Marathon Names Stover to New VP Role

Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO) announced Tuesday that Michael J. Stover, currently manager of the company's mid-continent production operations, has been appointed to the newly established position of vice president, Operations Services effective Feb. 1, 2013. In this role, Stover will have oversight responsibility for Marathon Oil's Upstream Development, Technology, Technical Excellence, Global Procurement, Land and Commercial Services, and Drilling and Completions activities. Stover will be based in Houston and report to Marathon Oil Corporation chairman, president and CEO Clarence P. Cazalot Jr.

"Establishing this new position and capturing the increased organizational alignment associated with it is consistent with our ongoing drive to achieve greater efficiencies throughout Marathon Oil," said Cazalot. "Mike possesses a strong blend of operations, technical and planning experience and expertise that will play an important role in our ability to further optimize the contributions of these key services to our continued success."

Stover earned a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1986. He joined Marathon Oil that same year, initially as a roustabout, followed by operations and reservoir engineering assignments for the Yates Field located in West Texas. In 1991, he transferred to the Company's international group in Houston and was responsible for reservoir and economic studies for fields in Ireland, Tunisia, and Norway. From 1995 thru 2000, Stover was located in Anchorage, Alaska, where he worked both development and exploration projects associated with Marathon Oil's operations on the Kenai Peninsula.

In 2000, he joined Marathon Oil's Corporate Strategic Planning group in Houston. In this assignment, his responsibilities included business planning and corporate portfolio modeling to support the reorganization of USX Corporation that lead to the establishment of Marathon Oil Corporation as a standalone company.

Following that assignment Stover relocated to Aberdeen, Scotland, where he held the position of European Business Unit Subsurface and Business Planning Manager. In 2005, he relocated to Houston where assumed the role of East Texas/North Louisiana Asset Manager. In 2006, his area of responsibility was expanded to include Marathon Oil's Oklahoma oil and gas properties.

In 2009, he assumed the position of Director of Central Evaluation and Financial Planning. In this role, Stover was responsible for providing financial and portfolio analysis across the business enterprise. In late 2011, he assumed his current role of Mid-Continent Asset Manager with responsibility for Marathon Oil's assets and operations in Oklahoma, East Texas, North Louisiana and Colorado.

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BP Names New BP America Chairman, President

John Mingé has been appointed chairman and president of BP America, Inc. and will serve as BP’s chief representative in the United States. He will succeed Lamar McKay, who has been appointed to head BP’s Upstream business.

"John Mingé has done a superb job in Alaska, where he has led the way in enhancing safety and making BP Alaska a stronger business,” McKay said. "His background prepares him well for the challenges of representing BP in the U.S., which is home to our largest and most diverse portfolio of businesses anywhere in the world."

Mingé has led BP Alaska since January 2009, where he is responsible for BP's oil and gas exploration, development and production activities in Alaska, as well as its interests in the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

Under his leadership, BP Alaska successfully tested innovative enhanced oil recovery technologies, such as Bright Water and LoSal, which are now used by BP around the globe. In 2012, BP Alaska achieved the lowest recordable incident rate in its history, with a 50 percent reduction from 2009.

During his nearly 30 year career with BP, Mingé has held a variety of executive and engineering posts around the globe. These include assignments as president of BP Indonesia, head of BP’s Asia Pacific Unit, and president of exploration and production for Vietnam and China.

He started his BP career in the Gulf of Mexico as a drilling engineer and he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Washington State University.

Mingé will take on his new role on Feb. 15, 2013 and will be based in Houston, where BP business units are involved in oil and gas exploration and production, refining, chemicals, supply and trading, pipeline operations, shipping, and alternative energy.

The U.S. is home to the largest concentration of BP employees in the world, more than 23,000, and its business activities support an estimated 210,000 more American jobs. BP’s capital investments in the U.S. over the past five years exceed $52 billion, more than any other company and more than BP invests in any other country.

BP also named Minge's successor, Janet Weiss, as Regional President of BP Alaska, effective Feb. 15.

