Thursday 14 December 2000

UKOOA Announces Executive Officers for 2001

The UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) today announced the names of the twelve senior industry figures that will form its Executive Committee for 2001.

The team will be led by John McDonald, managing director of Texaco Limited, who takes over from UKOOAs current president, Dave Smith of Marathon Oil UK Ltd, with immediate effect.

Each member is either nominated to serve as an operator representative on PILOT, the government industry initiative chaired by Energy Minister, Helen Liddell, and on the related Industry Leadership Team (ILT) that supports PILOT, or has senior responsibility in one or more of UKOOAs main committees, driving key issues such as safety, decommissioning, gas, and energy and environment policy.

Three new operating companies will be joining UKOOAs ranks Clyde Petroleum Exploratie BV, EDC (Europe) Ltd and Venture Production Ltd bringing to 32 the total number of oil and gas firms represented by the Association.

And in a move reflecting the mood for wider collaboration across the Industry, the Association is offering for the first time associate membership to so-called duty-holders, the major contracting companies who operate facilities in the North Sea on behalf of UKOOA members.

UKOOAs Executive Officers for 2001 are:

President John McDonald

PILOT, ILT Managing Director, Texaco Ltd

Vice President Malcolm Brinded

PILOT, co-Chair ILT Managing Director, Shell UK

Exploration and Production

Vice President Paul Blakeley

(PILOT, ILT, General Manager,Talisman

Chair Safety & Step Change) Energy (UK) Ltd

Executive Officers

Chair Gas Task Group George Watkins CBE

Chairman and Managing Director,

Conoco (UK) Ltd

ILT, PILOT, Economic Steve Marshall

Advisory Group, Regional President Scotland, BP

Communications

ILT, Chair Fiscal Task Phil Dimmock

Group Managing Director,

Ranger Oil (UK) Ltd

ILT, Chair Energy and Jo Groeger

Environment Policy Group Managing Director, Veba Oil and Gas UK Ltd

ILT, Chair North Sea Beverly Mentzer

Decommissioning Group Manager, Joint Interest UK,

And Honorary Treasurer ExxonMobil

Chair Sustainable Bob Connon

Development Work Group Managing Director, Chevron UK Ltd

ILT Michel Contie

Managing Director, TotalFinaElf

Exploration UK

Nick Fairbrother

Managing Director, Amerada Hess Ltd

Peter Kallos

General Manager UK,

Enterprise Oil plc

Commenting on the announcement, UKOOAs new president, John McDonald, said: I am honoured to be taking up the role of President particularly at a time when confidence is returning to the North Sea. I look forward to seeing our industrys significant investment in the UK continental shelf continue to spark innovative new developments, extend field life and support job opportunities across the whole of the sector in the coming year.

James May, UKOOA Director General, added: As the North Sea enters maturity, the UK offshore oil and gas industry is changing. The composition of UKOOAs membership and the structure of its executive team reflect these changes, acknowledging the diversity of players now operating in the UKCS and the issues the industry must address together if it is to continue its success well into the new century.

For more information, please call 020 7802 2400.