Otto Energy adds new board member to support U.S. expansion

Australia-based oil and gas company Otto Energy has made a new addition to the company’s board of directors to support its expansion in the United States.

Otto said on Tuesday that Paul Senycia, vice president of exploration and new ventures, was appointed to the board as an executive director.

The company added that this latest addition was in line with its strategy to develop a significant oil and gas business in the United States, which was revealed earlier in April.

Senycia joined Otto in 2010 as an exploration manager, and since 2015 has led the company’s technical operations. He was one of the people responsible for the implementation of Otto’s U.S. strategy and was involved in the successful farm-in to SM 71 in the Gulf of Mexico.

A seasoned oil and gas professional, trained as an exploration geoscientist, Senycia has over 35 years of international oil and gas experience in both commercial and technical aspects of the business, Otto noted.

He previously worked for large and small companies worldwide including Shell, Woodside, and Beach Petroleum. Over the last twenty years, Senycia accumulated Gulf of Mexico expertise both on the shelf and in the deep water including deal capture, asset management, and project divestment activities.

Outside the Gulf of Mexico, he worked in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia both on and offshore.

Otto chairman, John Jetter, said: “I welcome Paul to the board and look forward to his contribution as we grow our portfolio in the Gulf of Mexico and build on the successful SM 71 development, which Paul has been an integral part of.”

To support Otto’s presence in the U.S., the company will move its operational office to Houston but will keep its headquarters in Australia. The company’s managing director, Matthew Allen, will relocate to Houston in mid-2018.

Otto also intends to appoint a senior, locally-based, oil and gas executive to join the board as a non-executive director.

Otto plans to grow its presence in the region through the sourcing of high-impact exploration assets with near-term drilling opportunities. The company expects to participate in a number of drilling events later in 2018, including the Bivouac Peak well, that has the potential to add significant value.