Chairman

Brian F Maxted

I am the Chairman of Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company. I have enjoyed a successful, 40-year career as a serial oil and gas explorer and entrepreneur in the upstream E&P business, and am now applying my skills, knowledge and experience to help solve the unique challenges we face today.

Working with private equity to start and build new companies as well as applying my sub – surface technical skills together with my above ground global capabilities, I plan to play a key role in the future-facing energy transition and de-carbonization space by establishing Lapis as a new, integrated, international energy solutions company with an initial focus on carbon capture, transport and storage.

Since graduating from the University of Sheffield in 1978 with a B.SC. in geology and from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with an M.Sc. in organic geochemistry and organic petrology, I spent the first part of my professional life through the 1980’s and early 1990’s working for Britoil / BP in many places around the world, including Europe (UK and Norway), Africa (Egypt) and North America (Canada) and South America, where in Colombia, I was involved in the discovery and delineation of the giant Cusiana – Cupiagua fields.

During the second half of my business career from the mid-1990’s through to 2019, I worked in various exploration leadership roles for US independents based in Texas, USA. These included Triton Energy where, before its sale to the Hess Corporation in 2001, I was involved in establishing the Carigali-Triton Operating Company in the Malaysia Thailand Joint Development Zone which subsequently made a number of large gas discoveries, prior to leading the team which opened the Rio Muni Basin in Equatorial Guinea with the Ceiba discovery in 1999.

After a brief period with Hess, I was a founding partner and later CEO and a board director of the private equity sponsored Kosmos Energy in 2003 which went public on the NYSE in 2011, following the discovery of the giant Jubilee Field offshore Ghana in 2007 and prior to the major gas finds, including Tortue in Mauritania / Senegal in 2015.

As well as enjoying a range of sports, hobbies and other interests, my passion for geology, which developed at school, has remained with me outside of the office and as an avid student of minerals I have assembled one of the largest private collections of Calcite.

CEO

Hamish Wilson

I am CEO of Lapis Energy, an integrated full cycle carbon management company. Our purpose is to develop projects to decarbonise industry and to create a new asset class based around the management of carbon dioxide and hydrogen.  We have created an exciting and agile global team of talented geoscientists, engineers and market experts operating internationally through virtual connectivity.

We are backed by Cresta Fund Management, who have supported us on our journey to fund and deliver projects from inception through to development and on to operations.

My role is the culmination of 40 years in industry, starting out with BP as a geologist before running consultancies specializing in exploration, and then founding a renewable energy start up.  I see a compelling logic to applying the specialist geoscience and capital project disciplines learned from the traditional oil and gas sector to supporting the energy transition and solving climate change.  The Lapis Energy team have decades of deep technical expertise and employ these skills to developing projects that capture carbon emissions and permanently sequester them safely underground.

I am passionate about finding integrated solutions to solving climate change and creating commercial structures that leverage the capital necessary to transform our economies for the low carbon future.

Outside of work, I am a fund holder with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation focussed on enabling high net worth individuals to support local charities.  I have a particular interest in the lack of justice resulting from social deprivation and supporting disadvantaged families.  I am also a keen sailor and, with my wife Elin, love taking time out on our yacht Robin to cruise the world.

Commercial Director

Sarah Milne

I am Commercial Director at Lapis Energy and lead all commercial negotiations and commercial structuring of carbon capture ventures and strategic partnerships globally. With some 25 years in the energy industry, I started my career at BP where I led ‘non-standard’ negotiations in a range of environments and cultural contexts, particularly complex infrastructure transactions.

Significant achievements included a complex price negotiation in Asia Pacific for LNG supplies unlocking c$2bn of value; and securing World Bank Directors’ support for the multi-billion dollar financing of a complicated transnational pipeline project. In my first role post BP I led engagements with the EU in respect of a potential FOAK post combustion carbon capture project in Holland.

Having set up a very successful consultancy specialising commercially driven strategic social investment for energy companies in Africa, I then led negotiations for a highly sensitive and complex transnational infrastructure project in East Africa.

