Energy Players

Apache Corp. is making several changes to its executive organization. Roger Plank, president and chief corporate officer, has elected to retire from Apache. Alfonso Leon, senior vice president and chief of staff, has been appointed executive vice president and CFO, reporting to G. Steven Farris, chairman, CEO and president. Leon will lead Apache's financial, commercial, stakeholder relations, planning and strategy functions. Tom Chambers will assume the new position of senior vice president, finance. Plank has spent nearly 33 years at Apache, becoming CFO in 1997 and president of the company in 2009. Leon has been senior vice president and chief of staff since 2012. He joined Apache in 2009. Prior to joining Apache, Leon was a director and head of energy investment banking at Perella Weinberg Partners in London. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Chambers joined Apache in 1995 as director of corporate planning before being appointed vice president of corporate planning in 2001. He was appointed vice-president of planning and investor relations in 2009 before assuming the role of CFO in 2010. Prior to joining the company, Chambers was in the international business development group at Pennzoil Exploration and Production, having held a variety of management positions with BP plc from 1981 to 1992. He holds a bachelor's degree in from the University of Notre Dame.

Diamond Offshore names Edwards president and CEO

Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. has appointed Marc Edwards as president and CEO and as a member of the board of directors. Edwards succeeds Lawrence Dickerson, who announced his intent to retire in September 2013 after almost 30 years of continuous service to the company. Prior to joining Diamond Offshore, Edwards spent almost his entire career at Halliburton. Starting as a field engineer in Kuwait in 1984, he eventually served as a member of Halliburton's executive committee. Most recently, he was senior vice president of Halliburton's Completion and Production Division.

Double Eagle Petroleum appoints CFO

Denver, CO-based Double Eagle Petroleum Co. has appointed Adam Fenster as CFO. Fenster has served as CFO for several companies, most recently for a downstream fuel marketer. He has provided consulting services in the areas of finance and accounting to several E&P companies, including Antero Resources Corp., Synergy Resources Corp., and DCP Midstream LP.

Paradigm names chief product officer

Paradigm has appointed Somesh Singh as the company's chief product officer. Singh will be responsible for managing all aspects of Paradigm product strategy, design and delivery. He will be based in Houston. Most recently, Singh served as vice president of product management and engineering at NetIQ. Singh holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

Breitling names Hoover CFO

Breitling Energy Corp. has appointed Judson F. Hoover as the company's CFO. Since January 1, 2014, Hoover has been employed by the company on an interim basis to provide financial and other services to the company. He received his bachelor's degree from Regis University and his Certificate of Public Accounting in the State of Colorado. From December 2004 to March 2007, Hoover served as CFO for Ness Energy International, a publicly traded oil and gas company with operations in Texas and Israel. From June 2007 to June 2009, he served as Controller for Union Drilling Inc.

Former SEC chairman elected to Occidental Petroleum board

Occidental Petroleum Corp. has elected the Hon. Elisse B. Walter, former chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the company's Board of Directors. Walter was appointed commissioner of the SEC by President George W. Bush, and served in that capacity from 2008 until 2013. President Barack Obama designated her as chairman of the SEC in December 2012. Walter spent more than two decades of her career at the SEC. She served as senior executive vice president, Regulatory Policy and Programs, for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). She held the same position at the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) before its 2007 consolidation with NYSE Member Regulation. Earlier in her career, she served as the General Counsel of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and as Deputy Director of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics, cum laude, from Yale University and a JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

EnerVest promotes DeLozier to executive VP

Phil DeLozier has been promoted to executive vice president, business development at EnerVest Ltd. He will be responsible for all of EnerVest's acquisition and divestiture efforts. Before joining EnerVest in 2006, DeLozier served as vice president – business development of EOG Resources Inc. He served as the Houston Regional Director and a member of the Board of Directors of the Independent Petroleum Association of America from 2005 to 2013. DeLozier earned a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University.

ANGA names Macchiarola executive VP

Frank J. Macchiarola has been named executive vice president, government affairs for America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA). Macchiarola joins ANGA from the law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani LLP where, as partner in the policy resolution group, he advised clients on energy legislation and policy along with healthcare, education and labor issues. Prior to his time at Bracewell, Macchiarola was Minority Staff Director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) under then-Ranking Member Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY). He also previously served as both Majority and Minority Staff Director and Counsel to Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) in his role as Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Macchiarola earned his JD from New York University School of Law and a bachelor's degree from the College of the Holy Cross.

McGovan named VP at LDD

Subsea services contractor LDD, an Acteon company, has appointed James McGovan as vice president sales and marketing. He will work from the firm's headquarters in Cornwall, UK. He has been with LDD since its inception in 2007 as technical sales manager for offshore renewables and special projects. McGovan, who studied mining engineering at Camborne School of Mines and biology at the University of Portsmouth, takes over from Mark Richards who will continue to provide his experience and support to LDD on sales, contract and commercial management issues.

