Management and Support Staff
President, Robert P. Carone
A USC graduate petroleum engineer with over 26 years’ experience in drilling and production operations, including enhanced recovery projects, both on and offshore, in the Gulf Coast with Texaco and in California with Santa Fe International. In early 1980, he joined Wells Fargo Bank as a petroleum engineer, and in mid-1981 accepted a position with Chase as Vice President and Senior Petroleum Engineer. He joined his brother in forming OGMC in 1984 as a director and CEO. Mr. Carone became the President of PACOPS in 1991 upon founding of the company.
Vice President/Operations Superintendent, Bruce E. Johnston
Worked for Douglas Oil / Conoco in Santa Maria, CA from 1975-1986; 3 years in facility operations and 8 years in mechanical / maintenance group (Class A journeyman mechanic). Mr. Johnston was also the employees’ company representative for Oil, Chemical & Atomic Union for the last 5 years. From 1987 – 1991, he worked for Kenai Drilling out of Santa Maria, CA and Republic Drilling Company out of Signal Hill, CA as derrick man, driller and relief toolpusher. In 1991, Bruce joined Pacific Operators in Carpinteria, CA and worked 3 years as lead operator at La Conchita Plant, 4 years as lead operator on offshore platforms, relief supervisor at the La Conchita Plant and offshore platforms, 2 years as PACOPS’s drilling program representative, and the last 8 years as Vice President/Operations Superintendent of all facilities. He was nominated as Secretary of the Board of Directors of Republic Drilling in 2004 and is now President. Expertise includes facilities operations and design, well surveillance, diagnostics, remedial work, production equipment design with PCP, ESP, RP, ESPCP, project management, personnel management, and regulatory compliance in offshore and onshore environments. Certifications include API Offshore Crane Operator, Production Surface Safety Systems, Basic Drilling and Workover Well Control Combination, Clean Seas Emergency Response for On-scene Incident Commanders for Oil Spill Response, and Clean Seas HAZWOPER.
Controller, Mark Stratton
Graduated in 1978 from California State University at Long Beach with a BS degree in Business Administration, emphasis in Accounting. He passed the California CPA Exam in 1978. Upon graduation Mark began working as a staff accountant at Republic Geothermal, Inc. (RGI). In 1981 Mark was charged with integrating the accounting function of a newly purchased subsidiary with the parent (RGI). He was made Controller of the subsidiary group in 1983. In 1986, Mark came over as Controller when RGI was purchased by Carone Group. In 1991, the assumed the position of Controller of PACOPS.
Chief Engineer, Ronald Nazeley
Graduate of University of Southern California (USC) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1973. Worked for Mobil Oil Corporation in Los Angeles from 1972 through 1977; 2 years in Production Engineering and 2 years in Drilling Engineering. From 1977-79, worked for THUMS Long Beach Company as a Production Engineer. In 1979, joined Aramco in Saudi Arabia and retired in 2001 after 22 years of service. Experiences included 5 years in Workover Engineering, 11 years in Production and Reservoir Engineering, 3 years in Facilities Gas Engineering, and 3 years in management support (preparing budgets, cost monitoring, year-end accountability reports, etc.). Expertise includes well problem diagnostics and repairs, gas well technology, water injection and managing engineering teams. He Joined PACOPS in 2008.
Senior Geologist, Edwin B. Edwards
A California State Registered Geologist with 44 years experience in petroleum exploration and production geology. With a degree in Geology from the University Of California, Los Angeles, Ed has worked for a number of independent oil companies throughout his career and has maintained a consulting practice. Although Ed’s experience extends throughout the United States, he has specialized in the geology of the Pacific Coast, particularly the Santa Barbara Channel and the Offshore Santa Maria Basin. He has authored or co-authored more than a dozen professional publications and is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Ed has been associated with Pacific Operators Offshore LLC since 1997.
Engineer, John Kramer
Graduated from Stanford University in 1950 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. After two years of military service in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, he joined the Gulf Oil Corporation. Over a ten-year period he had various assignments as a production engineer in Oklahoma, California and Texas. He resigned Gulf as a Senior Production Engineer in late 1963 and switched to the rig contracting sector of the oil business in Southern California. He joined Finley Oilwell Service Inc. as a toolpusher and became Operations Superintendent, and later Drilling Superintendent, with fourteen well servicing rigs in the Los Angeles Basin. In 1981 the Finley Company was purchased by Republic Drilling Company, and Mr. Kramer was promoted to Vice President of Drilling Operations.. In 1987 John became Chief Operating Officer of the combined Republic and Finley companies when they became part of the Oil and Gas Management Corporation (OGMC). In 1991 Mr. Kramer was promoted to Senior Vice President and was named Operations Superintendent of Pacific Operators Offshore Inc, an OGMC affiliate, responsible for operating two offshore platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel and onshore processing facilities. In January of 2000 Mr. Kramer retired from field operations but opted to remain with the company as a Production Engineer.
Consultant, Steven F. Coombs
A petroleum engineer who graduated from the Colorado School of Mines. Mr. Coombs has over 20 years of experience in the Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, and western United States, beginning with Petro Lewis Corp. in 1979. From 1984-89, he was a principal of Enhanced Production Operations, Inc., a contract oil property management firm. Involved in the Partnership’s early Carpinteria lease acquisition efforts, he became active with the Partnership in 1991 upon completion of the acquisition. Mr. Coombs is a consultant to PACOPS and an active important advisor on Engineering issues. Steve joined the board of directors of Carone Energy in 1994 and currently serves as Executive Vice President.
Consultant, Clement Alberts
Began his career with International Business Machines (1974-80), later joining Scientific Drilling International (1980-83) as an engineering consultant in the field of directional gyro survey laser-based R&D. In 1983, Clement left engineering to pursue a career in law enforcement as a police officer. In 1985, deciding he preferred engineering, Clement elected to become a Reserve Police Officer and joined Pacific Operators Offshore as its Environmental Coordinator. His expertise encompasses governmental/environmental liaison as well as coordinating with all Federal, State and County governmental entities that possess regulatory, permitting and procedural oversight of oil & gas production and processing operations on and offshore. In addition, he has assumed various responsibilities not customarily associated with his position in order to improve management of events and changes in relation to communication and control of environmental costs and coordination with outside environmental and engineering consultants and to ensure compliance in normal operations and extraordinary projects. Clement recently received an award for his contributions as a WPSA Committee Member working with the EPA to craft the National Pollution Discharge System (NPDES) New General Permit.
Consultant, Dr. William Fleckenstein, P.E.
Graduated from Colorado School of Mines in 1988 with a Masters degree in Petroleum Engineering. Upon graduation, he worked for Scientific Software (a leading provider of reservoir simulation consulting) and in 1990 joined Bechtel as a Petroleum and Drilling Engineer working in the Elk Hills field in California. In 1995, William left Bechtel, enrolled in the Doctoral program at Colorado School of Mines, and completed his research in 2000 whereby he graduated with a Doctorate degree in Petroleum Engineering. Mr. Fleckenstein is an Adjunct Professor at the Colorado School of mines and at the same time maintains an active practice in consulting. He is a registered professional petroleum engineer in the state of California (#1666).