I now live in a 500yr old farmhouse in Wiltshire, UK with my partner, one year old son, two dogs, a horse and am the proud part owner of a Marcos LM1800 race car and a classic car workshop fuelled by 30kwh of solar panels and a biomass boiler.   I have a degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Bath and Insead International Negotiations training.

Technical Director - UK Lead

Brian Mitchener

I am the Technical Director with Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company. I am a chartered geologist, and I have spent over 40 years in the energy business with BP, Statoil, and BG, as General Manager and Exploration Director.  Like a lot of people of my age, I was the first member of my family to go to University and I joined BP after graduating from Imperial College, London in 1980.  The wealth of knowledge I have gained in upstream international operations, is now very relevant and readily applicable to the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) industry.

I have been most fortunate in my career to have worked alongside leading edge technologists and together we have unlocked a number of multibillion barrel oil and gas provinces.  Now though is time for change, and to join the drive to stem global climate change, utilising my knowledge to deliver a net zero future.  I am now repurposing my play-based exploration experience to identify and develop the best potential carbon sinks for Carbon Capture and Storage, adjacent to major industrial carbon emitters.  In the short term this provides the potential to abate emissions while the world transitions from fossil to renewable fuels.

I am conscious that the race to stem global warming is not a competition with other prospective CCS companies, the scale of the global emissions is so large that there is room for all companies to contribute and abate emissions.  We should where possible share technology and work-flows, and know how to progress our CCUS activities as fast as possible.  Being the best in this game is all about sharing and transforming the worlds energy consumption together.

I am lucky enough to live my passions for rugby and football through my children and I am immensely proud of their achievements.  I am now deeply committed to creating a new low carbon world where their careers and lives can blossom.

Projects Director

Glen Cayley

I am Projects Director of Lapis Energy, a de-carbonisation venture that aims to identify, develop and operate sources to securely and permanently sink carbon, pioneering the lowest cost operational options to meet the urgent net zero challenges ahead. I have worked in the upstream energy sector for 40 years, starting with Exxon in the UK North Sea where huge offshore developments transformed the UK and Norway. This led to a career spanning the globe from Texas to Argentina, Australia, West Africa and beyond. I returned to Aberdeen in 2010 to head Shell UK’s upstream division and reconnect with many of the assets now at the end of their field life and facing huge safety and cost challenges.

Having participated in and led some of the world’s most formidable energy projects, I am passionate and committed to solving climate change through the prism of opportunity: integrating novel technology, deep expertise and resources to find solutions for a safe and affordable net-zero future. I am inspired to be able to work with an outstanding team, in an evolving industry.

I grew up in Lancashire on the edge of the Pennines which inspired my fascination for geology. I graduated from Liverpool and Aberdeen Universities with degrees in geology, and petroleum studies.

I am married with two adult children and four grandchildren who are my greatest motivation for driving forward the energy transition and helping to deliver a sustainable future.

VP ESG & External Relations - US Lead

Reg Manhas

I am the VP for ESG and External Relations at Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company.

A strategic relationship builder at all levels of government, NGOs and communities, I built and led the external affairs and sustainability functions at Talisman Energy and Kosmos Energy and have over two decades of experience managing complex above ground risk in over 25 countries on 5 continents.

I started my career in the Canadian energy industry as a chemical engineering graduate working with Petro Canada in reservoir, facilities and production engineering, eventually obtaining the designation of Professional Engineer.

I subsequently returned to the University of British Columbia to earn a law degree and practised law at McCarthy Tetrault, with a focus on energy, environmental and corporate law before joining Talisman Energy as corporate legal counsel, focused on M&A and corporate securities.

At the request of the Talisman CEO, I created the Corporate Affairs team and managed the company’s above ground risk management of its international and domestic operations, moving the company from a controversial position to ultimately a top ranked ethical company.

I spearheaded Talisman’s above ground entry into Colombia, Peru and the Kurdish region of Iraq as well as its US shale gas business before joining Kosmos in 2012 to build its External Affairs and sustainability function, where I developed the company’s Business Principles and its global leadership position with respect to contract and financial transparency.

I was born and raised in northern Canada and have a passion for skiing, and when I have the opportunity, I try to improve on my very poor guitar playing skills.

