Thursday 9 March 2000

Marathon Chief Takes Over UKOOA Helm From April

Dave Smith, President of Marathon Oil U.K., Ltd, takes over the helm at the UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) as its President from 1 April 2000. He replaces Francis Gugen who relinquishes the UKOOA Presidency on his departure from Amerada Hess at the end of March.

Changing circumstances mean that Francis will be stepping down from UKOOAs Council and thus also as its President, explains UKOOA Director General James May. However, I am pleased that he will be able to continue to devote time to the offshore oil and gas Industry, in particular to the Industry Leadership Team (ILT) which is driving the PILOT initiatives forward within the sector.

Dave Smith is well known and widely respected within the Industry and I look forward to working with him.

Dave Smith said: Francis has achieved a great deal in his four months as President of UKOOA and much more in his four years as a UKOOA Executive Officer, and as a member of the former Government Oil and Gas Industry Task Force. His contribution to the Industry is hugely appreciated. I look forward to actively representing operators interests in cross-industry initiatives over the coming months as well as maintaining UKOOAs traditional role of providing strategic leadership in both technical and political affairs.

Note to Editors

1. A biography for Dave Smith is attached.

Dave Smith was born in Kansas, USA, in 1944. On graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1966 with a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering, he joined Marathon.

His career began as a Field Petroleum Engineer in the Illinois basin at Robinson. Various positions were held in Illinois, Alaska and Lafayette, Louisiana, including supervising drilling operations for the Gulf of Mexico.

Later assignments included Senior Production Advisor to the Vice President Domestic Production, Drilling Manager for Marathon International and Region Manager for Domestic Production in the US Gulf Coast Region. The latter included land operations in South and East Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore California.

Mr Smith moved to Aberdeen in April 1989 on appointment as General Manager of Aberdeen Operations. He was chairman of UKOOAs (UK Offshore Operators Association) Operations Committee in 1995.

On 1 November 1996, Mr Smith was appointed President, Marathon Oil U.K., Ltd., and Vice President, Production, United Kingdom. He was elected President of UKOOA in March 2000, having represented Marathon on the UKOOA Council for over three years.

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