Energy Players

Dr. Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer-prize winning energy expert, has been honored with an International Lifetime Achievement Award presented by India's Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. The award was presented Jan. 12 to Dr. Yergin, vice chairman of IHS, at the PETROTECH energy conference in New Delhi. Dr. Yergin was recognized by the Prime Minister during a special awards ceremony "for his unique contribution to shaping the world's energy future with his intellectual leadership, insight, clear vision, and practical guidance." The PETROTECH International Lifetime Achievement award salutes outstanding individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the petroleum industry. Dr. Yergin is a world-recognized authority on international energy policy, politics and economics through his research and writings over several decades. His latest bestseller, The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World, has been called "a masterly piece of work" by The Economist and has been hailed by the Financial Times as "a triumph." He is a Pulitzer Prize winner for his book, The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power, which has been translated into 17 languages. One of the main focuses of his book The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy (written with Joseph Stanislaw) is India's economic reforms and their global context. Dr. Yergin earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and his PhD from Cambridge University in England, where he was a Marshall Scholar. Prior to founding CERA, which was acquired by IHS in 2004, he taught at the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Yergin is a member of several organizations, including the National Petroleum Council and the US Secretary of Energy's advisory board. He is a trustee of the Brookings Institution, and serves on the Singapore International Energy Advisory Board and the advisory board of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative.

Mitchell to Join Devon Energy as CFO

Thomas L. Mitchell has joined Oklahoma City-based Devon Energy Corp. as executive vice president and CFO. Mitchell brings to Devon more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Most recently, Mitchell served as vice president, CFO, and as a director of Midstates Petroleum. From 2006 to 2011, he served as senior vice president and CFO of Noble Corp. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Bob Jones University and is a certified public accountant (inactive) in the State of Colorado. In a related move, Devon's incumbent CFO, Jeff Agosta, is leaving to pursue other interests. The company notes his departure is not related to any issues regarding financial disclosures, accounting matters or other business issues.

Center for Sustainable Shale Development names LeGros executive director

The Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD) has named Susan Packard LeGros its executive director. LeGros joins CSSD from Stevens & Lee, a Philadelphia-based law firm. In her new role she will oversee the organization as it implements its independent, third-party certification and verification process. CSSD consists of a group of environmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and energy companies. LeGros succeeds Andrew Place, who has served as the organization's interim executive director since its launch in March 2013. Place is corporate director, Energy & Environmental Policy at EQT Corp. At Stevens & Lee in Philadelphia, LeGros concentrated her practice on environmental, natural resources and regulatory issues. Prior to joining Stevens & Lee she was the founder and partner at LeGros Law Partners. She earned her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law, and her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University.

InterOil names new COO, CFO

Papua New Guinea-focused InterOil Corp. has appointed Jon Ozturgut as COO and Donald Spector as CFO. Ozturgut, a senior executive with 27 years' international oil and gas experience with Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), CMS Oil and Gas Company, and Woodside Energy, replaces William J. Jasper III, who is retiring after seven years as COO. Ozturgut will also be responsible for mergers and acquisitions, and new business development. Spector, a senior executive with more than 35 years' international financial experience, including 30 years in oil and gas, replaces Collin Visaggio, who resigns as CFO, also after seven years with InterOil. As part of his new role, Spector will oversee InterOil's investor relations team. Previously, Ozturgut was the senior vice president at Woodside Energy, overseeing international corporate strategy, growing the exploration portfolio, mergers and acquisitions, and LNG developments. Spector was the vice president of Taxation and Treasury at Woodside.

Chaparral appoints new executive officers

Chaparral Energy Inc. has promoted its COO and executive vice president, K. Earl Reynolds, to the role of president and COO, and the company's associate vice president of corporate reserves/GIS, Richard Parma, to the position of vice president of corporate reserves/GIS. Reynolds came to Chaparral after a 10-year career at Devon Energy where he was involved in strategic planning and international operations. He earned a Master of Science degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Houston, and a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering from Mississippi State University. Parma joined Chaparral in 2009. Prior to joining Chaparral, he held management positions at Edge Petroleum Corp. Parma holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tulsa, and a Master of Science degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Houston.

Sills join Cobalt as exec VP, chief development officer

Cobalt International Energy Inc. has appointed Gregory S. Sills as executive vice president and chief development officer with accountability for the planning and execution of Cobalt's worldwide projects. Sills holds more than 34 years of industry experience in global upstream project management. He will be based in Cobalt's Houston headquarters.

Dejour makes leadership changes

Dejour Energy Inc. has made changes to the company's operating team and to the Board of Directors. Harrison Blacker has retired from his role as president, COO, and a member of the Board of Directors. Executive vice president Neyeska Mut will continue to coordinate US operations from Dejour's Denver office inclusive of planning, personnel, permitting for development and production. Responsibility for technical expertise and best practice execution of field operations has been contracted to Richard P. Cooper. Cooper has 30 years of industry engineering experience, 15 years of technical, project and operations management, and 15 years of direct oil field development, full field depletion planning, exploration and production throughout Western Canada, Southeast Asia, South America. He has served as an independent petroleum engineering consultant providing technical and financial evaluation on a global basis since 2001. Cooper will manage the company's drill/completion programs in both Canada and the US. The company also announced the departure of Steven Mut as director and co-chairman, and Richard Bachmann as director. Mut will continue to work closely with Dejour in his role as president of Oil and Gas Operations for Coachman Energy, the General Partner of the Kokopelli field investor Bakken Drilling Fund III (BDF). It was mutually agreed that his emerging role with BDF could pose the potential for conflict with the fiduciary position he held with Dejour. Bachmann has resigned for personal reasons. Moving forward, Dejour has added Ron Bozzer as the fifth (fourth independent) Canadian director. His legal practice focus encompasses mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance transactions, public private partnerships, syndications and securitizations.

