Looking to add a little more exploration and production (E&P) expertise to its oversight level, Calgary-based Canadian Superior Energy Inc. said it has appointed former El Paso E&P head Rodney D. Erskine to its board of directors.

Erskine, most recently president of El Paso Production, joined El Paso by way of its acquisition of Coastal Corp. He was president of Coastal in 1997 after serving as senior vice president of production since 1994. Under his leadership, Coastal grew production from 200 MMcfe/d to over 1 Bcfe/d. After the merger he took over the main E&P post at El Paso.

Erskine resigned from El Paso in Nov. 2003 (see Daily GPI, Nov. 17, 2003). Before beginning its recent divestiture program, El Paso was one of the largest U.S. gas and oil producers and was the fourth largest gas producer in the United States in 2002.

Since his El Paso resignation, Erskine was chairman and co-founder of Erskine Energy LLC., a private oil and gas E&P company focused on the U.S. Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain gas basins.

Commenting on the addition to its board, Canadian Superior CEO Greg Noval said, “Rod is a ‘first-class’ explorationist and has been responsible for turning several companies into ‘world-class’ exploration and production companies. His breath of experience and wisdom in the oil and gas industry in North America is a welcome addition to our board.”

Meanwhile, El Paso Corp.’s E&P division continues to struggle, recently revising its oil and gas reserves down by 41%. As a result of the revision, it was hit with at least three class action lawsuits (see Daily GPI, Feb. 19; Feb. 23).

Canadian Superior has oil and gas operations in western Canada, offshore Nova Scotia and offshore Trinidad. The company is one of the largest acreage holders offshore Nova Scotia, with interests in 1,293,946 acres.

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