Energy Players

Joseph A. Stanislaw has taken a position at Deloitte & Touche USA LLP as an independent senior advisor to its energy and resources practice. Stanislaw is founder of the advisory firm The JAStanislaw Group LLC, specializing in strategic thinking and investment in energy and technology, and co-founder and former president and CEO of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA).

With over 30 years of industry experience, Stanislaw will advise Deloitte’s US and global energy industry leadership on future trends in the global energy market, and will assist in shaping responses to those developments for Deloitte’s clients, focusing on sustainable emerging technologies and innovation.

Stanislaw was one of three founders of CERA in 1983 and served as managing director for all non-US activity until 1997 when he was named president and later named CEO. Stanislaw and the other CERA partners sold their interest in the company in 2004 and separated from CERA.

He received a BA, cum laude, from Harvard College, a PhD in economics from the University of Edinburgh, and was awarded an MA from the University of Cambridge when he was elected a research fellow of Clare Hall. Stanislaw was awarded an honorary doctorate and professorship from Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas.

Baker Hughes names Ragauss CFO

Baker Hughes Inc. has added Peter A. Ragauss, 48, to serve as senior vice president and CFO for Baker Hughes.Ragauss currently serves as segment controller of refining and marketing for BP plc in London, a position he has held since 2003. Prior to his current position he served as CEO of Air BP and before that as assistant to the group chief executive of BP. Prior to joining BP in 1998 he served as vice president of finance and portfolio management for Amoco Energy International, vice president of finance for El Paso Energy International, and vice president of corporate development for Tenneco Energy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1980 from Michigan State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1987.

Fleming joins Noble Royalties as vice president; CFO resigns

Noble Royalties Inc. has added Martin Fleming, former executive vice president of Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), as the company’s vice president of governmental and external affairs. Among many initiatives, he will focus on split estate matters around the country and other issues that undermine the value of privately held minerals. Prior to his tenure with TIPRO, Fleming served as the Congressional liaison for the Secretary of Energy, Bill Richardson, and was a legislative assistant to US Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico).

In related news, Bruce W. Busmire, the company’s senior vice president and CFO has resigned to pursue other interests. Mark A. Jackson, Noble’s president and COO, has assumed the position of acting CFO on an interim basis pending the company’s appointment of a successor CFO. Jackson served as the company’s senior vice president and CFO from Sept. 1, 2000, through Sept. 26, 2005.

Roberts to head Marathon’s business development team

Marathon Oil Corp. has hired David E. Roberts Jr., to serve as senior vice president of business development. Roberts currently serves as executive vice president/managing director for BG Group with responsibility for Asia and the Middle East.

Roberts has been a member of BG Group’s executive management since 2003 with responsibility for operations and business interests in Asia (Kazakhstan, India, and Pacific Rim) and the Middle East. Additionally, as the senior partner’s representative in a four-party joint venture (BG, ENI, ChevronTexaco, and Lukoil); he oversaw the $4 billion Karachaganak development in Kazakhstan.

Prior to joining BG, Roberts served as advisor to the vice chairman of ChevronTexaco Corp. from 2001 to 2003 following the merger of Chevron and Texaco in October 2001.

In 1999, Roberts was named director of strategic management for Texaco’s worldwide upstream operations.

Roberts graduated from the University of Alabama in 1983 with a bachelor of science degree in mineral engineering. In his new position, he will be located at Marathon’s Houston headquarters.

Carne elected senior VP of Cooper Cameron Corp.

Cooper Cameron Corp.’s board of directors has elected John D. Carne, president of the Cooper Cameron Valves division (CCV), as a senior vice president of the parent company, Cooper Cameron Corp. Carne was previously a vice president of Cooper Cameron, and will continue in his role as president of CCV, a position he has held since April 2002. He joined Cooper Energy Services in 1971, and subsequently held positions as systems designer; manager, technical services; area manager, aftermarket services; regional manager, Far East; and director of operations, UK and Norway. In 1996, he became plant manager for Cameron’s Leeds, England facility and was named operations director for Cameron’s Eastern Hemisphere in 1999.

MasterWord hires Cleary to head O&G business unit

MasterWord Services, a provider of industry-specific language solutions, has hired Joseph Cleary as director of international business development, oil and gas.

Cleary comes to MasterWord from Informa, where he served as commercial manager of IBC’s oil and gas division. Cleary brings experience providing customized marketing solutions for clients entering new oil and gas markets or consolidating their position in existing ones. Cleary’s primary focus will be helping international oil and gas clients achieve global economies of scale in their language solutions.

After a year of residency in the United States, Cleary will be centrally located out of London, England.

MasterWord Services offers comprehensive language solutions to the oil and gas industry, including linguistic fluency assessments, language training, technical translation, and interpreting services.

POSC adds new leadership to board

Petrotechnical Open Standards Consortium Inc. (POSC), a global provider of information and business process standards for the upstream oil and gas industry, has elected Jonathan Lewis of Halliburton and Tom Halbouty of Pioneer Natural Resources, as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the POSC board of directors.

Lewis has more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Currently he is vice president of innovation and marketing for the Halliburton Digital and Consulting Solutions Division with accountability for research and development, intellectual property, marketing and strategy.

Halbouty has 29 years of diverse experience in the energy industry including strategic planning, business consulting, and technology. Currently, he is vice president and CIO of Pioneer Natural Resources, with responsibility for Pioneer’s worldwide geoscience, engineering, and business computing.

POSC is an international, not-for-profit, membership organization. POSC is designed to unite industry people, issues, and ideas to collaboratively address E&P information challenges and opportunities.