I am proud to be part of the Lapis team, contributing to the energy transition, mentoring the next generation and building a sustainable future.

Chief Geoscientist

Stijn Konings

I am the Chief Geoscientist with Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company. I bring 20 years of upstream E&P technical leadership and subsurface project management experience to Lapis Energy, gained with BP, Maersk Oil and most recently Kosmos Energy, where I was employed as a Senior Advisor in the New Ventures group and responsible for screening business opportunities.

Originally from the Netherlands, I obtained a MSc in mining and petroleum engineering from Delft University of Technology. My career spans the whole up-stream value chain from mature resource exploitation through to frontier exploration, across numerous different countries and continents.

I am now applying that broad subsurface experience to the development of CCUS projects. My focus within Lapis Energy is on acquiring licenses to operate CCUS storage sites and subsequent subsurface reservoir management of the CO2 injection scheme.

Some career achievements I am especially proud of are the delivery of 5 infill wells as project lead in a very mature North Sea oil field, project management for the sanction of a 3 well subsea tieback development and most recently the involvement as lead project geophysicist in the discovery of the giant Tortue, Bir Allah and Yakaar gas fields offshore Mauritania and Senegal.

Finding practical solutions for technical challenges motivates me. I am passionate about using my skills to create a better future, while still providing humanity with the energy and commodities required to achieve the transition to net zero.

In my spare time I enjoy the outdoors in the form of fishing, hiking, cycling and mineral collecting. I obtained my first mineral specimen at the tender age of 5, which formed the foundation of a lifelong passion for anything to do with the subsurface.

VP Louisiana Asset

Lee Groves

I am VP Louisiana Asset at Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company, leveraging over 20 years of senior technical leadership and project management experience to identify and secure the best subsurface sinks to create a world class portfolio of full-cycle CCS projects.

I began my career at BP, PGS and BG Group, delivering exploration and subsurface technical expertise in both gas exploration and gas developments, leading subsurface teams and delivering later field life projects in complicated, infrastructure-dense fields including the North Sea, Haynesville and Marcellus Lower 48 regions.

I subsequently helped Kosmos Energy deliver exploration success in West Africa as a technical team leader in Mauritania and Suriname where significant basin opening discoveries were made offshore with the giant Tortue find.

As senior technical advisor for Kosmos Energy’s global portfolio I led subsurface teams globally to deliver industry-leading exploration success, developed geophysical workflows to aid productivity and efficiency in operations, and led multidisciplinary teams in complex subsurface operations in the US, Africa and the UK.

My geological and geophysical expertise, subsurface management and operational knowledge gained from a career in the hydrocarbon industry are critical in the process of safely and confidently sequestering industrial carbon dioxide in underground geological storage areas.

My geological background has given me a passion for travel and the outdoors and when not in the office, I am usually to be found hiking, camping and fishing the lakes of Texas.

VP Operations

Kevin P Bourgeois

I am the Vice President of Operations at Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company. I have managed global operations with demanding challenges within developing countries in Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East as well as North America.

I am a subject matter expert on brownfield project development and execution with a strong energy industry background which includes executive suite, asset management, project and operations management. I am particularly well versed at concept development and project initiation including all major phases of offshore and onshore oil and gas developments including field development planning, field optimization, detailed engineering, fabrication, installation, commissioning, start-up, operations, brownfield upgrades, facility life extensions, and design and construction of high-pressure pipelines and facility decommissioning.

After a distinguished military career as a combat engineering officer with the 101st Airborne Division (air assault), I joined the energy industry in the projects department with Gulf Oil Company, applying the training and skills developed as an Army officer to the management of energy projects.

I led the development of several offshore projects for Gulf Oil / Chevron including all of the platforms for the Vermilion 24 field, a shallow water high pressure gas field. I subsequently joined Saudi Aramco as project engineer/engineering manager on a program tasked with maintaining the potential for maximum production from the Saudi offshore oil fields.

Some of my career highlights include the development and management of Chevron’s underwater maintenance program for 1100 platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, an asset integrity upgrade program for all of BG Group’s operated assets in Trinidad which won the BG Chairman’s award, and a complicated offshore greenfield project which included a large brownfield component in a complex joint venture environment in Egypt.

