ENERGY PLAYERS

OMV Aktiengesellschaft has appointed Rainer Seele as the new chairman of the executive board and CEO, effective July 1, 2015, for a three-year period, with an extension option for OMV for further two years. The current chairman of the executive board and CEO, Gerhard Roiss, will resign from his position on June 30, 2015 as previously announced. Seele has long-term experience in the international oil and gas industry. The chemistry graduate has been at the helm of Wintershall Holding GmbH in Kassel since October 2009. He earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Göttingen.

Enlink names Deck SVP, Permian

EnLink Midstream LLC and EnLink Midstream Partners LP have named Andrew A. Deck as senior vice president of its Permian Basin operations. Deck will partner with the gas and liquids business unit leadership teams to identify and execute commercial projects that support EnLink's growth strategy in West Texas. Deck has over 30 years of industry experience, with the last several years focused on companies in the Permian Basin. Deck served as the CEO of Coronado Midstream LLC until its recent sale to EnLink. He received a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Oklahoma State University.

Crestwood names Halpin SVP, CFO

Robert Halpin has been appointed senior vice president and CFO of Crestwood Midstream. He joined Crestwood in 2012 and has served as both vice president of finance and vice president of business development. Prior to joining Crestwood, Halpin served as an associate at First Reserve and as an investment banker in the Global Natural Resources Group at Barclays Capital. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from The University of Texas at Austin.

Kirkland to retire from Chevron; successor named

George L. Kirkland, vice chairman and executive vice president, upstream, will retire from Chevron Corp. effective June 15. He will be succeeded by James W. "Jay" Johnson, as executive vice president, upstream. Kirkland joined Chevron in 1974. He was named executive vice president of Upstream in 2005 and elected vice chairman in 2010. During his career, he held numerous assignments across the company's operations, including leadership roles in Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as president of the North America and international upstream businesses. Johnson joined Chevron in 1981 and has been senior vice president of upstream since the beginning of 2014. Previously, Johnson was president of Chevron's Europe, Eurasia, and Middle East Exploration and Production Co. and managing director of its Eurasia business unit. He also was managing director of Chevron's Australasia business unit. Additionally, effective with Kirkland's retirement, Joseph C. "Joe" Geagea has been appointed executive vice president of technology, projects, and services (TPS), which includes a number of key functional groups that support the enterprise with services such as major capital project development; drilling and upstream base business operations; energy and information technology; health, environment, and safety; procurement, and workforce development. Geagea joined the company in 1982. He has been senior vice president of TPS since the beginning of 2014. Previously, he was president of Chevron's gas and midstream group; managing director of the company's Asia South business unit; and president of downstream operations in East Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan.

Jost & Shelton Energy Group joins Burleson LLP Denver office

Jost & Shelton Energy Group joined the Denver, CO office of Burleson LLP. Regulatory attorney Jamie Jost serves as the acting general counsel for the Colorado Oil & Gas Association. She is considered a leading authority on issues and challenges confronting energy companies in Colorado's regulatory environment. Adam Shelton's practice includes federal, tribal, state, and fee land title and curative matters; acquisitions and divestitures; and land title due diligence. Title lawyer Tom Rubane has nearly a decade of experience, and Joe Evers and Zach Sears provide counsel on regulatory and land use permitting matters to a wide range of companies throughout the region.

EXCO, Bluescape execute agreement

EXCO Resources Inc. and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bluescape Resources Co. LLC have executed a services and investment agreement. Relating to this agreement, EXCO has also made several executive-level appointments. Under the agreement terms, Bluescape will purchase $10 million in EXCO's common stock from EXCO and an additional $40 million in common stock in the open market within one year from closing. Bluescape will also receive a cash retainer and a warrant package designed to reward outstanding relative value outperformance by EXCO's common stock. Upon closing of the agreement, C. John Wilder, executive chairman of Bluescape, will join EXCO's board of directors and become EXCO's executive chairman. Wilder was chairman of the board and CEO of TXU Corp. from 2004 through his completion of the sale of TXU in 2007. Since TXU, Wilder has been active in investing and operating in the E&P industry through multiple endeavors, one of which includes serving as executive chairman of Bluescape Resources. Additionally, Harold L. Hickey, EXCO's president and COO, has been appointed CEO and president of EXCO. Hickey became EXCO's president in 2013 and COO in 2005, and has worked at EXCO since 2001. He also worked at Mobil Oil for 20 years.

