People in industry

Dave Hager was appointed to head Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas’s reorganized worldwide deepwater E&P. Jim Kleckner became president of domestic / international E&P, Jeff Lund is VP of E&P business services.

James H. Frey and Thomas E. Hill were elected senior VPs of Litton Industries.

CanArgo Energy Corp. appointed Murray Chancellor as COO based in the firm’s new office in London.

Ron Fancher joined Aurion Technologies, Inc., as COO.

Gary C. Reed was named to lead the Charleston, West Virginia, office of Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.

Benton Oil & Gas Co. elected Dr. Peter J. Hill as president and CEO.

David M. Cornell, founder of Cornell Companies Inc., has stepped down as board chairman. Stephen W. Logan was named president and CEO. Peter A. Leidel, who was part of the company’s original investor group and served as one of the company’s original board members will assume the role of chairman.

Newlands Oil & Gas Inc. appointed Douglas Yee president.

Cheniere Energy Inc. elected Charles M. Reimer president and CEO.

Robert Aydelotte joined GeoNet services.com inc as data management services director.

John H. Vautrain relocated to Singapore to head Pervin & Getz’ office and continue his responsibilities for the Asia-Pacific area.

Sempra Energy today announced that vice chairman, president and CEO, Stephen L. Baum, has been appointed chairman, succeeding the retiring Richard D. Farman.

Javan Meinwald joined Neuralog, Inc., as sales VP.

Eric Smith joined Torch, Inc., as executive VP.

Laura S. Klein joined Reef Exploration, Inc., as its new engineering VP.

RJM Corp. named T J. Tarabulski and Curt Knapper as project engineers in its Advanced Technologies Group.

The Offshore Energy Center hosted the third annual Ocean Star Gala on Saturday, September 30, at Houston’s Westin Galleria. Seven industry pioneers and three pioneering technologies were inducted into its Hall of Fame in a ceremony emceed by Gulf Publishing’s former president and CEO, Robert W. Scott. The seven inductees were William P. Clements, Jr., founder of Sedco; Frederik J. Jonkman, founder of I.T.C. Holland Heavylift (Haarlem) and developer of heavy lift, dry tow transportation vessels; Richard O. "Dick" Wilson, Howard L. Shatto, Jr., Bill Bailey, McDermott Fabrication; H. L. "Duke" Zinkgraf, Baylor Co.; and John L. Rankin, Minerals Management Service and known by all as "Mr. OCS." The pioneering technologies this year included Marine Riser Support Systems (Tensioners), First and Second Generation Semisubmersible Drilling Rigs and Environment Protection – Clean Gulf Associates.

Honeywell appointed Rich Clayton as general manager, Tensor Operations.

Future Energy Resources Corp. appointed Asfaha Tesfai senior VP of business development.

A decree by France’s Secretary of State for Industry named Jean-Luc Karmik director of the Ecole du Pétrole et des Moteurs (ENSPM-IFP School), replacing the retiring Jean Masseron.

Sabah Mahmoud, Pride Forasol (Pakistan) was the international guest at the August, 2000, chapter meeting of NOMADS.

Enbridge Inc. appointed Patrick D. Daniel, current president & COO of Energy Delivery, president & CEO, succeeding the retiring Brian F. MacNeill. MacNeill remains on the board of directors.

Dave Noel was appointed president and CEO of petroWEB.

Rick Robitaille, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, resigned to take a position with Anadarko Petroleum.

Thomas Pflug became the marketing director for Texxag.

New 2000 – 2001 officers of the Houston Association of Petroleum Landmen are: Gregory W. Hutson, Coastal Oil & Gas Corp., president; John E. (Jay) Brown, the Meridian Resources Corp., first VP; Brad Posey, JMI Energy, Inc., second VP; Doug Dahmann, Devon Energy, third VP; Carol M. Sledge, Countour Energy, Inc., secretary; David C. Hooper, IP Petroleum, treasurer and Barclay M. Ridge, independent, assistant treasurer.

Deaths

Tracy T. Word, Jr., retired sales manager of World Oil magazine and the Composite Catalog of Oil Field Equipment, died September 14, 2000, at age 88. Tracy was a veteran of some five decades of oil industry service. After studying petroleum engineering at the University of Oklahoma and law at the University of Texas, he entered the oilfield supply business with T. T. Word Supply Co., which had been founded by his father. He later worked for National Supply, Plowden Supply, WECO, Continental-Emsco and Thornhill-Craver, where he was manager of oil field sales. Mr. Word joined Gulf Publishing Co. as district sales manager in 1968. He was named sales manager of World Oil and Composite Catalog in 1980.

During his tenure at Gulf, Tracy established a record by selling 2,412 pages into the Composite Catalog – a record that still stands. Tracy was the consummate gentleman in all of his personal and professional relationships. If he did express dissatisfaction, which was infrequent, it was always through a sincerely worded plea to overlook another’s shortcomings.

Mr. Word is survived by two sons, Gary Word and Tracy T. Word III. He is a former president of the Houston chapter of NOMADS and was a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason, Knight Templar, Legion of Honor in DeMolay, member and Past Intendant General of the Red Cross of Constantine.