Hughes Inc. has made three changes to its executive leadership team. David H. Barr, vice president and group president, Baker Hughes Drilling and Evaluation, has been appointed vice president and group president, Baker Hughes Completion and Production reporting to James R. Clark, president and COO. Barr replaces Douglas J. Wall who has left Baker Hughes to pursue another opportunity. Martin S. Craighead has been appointed vice president and group president, Baker Hughes Drilling and Evaluation, reporting to Clark. Craighead replaces Barr. Paul S. Butero, president of Baker Atlas, has been appointed president of INTEQ succeeding Craighead and will report to Craighead. Barr was previously vice president, supply chain management for Cameron division of Cooper Cameron Corp. He received his bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University. Craighead was previously the president of INTEQ. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Butero served as president of Baker Atlas and president of Hughes Christensen. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Patterson-UTI Energy names Wall COO

Douglas J. Wall has joined Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. as COO. Wall comes from Baker Hughes Inc. where he has served since 2005 as group president, completion and production. He was responsible for the combined activities of Baker Oil Tools, Baker Petrolite, Centrilift, and ProductionQuest divisions. Wall attended the University of Calgary where he received a bachelor’s degree. He earned an MBA from the University of Alberta. Wall started his oilfield career in Western Canada with Adeco Drilling and Engineering, and ATCO Drilling. Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. provides onshore contract drilling services to exploration and production companies in North America.

ExxonMobil adds Albers, Duffin to executive team

ExxonMobil Corp. has made new executive appointments. M.W. Albers has been elected senior vice-president. He will become a member of the corporation’s management committee and assume certain responsibilities for its upstream businesses. Most recently, he served as president of ExxonMobil Development Co. following his role as EMDC vice-president, Africa, Chad/Nigeria. Separately, N.W. Duffin, executive vice-president of EMDC, was appointed president of EMDC, succeeding Albers. After the Exxon-Mobil merger, Duffin became vice-president, EMDC, with responsibility for projects in Russia-Caspian Sea and the Middle East. He later served as vice-president, Africa, for ExxonMobil Production Co.

Dune looks for CFO replacement for Idstein

Houston-based Dune Energy Inc.’s contract with Hugh Idstein expired on April 4. As a result, the company is looking for a new CFO. Idstein joined the company in April 2005, taking over the position from Richard Cohen. Before Dune, Idstein was CFO of Black Stone Minerals Co. LP.

Patch strengthens management team with CFO appointment

Patch International Inc. has appointed Thomas K. Rouse as CFO. Rouse will be based in Calgary, Alberta and will provide financial leadership for Patch. He has over 20 years of senior management experience in the oil and gas industry. Most recently he was vice president of finance, CFO, and co-founder of Great Plains Exploration Inc. Previously, Rouse held senior management positions with various publicly traded oil and gas companies including Rider Resources, Petrorep Resources, and Coseka Resources. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

van der Veer to stay at Shell to mid-2009; company cuts board

Jeroen van der Veer will continue as chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell plc until June 30, 2009. Van der Veer became the company’s first chief executive, following the unification of the company in 2005. Jorma Ollila, Shell’s chairman said: “There has been great progress in our company in recent years. Jeroen’s decision today provides clarity, and I am most pleased that he will stay on longer, providing valuable continuity and leadership in Shell over the next years.” In related news, Royal Dutch Shell’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Shell Investments Ltd. (SIL), had taken up an aggregate of 172,696,415 common shares of Shell Canada Ltd. SIL and its affiliates now roughly 98.8% of the outstanding common shares of Shell Canada and will seek the remaining common shares through its right of compulsory acquisition. SIL has designated the members of the Shell Canada board and its committees. The number of directors has been reduced from 12 to 8, with the resignations of Louise Frechette, David Galloway, Ida Goodreau, and Raymond Royer. The number of committees has also been reduced. The nominating and governance committee, the management resources and compensation committee, the pension subcommittee, the reserves committee and the health, safety, environment and social responsibility committee have been disbanded.

PSN taps Pat Milam VP, business development

Production Services Network (PSN) has added Pat Milam as vice president of business development. Milam will be responsible for PSN’s US business development strategies and future operational needs. Milam has more than 26 years of experience marketing products and services to companies primarily along the gulf coast, having held various management positions at several oil and gas service companies. Most recently, Milam was vice president of business development for one of the largest Gulf of Mexico production management companies. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette. PSN is a major, independent, international service contractor to oil, gas and other process industries.

