Richard Herbert has been named chief executive officer of Frontera Energy Corp., Toronto, and will relinquish his position as an independent board member. He succeeds Barry Larson, who will remain with the company through April to help with the transition.

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced it will publish a call in the Mar. 30 Federal Register for information and nominations for a proposed 2019 Beaufort Sea oil and gas lease sale. 

Total SA reported that natural gas production has started from Timimoun field in southwestern Algeria. Algeria’s Sonatrach jointly operates the Timimoun production complex with partners. Sonatrach has 51% interest, Total 37.75%. and Cepsa 11.25%.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC has taken another step in the trimming of its oil and gas interests in Iraq. Shell EP Middle East Holdings BV sold all share capital in Shell Iraq BV, which holds a 19.6% interest in West Qurna 1 oil field, to a subsidiary of Itochu Corp.

Light, sweet crude oil prices for May delivery slipped to close below $65/bbl on the New York market Mar. 28 after the US Energy Information Administration reported US oil inventories increased by 1.6 million bbl for the week ended Mar. 23.

Automated opinion undermines discourse and too often overwhelms legitimate public concern about energy projects.

Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline has received its permit for construction and operation in the German exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) issued the permit for the roughly 30-km section within the EEZ in accordance with the country’s Federal Mining Act. 

Concho Resources Inc., Midland, will acquire RSP Permian Inc. (RSPP) in a $9.5-billion stock transaction to create the largest unconventional shale producer in the Permian basin.