Changes to management at Africa Oil
Africa Oil said its current vice president of development will move to a new role within the company. Tim Thomas will now become chief operation officer at the firm's Calgary-based office.
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Lundin Petroleum makes senior appointment
Lundin Petroleum has confirmed the appointment of a new upper management position. Nick Walker will join the international petroleum firm's management team as senior vice president of development and operations with immediate effect. Mr Walker will have the responsibility of overseeing all worldwide development projects as well as being a member of the Investment Committee.
MEG Energy co-founder to step down
MEG Energy has confirmed co-founder Dave Wizinsky will step down from the corporation's board of directors. Bill McCaffrey, president of MEG, said: "Dave came in as a founding investment partner when oil was about $12 a barrel and MEG was just a vision.
Statoil board member resigns
A member of the Statoil board of directors is set to resign from her position. Catherine Hughes will leave her current position in a bid to "avoid potential conflicts of interest" following a recent change of circumstances.
Gulfsands Petroleum removes chief executive
Gulfsands Petroleum has removed its chief executive. Mahdi Sajjad has been replaced by Alastair Beardshall as executive chairman with immediate effect. The oil and gas company, which operated in the North African region, said Sajjad would remain as a director of the company.
Centrica appoints British Gas boss
British Gas owner Centrica has appointed a former boss of Aviva’s UK operation to run its residential energy business. Mark Hodges becomes managing director of British Gas at a time when the energy market is the subject of a full-scale competition probe. He spent over 20 years with Norwich Union and Aviva before leaving in 2011 to become the boss of specialist insurance broker Towergate Partnership. He left that job in October.
Afren appoints new chief executive
Afren has agreed in principle to appoint a new chief executive. It comes after the company's former chief executive and chief operating officer were fired, amid claims of gross misconduct and unauthorised payments. Alan Linn, who is currently a consultant to Afren's board, will take up the role.
Marine specialists firm makes new appointment
A marine specialist firm has appointed a new sales manager to its team. Steven Simpson will join the company, which was established in 2010, at their Aberdeen offices. Mr Simpson brings more than 10 years of experience to the role after having previously held a number of positions within the oil and gas industry.
Offshore worker evacuated from North Sea platform
An offshore worker has been airlifted to hospital from a North Sea platform after taking ill. The crewman was working on the Forties Bravo oilfield, 110 miles east of Aberdeen when he began to feel unwell at around 10am.
Wintershall boss moves to OMV
Wintershall boss Rainer Seele has been appointed chief executive of OMV. The 54-year-old will take up the role from July this year and has signed a three-year contract with an extension option with OMV for a further two years. The current chief executive, Gerhard Roiss, had previously announced his departure from the company.
Firms beef up their Granite City oil and gas expertise
A trio of professional services firms are beefing up their tax teams in Aberdeen to help the oil and gas industry survive the downturn. Johnston Carmichael (JC), Deloitte and Maclay, Murray & Spens (MMS) are all adding to their Granite City presence as they try to help clients prosper in the wake of the slump in oil prices. Aberdeen-based accountancy firm JC has recruited Anderson Anderson & Brown tax partner Richard Britten to become tax director at its office in Europe’s energy capital.
Aker Solutions appoints new executive vice president
Aker Solutions has made a number of changes to its senior positions. Tore Sjursen will become executive vice president for operational improvement and risk management from April 1. Meanwhile Knut Sandvik will replace Sjursen as head of the company’s maintenance, modifications and operations business.
LR Senergy and EnergyOne AS announce strategic partnership
LR Senergy and EnergyOne AS have joined forces in a strategic alliance aimed at supporting business development in the energy sector in Norway and internationally. By joining together and working in collaboration, the two organisations hope to offer significant subsurface resources through the local presence EnergyOne provides, as well as the global competencies of LR Senergy.
