Austin Exploration Limited declared that Mr. Chris Hodge has been appointed as a non-executive director of Austin.

Mr Hodge, who is also on the Board of ROC Oil Company, has 35 years of wide-ranging experience in the oil and gas industry across Australian, US and international operations.

Australian-based Austin Exploration has significant oil and gas interests in the United States, including highly-promising North American oil and gas shale gas assets recently acquired in the Niobrara and Eagle Ford shale plays.

Mr Hodge's significant oil and gas experience includes previous senior executive positions with Adelphi Energy Limited, where he acted as managing director, Mitsui, Ampolex and Elf Aquitaine. Chris is currently on the Board of ROC Oil Limited and is a technical consultant to Mitsubishi Australia.

During his time as managing director of Adelphi Energy Limited, Chris managed Adelphi's entry into the Eagle Ford Shale, which following a successful farm-out by Adelphi and its partners in the project resulted in a commercial Eagle Ford shale discovery which in turn led to Adelphi being acquired by AWE Limited in an all-cash takeover bid. He was also recently involved in recommending Eagle Ford shale acquisitions to Eureka Energy and with Mitsubishi's entry into the Canning Basin.

Mr Hodge's involvement with Ampolex included responsibility for exploration and other operations both in Australia and overseas while his role with Mitsui resulted in commercial discoveries (e.g. Cliff Head) and a variety of field acquisitions.

Mr Guy Goudy, chief executive officer of Austin Exploration, said the appointment of Mr Hodge was most timely, especially considering his expertise in the Eagle Ford shale and Austin's strong presence in USA oil and gas shale exploration, including in the Eagle Ford.

"Chris' appointment represents a further strengthening of the Austin Board at a time when the Company has just settled the successful acquisition of its two key North American oil and gas shale assets and now moves towards the spudding of its first Eagle Ford well later this month," Mr Goudy said.

Mr Hodge's appointment to the Austin Board follows the appointment last month of Mr Nigel Hartley as a non-executive director. Mr Hartley, a chartered accountant, recently retired from a successful 20-year career with ASX-listed Oil Search Limited.

Tags: Austin Exploration Limited