EnCap Flatrock promotes Hurt, Pfluger

EnCap Flatrock Midstream has promoted Morriss L. Hurt and Karl R. Pfluger to managing director positions. Hurt and Pfluger join managing director Dennis J. McCanless and EnCap Flatrock's three managing partners Dennis F. Jaggi, William R. Lemmons Jr., and founder William D. Waldrip as members of the senior investment staff. Hurt joined EnCap Flatrock in 2008. Prior to EnCap, Hurt served as president and founder of The Encino Group, a boutique investment bank providing financial advisory services for entrepreneur-owned companies. He earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University. Pfluger joined Flatrock in 2010. Previously, Pfluger worked at Quintana Energy Partners, an energy-focused private equity firm. He earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University.

Crews joins Summit Partners as executive partner

Mark Crews has joined global growth equity investor Summit Partners as an executive partner. Crews will partner with Summit to build technology-enabled oilfield products and services businesses of scale. In this role, he will help identify opportunities and assist in the value creation process post-investment. Crews brings more than three decades of international experience in the oilfield products, services, and technology industry. Most recently, he worked at Lufkin Industries as senior vice president and general manager of the company's oilfield division. Prior to Lufkin, Crews was employed by Cameron International Corp., where he served most recently as vice president of subsea technology. Crews holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University, and is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development.

Price joins Opportune as managing director

Dean Price has joined Opportune LLP as managing director in the firm's energy consulting practice. Prior to joining Opportune, Price was a managing director and City Leader for the Duff & Phelps Houston office. Price was responsible for the valuation advisory Houston practice and served as a member of the firm's Energy and Mining team. Price has over 25 years of energy sector valuation and consulting experience. Prior to joining Duff & Phelps, Price spent approximately 17 years in public accounting and five years with Marathon Oil Co. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Texas at Austin.

Raphael named new CEO of Merrick

Merrick, a provider of production management and accounting solutions to the upstream oil and gas industry, has named Scott Raphael as its new CEO. Raphael previously served as the production and economics portfolio manager at Schlumberger Information Solutions. He spent 16 years in Schlumberger predominantly in areas of business development, operations, sales, and product management. In October, Merrick announced the departure of Kemal Farid, Merrick's co-founder. Farid left his role as president and CEO after serving 16 years with the company. He continues to serve as member of the Merrick board. Samina Farid, co-founder, executive vice president, and COO, served as interim CEO in the interim.

Reese appointed CFO of Pacific Drilling

Pacific Drilling SA has promoted Paul T. Reese to the role of CFO, effective February 28. He previously served as vice president and controller. He will succeed William Restrepo in the role of CFO. Restrepo is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity. Reese, a founding member of Pacific Drilling's management team, joined the company in 2008 from BHP Billiton, where he was controller for exploration and development. His experience also includes international postings with Transocean in the Far East and Latin America, along with being finance director for the North and South America business unit, and assistant vice president of audit and advisory services. Prior to joining Transocean, he worked at Arthur Andersen LLP. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and managerial studies, along with a master's degree in accounting from Rice University.

Hein & Associates names new partners

Hein & Associates LLP has named new partners. Jennifer Elder, CPA, Dallas senior audit manager has been named audit partner; Pedro Gonzalez, CPA, Dallas senior audit manager has been named audit partner; and James Winton, National CFO, has been appointed chief operating officer. Elder has over 15 years of professional experience, and has served the Dallas, Texas office of Hein & Associates for the past nine years. She has developed a focus in the energy industry. Gonzalez has over 15 years of professional audit and consulting experience, having served the Dallas, Texas office of Hein & Associates for the past nine years. He has developed a focus in the energy and energy services industries. Winton has over 18 years of professional experience, and has been with Hein & Associates for 17 years. Winton is located in the national office in Denver, Colorado.

BHP Billiton appoints new president, corporate affairs

BHP Billiton has appointed Tony Cudmore as president, corporate affairs. Cudmore will join the Group Management Committee (GMC) and commence in his role on March 3, 2014. He will report to the CEO Andrew Mackenzie and will be based at the company's headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. He joins BHP Billiton from Exxon Mobil Corp. where he most recently led International Corporate Brand Communications and Asia Pacific Government Relations. He joined ExxonMobil in 2001 and has held various senior public and government affairs roles. He has been based in Melbourne since November 2012 with global management accountability for ExxonMobil's corporate reputation advertising and brand communications for markets outside the US. Cudmore assumes direct responsibility for BHP Billiton Corporate Affairs from Karen Wood, who has been the acting head of Corporate Affairs since mid-2013 and led the search for the new function head. She will remain a member of the GMC and will continue her work on a range of corporate and Board issues with Andrew Mackenzie. She will also retain accountability for the company's office in London.