Offshore articles from March 2009

Offshore archives from March 2009

New company, techniques highlight seismic survey.(COMMENT)
March 1, 2009... This year's annual Seismic Vessel Survey includes the entrance of a new company--Polarcus--and brings the list of new vessels for 2009 and beyond to eight, according to the survey by Gene Kliewer, Technology Editor, Subsea & Seismic. ...

Subsea processing alive, well and growing.(COMMENT)
March 1, 2009... Operators continue to initiate and to fund studies into subsea boosting, separation, compression, and power delivery and distribution when developing new fields, as our report from Michael Padilla of INTECSEA in this month's issue reflects. ...

Port Fourchon thrives despite the economy.(COMMENT)
March 1, 2009... Buoyed by deepwater activity that shows no sign of drying up anytime soon, Port Fourchon is sidestepping the economic malaise gripping most of the nation and is not just coping, but flourishing, as Contributing Editor Jim Redden reports this...

Gas find off Israel spurs renewed interest.(COMMENT)
March 1, 2009... Test results from a gas discovery in the Levantine basin point to an emerging subsalt play offshore Israel. The deepwater well on the Tamar structure, 90 km (56 mi) offshore Haifa, encountered three productive reservoirs with thick sands in the...

Active rig fleet, February 2009.(GLOBAL DATA)
March 1, 2009... Active rig fleet, February 2009 Floaters Jackups US GoM 32 (0) 65 (-5) Mex GoM 5 (0) 33 (+2) North Sea 40 (0) 35 (+1) East Atlantic 2 (0) 0 (0) L. America 49 (+2) ...

GoM drilling permits issued.(GLOBAL DATA)
March 1, 2009... GoM drilling permits issued Drilling permits July 70 Aug. 49 Sept. 25 Oct. 57 Nov. 43 Dec. 45 Jan. 39 Source: US Minerals Management Service Note: Table made from bar graph.

Worldwide day rates.(GLOBAL DATA)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Worldwide day rates Year/Month Minimum Average Maximum Drillship 2008 Feb $43,000 $273,300 $520,000 2008 March $43,000 $273,248 $520,000 2008 April $43,000 $273,099 $520,000 2008 May ...

Deepwater investment continues to rise, and should exceed $35 billion annually by 2013, according to a report from analysts Douglas-Westwood.(GLOBAL E&P)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Deepwater investment continues to rise, and should exceed $35 billion annually by 2013, according to a report from analysts Douglas-Westwood. 'The World Deepwater Market Report 2009-2013' also forecasts total spending over the coming five years...

Petrobras has unveiled its latest five-year business plan, covering the period 2009-13.(Americas)
March 1, 2009... Petrobras has unveiled its latest five-year business plan, covering the period 2009-13. The $174.4 billion program will include for the first time development projects in the pre-salt area of the Santos and Espirito Santos basins. Most of the...

Pemex has contracted J. Ray McDermott to transport and install two new drilling platforms to the Bay of Campeche.(Americas)
March 1, 2009... Pemex has contracted J. Ray McDermott to transport and install two new drilling platforms to the Bay of Campeche. The Ixtal-B platform comprises a four-leg jacket with 2,205 tons (2,000 metric tons) of piles, supporting a 2,205-ton topsides...

Ecopetrol is set to increase its interests in the Fuerte Norte and Fuerte Sur blocks in the Caribbean sector offshore Colombia.(Americas)
March 1, 2009... Ecopetrol is set to increase its interests in the Fuerte Norte and Fuerte Sur blocks in the Caribbean sector offshore Colombia. Subject to approval by Colombia's licensing agency ANH, EcoPetrol will become a 50% license partner in both blocks,...

Nexus Energy has been offered production license AC/L9 in the Browse basin off Western Australia, encompassing an area including the Crux field and the Auriga and Caelum structures.(Australia/New Zealand)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Nexus Energy has been offered production license AC/L9 in the Browse basin off Western Australia, encompassing an area including the Crux field and the Auriga and Caelum structures. It is the final stage of regulatory approval allowing the Crux...

