Arena Energy
Managing Directors:
Michael J. Minarovic
Managing Director
Petroleum Engineer
As a co-founder of Arena Energy, Michael Minarovic leads the company’s
business operations and is responsible for raising more than $375
million of debt and equity financing. He also works on reservoir
engineering, risk management, and opportunity-generation for Arena.
After starting his career in Lafayette, Louisiana as a petroleum
engineer with Conoco Inc., Mr. Minarovic was a petroleum engineer at
Newfield Exploration Company, where he became a key member of the
offshore acquisition team and played an important role in the start-up
of the company’s first onshore effort in southern Louisiana. He earned
his B.S. in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas at
Austin in 1987.
Todd L. Stone
Managing Director
Geologist
Since co-founding Arena Energy in 1999, Todd Stone has served as
managing director and geologist, focusing on opportunity generation as
well as the management of Arena’s opportunity-generating staff and
systems. He is also responsible for maintaining, managing, and
high-grading the company’s robust prospect inventory. In keeping with
Arena’s mission to access opportunities through farm-in, acquisition,
and lease-sale efforts, Mr. Stone has centered his career on the
pursuit of exploitation- and exploration-drilling potential on the Gulf
of Mexico shelf. At Arena he has been part of a three-man geological
group that has drilled over 150 wells. Before co-founding Arena, Mr.
Stone was a key member of Newfield Exploration’s offshore acquisition
and development team where he became proficient in 3D, seismic-based,
detailed field studies, and the recognition of remaining commercial
drilling potential within Gulf of Mexico properties. After beginning
his career with Tenneco Oil Company, Mr. Stone also served as a
geological engineer for Amerada Hess Corporation. Mr. Stone earned his
B.S. in geological engineering from Michigan Technological University
in 1985.
Geology:
Don A. Metz
Chief Geologist
Don Metz joined Arena Energy in 2002. As Arena’s chief geologist, he
works to create opportunities for exploration and development,
identifies and evaluates acquisition opportunities, and assesses
third-party prospects in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, Mr. Metz
works closely with the drilling department to design wells that
optimally develop potential reserves, and with production and reservoir
engineers to produce the reserves efficiently. Mr. Metz has served on a
team of geologists and reservoir engineers that has successfully
identified and evaluated many potential drilling targets. Those targets
have resulted in the drilling of over 150 wells to date, with a success
rate above ninety percent. Mr. Metz honed his skills at Newfield
Exploration Company, Delmar Operating, and Westland Oil Development
Corporation. With over 30 years of experience as a geologist, he has
been responsible for drilling numerous wells onshore in southern
Louisiana, the upper-Texas Gulf Coast, East Texas, West Texas, and, for
the last 15 years, in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Metz received a
B.S. in geology from Louisiana Tech University in 1979.
Steve S. Robertson
Geophysicist
Steve Robertson joined Arena Energy in 2008. As a geophysicist,
he uses amplitude-versus-offset (AVO) techniques for de-risking Arena
prospects. Mr. Robertson also works to generate exploration and
development prospects. From 2004 to 2008 Mr. Robertson worked for
Bois d’Arc Energy, where he was an AVO specialist and prospect
generator. He was also a prospect generator for Newfield Exploration,
from 1997 to 2004, working on the Central Shelf Gulf of Mexico.
He worked for Shell Oil Company from 1981 to 1997 as a seismic
processor and interpreter in the Rocky Mountain region and the Gulf of
Mexico, and succeeding in leading a special projects team to correct
long-wavelength statics problems related to acquisition in rugged
terrain, and in remapping Bullwinkle field for a successful
redevelopment program. Mr. Robertson earned his
B.S. in planetary science from Christian Heritage College in 1976, and
his master’s degree in physics in 1978 from the University of Texas at
El Paso. He completed doctoral studies at the University of Southern
California and U.C. Santa Barbara.