CHC boss nominated for Scottish director award
The Aberdeen-based leader of CHC Helicopters has been named as a finalist in the Scottish Director of the Year awards. Mark Abbey, who was recently appointed as the new co-chair of the Helicopter Safety Steering Group, has been heavily involved in the company's West North Sea regional operations. Under his stewardship, CHC has been awarded a number of contracts with oil and gas producers including Statoil and Total.
Talisman Sinopec appoint new managing director
Talisman Sinopec Energy UK has announced a new managing director. Bill Dunnett has been appointed to the position by Talisman's board of directors, and will begin his role from April 7. Dunnett, a chartered engineer, has more than 30 years' experience in the international oil and gas industry, and has previously served as project manager for Shell and acted as senior vice president for Global Offshore Capital Projects.
Antrim Energy chief exec appointed to board of directors
Antrim Energy has appointed its chief executive to its board of directors. Anthony Potter has taken up the additional position with immediate effect. Mr Potter is a chartered accountant with more than 26 years experience in oil and gas and development companies.
Statoil appoints new chief operating officer
Statoil has appointed a new chief operating officer within the company. Anders Opedal has also been appointed executive vice president in the role change. He will take up his new positions from April 1, and will be responsible for the company's corporate improvement programmes and for driving operational efficiency.
Petroceltic makes changes to its board
Petroceltic International has made a number of changes to the board of its company. Neeve Billis has been appointed as senior independent director and has joined the audit, nominations and remunerations committee. Meanwhile Nicholas Gray has been made chairman of the audit committee and has also joined the nominations committee.
Two new directors on the board at Paradigm Drilling Services
Two experienced industry figures have been appointed to the board at Aberdeenshire energy service firm Paradigm Drilling Services in the wake of a £5million investment in the business. Nicholas Gee and Mike Hill have become directors at the drilling and intervention technology company following the injection of capital by Buckthorn Partners and Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV), the corporate venturing subsidiary of Saudi Aramco. Mr Gee, a former executive vice-president of strategy and development at Weatherford International, reprsents Buckthorn on the board. Mr Hill, who has over 17 years' investment experience in the oil and gas sector, represents SAEV.
Amec Foster Wheeler appoints new independent director
Amec Foster Wheeler has appointed a new chairman to its remuneration committee. Neil Carson, a non-executive director since 2010, will assume the role of senior independent director as well.
Top honours for Schlumberger chairman
Gordon Ballard, the chairman of oil service giant Schlumberger UK was last night feted for his contribution to the North Sea with a special award. He joined the offshore industry’s highest achievers and most successful companies which were recognised last night at the 2015 Offshore Achievement Awards (OAA).
Bumper £19.5million pay pot for Shell boss
Shell boss Ben van Beurden received a pay package worth a total of £19.5million in 2014, the oil and gas giant's latest annual report shows. The figure includes a £1.4million salary, a £3.3million bonus, £10.7million pension top-up and various other benefits.
Opito appoints new UK director of communications
Oil and gas industry skills and standards body Opito has appointed a new director of communications at its Aberdeenshire headquarters. James Hamilton has taken on the role after five years working in the United Arab Emirates as Opito’s Middle East and Africa standards and approvals manager and then its international workforce development manager.
Cyberhawk eyes growth opportunities in Asia
Scottish technology firm Cyberhawk Innovations has appointed new sales managers with a view to growing its business in the south-east Asian and Middle East oil and gas markets. Chen Choon How in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Ajay Sethi in Abu Dhabi were recruited after a £1.3million investment from Scottish Equity Partners and the Scottish Investment Bank 18 months ago.
Top civil servant to head new UK oil and gas regulator
The UK’s newly-minted oil and gas industry regulator has appointed Sir Patrick Brown as its chairman, Energy Secretary Ed Davey said today. The establishment of the fledgling Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), headed by chief executive Andy Samuel, was called for in last year’s Wood Review, which set out a series of recommendations aimed at maximising the recovery of UK fossil fuels.