Australian Worldwide Exploration has secured the semisubmersible Kari Tan IV on behalf of a consortium of Australian companies.(Australia/New Zealand)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Australian Worldwide Exploration has secured the semisubmersible Kari Tan/Von behalf of a consortium of Australian companies. The rig has been lined up to drill four exploratory wells off New Zealand--likely targets...

In the Norwegian North Sea, Talisman Energy Norge has brought onstream its gas-condensate accumulation Rev via two subsea wells connected to a 9-km (5.6-mi) multiphase pipeline to BG's Armada platform in UK waters.(Europe)
March 1, 2009... In the Norwegian North Sea, Talisman Energy Norge has brought onstream its gas-condensate accumulation Rev via two subsea wells connected to a 9-km (5.6-mi) multiphase pipeline to BG's Armada platform in UK waters. Modifications to the platform...

Iceland's National Energy Authority has unveiled the country's first offshore licensing round, on the Dreki area in the Atlantic Ocean.(Europe)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Iceland's National Energy Authority has unveiled the country's first offshore licensing round, on the Dreki area in the Atlantic Ocean. The region on offer covers more than 42,700 sq km (16,487 sq mi) on the Jan Mayen Ridge, between northeast...

Gazprom's management committee has drawn up a six-point plan designed to progress development of major oil, gas, and condensate fields in the Russian Arctic Sea.(Russia)
March 1, 2009... Gazprom's management committee has drawn up a six-point plan designed to progress development of major oil, gas, and condensate fields in the Russian Arctic Sea. It aims to bring on stream the Prirazlomonye field in 2011, Shtokman in 2013, and...

Petrosen has approved Australian company FAR to assume operatorship of the Rufisque, Sangoma, and Sangomar Deep blocks offshore Senegal.(West Africa)
March 1, 2009... Petrosen has approved Australian company FAR to assume operatorship of the Rufisque, Sangoma, and Sangomar Deep blocks offshore Senegal. The two co-venturers already have acquired over 2,000 sq km (772 sq m) of 3D seismic, and identified...

Noble Energy has discovered oil in the Carmen prospect on block O offshore Equatorial Guinea.(West Africa)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Noble Energy has discovered oil in the Carmen prospect on block 0 offshore Equatorial Guinea. The well, in 150 ft (46 m) of water, encountered 26 ft (7.9 m) of net oil pay and 13 ft (4 m) of net gas pay while testing...

The Kazakhstan Authority and its seven co-venturers in the Kashagan project have appointed a new joint operating company for the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement.(Caspian Sea)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... The Kazakhstan Authority and its seven co-venturers in the Kashagan project have appointed a new joint operating company for the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement. North Caspian Operating Co. (NCOC) assumes all responsibilities...

BP/RWE Dea have discovered gas with a deepwater well in the West Nile Delta off Egypt.(Middle East)
March 1, 2009... BP/RWE Dea have discovered gas with a deepwater well in the West Nile Delta off Egypt. The Ruby-3 well, in 920 m (3,018 ft) of water, penetrated gas-bearing sandstones in the Pliocene interval. Evaluation of the results is continuing, but the...

Fabrication of four offshore platforms is under way at the new STAR yard in Dammam.(Middle East)
March 1, 2009... Fabrication of four offshore platforms is under way at the new STAR yard in Dammam. This is Saudi Arabia's first in-kingdom offshore construction facility. It was developed to service a long-term agreement contract awarded to a consortium of...

ONGC has approved the second phase of the Mumbai High North redevelopment project, designed to improve recovery from the field.(India)(Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... ONGC has approved the second phase of the Mumbai High North redevelopment project, designed to improve recovery from the field. Under the program, the company will drill 73 new wells and side track 38 low-performance existing producers. It also...

CNOOC has earmarked $6.76 billion for upstream capital expenditure this year, an increase of 19%, with $4.38 billion budgeted for development, $1.11 billion for exploration, and $1.12 billion for production.(Asia-Pacific)(China National Offshore Oil Corp.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... CNOOC has earmarked $6.76 billion for upstream capital expenditure this year, an increase of 19%, with 84.38 billion budgeted for development, 81.11 billion for exploration, and $1.12 billion for production. The company expects to have...

