PetroChina, Pangaea Executives Join DUG Australia

HOUSTON, July 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zhou Zhibin , vice president for PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Co., and Andrew R. Scott , senior technical advisor for Pangaea Resources Pty. Ltd., have joined the esteemed speakers scheduled to address delegates at Hart Energy's inaugural DUG Australia conference and exhibition 27-29 August in Brisbane's Royal International Convention Centre.

China's economic growth dominates energy demand discussions and PetroChina's Zhou will address the country's progress in seeking unconventional production. Pangaea holds extensive acreage in the Northern Territory and Western Australia with strong prospects for shale gas and oil. Scott will discuss specifics of these unique resource plays.

DUG Australia brings market-leading information on CSG, shale, and tight sands development to producers, the financial community, technical service providers, pipeline operators, policymakers, and other professionals. Leading speakers include pioneers in North America's shale revolution: Bruce Vincent , president, Swift Energy Co.; Richard Stoneburner , president (ret.), North America shale production division, BHP Billiton Ltd.; Gary Evans , president and CEO, Magnum Hunter Resources Corp; and Doug Brooks , chief executive for Aurora Oil & Gas Ltd. 

• Vincent , former chairman, Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), will open DUG Australia with stakeholder and community relations insights from shale and tight formation plays.  
• Stoneburner , former president and COO of Petrohawk (a leading shale explorer), will discuss formation evaluation, drilling/completion innovations, and go-to-market strategies.
• Evans will examine results of Magnum Hunter's work in the most prolific U.S. unconventional plays: the Bakken, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, and Utica.
• Brooks will share his perspective on what has worked (or not) in North American shale development and how these lessons transfer to Australia.

Other confirmed speakers include:

• Kathryn Klaber , CEO, Marcellus Shale Coalition
• Diana Hoff , vice president, technical and engineering, Santos Ltd. 
• Bill Marko , managing director, Jefferies & Co .
• David Wrench , managing director, Strike Energy Ltd.
• David Breeze , executive director, Advent Energy Ltd.
• Brad Lingo , managing director, Drillsearch Energy Ltd.
• Paul Bloxham , chief economist, Australia and New Zealand, HSBC Bank Australia Ltd.
• Chris Robart , partner, PacWest
• Don Schofield , president, Linc Energy Ltd. 
• Phil Thick , managing director, New Standard Energy
• Neil Tupper , general manager, exploration and geoscience, AWE Ltd.
• Kip Ferguson , executive vice president of exploration, Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. 
• William Haskett , senior principal, energy strategy, Decision Strategies
• Paul Johnson , MBE, energy resource supplier advocate, Australian Government
• Billy Ray Smith , senior business development manager, Australia, Halliburton Co.
• Shane Charles , CEO, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise
• Ross Millan , senior analyst, Australasia, Wood Mackenzie
• Andrew Buffin , reservoir development manager, Baker Hughes
• Tony Regan , principal consultant, Tri-Zen International Pte Ltd
• Michael D. Zuber , advisor, unconventional gas, Asia area, Schlumberger
• Mark Dempsey , senior managing director, head of oil & gas, Asia & Australia, Macquarie Capital
• Dan Paul Smith , senior vice president, NSAI
• John G. Hattner , senior vice president, NSAI

About Hart Energy

For nearly 40 years, Hart Energy has delivered leading insights to the global energy industry. The Houston-based company publishes print (such as Oil and Gas Investor magazine), online media, and data services across the energy value chain; hosts international conferences (such as Developing Unconventionals [DUG™] series); and offers GIS and mapping solutions. The firm provides research and consulting services, including the North American Shale Quarterly research platform, whose independent production and midstream forecasts are relied upon by industry operators and investors using the Bloomberg Tradebook platform. For more information, visit hartenergy.com .

Greg Salerno +1.713.260.5200