Stilley named Paragon Offshore president and CEO

Noble Corp. plc has selected Randall D. Stilley to serve as president and CEO of Paragon Offshore, the standard specification offshore drilling company to be created upon separation from Noble. Stilley previously served as CEO and president of Seahawk Drilling Inc., and as CEO of the mat-supported jackup rig business at Pride International Inc., as well as president and CEO of Hercules Offshore Inc. He has over 38 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and has also held executive level positions at Weatherford International Inc., Halliburton, and Seitel Inc. Stilley is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

SBI Offshore names Andison as COO

SBI Offshore Ltd., an engineering, fabrication, and equipment solutions provider to the offshore and marine (O&M) industry, has appointed David Andison as COO. Andison has over 20 years of experience in the O&M industry, including senior positions in various companies in Asia and Europe, including Seadrill Tender Rigs and Smedvig Tender Rigs. Prior to his appointment in SBI Offshore, Andison was the technical director of newbuild projects in Singapore-based Tecnomar Drilling Solutions Pte. Ltd., where he was involved in the design, engineering and construction of O&M projects. He was also involved in O&M project planning and implementation in the Caspian Sea.

EXCO/HGI GP names president, CEO EXCO/HGI GP LLC, a private oil and gas joint venture owned by Harbinger Group Inc. and EXCO Resources Inc., has named Matthew Grubb as president and CEO. Grubb most recently served as president and COO for SandRidge Energy Inc. He has over 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in a number of senior positions. Before joining SandRidge in 2006, Grubb worked for Samson Resources Co. from 1995 to 2006. Grubb earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering and a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University.

Murphy makes executive appointments

Murphy Oil Corp. has made a series of executive appointments.Walter K. Compton has been promoted to executive vice president and general counsel. Kelli M. Hammock has been promoted to senior vice president of administration. John W. Dumas has been promoted to vice president of corporate insurance. Allan J. Misner has been promoted to vice president of internal audit. K. Todd Montgomery has been elected vice president of corporate planning and services, replacing Tom Mireles who has been promoted within Murphy Exploration & Production Co. Compton joined the company's law department in 1988. In 2011, he was promoted to senior vice president and took on the role of general counsel. Hammock joined Murphy in 1993. She was named vice president of administration in 2009. Dumas joined the company in 1988. He was promoted to director of corporate insurance in 2005. Misner joined Murphy in 2007 with over 22 years of experience in internal auditing. Montgomery joined Murphy earlier this year and will oversee all corporate strategic planning, procurement, corporate reserves, and oil and gas marketing. He comes to Murphy with 25 years of experience from another major oil company.

Wilson Joins Steptoe & Johnson

Thomas A. Wilson has joined the Steptoe & Johnson PLLC Energy Law Team. Wilson will focus his practice in the areas of mineral title and real estate law from the firm's location in Canton, Ohio. Wilson has experience in mineral titles as well as advising clients on financing and executing transactions. He is also experienced in handling permitting and regulatory issues associated with oil and gas wells. Wilson received his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law and his bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky. He is licensed to practice in North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

EnQuest taps McCulloch as head of North Sea business

EnQuest PLC has appointed Neil McCulloch as president, North Sea, effective April 1, 2014. Neil joins EnQuest from international oil and gas company OMV AG, where he had the global role of senior vice president production and engineering. Prior to this, he spent 11 years with BG Group, most recently as vice president and asset general manager, UK Upstream, with accountability for the delivery of BG's UK North Sea business. McCulloch will succeed David Heslop, who retires from his role as managing director UKCS on April 1, 2014. Heslop will continue to support EnQuest in an advisory capacity or on special projects.

Gale Force director steps down, new chairman named

Harry Knutson has stepped down from the board of directors at Gale Force Petroleum Inc. Allan Bezanson has been named chairman of the board, replacing Knutson. Gale Force Petroleum is a public corporation focused on acquiring and exploiting underdeveloped oil and gas reserves in mature basins. The company owns producing oil and gas properties in Texas, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Tolbert joins Chesapeake Energy

Miles Tolbert, former Secretary of the Environment for the state of Oklahoma, has joined Chesapeake Energy Corp. as associate general counsel for Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S). Tolbert served as Secretary of the Environment for Oklahoma from 2003 to 2008, when he joined the law firm Crowe & Dunlevy and chaired its Environmental Practice Group. He previously served as a trial attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the US Department of Justice. Tolbert also served as chief of the Environmental Protection Unit in the office of the Oklahoma Attorney General. He received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his law degree from Harvard University.

NZEC appoints Robinson as CEO, New Zealand business

New Zealand Energy Corp. (NZEC) has appointed David Robinson as CEO of the company's New Zealand business and as a member of its board of directors. Robinson will join the board of directors March 31 and will begin his employment with NZEC on May 19. Robinson has been CEO of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) since December 2012. Prior to joining PEPANZ, Robinson was commercial general manager for Z Energy, and a director of Shell New Zealand, and held a number of senior downstream commercial positions with Shell both within New Zealand and overseas.

Warwick Energy names Tompkins VP

Warwick Energy Group has appointed Jessica Tompkins as vice president of land. Tompkins will oversee Warwick's onshore oil and gas land work. She will also work closely with Katherine Richard, Warwick Energy Group's CEO, as Warwick continues to acquire producing natural gas and oil properties across the US. Prior to joining Warwick, Tompkins was employed at Chesapeake Energy where she held various positions from 2004 to 2013, most recently serving as director of land processes. Tompkins has additional experience working for Medina Exploration and Continental Land Resources LLC. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma and a CPL accreditation from the American Association of Professional Landmen.