Robert M. Black
Geophysicist
Robert Black came to Arena Energy in 2009. He is responsible for
exploration and development opportunities throughout the Gulf of Mexico
Shelf, as well as evaluating potential acquisitions and working
interests in a variety of opportunities. Mr. Black was a geophysicist
with Energy Partners from 2005 to 2009. Prior to joining Energy
Partners, he worked for Vastar and later BP from 2000 to 2005,
performing in a wide range of roles, from field studies and development
work to deep gas exploration, mostly on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf.
He has extensive experience with the Gulf Coast and Gulf of Mexico
basin. Mr. Black received a B.S. in geophysical engineering from
the Colorado School of Mines in 1999.
Reservoir Engineering:
Christopher A. Capsimalis
Reservoir Engineering Manager
Christopher Capsimalis has been a petroleum engineer at Arena Energy
since 2001. As part of an integrated engineering and geosciences
team, he is responsible for opportunity generation through field
analysis. His career-long focus on mature producing basins has resulted
in a track record of success in identifying and capturing
opportunities. Mr. Capsimalis’s other responsibilities include the
management and optimization of Arena’s existing producing-asset
base. Previously, Mr. Capsimalis was employed by BP, Vastar, and
ARCO as a reservoir engineer. He has over twenty years of
experience in reservoir engineering in the Gulf of Mexico and other
onshore U.S. basins. Mr. Capsimalis earned a Master of Business
Administration degree in 1996, an M.S. in 1989, and a B.S. in petroleum
engineering in 1987 from the University of Texas at Austin.
Patrick N. Simpson
Reservoir Engineer
Patrick Simpson joined Arena Energy in 2011. His
responsibilities
include asset optimization and acquisition evaluation. Prior to
joining Arena, Mr. Simpson was employed by Newfield Exploration.
He has more than 10 years of experience in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf
Coast onshore and Malay basins. Mr. Simpson earned a B.S. in
Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2000.
Jay B. Johnson
Reservoir Engineer
Jay Johnson joined Arena Energy as a reservoir engineer in 2011.
His responsibilities
include asset optimization and acquisition evaluation. Prior to
joining Arena, Mr. Johnson was employed by BayCorp Resources, Orion Oil
& Gas, Unocal and Amoco. He has more than 13 years of
experience in the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast basins. Mr.
Johnson earned a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State
University in 1998.
Land, Legal, Financial, and Marketing:
Ed C. Amrock
Land Manager – Land & Legal
Ed Amrock joined Arena as Land Manager in 2010. His
responsibilities include negotiating and drafting contracts relating to
producing property acquisitions and exploration and development
projects, as well as managing Arena's GOM lease holdings. He
began
his
career
in
1978,
in the land department of Texaco Inc. in New
Orleans. He has subsequently held positions with various
exploration and production companies, including McMoRan Oil & Gas,
CNG Producing Company, Matrix Oil & Gas and Denbury Resources,
Inc., performing land functions related to acquisitions and
divestitures, exploration and production operations in the onshore U.S.
and offshore Gulf of Mexico. Immediately prior to joining Arena,
Mr. Amrock was Land Manager for NCX Company, Inc. In addition, he
has worked as an independent landman and attorney providing consulting
services to various oil and gas clients. He received a J.D.
degree from Tulane School of Law in 1978, and is a member of the
Louisiana State Bar, the American Association of Professional Landmen,
the Houston Association of Professional Landmen and the Professional
Landmen's Association of New Orleans, where he twice served as a
Director.
Scott D. Broekstra
Senior Counsel – Land & Legal
Scott Broekstra joined Arena in August 2010 as Senior Counsel in the
Land and Legal Group. Scott works closely with Mike Grove and Ed
Amrock with respect to land and legal transactions and other legal
matters on Arena's behalf. In 1985, Mr. Broekstra started his
career with Tenneco Oil Company as an oil and gas Exploration Geologist
in the offshore Gulf of Mexico. In 1989, he joined Unocal
Corporation in Lafayette, LA as a Development Geologist, successfully
completing a number of exploration and field development drilling
projects in the central and western Gulf of Mexico. In 1993, Mr.