I take great pride in applying my experience leading both greenfield and brownfield projects to Lapis Energy’s CCS projects where existing carbon dioxide emitter plants are modified with capture facilities and pipelines are either newly installed or re-purposed to transport high pressure gas to an available underground storage facility.

I am a native of South Louisiana and an avid hunter and fisherman. I have had a highly successfully career in oil and gas and my aspiration with Lapis is to give back to my homeland by reducing emissions in Louisiana and to give back to my industry by steering the energy transition market.

VP Corporate Business

Derek Folger

I am VP Corporate Business at Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company, building strategic economic solutions to ensure a competitive portfolio of opportunities.  I leverage experiences from both a Fortune 500 corporation and a successful entrepreneurial company to deliver innovative business models in an emerging industry that is growing rapidly.

My background is in geology and geophysics, having worked for Kosmos Energy on their new ventures team and prior to that Anadarko Petroleum within their global exploration group from 2006-2016.

I led a number of projects at Anadarko in the Gulf of Mexico, West Texas, and New Zealand, where I developed an interest in the business aspect of portfolio management. In 2015, I was among a handful of employees selected to Anadarko’s Leadership Academy where I honed my business acumen and strategic thinking on what makes projects, and ultimately a company, successful.

I leveraged this experience when joining Kosmos Energy in 2016 where I spent four years in an entrepreneurial environment building a portfolio of international opportunities through innovative access strategies, before leaving in 2020 to join Lapis Energy.

I am passionate about building a company that is at the forefront of the energy transition and helping to find the solutions to climate change and creating a greener future for the planet.

An Eagle Scout who grew up in Chehalis, Washington in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, I have an affinity for the outdoors and a passion for the natural environment. I am a member of the Highpointers Club and as of 2021 have summited the highest point in 44 of the 50 states.

VP New Opportunities

Terry Wiseman

I am a VP for New Opportunities at Lapis Energy, bringing over 25 years upstream E & P technical and strategic business leadership to the company.

In prior roles at BP, BHP, and Kosmos Energy I led onshore and offshore exploration and development projects in North America, SE Asia, Russia, South America and throughout Africa.

I have in-depth knowledge of North American and international subsurface that provides excellent CCS opportunities, along with a strong track record of asset delivery. As a member of BP’s global reservoir characterization team, tasked with unravelling reservoir prediction and performance issues globally, I have wide ranging skills critical to the delivery of CCS projects.

Early in my career I played a key role in developing the play, identifying, and capturing key acreage that led to the discovery of the Noel tight gas field, NEBC (Canada), monetized by $1B 2010 divestment to Apache as a core asset for Kitimat LNG.

More recently with Kosmos Energy, I led entry into Senegal, São Tomé and Príncipe, South Africa, and Namibia. This acreage led to the discovery of the supergiant Tortue gas field with the remaining international portfolio monetized in 2020 for $200M to Royal Dutch Shell.

I have had the great fortune to have been mentored by exceptional leaders who have helped me develop a work ethos, discipline, and enthusiasm for operating at frontiers. Co-founding Lapis Energy, to create a commercially successful pure carbon sequestration company in a newly developing industry, is a natural extension of this frontier passion.

My goal is to develop a leading CCS company that provides investors the opportunity to participate in a just energy transition, not only to achieve carbon neutral ambitions, but to do so profitably. Founding a forward leaning business, in a newly developed industry that serves a globally significant need is exciting and deeply meaningful.

I live in Plano, Texas with my wife and three teenage children who keep me busy in the pursuit of their individual passions. Additionally, I enjoy activities such as boating, skiing, hiking, fishing and hunting where I can pursue a lifelong enjoyment of the outdoors.

Asia-Pacific Lead

Ralph Cowan

I am the Asia-Pacific Lead for Lapis Energy, with over 30 years’ experience in the Energy business and commercialisation of new projects, and deep experience in the Asian market, specialising in marketing energy products.

My main areas of expertise include major energy sales negotiations in key Asian markets, contract management and joint venture marketing, and new energy business development (Hydrogen and CCUS).

