Alaskan Governor picks ex-Apache man for chief oil and gas advisor

Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced the appointment of John Hendrix as his chief oil and gas advisor.

The Governor’s Office said in a press release on Monday that, before Hendrix’s appointment to this newly created Cabinet-level position, he worked as General Manager of Apache Alaska.

Hendrix joins the Cabinet with 36 years in the oil and gas industry that also includes working as a consultant to industry managing directors, oil ministers, and the World Bank.

Governor Walker said: “As Alaska navigates this new reality of low oil prices and production, the industry itself is grappling with ways to innovate amidst this economic downturn. I am pleased that John Hendrix will join my team to help steer the conversation between the State and the industry, so the relationship is mutually beneficial. Given John’s nearly four decades of oil and gas experience, his insight is much needed and respected.”

Hendrix began his oilfield career in 1980 with Schlumberger Oilfield Services on Alaska’s North Slope. He later joined BP, where he held several engineering and managerial positions within the North Slope, Anchorage, Russia and the UK. He was also part of BP’s first Russian operation, “Tarasov,” in 1991. During Hendrix’s 18-year career with BP, he founded production technical limits and base management practices which BP uses today, the press release stated.

In 2005, Hendrix joined Apache Corporation and moved to Apache Alaska in 2011. He also served as a Board member and vice-president of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association (AOGA).