Chairman

Outgoing Anadarko Petroleum Corp. Executive Chairman Jim Hackett plans to begin attending Harvard Divinity School in the fall. Hackett, 59, who served as CEO of The Woodlands, TX-based operator until last May, long has been interested in learning to write, speak and teach about faith and leadership, which were key reasons he retired from the company, according to a spokesman. The Harvard University program offers four degree programs: master of theological studies, master of divinity, master of theology and doctor of theology. Hackett’s retirement is to take effect after Anadarko’s annual meeting in May (see Daily GPI, Feb. 20). He previously worked at Devon Energy Corp., as well as NGC Corp., Burlington Resources (acquired by Anadarko in 2006), and Amoco Oil Co. Hackett is a board member and adjunct professor at Rice University.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and ranking member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sent a letter last Wednesday to FERC asking that it provide more detailed information about the Section 5 complaint investigations that were initiated in past years into allegations that certain interstate gas pipelines were charging unjust and unreasonable rates.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and ranking member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sent a letter Wednesday to FERC asking that it provide more detailed information about Section 5 complaint investigations that it initiated in past years into allegations that certain pipelines are charging unjust and unreasonable rates.

The country is in the midst of an “unconventional revolution in oil and gas” whose implications reach well beyond the energy industry, IHS Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin, tells the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Power in pre-filed testimony to be given Tuesday.

BP plc has appointed John Minge as chairman and president of BP America Inc., the producer’s chief U.S. representative. Former chief Lamar McKay is to lead BP’s upstream business. BP’s capital investments in the United States over the past five years exceed $52 billion, more than any other company and more than BP invests in any other country. Minge, who takes over the Houston-based U.S. operations on Feb. 15, has led BP Alaska since January 2009. In 2012, BP Alaska achieved the lowest recordable incident rate in its history, with a 50% reduction from 2009. Minge, who began his BP career in the Gulf of Mexico as a drilling engineer, formerly was president of BP Indonesia, chief of BP’s Asia Pacific Unit and president of exploration and production for Vietnam and China. BP also has named Bob Fryar, now executive vice president for upstream production, as executive vice president for Safety and Operational Risk. Mark Bly, who has headed safety functions since March 2008, plans to retire.

Senate chairman of Committee of Energy and Natural Resources, Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden, last week rejected the findings of a study published last year for the Department of Energy (DOE) that favors liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and called for a do-over.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) appointed Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Chairman Barry Smitherman chair of the NARUC committee on gas. Smitherman, who had served as a co-vice chair of the committee, replaces outgoing chair Timothy Alan Simon of California. Commissioner Todd Snitchler of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio was appointed gas committee co-vice chair along with Commissioner Paul Roberti of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. Roberti also leads the NARUC task force on pipeline safety.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), the incoming chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has announced that members of his senior staff will include Joshua Sheinkman, staff director; Sam Fowler, chief counsel; and senior counsels Dan Adamson, Patty Beneke, David Brooks, Michele Miranda and Todd Wooten. Drew Johnston and Cisco Minthorn also will be part of the counsel staff. Senior professional staff will include Isaiah Akin, Meghan Conklin, Kevin Rennert, Allen Stayman and Sara Tucker. Keith Chu has been tapped to be press secretary, and Samantha Offerdahl will be press assistant.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) added two newly elected members and one re-elected member Monday. Bob Stump, the recently re-elected member, was voted by his colleagues as the ACC’s new chairman. He is joined by new member Bob Burns and Susan Bitter Smith, along with returning members, Gary Pierce and Brenda Burns. Pierce just completed two years as the regulatory panel’s chair. Stump serves on the board of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. On Friday, the ACC also named a new executive director, Jodi Jerich, who comes to the commission from a three-year stint as head of the Arizona Residential Utility Consumer Office. Jerich formerly served as policy advisor to ACC commissioner Mike Gleason.