Appointed

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Thursday appointed Liz Birnbaum, an attorney with experience in energy and environmental policy, as director of the Minerals Management Service (MMS).

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Thursday appointed Liz Birnbaum, an attorney with experience in energy and environmental policy, as director of the Minerals Management Service (MMS).

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) President Frederick Butler of New Jersey appointed California Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Simon and Arkansas Public Service Commissioner Colette Honorable to serve as co-vice chairs of NARUC’s natural gas committee. Committee members work with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. departments of Energy and Transportation.

Lamar McKay, a veteran of U.S. oil company Amoco, as been appointed chairman and president of BP America, succeeding Robert A. (Bob) Malone who has elected to retire after 34 years with the company. McKay, a member of the BP plc executive management team, has led the company’s Special Projects Team since early 2008. In that capacity, he played a major role in establishing a new governance model for TNK-BP, BP’s Russian joint venture. Prior to that assignment, he served as executive vice president and COO for BP America and brings deep knowledge of BP’s U.S. operations to his new position, the company announcement said. McKay joined Amoco Production Co. as a petroleum engineer in 1980 and later served in a variety of operating and commercial roles. During his career he has led upstream production businesses in the Arkoma Basin, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. After working on the BP-Amoco merger, he led BP’s worldwide exploration and production strategy efforts followed by a posting as chief of staff for the company’s global exploration and production business. Prior to his first assignment with BP America, he served as group vice president for BP’s Russia and Kazakhstan operations.

Lamar McKay, a veteran of U.S. oil company Amoco, as been appointed chairman and president of BP America, succeeding Robert A. (Bob) Malone who has elected to retire after 34 years with the company. McKay, a member of the BP p.l.c. executive management team, has led the company’s Special Projects Team since early 2008. In that capacity, he played a major role in establishing a new governance model for TNK-BP, BP’s Russian joint venture. Prior to that assignment, he served as executive vice president and COO for BP America and brings deep knowledge of BP’s U.S. operations to his new position, the company announcement said. McKay joined Amoco Production Co. as a petroleum engineer in 1980 and later served in a variety of operating and commercial roles. During his career he has led upstream production businesses in the Arkoma Basin, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. After working on the BP-Amoco merger, he led BP’s worldwide exploration and production strategy efforts followed by a posting as chief of staff for the company’s global exploration and production business. Prior to his first assignment with BP America, he served as group vice president for Russia and Kazakhstan.

Denali — The Alaska Gas Pipeline LLC, which is the producer-backed proposal for a pipeline to tap Alaska’s North Slope gas supplies and carry them to Alberta, appointed industry veteran Bud E. Fackrell to be its president. And the Denali project has attracted the interest of Russia’s Gazprom.

Denali — The Alaska Gas Pipeline LLC, which is the producer-backed proposal for a pipeline to tap Alaska’s North Slope gas supplies and carry them to Alberta, last week appointed industry veteran Bud E. Fackrell to be its president. And the Denali project has attracted the interest of Russia’s Gazprom.

Michael J. Cianci Jr. has been appointed a FERC administrative law judge (ALJ). Cianci currently is the senior reservist for the U.S. Air Force Environmental Law and Litigation Division, serving in the rank of colonel. Since 2001 he has served as ALJ for the Social Security Administration in Cleveland and Phoenix. He also was the chief ALJ for the Phoenix office for more than two years. “Judge Cianci’s broad experience in both government and the private sector, including his positions as a chief judge and litigation attorney, along with his extensive knowledge of regulatory, environmental and natural resource issues will serve FERC very well,” said Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher. FERC’s Chief ALJ Curtis Wagner Jr. said Cianci’s “exceptional background…will be of great value in meeting our mission responsibilities.” From 1991 to 2001 Cianci worked for the Air Force as a civilian counsel in the Environmental Law and Litigation Division, where his case work included issues involving the Clean Water Act, third-party site clean-up issues and water rights litigation. He managed a field litigation office at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and supported water rights litigation for the Air Force throughout the West. Cianci previously worked in the Arizona attorney general’s office as an assistant attorney general representing several boards and commissions, including the State Land Department. Cianci also worked as a litigation attorney with the Arizona law firms of Snell and Wilmer, and Mariscal, Weeks, McIntyre and Friedlander. After graduating from law school in 1978, Cianci served as a circuit trial counsel and assistant staff judge advocate with the Air Force where he was responsible for prosecuting major criminal cases over a five-state area, including murder, rape, espionage and robbery cases. Cianci graduated from the University of Arizona Law School in Tucson. In 1988 Cianci received a masters of law degree in Law and Marine Affairs from the University of Washington Law School, with a concentration in environmental and water law. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Michael J. Cianci Jr. has been appointed a FERC administrative law judge (ALJ), the Commission announced Monday.