-LyondellBasell expanded the roles of three senior executives amid the recent appointment of Bob Patel as CEO and chairman. Timothy Roberts, formerly executive vice president of Olefins & Polyolefins (O&P) Americas, is now executive vice president of Global O&P. Senior Vice President of Intermediates and Derivatives (I&D) Patrick Quarles has been promoted to executive vice president of I&D, Supply Chain and Procurement. Senior Vice President of Refining Kevin Brown has been promoted to executive vice president of Manufacturing and Refining.
-Apache Corp. CEO G. Steven Farris today announced his retirement. Company executive vice president and COO — North America John Christmann will replace him. Farris joined Apache in 1988 and has served as CEO since 2002 and chairman of the board since 2009. Farris also held the titles of president and COO from 1994 to 2009. Christmann is an 18-year veteran of Apache who has held various management positions. Prior to his current position, Christmann helped launch Apache’s Midland, Texas, office as Permian Region vice president and oversaw a doubling of production.
-BP has restarted its 60,000-barrel-per-day catalytic reformer in Whiting, Ind., Reuters reports. The reformer was shut down after a power outage last week and began starting up Jan. 13.
-Meanwhile, BP is aiming to lessen the Clean Water Act fine it pays for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. A ruling last week by U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier set BP’s maximum fine at $13.7 billion — considerably less than the $18 billion that was initially estimated. Via FuelFix, a lawyer representing the firm today argued BP could not afford such high penalties without the intervention of its parent company. A U.S. attorney said BP should pay at least $11.7 billion.
-Republican lawmakers in North Dakota are mounting an effort to void new crude oil conditioning and flaring rules approved last year by the state’s Industrial Commission. Via Bakken.com, Rep. Keith Kempenich said the rules set arbitrary goals and are politically motivated. North Dakota Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms said voiding the rules could cost the state more than $111 million over the next two years, mostly in lost tax revenue from oil companies. The three-member Industrial Commission includes Gov. Jack Dalrymple.