I have extensive experience in the corporate strategy and planning areas to drive business performance, having worked across both commercial and operating business units, with a strong record of meeting performance objectives. I aim to deliver practical solutions to resolve commercial issues and close deals.

I am a specialist in marketing for LNG and pipeline gas marketing, oil trading, and lifting coordination and have worked broadly across commercial aspects in the development of major upstream projects and downstream tolling arrangements.  I hold an MBA and Bachelors in Science (Mathematics) with distinctions.

I have a deep network within the energy industry and strong international relationships on both the buy and sell sides, with a focus on the North Asian markets of Japan, Korea and China.

I enjoy travelling and experiencing new cultures, am an avid cinephile and lover of science fiction works.  While not an adrenaline junkie, I recently abseiled down a 220m building!

I am committed to leveraging my extensive oil & gas experience to helping develop new cleaner energy and decarbonisation projects to ensure the world can meet the ongoing climate challenge.

Business Ambassador Asia-Pacific

Reinhardt Matisons

I am the Business Ambassador Asia Pacific for Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company.

A senior executive with more than 35 years of commercial experience in the energy sector (most recently with Australia’s leading independent oil and gas company, Woodside Energy Ltd), I have a track record of executive leadership and successfully leading complex commercial negotiations on behalf of Woodside, Joint Ventures and other companies that have underpinned multi-billion dollar investment decisions.

Working with Poten & Partners, energy brokers and consultants in New York, I provided advice to clients that included producers, project sponsors, banks, shipping companies, gas and power utilities.

Recognised as a leading industry expert in the Asia Pacific LNG market, I have built deep and mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships with customers and industry participants in Asia Pacific, Europe and the USA.

I have successfully developed high-performing teams and built company commercial capabilities, contributing to the company strategy and culture development, and have led and implemented product marketing and shipping strategies.

I am married with 3 grown children who have followed me into the engineering and energy industry. A late life surfing enthusiast, I enjoy spending in time Western Australia’s Margret River region renowned for its natural beauty, beaches, wine and cuisine.

I am proud to be supporting Lapis Energy in the important work of finding solutions to climate change and driving the urgency of energy transition.

CCS & Low Carbon Expert Advisor

Bill Senior

I am an expert advisor at Lapis Energy in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and the Low Carbon Energy Transition.  My role is to bring the knowledge, learning and networks that I have from global CCS activities and the Low Carbon transition to the Lapis and BluEnergy activity and clients. My expertise covers strategy, project development, technology, geological storage, policy and regulation. I also bring a commitment and passion for a low carbon future.

With the growing international commitments to Net Zero Emissions, I am convinced the time has now come for large scale commercial decarbonisation of the industry and power sectors using CCS, Hydrogen and low carbon clusters. These provide new commercial opportunities and the context for new companies like Lapis and BluEnergy.

My expertise has built up in a variety of roles for a range of stakeholders including BP, UK Government, European Commission, Asian Development Bank, other companies and consultancies. I have initiated and been part of many efforts to progress CCS and early projects enabled by commercial frameworks, new policy and regulations. This experience has also given me a strong understanding of the Climate science and policy context, decarbonisation options and pathways, emissions reporting,  ESG and wider environmental issues. I have experience from CCS projects in UK, USA, Algeria, China, Southeast Asia and Australia.

I have been involved in landmark projects and reports. I contributed to the 2005 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Carbon Capture and Storage on Geological Storage and Economics. I led early collaboration between UK, EU and China on CCS (NZEC). I authored parts of the European regulatory Guidance Documents for the CCS Directive on Storage Risk, Monitoring and Corrective Measures. I reviewed industry potential for geological storage in the UK and a key report on potential leakage and CO2 storage liabilities for DECC. I was involved in the US NPC study on CCS (2018) and OGCI’s kickstarter initiative.

I spent 32 years with BP in business, subsurface and technology roles covering alternative energy, exploration and production and gas. I was BP’s first CCS technology manager. My experience in petroleum geology underpins my expertise in geological storage. I was seconded to the UK government ‘s International Climate Change team from 2004-2006 during the G8 and EU presidencies. I have worked as an independent consultant from 2008-2020 when I became a co- founder of BluEnergy which continues as a successful consulting entity alongside Lapis.