Broekstra received his J.D. degree from the University of Oregon.
Thereafter, for seventeen years, Mr. Broekstra practiced law in
Michigan as a partner with two law firms, Dykema Gossett, LP, and most
recently, with Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones PLC, practicing in the
areas of enviromental law, commercial litigation, and oil and gas
law. In 2007 through 2010, Mr. Broekstra is featured as a Michigan Super Lawyer in the area
of Environmental litigation, and in 2009 and 2010, he is listed in Best Lawyers in America in the
category of Environmental law. In addition to his J.D., Mr.
Broekstra received his M.S. in Geology in 1986 from Indiana University
and his B.A. in Geology from Hope College in 1983.
Michael L. Grove
Outside Counsel – Land & Legal
After serving as Arena Energy’s lead outside
counsel since the
company’s founding, Michael Grove took the in-house general counsel
position in August 2005. Mr. Grove manages all legal and land
transactions on Arena’s behalf and is responsible for the offshore
insurance program. Mr. Grove came to Arena with 27 years of experience
as an attorney in private practice representing oil and gas industry
clients around the Gulf Coast area, the Gulf of Mexico and
elsewhere. He has been board certified as a specialist in oil,
gas and mineral law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since
1986. He served as chairman of the Oil, Gas & Mineral Law
Section of the Houston Bar Association (2003-2004) and chairman of the
Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the Texas Bar Association
(1994-1995). He was a partner in Houston law firms beginning in 1982,
most recently with Porter & Hedges, LLP from 1998 through July
2005. Each year from 2003 through 2008, Mr. Grove was featured as a Texas
Super
Lawyer
by Texas Monthly and Law &
Politics magazines, and in 2004 and 2005 he was listed in Best
Lawyers
in
America
in the category of Energy Law. He
received his J.D. degree in 1977 from the University of Houston Law
Center, and his B.S. in 1970 from the United States Military Academy.
Kenneth M. Schott
Chief Financial Officer
Kenneth Schott joined Arena Energy as CFO at the
beginning of 2011. Mr. Schott manages Arena's debt-financing
arrangements through a group of six lending institutions and executes
an active commodity-hedging program. He oversees accounting, tax,
treasury and financial reporting for all Arena entities. Prior to
joining Arena, Mr. Schott worked as CFO for a start-up oil and gas firm
from 2009-2010. From 2000-2009, he worked for El Paso Corporation
in various departments including its telecom intitiative, production
company, international division and treasury group. His
professional experience includes financial valuation, corporate
planning, accounting, acquisitions and divestitures, international
operations, business start-ups, commercial contracts, and corporate
lending. Mr. Schott has a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M
University and a MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He
is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Reneé J. Kelly
Controller
Renee’ Kelly joined Arena Energy as controller in 2008. She is
responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company’s accounting
department, which includes overseeing joint-interest billing, accounts
payable, revenue accounting, treasury, and internal and external
audits. Prior to joining Arena, Mrs. Kelly worked for Energy
Resource Technology as property accounting manager from 2003 to
2006. She was assistant controller for Enhanced Energy Partners
from 2006 to 2008. Mrs. Kelly held various positions at Westland
Oil Development Corporation including controller from 1988 to 2002 and
assistant controller from 1978 to 1987. Mrs. Kelly has a Bachelor
of Business Administration degree in accounting from Texas A&M
University.
Bernice A. Norris
Marketing Manager
Bernice Norris came to Arena Energy in 1999. In addition to
marketing, her responsibilities include balancing the natural gas and
oil production, and specializing in the optimization of netback
valuations from a sales, transportation, and midstream
perspective. From 1991 to 1997, she worked for the Superior
Natural Gas Corporation, the marketing affiliate of Walter Oil &
Gas Corporation, in Houston, Texas. Mrs. Norris was gas control
representative there for four years and gas contract administrator for
two years. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental design
from Texas A&M University.
Michael B. McGinnis
Marketing Manager
Michael McGinnis joined Arena Energy in 2008. Mr.