"BP’s history in Alaska stretches back more than five decades and it is one of the largest and most important businesses in BP’s global portfolio," Mingé said. "Having spent 18 of her 27 years in the industry in Alaska, I am confident that Janet Weiss’ background and experience are what BP Alaska needs to continue thriving as a major global energy producer."

Weiss serves currently in Alaska as Regional Vice President, Resources, accountable for resource progression and subsurface activities, as well as for IT. In her new role, she will be responsible for BP's oil and gas exploration, development and production activities in Alaska, as well as its interests in the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. She will continue to be based in Anchorage. Ms. Weiss has held engineering and executive posts in both Alaska and in the Lower 48.

Beginning her career in Alaska in 1986, she has worked there as a process engineer, reservoir engineer, petroleum engineer, and reservoir engineering advisor. Her executive appointments include VP of Special Projects for BP Exploration & Production and VP for Unconventional Gas Technology. She has also led BP’s Western Wyoming businesses and Base Operations for the Gulf of Mexico Shelf.

Weiss holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Oklahoma State University. "BP Alaska is home to some of the most capable people in the industry and I am honored to be asked to lead them," Weiss said. "I’ve seen first-hand what they can achieve in even the most challenging of environments."

BP is one of Alaska’s leading investors, taxpayers and employers, with more than 2,200 employees and over 6,000 contractors. The company operates four fields on the North Slope, including Greater Prudhoe Bay, which together account for about two-thirds of the state’s oil production.

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GE on Technical Recruitment Drive in Oil & Gas Sector

GE Oil & Gas plans to boost its technical offerings to energy sector customers during the next few years through significant investment and a recruitment drive, GE Oil & Gas CEO Daniel Heintzelman confirmed Monday in Florence, Italy.

At the GE Oil & Gas 2013 Annual Meeting, attended by Rigzone, Heintzelman said that GE Oil & Gas is "certainly looking for more talent on the technology side" and "not just in easy places to hire but in emerging markets".

Mindful that "50 percent of today's 10 million oil and gas workers are eligible to retire in 2015", Heintzelman said that the entire industry faces a “human resources challenge".

"There is a tremendous need for us to be proactive," when it comes to training and hiring the next generation of oil and gas industry workers, Heintzelman added.

GE Oil & Gas has already significantly grown its workforce in recent years. The business employs more than 37,000 people today compared with a total of just 12,000 in 2009, although much of this growth in personnel has boosted by acquisitions of other firms.

Heintzelman also pointed to GE's own contribution in adding to the training and education of oil and gas professionals through the firm’s Florence-based Oil & Gas University, where oil and gas professionals are taught by GE Oil & Gas experts, university professors and other professionals in a six-month program.

GE also plans to double its technology investment spend over the next three years, compared with the previous three years, Heintzelman confirmed.

Now a standalone segment within GE, GE Oil & Gas reported 4Q 2012 revenue of $4.5 billion and full-year 2012 revenue of $15.2 billion. The company announced a $500 million turbomachinery and services deal with Petrobras on January 15.

A former engineer, Jon is an award-winning editor who has covered the technology, engineering and energy sectors since the mid-1990s. Email Jon at jmainwaring@rigzone.com.

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FlexSteel Offers New Larger Diameter Pipe

FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies, manufacturer of the next generation of steel line pipe, announces FlexSteel pipe is now available in 8-inch diameter up to 1,500 psi. The new larger-diameter pipe offers up to 125 percent increased flow rate compared to FlexSteel 6-inch pipe.

The 8-inch diameter FlexSteel was developed with the same helically wound steel core as existing FlexSteel pipe for failure-free performance with the durability of steel and the installation, performance and cost benefits of flexible pipe products.

"The new 8-inch FlexSteel was developed in response to customer requests for a spoolable pipe solution with greater flow capacity," said Brian Anderson, vice president of strategy and marketing for FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies. "The 8-inch product provides all the benefits of our revolutionary spooled pipe to deliver superior lifecycle performance and value." Developed with corrosion-resistant technology, FlexSteel pipe performs under grueling cyclic loading environments and installs up to five times faster than traditional steel line pipe to provide the lowest total cost of ownership compared to steel. Additionally, the 8-inch pipe has 93 percent fewer connections per mile vs. steel.

