MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Oil and Gas. Chief Appointment

Falkland Oil and Gas, an energy exploration company, said on Wednesday it was to appoint Tim Bushell as chief executive following the retirement of Executive Chairman John Armstrong.

Bushell had been heading the Norwegian operations of Paladin Resources, which was recently acquired by Canada's Talisman.

He has experience in the South Atlantic after working on Lasmo's drilling campaign in the North Falklands Basin in 1998, the company said.

"We have steadily strengthened the management team at FOGL in line with the growing potential of our licences," Chairman Richard Liddell said in a statement. "With the opportunity now far bigger than originally envisaged, it was clear that the Company needed a full time chief executive."

Bushell, a 46-year-old geologist, is set to take the helm on January 16.

Falkland, formed in May 2004 to explore south and east of the Falkland Islands, raised 10 million pounds in a share issue last May to fund an expansion of its seismic surveys in the South Atlantic.

It is due to complete 15,000 km survey in early 2006.