Apache: Faron J. Thibodeaux to Lead Australia Operations

Apache Corporation said that Faron J. Thibodeaux has been promoted to region vice president and managing director of Apache Energy Limited, the company’s operating unit in Australia.

Thibodeaux, Apache Energy’s director of operations since 2011, replaces Thomas M. Maher, who is moving to Cairo to lead Apache’s operations in Egypt.

Apache currently is developing the Julimar natural gas project – which will feed the Chevron-operated Wheatstone LNG development – as well as the Varanus Island compression project and the Balnaves and Coniston oil projects. “Australia will continue to play a key role in Apache’s global growth,” said Rodney J. Eichler, president and chief operating officer. “Tom has done an excellent job advancing these projects. Faron has demonstrated effective leadership for our operations team and will be a strong leader for the region.

“With Faron as managing director and Warren Ford leading the projects team as deputy managing director, Apache Energy will continue to deliver energy resources for the Western Australia domestic market and key Asian economies in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” Eichler said.

Thibodeaux joined Apache in 2008 and served most recently as director of operations in Australia. In 2011, Thibodeaux was transferred to Australia from Egypt, where he was the drilling manager. Prior to joining Apache, he worked for Chevron and Unocal in various engineering and management positions, including assignments in the Gulf of Mexico, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand. He holds a bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Maher will assume the role of vice president and general manager of Apache’s Egypt operations. Prior to Maher’s promotion to vice president in Australia in 2010, he served in Egypt as manager of geology from 2002 to 2005 and manager of exploration from 2005 until 2010. He also was exploration manager of the Central Region from 1995 to 2002.

Prior to joining Apache, Maher worked in various exploration and development geology assignments with Cotton Petroleum and Texaco in the Mid-continent, Rockies and China. Maher holds a bachelor of science degree in geology from the University of Massachusetts, a master’s degree in geology from Miami University (Ohio), and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He is an American Association of Petroleum Geologists Certified Petroleum Geologist.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, January 25, 2013