Line of succession: ConocoPhillips overhauls its executive ranks

Bon Jovi, Brad Paisley entice tourists to Gulf for spill benefit concerts

Posted on October 18, 2010 at 2:35 pm by Jillian Cohan in Gulf oil spill, People, Social

Check out our photo gallery from this weekend’s Concert for the Coast. (Photo: Skip Bolen/Getty Images) More »

Energy workers in the Gulf are all dressed up, nowhere to go

Posted on October 18, 2010 at 12:55 am by Jennifer A. Dlouhy in Gulf oil spill, People

As the government and energy firms butt heads over spill risks, rigs stand idle and hundreds have lost jobs. (Photo: Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle) More »

FuelFix Q&A: U.K. diplomat on BP, green energy and why American expats love it there

Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:14 am by Tom Fowler in Europe, Gulf oil spill, People, Social

The U.K.’s ambassador to the U.S. tells FuelFix his country’s new coalition government is about to make deep budget cuts — but it’s also aiming to attract more business investment and grow renewable energy. (Photo: Bill Olive/For the Houston Chronicle) More »

Seahawk sells rig amid downturn in shallow-water drilling

Posted on October 14, 2010 at 10:57 am by Jennifer A. Dlouhy in Gulf oil spill, Oil field services, People, Workforce

CEO, as company furloughs 1/4 of its workforce: “”We just don’t think we’re going to be able to put all of our rigs back to work in the U.S.” More »

University of Tulsa rock jocks get a boost from alum

Posted on October 14, 2010 at 9:55 am by Tom Fowler in People, Workforce

JMA Energy founder to give $7.5 million for new director, faculty fund. (Photo: University of Tulsa) More »

Uncle Sam wants you, drilling engineers

Posted on October 12, 2010 at 11:21 am by Jennifer A. Dlouhy in People, Social

Top U.S. drilling regulator plans a recruiting tour in Louisiana and Texas this month with a plea for would-be oil and gas workers: Come work for us. More »

Nooses case against oil & gas equipment co. kicks off in federal court

Posted on October 12, 2010 at 7:31 am by Jillian Cohan in People

Houston workers claim three nooses hung at FMC Technologies’ plant were part of a pattern of hostility that included racial slurs. FMC counters that the company showed no tolerance for racist attitudes and quickly fired the workers involved in the noose incidents. More »

You gotta be kidding me! Exxon Mobil HQ not moving to Houston

Posted on October 11, 2010 at 12:55 am by Tom Fowler in Corporate governance, People

Dallas wins again: Plans to move all of Exxon’s 14,000-plus Houston-area workers onto one campus in North Houston don’t include relocating the corporate headquarters. (Photo: Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle) More »

Spill may have dissipated, but economic effects remain

Posted on October 10, 2010 at 11:05 pm by Loren in Gulf oil spill, People

Fishermen and offshore-oil-support companies struggle to survive months after BP capped the damaged Macondo well. (Photo: Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle) More »

Scientists shocked as bacterial gunk marches across surfaces, gums up pipes

Posted on October 8, 2010 at 3:17 pm by Jillian Cohan in People

They’re called biofilms — communities of bacteria that can block the flow of oil through pipes. A University of Houston engineer says the discovery that they “walk” could help scientists stop the suckers from forming. More »

ConocoPhillips keeps looking for Dream Team, but what about the coach?

Posted on October 7, 2010 at 12:43 pm by Tom Fowler in Corporate governance, People

About a dozen executive VPs have moved on from the oil major in recent years. Maybe CEO Jim Mulva needs to change his game plan. (AP Photo) More »