Management Profiles
Mr Norman Zillman
Non Executive Chairman
Norman Zillman is a Geologist with a B.Sc (Geology) and B.Sc (Hons) (Botany) from the University of Queensland. He has 40 years experience in petroleum, coal and mineral exploration, development and production in Australia and internationally and establishing and developing several coal seam methane projects.
Norm has occupied senior executive positions with Australian and international companies and the Queensland Department of Mines and Energy and State Mining Engineer for Petroleum.
He has been involved in the listing and management of various ASX listed companies, including being a founding director of Queensland Gas Company Ltd, Planet Gas Ltd and Great Artesian Oil and Gas Ltd.
Norm is currently a non-executive director of Enterprise Energy NL and Bandana Coal P/L and non-executive chairman of China Yunnan Copper Australia Ltd and Hot Rock Ltd.
Mr Michael Sandy
Executive Director
Michael Sandy is geologist with over 30 years experience in the resources and oil & gas industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) majoring in geology from the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia and Institute of Company Directors (Aust).
Michael Sandy is currently the principal of petroleum geologist consultants Michael J Sandy and Associates Pty Ltd who provide services to the oil & gas companies in Australia, USA and internationally. He commenced his career as a minerals geologist with various mining exploration companies as well as the Australian research organization, CSIRO. In 1982 he moved into petroleum geology initially with the PNG government and later with Oil Search and as a consultant to various oil and gas exploration companies.
In 1994 Michael Sandy helped establish Novus Petroleum Limited and held various senior roles including Executive Committee, Business Development Manager and President of Novus USA, the latter based in Houston until Novus was taken over in 2004. He is a non executive director of two ASX listed oil and gas companies, Caspian Oil and Gas Limited and Tap Oil Limited. Michael is also a director of soon to be, ASX listed, geothermal energy company Hot Rock Ltd.
Mr John McAlwey
Non Executive Director
John McAlwey is lawyer with over 40 years experience in the resources, finance and property sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Western Australia.
John McAlwey operated his own legal practice J.B.McAlwey & Co and practised as a commercial lawyer for over 15 years. He has been involved in the establishment of numerous companies and businesses including the roles of chairman and director of a number of mining and exploration companies.
Mr Andrew Kugler, Jr
Non- Executive Director
Andrew Kugler is geologist with over 40 years experience in the oil & gas industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science Geology from Yale University (USA), a PhD in Geology from University of Tasmania and is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Andrew Kugler is currently the President and CEO of AKG Energy, AKG Oil Company and AKG Operating Company who are involved in oil and gas exploration, development and operations in Texas and internationally. Although based in Austin, Texas since 1980, his companies have had offices in the US, Australia, and Papua New Guinea.
Andrew Kugler has over 40 years of geological and geophysical experience both internationally and in the US. In 1974 he left Gulf Oil Company to enter the oil & gas industry as an independent. His companies and partners have drilled, or caused to be drilled wells both onshore and offshore in Australia and Papua New Guinea, and hundreds of wells in the onshore continental US.
Mr Khib Kugler
Non Executive Director
Mr Kugler graduated from The University of Texas with degrees in Geology and Business, and a graduate degree in Geophysics. He has over 25 years of geological and geophysical experience both internationally and in the US, including 8 years with Texaco. In 2001, Khib joined AKG as Vice President of Geology and Geophysics.
US Operator AKG Energy
The drilling program will be undertaken and managed by AKG Energy pursuant to a Joint Operating Agreement.
AKG Energy, and its associates AKG Oil Company and AKG Operating Company (“AKG”), are an independent, family owned companies involved in oil and gas exploration, development and operations. The principals are Dr. Andrew Kugler, Jr. (over 40 years of geological and geophysical experience both internationally and in the US), Khib A. Kugler (over 25 years of geological and geophysical experience both internationally and in the US), Karras J. Kugler (over 16 years petroleum engineer experience), and Greigh P. Kugler (over 18 years legal and petroleum land management experience).The principals of the AKG companies have a combined 90 years of hands-on experience as explorers, operators and producers.
The first of the AKG companies was incorporated in 1989 with a primary focus towards managing personal operated and non-operated producing interests, prospect development, property acquisition and drilling in the Giddings Austin Chalk and Big -A- Taylor fields in Texas USA. With the application of 3D seismic technology, AKG has expanded its focus to include exploration and development in the Tertiary clastic sediments of the Texas Gulf Coast. AKG Operating Company currently operates wells in Brazos and Burleson Counties in Texas, where it has been a bonded operator since 1989.