McGinnis is
the primary gas marketing and NGL-processing sales originator. In
addition, he expertly documents both historical and current pricing
postings, recording of all hydrocarbon transactions, and transportation
analysis. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. McGinnis was a producer services
manger at Magnus Energy Marketing, Ltd. in Houston, Texas. Prior
to that he spent nine years at El Paso Energy Corporation working as a
business development manager for the interstate natural gas pipeline
group. Mr. McGinnis earned a Master of Business Administration
degree from the University of Houston in 1995, and a B.S. in industrial
distribution from Texas A&M University in 1988.
Arena Offshore
Operations, Drilling, Production, and Construction –
The Woodlands Location:
Debbs N. Nelson
General Manager - Operations
Petroleum Engineer
Debbs Nelson came to Arena in 2003. In his role at Arena, he has
managed the drilling, production, and construction activities of a
company that has grown from operating two fields in the Gulf of Mexico
to over 20 fields. In conjunction with the managing directors,
Mr. Nelson has built an operating organization that has executed
capital programs in excess of $200MM per year and has positioned the
organization for future growth. From 1980 through 2003, Mr.
Nelson held various drilling and production positions with
ExxonMobil. Mr. Nelson’s career showcases a decade and a half of
experience in drilling, production, and the management of field
operations, primarily in North American basins. He received a
B.S. in chemical engineering from Louisiana State University in 1980,
and acquired his professional registration in petroleum engineering
from the State of Louisiana in 1987.
Kalil A. Ackal
Drilling Manager
Petroleum Engineer
Kalil Ackal has been the drilling manager at Arena since 2004, and has
supervised the drilling of over 85 operated wells. His expertise
in rig-installation, horizontal and extended-reach, and directional
drilling has lead Arena to drilling some of the most complicated wells
successfully, and consistently under budget. Mr. Ackal was an
Operations Manager/Turnkey Contractor from 1999 to 2004, supervising
approximately 130 drilling and completion projects for 41 different
operators in both the Gulf of Mexico and inland waters of Louisiana and
Texas. From 1990 to 1999, Mr. Ackal worked for Union Pacific Resources
as a drilling superintendent; for the eight years preceding this he was
a drilling engineer and production engineer at the Marathon Oil Company
in Lafayette, Louisiana. Mr. Ackal earned a B.S. in petroleum
engineering from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in
1982.
Adam V. Currier
Drilling & Completions Engineer
Petroleum Engineer
Adam Currier joined Arena in 2008. His responsibilities include
oversight of drilling and completion operations, decompletions and slot
reclamations, as well as well costing and optimized well-planning for
slimhole and extended-reach wells. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Currier
was a staff engineer and then senior drilling engineer at Shell
Exploration & Production Co., leading engineering work on the
Brutus TLP, the redevelopment of the Mars and Ursa basins, and other
deepwater projects. Earlier in his career Mr. Currier worked as a
drilling and completions engineer for the Turnkey Contractor ADTI,
executing more than 50 drilling and completion projects in the Gulf of
Mexico and its inland waters. Mr. Currier received a B.S. in
petroleum engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in
1999.
Michael E. McCauley
Production Manager
Petroleum Engineer
Michael McCauley came to Arena in 2007. In addition to leading
the production operations and engineering groups at Arena, Mr.
McCauley’s specific responsibilities include completion design
recommendations, thru-tubing recompletions and workovers, facility
modifications, and optimization of existing production through
artificial-lift and well stimulation. From 2004 to 2007, Mr.
McCauley was the Gulf of Mexico production team leader at Newfield
Exploration, and was Gulf of Mexico production engineer there from 2001
to 2004. Mr. McCauley also worked for five years at Vastar Resources in
Lafayette, Louisiana as lead drilling engineer and lead production
engineer. From 1985 to 1996, Mr. McCauley advanced his career at
ARCO Oil & Gas first as a field production engineer in Morgan City,
Louisiana, a reservoir and completion engineer in Houston, Texas, and a
petroleum engineer in Jakarta, Indonesia. Prior to ARCO, he
worked for Getty Oil/Texaco as a production engineer for two
years. Mr. McCauley received a B.S. in petroleum engineering from
Louisiana State University in 1982.