American Technologies Inc. Petroleum (ATIP) is back to work on its Yen-Tu 1X well, reportedly North Vietnam's first oil discovery.(Asia-Pacific)
March 1, 2009... American Technologies Inc. Petroleum (ATIP) is back to work on its Yen-Tu IX well, reportedly North Vietnam's first oil discovery. The well was spudded in 2004, encountering hydrocarbon-bearing formations in Lower Miocene and carbonate basement...

Sevan bid clinches Goliat.(OFFSHORE EUROPE)(Eni Norge AS contract with Sevan Marine ASA)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Eni Norge has chosen Sevan's cylinder-shaped FPSO for its Goliat development in the Barents Sea. Sevan was one of two contractors vying in a front-end engineering design (FEED) competition, the other being Aker Solutions with its...

Investor gloom dents UK activity.(OFFSHORE EUROPE)
March 1, 2009... Exploration drilling on the UK shelf remained strong last year, according to the latest survey from Oil & Gas UK. The association identified 109 exploratory and appraisal well spuds, including sidetracks, but activity started to dip in the...

Hot spots emerge in Moray Firth.(OFFSHORE EUROPE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Despite the tail-off in exploration, wells in the UK North Sea continue to deliver. In the Moray Firth, Maersk discovered gas and condensate in the Culzean structure in block 22/25a, south of the Atlantic and Cromarty fields. The...

Noreco in mood to merge.(OFFSHORE EUROPE)(Norwegian Energy Co.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Stavanger-based Norwegian Energy Co. (Noreco) has proposed a merger with Det norske oljeselskap, which would create the largest E&P independent on the Oslo stock exchange. The combined group would have interests in various discoveries and 100...

Sonsub recently completed its operations on Total's Frigg sea lines decommissioning project in the North Sea.(OFFSHORE EUROPE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sonsub recently completed its operations on Total's Frigg sea lines decommissioning project in the North Sea. The scope of work included preparation, removal and disposal of all infield pipelines within a designated...

Minimizing uncertainty key to Lower Tertiary development.(GULF OF MEXICO)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Minimizing uncertainty is one of six keys to commercially develop Lower Tertiary fields in the US Gulf of Mexico, suggested Richard D'Souza, Granherne Americas/KBR, in his presentation at the Deep Offshore Technology International Conference &...

Success rate continues.(GULF OF MEXICO)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drilling success in the Lower Tertiary continues with the Buckskin and Shenandoah discoveries. The Chevron-operated Buckskin oil discovery is in Keathley Canyon block 872 about 44 mi (71 km) west of the company's...

Friesian offset draws parallel to Tahiti.(GULF OF MEXICO)
March 1, 2009... Plains Exploration & Production Co. says data from its Friesian No. 2 discovery well show a strong correlation, both geologic and pressure, to the initial Miocene pay sands at Tahiti. The PXP-operated well, in Green Canyon block 643...

Subsea market target of studies.(SUBSEA SYSTEMS)(briefs)(deepwater sector's forcasting)(Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. contract with FMC Technologies )(StatoilHydro contract with Trico Marine Services Inc.)
March 1, 2009... Two market data research companies recently addressed the condition of the subsea market. Douglas-Westwood examined the world's deepwater market and Infield Energy Analysts took a look at the global subsea market. Deepwater: The World...

Keppel delivers semi, jackup, FDPSO.(VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS)
March 1, 2009... Keppel FELS has delivered the semisubmersible Development Driller III to Transocean, the jackup Maersk Resolve to Maersk Drilling, and the world's first FDPSO Azurire to Prosafe Production. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The semisubmersible...

PETRORIG I set to sail.(VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Sembcorp Marine's Jurong Shipyard has completed turnkey construction of PETRORIG I, the first of four semisubmersible drilling rigs for Larsen Oil & Gas. The rig was scheduled to be delivered in March for a five-year charter with Petrobras...

Deepsea Atlantic moves to Norway.(VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The semisubmersible drilling rig Deepsea Atlantic has been handed over to Odfjell Invest. The rig will undergo sea trials in Norway before it begins its four-year contract with StatoilHydro in May. Construction...

