People in industry

Dr. Philip Klahr joined Wellogix Inc.’s knowledge management team as VP of knowledge systems. He brings 29 years of experience in customer relationship management, knowledge management and advanced technology.

Bruce Crager joined ABB Offshore systems as president. He served as president for a recent joint venture engaged in the submarine telecommunications cable business.

Greg Nazzal, product line VP of downhole drilling services, is heading Weatherford International, Inc.’s, new downhole drilling services business unit. John Roberts, product line VP of intervention services, is leading the intervention services unit.

OMV, the Central European oil and gas group, appointed Wolfgang Ruttenstorfe, chairman and CEO of the executive board. Johannes Ditz, chairman of the supervisory board resigned, and will be replaced by Peter Michaelis.

Guy Mirro joined Newpark Environmental Services as Houston sales manager, responsible for promoting its exploration and production waste, NORM and industrial waste services.

Victor Grijalva retired after 37 years with Schlumberger Ltd. Following graduation with a BS in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and an MS in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, he joined Schlumberger in 1964 as senior development engineer. After numerous field assignments around the world, and serving as VP of personnel in 1984, he became president of Wireline and Testing for North American operations in 1985. He was named executive VP of Schlumberger Wire and Testing and Anadrill in 1989 and executive VP of Oilfield Services in 1993. In 1998, Grijalva became vice chairman of Schlumberger Ltd.

John W. Shelton was named interim geoscience director for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He is succeeding Robert C. Millspaugh, who retired Dec. 31.

Deaths

John Paul Pitts, 64, oil editor of the Midland Report Telegram died Oct. 6 following an apparent heart attack. He started his oil reporting career with Drill Bit magazine in 1976 and joined the Midland newspaper in 1984 where his oil section appeared every Sunday.

Former Independent Petroleum Association of America, IPAA, chairman, Danny Conklin, age 66, died on Oct. 31, during a trip to Houston for a meeting of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association. He and partner Harry Phillips founded Philcon Development in 1960. He served as president of the Panhandle Producers and Royalty Owners Association from 1974 – 76, and president of the Texas Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association in 1996. He again became president when it became the U.S. Oil & Gas Association in 1996, and was past chairman of IPAA, helping to shape legislation to deregulate the oil and gas industry. He was honored by the Panhandle Producers and Royalty Association with the Living Legend Award and was inducted into All American Wildcatters in 1999.