Knowles becomes Mustang president

Mustang Engineering, a subsidiary of international energy services company Wood Group, has appointed Steven R. Knowles president. Steve succeeds Mustang co-founders/presidents William G. Higgs and Paul E. Redmon, who now serve as co-chairmen of Mustang and members of the executive committee. In this role, Higgs and Redmon will continue to support operational and business development initiatives and provide direction to strategic initiatives within Mustang and Wood Group.

Knowles, who has more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently oversaw the company’s six business units: upstream, process plants, pipeline, midstream, automation and control, and process and industrial. He began his career at Mustang 12 years ago, holding positions as project engineer, project manager, and upstream business unit manager. Prior to joining Mustang, Knowles worked for Chevron, Saudi Aramco, and International Petroleum.

Knowles holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University, is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas, and is a certified Project Management Professional by PMI.

Wells Fargo promotes Hranicky to head energy group

Kyle Hranicky has been named head of the Wells Fargo energy group. Hranicky, an industry veteran with more than a decade of experience at Wells Fargo, will lead a team of over 60 professionals with offices in Houston, Dallas, and Denver.

As loan syndication regional manager in Wells Fargo’s specialized financial services since 2000, Hranicky managed a team of originations and structuring professionals covering Wells Fargo’s energy group, and the Texas offices for Commercial Banking the Corporate Group, and the Wells Fargo HSBC Trade Bank. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA, and earned his MBA in finance from Thunderbird School of International Management.

Wells Fargo provides integrated financial solutions to the exploration and production, midstream, and refining sectors. The Wells Fargo energy group is headquartered in Houston with regional offices in Dallas and Denver. The oilfield service group is based in Houston.

Kodiak Oil & Gas elects new independent director

Denver-based Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. has elected Herrick K. Lidstone Jr. to join its board of directors. Lidstone shall receive a grant of 50,000 options under the company’s incentive stock option plan, exercisable at a price to be determined in accordance with the polices of the TSX Venture Exchange.

As a lawyer, Lidstone brings nearly 30 years of corporate law experience to Kodiak. He practices in Denver and is currently with Burns, Figa & Will, PC, where he emphasizes a practice in corporate/securities law, dealing frequently with mergers and acquisitions, finance transactions, and private and public security offerings.

Lidstone currently serves on the Securities Board for the Department of Regulatory Agencies in Colorado. He received an AB degree from Cornell University in 1971 and a JD degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1978. With the appointment, Kodiak now has five directors, three of which are outside directors.

Newpark appoints Paul Howes CEO

Newpark Resources’ board has named Paul L. Howes as the company’s CEO and a member of the board. Howes succeeds James D. Cole, who will devote his full energies to the development of new water treatment technology as chairman and CEO of Newpark Environmental Water Solutions.

Howes is a 1980 graduate of Michigan State University, where he majored in engineering. His career has included experience in the defense industry, chemicals, and plastics manufacturing, and the packaging industry. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of Astaris, a primary chemicals company headquartered in St. Louis.

Suez Energy appoints Smati president, CEO

Zin Smati has been named president and chief executive of Suez Energy North America Inc. Prior to this appointment, Smati was president and chief executive of Suez Energy Resources NA Inc., a retail energy subsidiary. Smati joined Suez Energy North America in 2001 as executive vice-president of strategy.

SCFM appoints Donaho as managing director

Alan Donaho has been named managing director of Tulsa, Okla.-based SCFM Constructors Inc. Donaho, a graduate of University of Tulsa, brings more than 20 years of project management and leadership experience.

Donaho’s position complements the current management of Norm Sloan, P.E., who serves as director special projects. Previously, Donaho oversaw multiple large projects with various companies, including Fortune 500.

SCFM Constructors, a national turnkey business, provides comprehensive management of new and renovation projects from conception to operation.

Pryor replaces Laidlaw as Chevon’s vice president of business development

San Ramon, Calif.-based Chevron Corp. has appointed Jay Pryor to the position of vice president for business development, reporting to Dave O’Reilly, chairman and CEO.

Pryor, 48, has served for the past four years as managing director of the Nigeria/Mid-Africa strategic business unit. Pryor joined Chevron in 1979 and has held numerous positions within the company, including manager of petroleum engineering at Tengizchevroil (a Chevron joint-venture partnership) in Kazakhstan and managing director for Thailand, before moving to Lagos, Nigeria. Pryor holds a bachelor of science in petroleum engineering from Mississippi State University.

Pryor replaces Sam Laidlaw, whose departure was recently announced.

With more than 53,000 employees, Chevron subsidiaries conduct business in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing, and distributing fuels and other energy products.

David Szabo joins Woods Hole Group

David Szabo has joined Woods Hole Group as head of Houston operations. He brings more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of metocean services, product and numerical modeling. He will be responsible for managing all aspects of business operations on the ground for WHG in the area. Prior to joining Woods Hole Group, Szabo worked with Mobil Research and Development Corp. Additionally, he directed operations and initiated projects with Fugro GEOS Inc. Szabo obtained his masters of science from Florida State University in 1978 in oceanography. He graduated from New York University in 1970 with a BS in meteorology and oceanography.

Steenbuch appointed Aker Drilling COO

Fredrik Steenbuch has been named COO of Aker Drilling. Steenbuch, who has extensive offshore industry experience, particularly in the drilling market, will help market Aker Drilling’s two rigs and develop the company.

Aker Drilling’s two Aker H-6e drilling platforms, now under construction at Aker Kværner, are scheduled for delivery in February and October 2008, respectively. The rigs will be among the largest in the market. Their features make them well suited to efficient drilling at great water depths, under demanding weather conditions, and in environmentally sensitive areas.