FlexSteel can be installed easily and quickly in all types of terrain with minimal disruption to land. It does not require special bedding or handling. FlexSteel's time-tested swaged fittings make for fast, reliable connections that are not sensitive to cleanliness or ambient temperature.

FlexSteel spooled pipe is used in various applications including oil and gas, water, carbon dioxide transportation, and others.

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BP Confirms Identities of Three Employees Killed in Algeria

BP "with great sadness" on Monday confirmed the identities of three of its employees who lost their lives following the terrorist attack on the In Amenas joint venture gas facility in Algeria on Jan. 16.

"We are in frequent, close contact with the families of these employees and, with their consent, are able to confirm our colleagues’ identities," BP commented.

Those employees are:

Sebastian (Seb) John, 26

Seb John, from Nottingham, joined BP in September 2012, as a Civil & Structural Engineer. Seb was a member of the BP’s graduate development programme, and had recently joined the In Amenas joint venture team. He was on his first trip to Algeria.

"Without doubt, Seb was going to succeed” said Andy McEwan, a colleague from BP’s North Africa region. “He was definitely one of a kind when it came to work, as a character and as a person. There are no words that can describe how much Sebastian will be missed by us."

Seb was married to Nicola, with a young son.

Carlos Estrada, 44

Carlos Estrada, originally from Colombia, was living in London, and had worked for BP since 1995. Carlos was a vice-president with BP’s Upstream Global Projects Organisation and was visiting the In Amenas site to provide expertise on BP’s interests in projects in Algeria.

BP North Africa President, and friend of Carlos, Felipe Posada said: "Everyone loved Carlos, he was full of energy, passionate about what he did, incredibly smart and liked by everyone he met. He was a huge talent for the future. He was also a great personal friend of mine and of many others. I will greatly miss him as I know will very many people in BP."

Carlos was married to Claudia, with two young daughters.

Gordon Rowan, 58

Gordon Rowan, from Oregon in the U.S., was a Well Operations & Engineering Manager and had worked for BP and formerly ARCO since 1986. Having spent time at Algeria’s Rhourde El Baguel field, he had returned to the country to work at In Amenas after a period in China.

Mark Cobb, Gordon’s colleague, who was also involved in the incident, said of him: "He was respected by all of his colleagues for his openness, personal integrity and commitment to the safety of his people. He was a leader that people wanted to follow, leadership which he fostered though his commitment to the development of his staff. He lived the BP values and was a great reflection of BP within In Amenas."

Gordon had two sons, Dan and Richard.

A fourth employee is also feared to have lost his life in the attack. BP said it was unable at this time to comment on his identity.

Bob Dudley, BP Group Chief Executive, said: "This is confirmation of devastating news and our hearts go out to the families, friends, colleagues and loved ones of these men. We cannot imagine the grief of those closest to them but we know they are very much in the thoughts of so many people in BP. We will continue to do everything we can to assist and support them at this time. They were our colleagues and friends and we will remember them and honour their memory."

BP requests that people show consideration for the families of our colleagues and continue to respect their privacy.

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TAM Opens New West Texas Office

TAM International announced Tuesday the opening of a new district office and shop in Midland, Texas. The new office is the latest in a series of recent growth and expansion efforts that ensure the company is well positioned to offer the highest level of customer service and support in rapid growth markets, including the Permian Basin.

"The Permian Basin market continues to skyrocket, offering significant growth and expansion opportunities," said Carl Landcaster, Midland district manager for TAM International. “Our new Midland office reflects the company’s unflagging commitment to offering new and existing clients localized customer service and support."

The company’s new 11,500-square-foot facility opened its doors on Jan. 1, 2013. The Midland facilities will offer a full range of drilling, completions and workover tools and services, including the PosiFrac Multi-Stage Fracture System.

Landcaster will manage the office along with a regional team focused on enhancing TAM’s customer support and services while establishing key relationships throughout the region.

