GeoGlobal Energy adds experienced staff to team in U.S.

GeoGlobal Energy project site in Chile (source: GeoGlobal Energy)

Alexander Richter 26 Jul 2010

In a release by the company, “GeoGlobal Energy LLC (GGE), announces the recent addition of three highly respected geothermal professionals to its technical team. Bob Swanson has joined the company as drilling manager, Jim Stimac has joined as senior geologist, and Paula Blaydes has joined as director of environmental permitting & governmental affairs. Mr. Swanson, Dr. Stimac, and Ms. Blaydes are based in GGE’s Santa Rosa, Calif. office.

A. Michael Van Vleck, GGE’s president, commented “The addition of Bob Swanson, Jim Stimac, and Paula Blaydes, three of the top professionals in their respective fields, is central to GGE’s strategy to build the premiere geothermal company with top-tier talent to execute our ambitious growth plan. GGE’s strategy is to employ the top talent in the industry using our well-funded capital base to develop world class geothermal resources in mature power markets. We are very pleased to have Bob, Jim, and Paula on the GeoGlobal team.”

Swanson brings 20 years of experience in the geothermal and oil industry. He has an expertise in the creation and management of resource verification programs, both domestic and foreign. Swanson joins GGE from Thermasource, one of the largest geothermal service companies in the United States, where he served as vice president of drilling engineering services. Prior to Thermasource, he worked for 16 years at Unocal and Chevron. He has managed geothermal programs in the United States, Philippines, Indonesia, and the Middle East. At GGE, Swanson will oversee all drilling activities at the company’s recent discovery at Tolhuaca, Chile. He will also provide support at four other Chilean prospect areas, as well as GGE’s U.S. projects. Swanson has a B.S. in geophysics from the University of Minnesota, Institute of Technology and a M.S. in petroleum engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

Stimac brings 20 years of experience in the geothermal industry. He is joining GGE from Chevron’s Geothermal Division, where he was responsible for geoscience project management at the Salak (377 MW) geothermal field in Indonesia. Prior to Chevron, Stimac worked for Unocal, managing all geoscience activities for the Tiwi (330 MW) and Bulalo (426 MW) geothermal fields in the Philippines, and conducting geothermal exploration in Central America. He has also worked at Los Alamos National Labs and taught geology and geochemistry at Queen’s University in Ontario. Stimac will provide geologic and modeling support for the 49.9 MW Hudson Ranch I project, for which GGE is a part owner and provided equity financing. Stimac has a B.S. in geology from the University of Michigan, a M.S in geology from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. in geology and volcanology from Queen’s University.

Blaydes, who joined GGE in November 2009, has worked on geothermal projects throughout the United States and abroad, and has more than 30 years of experience in environmental permitting, project development, and legislative and governmental affairs. She has permitted 10 geothermal power plants in the state of California on private and federally owned lands. In 2007, she authored the California Geothermal Permitting Guide for the California Energy Commission, the primary guide for power generation and direct use projects throughout the state. Most recently Blaydes was a vice president at Western GeoPower, Inc., where she permitted the first new power plant at The Geysers, California in 21 years in less than 12 months. Blaydes has a B.A. in environmental studies and land use planning from Sonoma State University. She is a board member of the Geysers Geothermal Association and is a former vice president/executive board member of the Geothermal Resources Council.”

Source: Company announcement via e-mail