Woodside names former Shell brass to board

PERTH, Australia, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- Australian energy company Woodside Petroleum said it named one of Shell's leaders in Arctic exploration as a non-executive member of its board.

Ann Pickard joined the board of Woodside after a 15-year career with Royal Dutch Shell.

"The directors are delighted that we have been able to attract a person of Ms. Pickard's background and experience to the company's board," Woodside Chairman Michael Chaney said in a statement.

Pickard led Shell's program off the coast of Alaska after serving for five years as executive vice president in charges of Shell's operations in Australia.

Shell in September said it found evidence of oil and natural gas in its Burger exploration well located in the shallow waters off the coast of Alaska, but not enough to warrant further activity. The Dutch supermajor committed about $7 billion to the Alaska program and is working to protect its investments by challenging pending suspensions of its leases by the U.S. government.

The Dutch supermajor formalized its tie-up with British energy company BG Group on Feb. 15. The $7 billion combination was the largest of its kind since Exxon and Mobil joined forces in the 1990s. The deal will eventually lead to layoffs of about 10,000 for both companies.

Woodside said Pickard retired from Shell on Feb. 1.

Woodside, Australia's largest independent oil and gas company, reported income of around $26 million last year was down roughly 90 percent from the $2.4 billion recorded in 2014.