It all started with a degree in geology from Oxford University. In addition to spending time with my family, I pursue personal interests in painting vibrant watercolours, coaching and watching cricket, and outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and wild swimming.

Clean Hydrogen Expert Advisor

Dr Tony Smith

I am the Clean Hydrogen Expert Advisor at Lapis Energy, focusing on hydrogen in a decarbonised energy ecosystem.   I am a scientist with a PhD in hydrocarbon biotechnology and 40 years of oil and gas industry experience, primarily in gas markets.

Over the past 6 years or so I have been working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to attract investment and promote the decarbonised energy cluster in the north west of the UK, which subsequently became the now successfully government-funded HyNet project.

I was part of the major transformation of the UK gas market in the 90’s leading to competitive markets and the creation of a wide and deep natural gas market.  I understand the connectivity and inter-relationship of natural gas with hydrogen and the complex market drivers which will lead to the development of successful hydrogen markets along with the role of CCUS, which can and must sit alongside ‘green’ electrolytic hydrogen from renewables and also other genres of hydrogen in a technically fast-moving marketplace.

Consultancy assignments have led me to numerous successfully delivered commercial and technical projects around the world.

I am a member of the UK Government’s (BEIS) Hydrogen Business Model Expert Advisory Group.   I founded the North West Hydrogen Alliance and sit on its advisory board and am also an Advisory Board Member of the Decarbonised Gas Alliance.

My goals are to ensure effective and economic transition pathways to decarbonising the energy mix while optimising resource value through smart infrastructure planning and market connectivity. In the latter stages of my career, I want to engage in knowledge transfer to the next professional generations and to do what I can to ensure that the hydrogen energy revolution starts with the ‘right’ assumptions leading to practical and economically viable outcomes.

I am a keen endure motorcyclist and have biked over the Himalayas, Andes, Rockies and Western Ghats.  I am a football referee and a huge Chelsea fan.

Low Carbon Markets Expert Advisor

Martin Dru

I am the Low Carbon Markets Expert Advisor at Lapis Energy, bringing 20 years of financial risk management skills to the team, secured in energy and agricultural commodity trading sectors.

I have extensive international experience in a range of major oil company roles from upstream exploration through commercial gas to new business development and have risk-managed green energy portfolios since 2001. I also have significant experience in downside management having navigated trading companies through two crises with no losses (the Enron market collapse in 2001 and the global financial crisis in 2009).

I am a specialist in large scale breakthrough project design and execution, incorporating IT systems and process change. I hold a BSc Geology from Sheffield and an MBA from Reading.

I believe that the technical and commercial skills and expertise in the Lapis Energy team along with deep sector knowledge will be instrumental in creating new opportunities and supporting the energy transition.

Business Advisor

Hugh Wilson

I am a Consultant working with Lapis Energy, bringing fresh analysis techniques and methods to maximise the business’s potential in the developing energy transition industry. I am passionate in securing our future – pushing the company, our projects, and our clients towards the highest standards of energy efficiency and carbon reductions through fact-based pragmatism.

I am a specialist in low-carbon project analysis and design, with a focus on energy. I have previously specialised in modelling and assessing the viability of wind, solar, battery, and renewable heating projects, helping scope options and hone them into viable business propositions from financial and ESG perspectives.

This ties in with previous work in a strategic marketing consultancy to energy companies. Here, I analysed clients’ technical services and products to highlight compatible areas to capitalise on the energy transition. From this, I advised marketing strategies, developed content, and informed C-Suite communication strategies.

Most recently in my role with the team at BluEnergy & Lapis I built a proprietary UK Cluster Economic Model. Using the team’s extensive knowledge, I integrated the disparate projects to build unified, representative financial projections modelling various policy instruments for government support. An academic background in Geology (BSc) and Renewable Technology and Entrepreneurship (MSc) informs my methods and strategies. I am a member of the PESGB, the Geological Society, and the Energy Institute.