Steve Cossé, president and CEO of Murphy Oil Corp., intends to step down following the completion of the company's previously announced plan to spin off to its stockholders its US downstream operations into an independent and separately traded company.

Revenues for the group of publicly-traded US-based companies tracked by Oil & Gas Journal and Oil & Gas Financial Journal grew in the final quarter of 2012.

Southwestern Energy Co. (NYSE: SWN) has agreed to acquire natural gas properties located in Pennsylvania prospective for the Marcellus Shale from Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) and its partners for approximately $93 million.

The Offshore Technology Conference Board of Directors has elected a new chairman and vice chairman for 2014-2015.

GulfStar Group was named the winner of the Energy Deal of the Year Under $500 million at the 5th Annual International M&A Advisor Awards for the acquisition of Custom Rubber Products by The Flexitallic Group.

The Energy Industries Council (EIC), a trade association for UK companies that supply goods and services to the energy industries worldwide, has appointed The Right Honourable the Lord Howell of Guildford as president. Lord Howell is a senior member of the House of Lords, and has held ministerial positions for Energy, Transport and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in two Conservative Governments.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. has named Robert Douglas (Doug) Lawler, senior vice president of international and deepwater operations at Anadarko Petroleum, as CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, effective June 17.