The new office is located at 6505 FM 1788 South, Midland, TX.

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Rigzone Crossword for Week of Jan. 21-25

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AltaGas, Idemitsu Kosan Form JV Aimed at Exporting Energy from Canada

AltaGas and Idemitsu Kosan revealed Tuesday that the companies have signed an agreement to form the AltaGas Idemitsu Joint Venture. The JV plans to pursue opportunities involving exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Canada to Asia. AltaGas and Idemitsu will each own a 50 percent interest in the JV.

"We are excited to partner with Idemitsu, a global leader in the supply of energy, petroleum, lubricants and petrochemical products and services to the people of Japan. Idemitsu has a proud heritage of creating value for the benefit of Japan and the societies, consumers and communities in which they operate", said David Cornhill, Chairman and CEO of AltaGas. "We are pleased to work with Idemitsu to develop opportunities that will be good for the people of Japan and Canada. As we move forward, we will continue in our commitment to engage and work effectively with Governments, First Nations, and other stakeholders."

 "Canada is one of the world's most resource-rich countries and has proven to be a very promising new supplier of gas to Japan. As a leading energy infrastructure company in Canada, AltaGas has enjoyed rapid and sustainable growth in its natural gas infrastructure, power generation, and natural gas distribution businesses. The Partnership with AltaGas is a natural fit with Idemitsu's gas and power business. AltaGas is simply the best strategic partner for us in terms of both existing business and potential opportunities, and we have great expectations and enjoyment in our collaborative discussions with this rapidly growing company. We believe that a joint venture with AltaGas will enhance the businesses of both companies while making a significant contribution to the national interests of both Canada and Japan." said Kazuhisa Nakano, President of Idemitsu Kosan.

The JV plans to pursue opportunities to develop long-term natural gas supply and sales arrangements to meet the growing demand for natural gas in Asia. As Asia's largest LNG consumer, Japan would benefit from a new and dependable source of LNG from the JV. LNG from Canada would provide a clean, stable, and reliable source of energy to meet Japan's growing demand for natural gas. The development of a Canadian LNG export opportunity would also provide long-term benefits to Canadians at a time when Canada is seeking to diversify its energy markets.

The JV will undertake feasibility studies for the development and construction of liquefaction facilities as part of the proposed project to export LNG to markets in Asia. The feasibility study is expected to be completed by early 2014. The pipeline capacity required to transport natural gas to the liquefaction facility is expected to be provided by AltaGas' wholly owned subsidiary Pacific Northern Gas. Subject to consultations with First Nations, and the completion of the feasibility study, permitting, regulatory approvals and facility construction, the proposed LNG exports could begin as early as 2017.

In addition, the JV plans to pursue opportunities to develop a LPG export business, including logistics, plant refrigeration and storage facilities. The feasibility study is expected to be completed in 2013. Idemitsu is a shareholder of Astomos Energy Corporation, one of the world's largest LPG suppliers. Subject to consultations with First Nations, and the completion of the feasibility study, permitting, regulatory approvals and facility construction, the proposed LPG export business could begin as early as 2016.

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Crude Tops $97/Bbl as Economic Data Boost Demand Hopes

NEW YORK--U.S. crude futures rose 1.2% Tuesday, pushing above $97 a barrel for the first time in more than four months as investors wager that signs of an improving economy will translate into higher fuel demand.

Oil has rallied 9.7% since early December, gaining momentum in recent days on a stream of data that pointed to improving economic conditions in the U.S., the world's largest oil consumer.

On Tuesday, Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller home-price index showed a 5.5% increase from last year. Last week, applications for unemployment benefits fell to a five-year low. Stock markets, used by oil traders to gauge economic sentiment, have also rallied to start the year. The Standard & Poor's 500 is up 5.7% in 2013.

Vikas Dwivedi, global oil and gas economist at Macquarie, forecast oil demand will rise by 875,000 barrels a day in 2013. But a speedier recovery of the global economy, due in part to the U.S., will mean a sharper rise in fuel use, he said.