Sea Dragon, Vantage enter rig management agreement.(VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS)
March 1, 2009... Sea Dragon Offshore has issued Vantage Drilling Co. a management agreement for one of its two deepwater semisubmersible drilling rigs, with an option to include the second unit. The rigs are designed to drill in up to 10,000 ft (3,048 m) of...

Superior Energy adds to fleet.(VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS)(contract)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Superior Energy Services has taken delivery of derrick barge Superior Pride. The vessel is 400 ft. (122 m) long, 100 ft. (30 m) wide, and 32 ft. (9.8 m) deep, and features an 880-metric ton (970-ton) Huisman crane, full galley, and...

Mitsubishi, Petrobras to build drillship.(VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS)
March 1, 2009... Mitsubishi and Petrobras have formed a 50/50 joint venture company that will own a 10,000-ft (3,048-m) rated drillship. The $830-million vessel is scheduled for delivery in June 2010 to an affiliate of Schahin Engenharia for work in Brazil and...

Brazil's OGX launches drilling debut.(DRILLING & PRODUCTION)
March 1, 2009... Brazil's largest independent oil and gas company in terms of offshore acreage has launched its initial exploratory campaign. Startup operator OGX raised $4.1 billion in last year's initial public offering despite the fact it has yet to...

Asia/Pacific.(GEOSCIENCES)
March 1, 2009... New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd. has contacted the Pacific Titan about running a 500-km (311-mi), 2D seismic survey over Petroleum Exploration Permit 51311 offshore Taranaki southwest of the Kupe development The permit offshore New Zealand recently...

Africa.(GEOSCIENCES)
March 1, 2009... An ocean-bottom seismic program is planned for the Agbami field offshore Nigeria. Star Deepwater Petroleum Ltd., a Chevron Nigeria Ltd. affiliate and operator of Agbami, has agreed with SeaBird Exploration Ltd. and its local partner Sonar Ltd....

Latin America.(GEOSCIENCES)
March 1, 2009... Reliance Industries contracted Wavefield Inseis and Discoverer 2 to conduct a seismic survey on Borojo Norte and Borojo Sur blocks offshore Colombia, which was scheduled to be completed by now. The blocks are west of the country and cover 4,000...

Gulf of Mexico.(GEOSCIENCES)(TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. contract with CGG Veritas )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. says it has completed several multi-client projects to evaluate hydrocarbon potential in the central GoM prior to the scheduled March lease sale. The Stanley 3D survey is the first multi-client reverse time migration...

New seismic company, vessel plans highlight survey: acquisition technology drives changes in industry practice.(GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS)
March 1, 2009... The feature of the 2009 Seismic Vessel Survey is the entrance of Polarcus onto the list of companies. That also brings the list of new vessels for 2009 and beyond to eight--Polarcus has three scheduled for delivery this year and three for...

Worldwide seismic vessel survey.
March 1, 2009... Worldwide Seismic Vessel Survey Year Vessel rigged or Total Total name converted length (m) beam (m) BGP, P.O. Box 11,...

Eastern Mediterranean Tamar discovery reveals potential gas-rich play in Levantine basin; regional analogies also offer prospects for deeper oil.(SPECIAL REPORT: MEDITERRANEAN)
March 1, 2009... Test results from a gas discovery in the Levantine basin point to an emerging subsalt play. The deepwater well on the Tamar structure, 90 km (56 mi) offshore Haifa, Israel, encountered three productive reservoirs with thick sands in the Lower...

Subsea boosting, processing sustain momentum; advances, new applications create opportunities.(SUBSEA)
March 1, 2009... This article addresses the progress made through the application of subsea processing, separation, and boosting technologies in the past year. Maintaining the momentum from a number of recent/ current subsea processing installations,...

Port Fourchon thrives despite the economy; deepwater activity stays the course amid pullback.(Port Fourchon Supplement)
March 1, 2009... Buoyed by deepwater activity that shows no sign of drying up anytime soon, Port Fourchon is sidestepping the economic malaise gripping most of the nation and is not just coping, but flourishing. While cash-strapped independents operating on...

