Monday 15 December 2003

UKOOA announces 2004 President and Board Members

The UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA), the representative body for UK offshore oil and gas exploration and production companies, today announces the names of fifteen senior industry managers who will form its non-executive Board for 2004.

Alan Booth, senior vice president and managing director of Encana (UK) Ltd, becomes the Associations new President, taking over from Bruce Dingwall, chief executive of Venture Production plc, from 10 December 2003.

The new UKOOA Board replaces the former Council Executive which was dissolved following fundamental changes at the Association in 2003. Its role will be to ensure an appropriate strategic framework for the Association over a three to five year period. Board members will also act as champions to the UKOOA Council for key policy issues being addressed within the Associations four directorates (Operations; Economics and Commercial; Communications; and Health, Safety, Social and Environment). Five members will represent the exploration and production companies on PILOT, the government industry initiative chaired by Energy Minister Stephen Timms, while ten will also be members of the Industry Leadership Team (ILT) that supports PILOT.

UKOOAs senior management, led from February by chief executive Malcolm Webb, will take on new executive responsibilities and will also pick up much of the pan-industry work, such as in the ILT and Step Change in Safety, previously handled by company employees.

Alan Booth said: I am delighted to be appointed UKOOA President at this most interesting and challenging stage in the Associations 30 year history. 2004 is a new beginning for UKOOA. Recent changes have seen a new member representative structure put in place and executive posts created in the senior management team to strengthen the Association and prepare it for taking on more responsibilities on behalf of the industry as oil and gas development in the North Sea matures.

My role, and that of the Boards, will to be to ensure that UKOOA continues its focus on industry priorities and maintains its vital position as a truly representative voice for its diverse membership.

Steve Harris, UKOOAs acting director general, said: With its strengthened Board and management team, UKOOA will carry its mandate forward into 2004 and beyond to foster the right business environment in which our members, who comprise one of the most vital industries in this country, can thrive.

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Notes to Editors

1. The UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) is the representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry. Its 29 members are licensed by the British Government to explore for and produce hydrocarbons in UK waters. http://www.oilandgas.org.uk

2. Alan Booth, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of EnCana (UK) Ltd, is responsible for Encana Corporations overall business activities in the United Kingdom, and is currently focused specifically on developing EnCanas interest in the Buzzard field and the companys transition to becoming a safe, efficient and accredited North Sea production operator for the Scott and Telford fields.

Alan has worked in new ventures and exploration for more than 20 years. He began his oil company career as an interpretation geophysicist in 1982, and moved into international new ventures exploration in 1990, spending a number of years on assignment in the USA, Norway and Australia. In 1996, Alan joined EnCana as exploration manager for its new UK business unit based in Uxbridge. After leading EnCanas exploration and commercial strategy in the UK for a period of time, he joined the companys business development group in Calgary. He was appointed managing director of EnCana (UK) Ltd on his return to London in 2001. http://www.encana.com.

3. UKOOAS 2004 BOARD MEMBERS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE:

President, Alan Booth,Managing Director, Encana (UK) Ltd -

ILT

Vice President, Paul Blakeley,Vice President, Talisman Energy (UK) Limited - PILOT, co-chair ILT

Vice President, Michel Contie, Managing Director, Total E&P UK plc - PILOT, ILT

Board Members

Bruce Dingwall, Chief Executive, Venture Production plc - PILOT, ILT

Dave Blackwood, Director, BP - PILOT, ILT

Gary Luquette, President and Managing Director, ChevronTexaco Ltd - ILT

John Michell, Director, ENI (UK) Ltd - ILT

Randy Cleveland UK Joint Interest Manager, ExxonMobil International Ltd - ILT

Les Thomas, President, Marathon Oil UK Ltd - ILT

Kieron McFadyen, Technical Director, Shell UK Expro - PILOT, ILT

Ian Hewitt, Vice President UK CNS, BG Group plc

Roger Ramshaw, Chairman and Managing Director, ConocoPhillips UK Ltd

Mark Hughes, Managing Director, Gaz de France

Chuck Meloy, Vice President and Managing Director, Kerr McGee North Sea (UK) Ltd

Christophe Schlichter, Managing Director, RWE Dea UK Ltd

Malcolm Webb, UKOOAs Chief Executive from February 2004 will also take a place on ILT

For more information, please call 020 7802 2400.