Resigned

Sempra Energy’s board has appointed Anne Shen Smith president and CEO of Sempra’s Southern California Gas Co. utility. She replaces Michael Allman, who resigned and is leaving the company. Smith has served as the utility’s COO since 2010. She joined the company as a operations research analyst and for the past 21 years has had various executive roles with SoCalGas and Sempra.

Al Armendariz, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Dallas office, resigned last Monday following public outcry over his remarks supporting a “crucify them” approach to enforcement of the oil and natural gas industry.

Al Armendariz, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Dallas office, resigned Monday following public outcry over his remarks supporting a “crucify them” approach to enforcement of the oil and natural gas industry.

Al Armendariz, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Dallas office, resigned Monday following public outcry over his remarks supporting a “crucify them” approach to enforcement of the oil and natural gas industry.

Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) recently appointed George Jugovic Jr. president and CEO. Jugovic replaces Jan Jarrett, who resigned after 13 years with the statewide environmental organization. Jugovic previously served as a senior attorney for PennFuture. Before joining the organization, he served as the southwest regional director for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in Pittsburgh.

Mike Graham, president of Encana Corp.’s Canadian Division, has resigned from the company. Encana, the largest natural gas producer in Canada, did not disclose the reasons. Mike McAllister, who is senior vice president of the Canadian Division, was tapped to take over. Graham has run Encana’s entire Canadian operations since 2007, which has resource play assets in British Columbia, Alberta and Atlantic Canada. Graham joined one of Encana’s predecessor companies in 1986 and held various positions in operations and engineering before moving to the reservoir engineering group. He helped to develop Encana’s Suffield and Primrose interests, as well as the AECO natural gas storage facility. Graham also led the company’s entry into the Deep Basin of Alberta and northeastern British Columbia.

Thomas S. Liberatore has joined Eclipse Resources as a partner, executive vice president and COO, the State College, PA-based oil and gas company said. Liberatore, who resigned as vice president of Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.’s East region following a restructuring there two years ago (see Daily GPI, June 1, 2009), is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Appalachian Geological Society, has served on the board of directors of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association and is a past president of the Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia. Additionally, Brian Panetta, who was previously a geologist with Waco Oil & Gas and a senior geologist for Chesapeake Energy Corp., has joined Eclipse as vice president of geology. Eclipse focuses on the acquisition, exploration and development of unconventional oil and natural gas properties in the Appalachian Basin, including the Marcellus Shale, Utica Shale and Upper Devonian shales.

Thomas S. Liberatore has joined Eclipse Resources as a partner, executive vice president and COO, the State College, PA-based oil and gas company said. Liberatore, who resigned as vice president of Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.’s East region following a restructuring there two years ago (see Daily GPI, June 1, 2009), is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Appalachian Geological Society, has served on the board of directors of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association and is a past president of the Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia. Additionally, Brian Panetta, who was previously a geologist with Waco Oil & Gas and a senior geologist for Chesapeake Energy Corp., has joined Eclipse as vice president of geology. Eclipse focuses on the acquisition, exploration and development of unconventional oil and natural gas properties in the Appalachian Basin, including the Marcellus Shale, Utica Shale and Upper Devonian shales.

Mountainview Energy Ltd. announced Wednesday that its founder, Joseph Montalban, has resigned from the company’s board of directors effective May 19. Montalban began his career in the oil and gas industry in the early 1950s, first as a roughneck in Alberta and then as a vice president for Flank Oil. He discovered oil in the Bakken Shale after drilling the Bugby #1 well in Glacier County, MT for Flank in 1957. He formed Montalban Drilling in the late 1950s and two public companies in the early 1970s, which would become MSR Exploration Ltd. in 1983. He also founded Gyspy Highview Gathering System Inc. In 2001 Montalban and his son, Patrick, formed Mountainview, which trades on the TSX Venture Exchange. Mountainview, based in Cut Bank, MT, is focused on exploration, production and development of the Bakken and Three Forks shales in the Williston Basin and the south Alberta Bakken shale play.