Management
Ivar Siem
Since October 1989, Mr. Siem has served as Chairman of Blue Dolphin Energy. From 1995 to 2000, Mr. Siem served on the Board of Directors of Grey Wolf Inc., during which time he served as Chairman from 1995 to 1998 and interim President (1995) during it’s restructuring. He has served as a Director of Business Development for Norwegian Petroleum Consultants and as an independent consultant to the oil and gas exploration and production industry based in London, England.
Mr. Siem started his career as a petroleum engineer for Amoco, followed by seven years with the Fred. Olsen Group. During this time he established Fred. Olsen Inc., a US oil and gas exploration company and became President for Dolphin International, Inc. which was Fred. Olsen’s drilling company at that time. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and has completed an executive MBA program at Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth University.
David McCarver – SVP & Chief Operating Officer
Mr. McCarver has been associated with the energy industry since 1973, when he joined Amoco Production Company as a Permian Basin landman after receiving a BBA degree from the University of Texas. In 1977, he joined LOFCO, which was later combined with several other limited partnerships, with McCarver serving as General Partner. In 1985, the assets of those limited partnerships were combined to form American Coastal Energy, Inc.
As Vice President Land for American Coastal Energy he assembled land positions, onshore and offshore, for over 50 prospects in the Gulf Coast and East Texas basins. He teamed with company geoscientists to promote each prospect to industry partners, generating over $100,000,000 in capital expenditures. He negotiated all company participation agreements, joint venture agreements, consulting agreements, employment contracts, and marketing agreements. After being promoted to President and COO in 1998, he helped change the company profile from a pure generating shop to an operating, acquisition, and exploitation company. Between 1998 and 2004, he headed up the company team in dealing with commercial lenders and equity investors in four separate transactions totaling over $40,000,000. He also oversaw the monetization of American Coastal Energy’s assets, resulting in a $25,000,000 sale.
Haavard Strommen – Chief Financial Officer
Mr Strommen has served as Chief Financial Officer for Drillmar Energy Inc since 2004. Prior to this he served as Manager of Finance for the publicly traded Blue Dolphin Energy Company from 2000 with responsibilities for investment, financing as well as public relations. While working for Blue Dolphin, Mr. Strommen was engaged as a valuation expert witness in court from 2003 to 2004 for the law firm Locke Liddell & Sapp on behalf of BP Exploration and Production, BP America Production Company, ConocoPhillips Company, Inc, Chevron Texaco Inc, The Atlantic Richfield Company and Oxy USA Inc. in the Panaco, Inc bankruptcy. From 1997-2000 Mr. Strommen worked for Den Norske Bank's Energy Department in Oslo, Houston and New York. He also worked as an executive officer for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry. He worked for Dyno Industries ASA with assignments in France, Hungary and the Czech Republic. He also served as an officer in His Majesty’s the King’s Guard, in Oslo Norway. Mr. Strommen holds an MSc from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration and a CEMS Master (Community of European Management Schools – ranked 2nd by Financial Times) in International Management (MIM). He also attended the Norwegian Army’s officer training school.
Hernan Bermudez – Vice President Operations
Mr. Bermudez has over 23 years experience in the oil and gas industry. He graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1979 at which time he went to work for Lagoven S.A. Mr. Bermudez gained extensive experience in the fields of drilling, workover and production, and in senior management in land and offshore operations. These operations included both Lake Maracaibo as well as offshore Venezuela. During his service to Lagoven, Mr. Bermudez managed operations on Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, including 12 Lagoven owned and operated barges. In 1995, Mr. Bermudez worked for Baker Hughes as Managing Director for E&P Solutions, Latin America. Mr. Bermudez’ responsibilities included all projects involving Integrated Solutions (multiple product lines), field development services and performance contracts. During his tenure with Baker Hughes, he also was responsible for implementing innovative technology contracts such as offshore under balanced coil tubing drilling.
