Aker BP, Neptune Name New Heads

Norwegian independent Aker BP is losing a senior director to UK-based Neptune Energy and is promoting her successor from the ranks. The news comes as a strike by drilling workers has expanded.

Gro Gunleiksrud Haatvedt is taking up a new position as head of exploration at Neptune Energy in London (pictured immediately below, courtesy of Aker BP). Prior to joining Aker BP in 2014, she had worked for Statoil (now Equinor) where she held a similar position having previously served as its country manager in Libya. Neptune completed its $4.7bn acquisition of the upstream interests of Engie in February 2018, and last month agreed to buy VNG Norge.

Evy Glorstad-Clark (pictured below, courtesy of Aker BP) will replace her as Aker BP's senior vice president for exploration with effect from August 1 and will also join its executive management team, the company said July 16. Glorstad-Clark is currently the company's asset development manager at its Noaka (North of Alvheim and Askja-Krafla) project to develop a hub in the Norwegian North Sea. She has a doctorate in petroleum geology and has been with Aker BP since 2011.  Aker BP is jointly controlled by Aker Group (40%) and BP (30%).

Norway's offshore employers association NR meanwhile said July 16 that 1,600 drilling workers, led by the union SAFE, are on strike affecting 28 installations; the dispute has arisen about pay and pensions; ongoing production is understood to be unaffected; Norway usually has a large number of planned field shutdowns for maintenance at this time of the year - one of seasonally low European demand.