Brent R. Ozenne
Production Engineer
Brent
Ozenne
joined
Arena
in
2008.
As
production
engineer,
Mr.
Ozenne
has
taken
a
leadership
role
in
providing
recommendations
in
technical
evaluations
for stimulating reservoirs, overseeing wellwork
operations, supporting facility modification efforts, and maintaining
strong relationships with field-operations personnel. Previously,
Mr. Ozenne was employed by Newfield Exploration, BP, and Vastar
Resources, holding various engineering positions. He has more
than eleven years of experience in production, facilities, and
reservoir engineering in the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. onshore
basins. Mr. Ozenne earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from
Louisiana State University in 1998.
Justin E. Brothen
Production Engineer
Justin Brothen joined Arena as a production engineer in 2011. In
this role, his responsibilities include providing recommendations in
technical evaluations for stimulating reservoirs, overseeing wellwork
operations, supporting facility modification efforts, and maintaining
strong relationships with field-operations personnel. Prior to
joining Arena, Mr. Brothen was employed with Newfield Exploration, BP
America, and
Marathon Oil Company holding various production and completion
engineering positions. He has more than twelve years of
experience in the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast onshore basins.
Mr. Brothen received a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana
State University in 1998.
Kevin M. Kulish
Construction Manager
Mechanical Engineer
Kevin Kulish came to Arena in 2005. Mr. Kulish manages the
concept selection, design and construction of Arena’s offshore
facilities, which include the installation of new platforms and
pipelines; modification to existing platforms and pipelines; hurricane
repairs, and permanent abandonment of offshore facilities. In addition
to 15 years of operating company experience, Mr. Kulish has worked for
over 14 years with the engineering companies Paragon/Amec and
Enercon/Aker Kvaerner, managing domestic and international client
projects and technical staffs as large as 75 people. Mr. Kulish
received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of
Florida in 1979 and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from
the University of Michigan in 1980.
Allen White
Procurement & Risk Manager
Allen White came to Arena in 2007. His responsibilities include
sourcing and supplier development from bidding process to contract
implementation; increasing pricing transparency in the supply chain for
drilling, production, and construction products; and securing
accuracy in the billing and payment of products that have been
procured. Mr. White is also a key member of the team charged with
securing adequate insurance coverage for Arena’s offshore assets.
Previously, Mr. White was the global category manager for drilling
services at Hess Corporation, where he was responsible for developing
the worldwide strategy for the procurement of drilling services.
From 2001 to 2003, Mr. White worked in drilling procurement at
ExxonMobil, writing and negotiating contracts for multiple
international drilling programs. From 2003 to 2005, he worked for
ExxonMobil as a drilling engineer in the West Texas area. Mr.
White earned an MBA at Boston University in 1999 and a B.S. in
mechanical engineering at the United States Naval Academy in 1996.
Connie Goers
Regulatory Manager
Connie Goers joined Arena in 2011 as Regulatory Manager following an 8
year consulting relationship with the company as a Regulatory
Consultant through R.E.M. Solutions, Inc. In her position at
Arena, Ms. Goers coordinates and manages the regulatory and
environmental compliance operations; and brings over 30 years of
offshore federal and state waters regulatory and environmental
compliance experience commencing from project inception to abandoment
operations. Ms. Goers founded R.E.M. Solutions in 2002 and
retired in 2011. Prior to that, she served as Vice President at
J. Connor Consulting from 1986-2002, and was an employee in the
Regulatory, Drilling and Land Departments with Transco Exploration
Company and Tenneco Oil Company in their Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado
offices from 1974-1986.
