Natural Resources >> CEO Interviews >> March 10, 2003
JAMES C. FLORES is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Plains
Exploration & Production Company. Based in Houston, PXP is an
independent oil and gas company primarily engaged in the upstream
activities of acquisition, exploitation, development and
production of crude oil and natural gas. Mr. Flores is also
Chairman of Plains Resources Inc. Through Plains Resources'
ownership in Plains All American Pipeline, LP, Plains has
interests in the midstream activities of marketing, gathering,
transportation, terminalling and storage of crude oil. Mr. Flores
began his career in 1982 as Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of Flores & Rucks, Inc. The company, which
rapidly established a strong position in the Gulf of Mexico and
onshore coastal Louisiana, successfully concluded an initial
public offering in 1994. Flores & Rucks, Inc., became a
successful growth company and was highlighted with FNR stock
performance increasing by 276% and ranked as the third highest
performing stock in 1996 by the New York Stock Exchange. The
company, renamed Ocean Energy, Inc., in July 1997, merged with
United Meridian Corporation in 1998, combining the two companies'
extensive domestic assets with the high-potential international
assets of UMC. Mr. Flores was named President and Chief Executive
Officer of the combined companies which continued to be known as
Ocean Energy, Inc. Concurrent with the 1999 merger of Seagull
Energy Corporation and Ocean Energy, Inc., Mr. Flores continued
to serve as Chairman of the Board of Ocean Energy, Inc., through
December 1999 and then as Vice Chairman until January 2001 while
Ocean's annual revenue exceeded $1 billion and over $5 billion in
assets for the year 2000. Mr. Flores is an active member of the
National Petroleum Council, the Independent Petroleum Association
of America and the American Association of Professional Landmen.
Mr. Flores was inducted into the All-American Wildcatters in
1999. He is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization and
serves on the Board of Directors of the Wetlands America Trust. Profile
TWST: Would you give us a brief introduction to PlainsExploration & Production?
Mr. Flores: Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) is one
of the domestic oil and gas producers