Tulsa’s Williams Companies announced Wednesday that it is implementing organizational changes to simplify its corporate structure and further advance its natural gas-focused strategy.
By early 2017, Williams will consolidate the number of company operating areas from five to three. They include Atlantic-Gulf, West and Northeast Gathering & Processing.
The Atlantic-Gulf operations will remain under the leadership of Rory Miller, a 30-year energy industry veteran who has led the area since 2013. Atlantic-Gulf will continue to include the 10,200-mile Transco interstate gas pipeline extending from South Texas to New York City. It will also include significant natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production and handling as well as transportation in the Gulf Coast region. NGL & Petchem Services operations in the Gulf area, the Geismar olefins plant, the refinery grade propylene splitter and pipelines in the Gulf Coast region will be integrated into the Atlantic-Gulf Operating Area.
The West operations will continue to be led by Walter Bennett, who has held the same role since joining Wiliams in 2014. This area will include all gathering systems, operations and commercial activities in the Barnett, Eagle Ford and Haynesville shales, the Mid-Continent region and Permian Basin. The West operations will also include the Northwest Pipeline interstate gas pipeline system as well as gathering, processing and treating operations in Wyoming, the Piceance Basin and the Four Corners area as well as some additional properties and operating interests.
The Northeast Gathering & Processing operations will continue to be led by Jim Scheel, who joined Williams in 1988. This area will include operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York. The area includes the Susquehanna Supply Hub and Ohio Valley Midstream, as well as additional operating interests.
“Williams is executing on a clearly articulated strategy to capitalize on growing natural gas demand to drive further value for stockholders, and to achieve maximum benefit, we must continually refine the way we operate the business,” said Alan Armstrong, President and CEO. “The initiatives announced today will advance our strategy by optimizing our reporting structure. Our team is fully aligned, energized and focused on executing against our business plan, reducing costs, simplifying the way we make decisions, and building on our industry-leading customer service.”
Financial reporting under the new organizational alignment is expected to be effective in early January, concurrent with the implementation of related management changes.