Charlie Duhon
HSE Manager
Charlie Duhon joined Arena in 2011. As HSE Manager, Mr. Duhon is
responsible for directing the Health, Safety and Environmental
Management efforts for Arena Offshore. He brings over 30 years of
operations and safety and environmental management experience to the
Arena team. Prior to joining Arena, Mr. Duhon was employed by BHP
Billiton Petroleum and Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Corporation where his
responsibilities included regulatory compliance, controls and
automation, process safety management, safety and environmental
management, as well as Gulf of Mexico deep-water field operations
management. Mr. Duhon is a two time winner of the U.S. Department
of Interior - Corporate Leadership Award (CORLA) for his
accomplishments in the field of Safety and Environmental
Management.
Mr. Duhon earned a B.S. from the University of Houston and his Masters
of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M University.
Production Foreman – Lafayette Location:
Stanley J. Bouley
Production Foreman – Area I
Stanley Bouley joined Arena in 2010 as a production foreman.
Working out of the Arena operations office in Lafayette, LA, he
supervises production operations for the East Cameron, West Cameron,
High Island, and Matagorda Island area of the Gulf of Mexico
Shelf. In addition to monitoring production,
Arena’s production foremen set operating budgets for the fields in
their area; they seek to maximize oil and gas production to meet
company goals while maintaining a high standard of safety and
regulatory compliance in the workplace. Prior to joining Arena, Mr.
Bouley held various supervisory and operational positions at McMoRan
and Grasso Production Management and was a contract operator for 15
years with Newfield Exploration where he worked in the Gulf of Mexico
and the South China Sea. He has 20 years of experience in oil and
gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
Dickey J. Marze
Production Foreman – Area II
Dickey Marze came to Arena in 2008 as a production foreman.
He supervises production operations for the West Cameron, East Cameron,
Vermilion, South Marsh Island, West Delta, and Main Pass areas of the
Gulf of Mexico Shelf. Mr. Marze is based out of the Arena
Operations office in Lafayette. In addition to monitoring production,
Arena’s production foremen set operating budgets for the fields in
their area; they seek to maximize oil and gas production to meet
company goals while maintaining a high standard of safety and
regulatory compliance in the workplace. From 2001 to 2008, Mr.
Marze was a production foreman at Newfield Exploration, working mainly
in the offshore Central Gulf of Mexico, but also in Louisiana and East
Texas land facilities. He began his oilfield career in 1991 as a
contract operator on the McMoran facility. Mr. Marze is a
graduate of Northwestern State University with a degree in physical
education.
Wayne M. Maturin
Production Foreman – Area III
Wayne Maturin joined Arena in 2008 as a production foreman.
Working out of the Area operations office in Lafayette, he supervises
production operations for the Eugene Island, South Timbalier, South
Pelto, Grand Isle, and South Pass areas of the Gulf of Mexico Shelf. In
addition to monitoring production, Arena’s production foremen set
operating budgets for the fields in their area; they seek to maximize
oil and gas production to meet company goals while maintaining a high
standard of safety and regulatory compliance in the workplace.
Prior to joining Arena, Mr. Maturin held various supervisory and
operational positions at McMoran, Newfield Exploration, and Grasso
Production Management. He has more than 20 years of experience in
oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
David B. Martin
Construction
Foreman
David Martin joined Arena in 2005. Mr. Martin has more than 27
years of industry experience and is based out of the Arena operations
office in Lafayette, Louisiana. As a construction foreman, he
supervises construction operations for Arena's Gulf of Mexico Shelf
properties. Mr. Martin provides facility design operations
guidance (specializing in rotating equipment, process safety systems
and instrumentation), inspects fabrication and construction, witnesses
factory acceptance tests, and directs new facility pre-commissioning
activities; while maintaining a high standard of safety and regulatory
compliance. Prior to accepting the Arena construction foreman
position, Mr. Martin served as an Arena production foreman with the
responsibility of supervising offshore production operations.
Before joining Arena, Mr. Martin was a project supervisor with Paloma
Energy Consultants, president of a control systems company,
instrumentation
superintendent, instrumentation foreman and mechanical maintenance
leadsman.