LA 1 coalition, levee district trying to get Washington's attention.(Port Fourchon Supplement)
March 1, 2009... Emissaries of two prominent alliances in Lafourche Parish are trying to get the ear of Washington, but for entirely different reasons. While the LA 1 Coalition lobbies for a share of the US economic stimulus package to complete construction...

No job shortage in Lafourche Parish.(Port Fourchon Supplement)
March 1, 2009... In stark contrast to much of the US, in Lafourche Parish "help wanted" signs are as prevalent as the bayou and shrimp boats. "While the national economy has slowed and people are losing their jobs, we haven't seen the slow down here," says...

Two new offshore facilities proposed for Port Fourchon.(Port Fourchon Supplement)
March 1, 2009... If Edison Chouest Offshore and local businessman Jim Moncus have their way, Port Fourchon soon could be home to two new offshore facilities. Chouest Marketing Manager Daniel W. LaFont says the company is looking at constructing a modified...

Halo goes high-tech to optimize safety.(Port Fourchon Supplement)
March 1, 2009... Halo LLC is using advanced technology as an integral component of its "Life First" safety initiative. One of the newest companies to locate in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, the provider of wire rope, chains, slings, and related industrial equipment...

Higher capacity, smoother discharge improve supply vessel cargo handling.(SWEDEN)
March 1, 2009... Hopper and blow-pump bulk handling systems from MacGregor Selfun-loaders increase storage capacity for offshore supply vessels (OSVs). Currently, systems are being installed on 10 newbuild vessels. The company--part of Cargotec Corp.'s...

Syntactic foam wrap helps protect casings against HP/HT damage.(SWEDEN)(Trelleborg CRP)(Editorial)
March 1, 2009... Trelleborg CRP has introduced CFW+, an upgraded version of its crushable foam wrap for use in high-pressure/high-temperature wells. CFW mitigates casing failure caused by annular pressure-build-up, or trapped annular pressure, a phenomenon...

Mooring group sees signs of recovery.(SWEDEN)
March 1, 2009... Anchor chain manufacturer Ramnas has landed its biggest order ever. The order is to supply chain to Hyundai Heavy Industries for mooring Total's Usan FPSO off Nigeria. The order is valued at more than SEK 120 million ($14.38 million). In a...

Stabilized antenna expected to improve satellite coverage on seismic vessel.(SWEDEN)
March 1, 2009... Maritime communications specialist C2SAT has sold its first VSAT antenna for use on a seismic ship, Wavefield Inseis' Malene Ostervold. The antenna forms part of a TracSAT satellite communications system supplied by the Swedish company's...

Supply vessel specialist building expertise in ice operations.(SWEDEN)
March 1, 2009... Transatlantic, the only Swedish shipowner operating offshore supply vessels, is gearing up to be a player in the arctic offshore market, according to business manager for offshore/ice-breaking, Stefan Ellasson. Until late last year the...

Micro-seismics technique sheds light on fracturing operations.(SWEDEN)
March 1, 2009... A technique to visualize hydraulic fracturing operations has been developed by Guideline Oil Drilling Technology. The company hopes to have a commercial version available by the end of this year, according to CEO Peter Hjorth. Guideline's...

Prospectiuni.(People)
March 1, 2009... Prospectiuni has appointed Timothy Branch as VP of business development. Branch previously served as country manager for Petroleum GeoServices in Morocco.

MODEC.(People)
March 1, 2009... MODEC has appointed Nobuhiro Yaji as president and co-CEO. The company has also appointed Shashank Karve as MD and COO as well as chairman and CEO of MODEC International Inc. Kenji Yamada has been named chairman and continues as CEO of MODEC...

Wave Imaging Technology.(People)
March 1, 2009... Wave Imaging Technology has appointed Tom Wood as VP of sales and marketing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

CSIP.(People)
March 1, 2009... CSIP has appointed David Scott-Frame and Julian Moore as embedded software engineers focusing on the company's underwater manipulator arms. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ClerkMaxwell.(People)
March 1, 2009... ClerkMaxwell has appointed Guy Cook as subsea and pipelines director. Cook will focus on bringing operations, construction, and detailed design knowledge into the front-end of projects.