ATB Investor Services names president

Chris Turchansky has been named the new president of ATB Investor Services. Turchansky moves into the president's role after serving the organization for 10 years in various positions, most recently leading the private counsel, solutions and mass market teams. ATB Investor Services is the wealth management area of expertise in Alberta-based ATB Financial. Turchansky earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Alberta, an MBA from Athabasca University, and holds Certified Financial Analyst and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designations. He has 18 years of experience in wealth management.

SPE Aberdeen section appoints new chairman

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section has appointed Shankar Bhukya as its new chairman, taking over from Ross Lowdon who has stepped down to relocate to Houston. Bhukya has over eight years of oil and gas industry experience and is currently technical marketing engineer at National Oilwell Varco for the Europe and Sub-Sahara African region. A mechanical engineer, Bhukya has been involved in SPE Aberdeen for more than 15 years. He has co-chaired the Student Development Committee for the last four years, and 2014, he received the SPE Aberdeen Section Service Award.

Blackhill Partners appoints new managing director

Blackhill Partners has appointed Ken Hirsch as managing director. In addition to continuing to advise clients on a wide range of strategic financial issues, Hirsch will lead the build out of the firm's capital raising practice. Hirsch has more than 30 years of investment and corporate banking experience. He has particular expertise in private placements of debt, equity and equity-linked securities in a broad range of transactions, including refinancings, recapitalizations, buyouts and growth financings. Previously, Hirsch co-founded and served as managing director at Western Reserve Partners where he managed the firm's capital raising practice and opened the Dallas regional office. Prior, he spent eight years as managing director at McDonald Investments, now KeyBanc Capital Markets, where he managed the debt capital group. He holds a bachelor's degree, with Honors, in economics from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and an MBA from The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

Miller Energy names Elliott CFO

Miller Energy Resources Inc. has appointed Phillip G. Elliott as CFO. He takes over from Jeff McInturff who had been serving as Interim CFO. McInturff remains a member of senior management and will continue his role as chief accounting officer. Prior to joining Miller Energy, Elliott was senior vice president, strategic planning, land and commercial analysis for EQT. During his more than 18 years with EQT, he also served as treasurer as well as a number of other financial and corporate development positions.

Teague to succeed Creel as Enterprise Products Partners CEO

Michael Creel, CEO of Enterprise Products Partners LP's general partner, will retire as of December 31, 2015. A.J. "Jim" Teague, Enterprise's COO, has been elected to succeed Creel as CEO upon Creel's retirement. Randy Fowler, EPD's current CFO, has been promoted to chief administrative officer. He becomes a member of the office of the chairman of the general partner, joining Jim Teague, Mike Creel and Randa Duncan Williams. Bryan Bulawa has been elected senior vice president and CFO, effective April 1, 2015. Bulawa has served as Enterprise's senior vice president and treasurer since 2009.

Sidley Austin expands energy practice

Sidley Austin LLP has added Terence T. Healey to the firm's energy practice as a partner in Boston. Healey is an experienced advisor on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) matters involving electricity and natural gas. He focuses his practice on federal and state energy regulatory proceedings, energy-related transactions, FERC anti-manipulation enforcement matters, North American Electric Reliability Corporation enforcement matters and compliance counseling. He has extensive experience representing clients before FERC on matters relating to the wholesale power and natural gas markets, including the formation and redesign of wholesale electricity markets, capacity market developments and merger proceedings.