Venoco hires senior VP

Ed O’Donnell will be stepping down from Venoco Inc.’s board of directors and will rejoin the company as a senior vice president. O’Donnell has served two terms on the board and served as president of the company’s domestic division from 2001 until 2002. “We are very pleased to have Ed back in a managerial role,” said Tim Marquez, Venoco’s chairman and CEO. Prior to joining Venoco, O’Donnell worked for Unocal for more than 20 years. He has a bachelor’s degree from Montana Tech, a master’s degree from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. Denver-based Venoco is an independent energy company primarily engaged in the acquisition, exploitation, and development of oil and natural gas properties in California and Texas.

Patriot Exploration names Tom McCarroll vice president

Tom McCarroll has joined Patriot Exploration Co. Inc. as vice president, responsible for identifying, evaluating, and recommending working interest partnership investment opportunities among mid-size upstream operators. McCarroll brings more than 30 years of experience managing exploration and development programs in the Gulf of Mexico, and onshore in Texas, Louisiana, California, and Southeast Asia. Prior to joining Patriot, McCarroll was vice president Gulf Coast at Cheyenne Petroleum Co. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University, and a master’s degree from Stanford University. With offices in Houston and Greenwich, Conn., Patriot Exploration Co. works with small- to mid-size operators as a working interest partner or lender for a variety of upstream projects in the oil and gas industry.

Knight promotes Keller to VP marketing, businesss development

Doug Keller has been promoted to vice president of marketing and business development for Knight. Keller was regional manager - Gulf Coast for the last 3 years and served as business development manager for 6 years prior, and has been associated with Knight for 18 years. He has more than 35 total years of oil and gas industry experience. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La. Knight Oil Tools has grown to include Knight fishing services, well services, and manufacturing.

Randy Walker rejoins KBR as VP, construction operations

Randy Walker has been appointed vice president, construction operations for KBR’s energy and chemicals division. Before retiring from KBR in 2004, Randy served as vice president, corporate HSE and prior to that served as general manager, construction operations for Brown & Root Inc.

Ronald Smith retires from post at CNX Gas

CNX Gas Corp.’s executive vice president and COO, Ronald E. Smith, has elected to retire after 35 years with CNX Gas and CONSOL Energy Inc. Nicholas J. DeIuliis, president and CEO said, “Ron Smith has been with gas operations since its inception in the early ‘80s. His vision, experience, and leadership were an inspiration to a generation of employees. His contributions will be missed. We wish Ron the very best in his retirement.” On naming a replacement, DeIuliis said, “We have a strong operations team with forceful leaders in each of our four active areas. Those leaders will report directly to me until a successor has been selected.” CNX Gas is an independent natural gas exploration, development, production and gathering company operating in the Appalachian basin of the US.

Bean joins Oil Insurance as vice president

The Oil Group of Companies has appointed Kevin E. Bean to the position of vice president - Oil Insurance Ltd. He joins the Group from ACE Tempest Reinsurance Ltd. where he held the position of vice president and intra group reinsurance manager for 7 years. He was previously employed by General International Ltd. as vice president - underwriting from 1988 to 2000. The Oil Group of Companies is comprised of two member-owned insurance companies serving the energy industry - Oil Insurance Ltd. and Oil Casualty Insurance Ltd.

BHP Billiton taps Wong as external affairs VP

BHP Billiton has appointed Teresa Wong as vice president external affairs for its worldwide petroleum business. She will be based in Houston and will direct the company’s communications efforts. Wong brings wide-ranging experience in corporate communications, public affairs, and financial disclosure. Before joining BHP, she led the public affairs efforts for Anadarko. She was previously with Conoco Inc. Wong is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas. BHP Billiton Petroleum is an oil and gas exploration and production business.

Former IPAA president Lloyd N. Unsell passes

Former IPAA President Lloyd N. Unsell passed away on April 7, 2007 at the age of 84. Lloyd retired as IPAA president in 1987. In 1948, Lloyd began a 39-year career with IPAA starting as staff writer, then vice president for public affairs, followed by executive vice president, and then president. During his retirement, IPAA called on him to serve as acting director of operations and administration when a vacancy in the presidency occurred. Lloyd co-chaired a corporate advisory committee to help build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Mall in the nation’s capital and is credited with personally raising more than $1 million in donations by persuading the oil industry to support it. Prior to IPAA, he was a newspaperman and on the editorial staff of the Seminole Producer and Tulsa Daily World. During World War Two he served on overseas Army newspapers in Europe and the Pacific. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a memorial donation in his name to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, 1023 15th Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005 or to the St. Clement’s Island Museum, 38370 Point Breeze Road, Colton’s Point, MD 20626.