Proactive Investor's  Instablog

WHL Energy's (ASX: WHN) new chairman Trevor Benson brings to the role a strong background in stockbroking and investment banking.

Benson is currently a non-executive director of WHL Energy and a director, corporate advisory at PCF Capital Group.

He takes over the role following current non-executive chairman John Chandler's decision to step down to take up the roles of Professor in Law at the University of Western Australia and director for the Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law.

Highlighting the calibre of individuals WHL is attracting to help strengthen its international oil and gas experience, the company appointed former Oil Search chief operating officer Dr Keiran Wulff as non-executive director last week.

Wulff, a 28 year veteran of the oil and gas industry, is currently executive chairman of Aligned Energy.

His previous experience includes 15 years with ASX-listed Oil Search (ASX: OSH), where he performed roles including chief operating officer.

Wulff was also responsible for Oil Search's new business in the Middle East and North Africa.

WHL recently firmed its hold over the La Bella gas field with the granting of the VIC/P67 permit in the Otway Basin offshore Victoria.

The company committed to a primary work program totalling A$62.1 million in the first three years to beat out six other bids for the permit, which was released as V11-2, under the Federal Government's 2011 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release round.

VIC/P67 is located close to existing infrastructure including the Santos (ASX: STO) operated Casino gas development, Origin Energy's (ASX: ORG) Otway gas project, the BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP) operated Minerva development and TRU Energy's Iona gas plant.

WHL has previously said the La Bella gas field will allow it to book an immediate best estimate (2C) contingent resource of 158 petajoules (149 billion cubic feet) of gas and 1.2 million barrels of condensate.

Further upside potential exists in the block including the relatively low risk prospects present at Highlander and West La Bella which provide additional tie-back opportunities to a potential La Bella development.

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