Jeff Thompson - VP Geoscience
Mr. Thompson has over 25 years experience as a geoscientist. He served as a Senior Staff Geologist for Burlington Resources and for Blue Dolphin Energy Company. He also worked for Norcen Explorer, Ultramar Oil&Gas, Occidental Service, Transco Exploration and Gulf Oil. Mr. Thompson holds a Bsc. In Geophysical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.
Ron Keller - Advisor
Mr. Keller has 40 years experience in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Keller began his career as a geologist with Amoco Production Company serving in various technical and management capacities from 1962 through 1976. From 1982 until 1990, he served as Senior Vice President – Exploration for Sandefer Oil and Gas Company, managing a $300 million drilling program over a nine year period. He served as Vice President and Division Manager for Florida Exploration Co. from 1976 to 1980 before he became Vice President - Exploration and Production for Volvo Petroleum, Inc. in 1981.
Mr. Keller has served as Executive Vice President – Exploration and Production of Blue Dolphin Energy since September 1990. He has served as Vice President of American Resources Offshore, Inc. since December 1999. Mr. Keller holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Geology from the University of Florida.
Board of Directors
Ivar Siem – Chairman and CEO. See above.
John C.G. O’Leary – Director
Mr. O’Leary is CEO and Chairman of Strand Energy. John has over 25 years of industry experience. He was a partner of Pareto Offshore ASA. Prior to joining Pareto Offshore, Mr. O’Leary was President of Pride International Inc., a Houston-based onshore and offshore drilling contractor employing approximately 300 rigs in 30 countries. Prior to Pride, John was with Forasol-Foramer, a Paris-based drilling contractor that specialized in deep offshore drilling and international land drilling. He began his career with the Irish National Petroleum Corporation.
He is an advisor to First Reserve and serves as Director of Technip. Mr O’Leary received an Honors BE in civil engineering from University College, Cork, Ireland in 1977. He holds two post-graduates degrees, one in finance from Trinity College, Dublin and one in petroleum engineering from the French Petroleum Institute in Paris. Mr. O’Leary served as a Director of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and as IADC Regional Vice President-International. He is a member of the Supervisory Board of Huisman Itrec, a Dutch shipping and equipment company.
Harris A. Kaffie – Director
Mr. Kaffie is a partner in Kaffie Brothers, a real estate, farming and ranching partnership. He currently serves as a Director of KBK Capital Corporation and Blue Dolphin Energy Company. Mr. Kaffie received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Southern Methodist University in 1972.
Joop Roodenburg – Director
Mr. Roodenburg serves as President for Huisman-Itrec. Huisman, founded in 1929, is from origin producer of hoisting equipment for cargo ships. Itrec started in 1979 with designing and engineering heavy lifting equipment and special transport systems. The close co-operation between Huisman and Itrec resulted in the merging into one organization in 1982.
In 1986 Huisman-Itrec entered the offshore market. Complete new products which have been engineered and manufactured are for example: modular flexlay systems, pipe- and cable lay equipment, modular pipe and cable tensioners, umbilical handling systems, stone dumping installations, sub sea equipment, ROVs, control and monitoring equipment, load measuring systems, etc.
The latest developments are the Multi Purpose Catamaran, a semi submersible topside installation vessel and the JBF 12 000, a new drilling rig. It has new developed equipment, like the Multi Purpose Tower, reeled casing and containerized pipe-handling systems.
Fredrik Klaveness – Director
Mr. Klaveness serves as Principal for Spectra Invest an investment company with focus on early stage growth companies. Prior to this, he was a consultant in the internet/communication industry as well as in the hotel industry. Mr Klaveness also has background from investment banking working for Alfred Berg in London. He also worked for AF Klaveness & Co Shipowners. He currently serves on the board of MPU Enterprises, TS Marine, Witelcom and Yes Food Holding. Mr Klaveness holds a BSBA from University of Denver and a MBA from Columbia Business School, New York.