OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 22, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chaparral Energy, LLC has appointed John D. Wehrle to the role of senior vice president of business development and finance, and David R. Winchester to the role of senior vice president of drilling operations. Wehrle previously served as managing director and co-head of U.S. operations for Scotia Waterous and most recently as a consultant for Apollo Global Management's Natural Resources group. Winchester was most recently with Chesapeake Energy Corporation, where he served as vice president of drilling operations. Wehrle and Winchester will both report to President and Chief Operating Officer Earl Reynolds.
"As we continued to grow and develop our extensive Mid-Continent acreage and implement our long-term business strategy, we recognized a need within our organization for a team solely dedicated to evaluating potential corporate finance opportunities, as well as monitoring financial analysis and trends within the industry," said Reynolds. "John's experience from an investment banking and upstream E&P finance perspective made him the perfect choice to lead this new team."
Prior to his time at Scotia Waterous, Wehrle spent nearly a decade at Goldman Sachs & Co. and RBC Dominion Securities, as well as time at private equity-backed and public companies, including Bill Barrett Corporation and Vantage Energy. Wehrle holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Manitoba.
"With the retirement of our senior drilling executive in July, Chaparral was challenged with bringing in a highly talented and experienced individual to lead our growing drilling program," said Reynolds. "David brings more than 30 years of onshore experience to our organization and his vast regional knowledge and extensive drilling and safety expertise in multiple basins make him an excellent addition to our team."
Before working at Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Winchester spent time at Anadarko Petroleum, Winmill Petroleum, Chevron USA and Gulf Oil. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, International Association of Drilling Contractors, American Petroleum Institute and American Association of Drilling Engineers. Winchester holds a Master of Science in petroleum engineering degree and a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma.
About Chaparral
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Chaparral is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company and the third-largest oil producer in Oklahoma. The company has capitalized on its sustained success in the Mid-Continent area in recent years by expanding its holdings to become a leading player in the liquids-rich Northern Oklahoma Mississippian and the oil-rich Panhandle Marmaton plays. Chaparral is also the nation's third-largest carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery producer based on active projects. This position is underscored by its activity in the world-class North Burbank Unit in Osage County, Oklahoma, which is the largest oil recovery unit in the state. For more information, please visit chaparralenergy.com.