BP.(People)
March 1, 2009... BP has appointed Robert Dudley as a director, effective April 6, 2009. As a MD of the BP Group, he will assume responsibility for broad oversight of the company's activities in the Americas and Asia.

Thales.(People)
March 1, 2009... Thales has appointed Michelangelo Ned as division country director in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In his new position, Neri will coordinate all marketing and sales activities for Thales's Security Solutions and Services business in the...

Apache Corp.(People)
March 1, 2009... Apache Corp. has named Roger B. Plank as president. The company has also appointed John A. Crum as co-COO and president-North America, and Rodney J. Eichler as co-COO and president-International.

Transocean.(People)
March 1, 2009... Transocean has appointed Ramon Yi as VP and treasurer.

Microseismic.(People)
March 1, 2009... Microseismic has appointed Malcolm Macaulay as VP of international sales. Macaulay previously served as the company's international sales manager.

ABS.(People)
March 1, 2009... ABS has appointed Seam T. Connaughton as corporate VP for government affairs. Connaughton previously served as US maritime administrator.

International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC).(People)
March 1, 2009... International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) has nominated Naresh Kumar as a member of the organization's executive committee. Kumar, who serves as MD for Jindal Drilling & Industries and president of Petrotech Society, will serve a...

The Greater Lafourche Port Commission.(People)
March 1, 2009... The Greater Lafourche Port Commission has named Chett Chiasson as successor to executive director Ted Falgout Chiasson is the current director of economic development and will be the second director in the port's history. Ealgout is scheduled...

Xodus Group.(People)
March 1, 2009... Xodus Group has appointed Nick Lodge and Francis Barrett to the company's subsea division as senior consultants.

NCS Survey.(People)
March 1, 2009... NCS Survey has appointed Andrew McMurtrie as business development manager. McMurtrie has responsibility for further developing business with NCS Survey's existing customer base both in the UK and overseas, as well as developing relationships...

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. (TGS).(People)(appointment of Rod Starr and Tanya Johnstone)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. (TGS) has appointed Rod Starr as GM, Asia Pacific. Tanya Johnstone has been promoted to regional manager--Indonesia and Australasia. The company also has appointed bin Buchan as regional manager- South and Southeast...

Newfield Exploration.(People)
March 1, 2009... Newfield Exploration has appointed Lee K. Boothby as president, effective immediately. The company expects to name Boothby to the additional role of CEO in May, where he also will stand for election to the board of directors. Boothby will...

Knight.(People)
March 1, 2009... Knight has appointed Douglas (Doug) W. Smith to the company's corporate sales team in Houston. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

BJ Services.(People)
March 1, 2009... BJ Services has appointed Ryan Elder as business development manager- Middle East and Russia for the company's tubular and completion assembly service line.

The Industry's Technology Facilitator (ITF).(People)
March 1, 2009... The Industry's Technology Facilitator (ITF) has promoted technology manager David Liddle, to operations director. Liddle will be responsible for the development of the organization's strategy. The organization has also appointed Tony Zaccarini...

InterMoor do Brasil.(People)
March 1, 2009... InterMoor do Brasil has named Osvaldo Lorca as project director for its Rio de Janeiro office. He will be responsible for project management.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS).(People)
March 1, 2009... The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has appointed Ron Brinkman as senior staff geophysicist for its resource evaluation office. Bdnkman will oversee seismic compliance and policy issues for the Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific MMS regional...

Knight Manufacturing.(People)
March 1, 2009... Knight Manufacturing has appointed Phillip Thomas Mitchell as GM. Mitchell will manage Knight's manufacturing division and focus on developing its workforce. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

OPITO--The Oil & Gas Academy.(People)
March 1, 2009... OPITO--The Oil & Gas Academy has appointed Mike Duncan as skills director. The organization has also appointed Peter Crowther as technical specialist and Sam Howard as corporate communications manager. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ONGC.(People)
March 1, 2009... ONGC has appointed Sudhir Vasudeva as director. He succeeds N K Mitra.