"If in 2013 the various big economies of the world hit their stride, we could be well over a million barrels a day of demand growth. Then you have a pretty interesting market," Mr. Dwivedi said.

Light, sweet crude for March delivery settled $1.13 higher at $97.57 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest since Sept. 14. Brent crude on the ICE futures exchange settled up 88 cents, or 0.8%, at $114.22 a barrel.

After a pipeline issue in the U.S. crimped oil's gains last week, analysts and traders said the focus has shifted back to the global economy. The outlook looks rosier--compared to last year when Europe's debt crisis and concerns about tax hikes and spending cuts in the U.S. made investors wary of betting big on economic growth.

"We're over the fiscal cliff and that kind of stuff, so the market is starting to go up on this economic optimism," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago.

Investors have piled into bullish bets over the past two months, according to data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Money managers' net-long position in oil futures and options is at the highest level since March.

Of course, some traders believe the market has rallied too quickly amid a still-tepid recovery, particularly as U.S. prices move back toward the key $100 a barrel level.

"We might see $100, but I don't think we'll hold above $100 in the short term," said Mark Waggoner, head of Excel Futures. "Demand just isn't there. There has got to be a stopping point."

Meanwhile, in the U.S. new pipelines are helping to bring oil stuck in the middle of the country to refineries on the coast, which is beginning to relieve a supply glut that has depressed U.S. crude prices compared to Europe's Brent crude.

The premium for Brent crude futures fell under $17 Tuesday.

Investors will be looking ahead to weekly data on U.S. oil and fuel stockpiles from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, due Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EST, for further signs of oil demand.

Oil stockpiles are expected to rise by 2.7 million barrels, according to a Dow Jones Newswires survey of analysts. Gasoline stockpiles are seen rising by 200,000 barrels, while stocks of distillate, which include heating oil and diesel, are seen falling by 900,000 barrels.

The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is due to report its own stockpiles data at 4:30 p.m. EST Tuesday.

Front-month February reformulated gasoline blendstock, or RBOB, settled 3.86 cents higher at $2.9734 a gallon. February heating oil settled 4.76 cents higher at $3.1092 a gallon.

Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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BP Rethinking Libya Operations After Algeria Crisis

BP is reconsidering its operations in Libya after the terrorist attack on its gas facilities in Algeria and as industry concerns over security in Libya grow.

"We had expected to restart drilling at the end of the second quarter this year, but we're currently reviewing our plans," a BP spokesperson said.

The British oil major was left stunned by the attack on Ain Amenas gasfield - operated by BP, Statoil and Algeria's Sonatrach - which left 37 foreign workers dead after a four-day siege.

The incident immediately raised questions over Libya, where oil production has staged a strong comeback after the civil war, but where many of the fields lie exposed in remote desert locations.

BP had been exploring acreage in Libya before the civil war that ended Muammar Qaddafi's 42-year reign.

The security situation remains precarious. The militias raised to fight Gaddafi are struggling to control Libya's vast deserts, and it is widely believed that the Islamist terrorists who seized the Ain Amenas facility had crossed the country's hinterland on their way from Mali.

Libya's government has taken measures to protect the oil industry. Last September, Nuri Berruien, the chairman of the state-run National Oil Company told Bloomberg News that 10,000 militias were being trained as security guards and for border control, complementing an existing force of about 2,500.

Last week, Libya's deputy oil minister Omar Shakmak said that security forces at the border had been bolstered in response to the attack on Ain Amenas.

Yet experts agree that Libya is the North African country most vulnerable to attacks on its oil and gas installations, and oil companies are wary that the terrorist threat could spill across the border.

"We are observing and evaluating the security situation in Libya and in North Africa in general very carefully," said a spokesman for Germany's Wintershall, which is rebuilding its production and export capacity in the country. Libya's oil sector relies heavily on international oil companies, which also include Italy's ENI, ConocoPhillips from the United States and France's Total.

Prior to its civil war, the country produced 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd), and companies were quick to return when hostilities ceased. Output was ramped up faster than many observers had expected, and is now almost at pre-war levels. Mr Berruien said the country was targeting an increase to 1.8 million bpd this year.

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