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CRADDOCK STAFF PROFILES
Founder, President and CEO Anthony J. (Tony) Craddock has forty years experience in the international petroleum industry. Raised in East Africa and the United Kingdom, his experiences as a global trouble shooter began with his first petroleum assignment with BP in the UK, in London, as a Drilling Engineer trainee, one of only two such individuals from the entire UK selected that year.
Craddock's international drilling experience began with the Santa Fe Drilling Company (the world's largest drilling contractor at that time), and an assignment in Abu Dhabi. This was the start of an eleven year career which culminated in global responsibilities as worldwide Chief Staff Drilling Engineer and Operations Coordinator for 53 marine and land rigs, while based in Santa Fe's California headquarters.
Highlights of this assignment included direct on-site supervision of the fastest well ever drilled in Nigeria to date (6 days 4 1/2 hours to 11,000 feet), field engineering of the startup of 11 rigs in Saudi Arabia, and the direct supervision of the setting of two field records in the treacherous Ahwaz Field in South Iran with a brand new, untested rig.
An expert drilling engineering analyst, Craddock then traveled globally throughout most major petroleum producing nations, providing expert in-house solutions, and after launching his own international consulting service, CRADDOCK Engineering, Inc., in 1976, he continued providing these services to an extremely broad base of petroleum clientele—with executive, managerial, technological and engineering solutions.
In 1988, Craddock consultants engineered the completion of the deepest well drilled in California, at 24,624 feet.
In subsequent years, Craddock's operations continued to grow and Craddock has now successfully drilled and engineered wells all over the world for not only every major operating company, but numerous independent and national oil companies.
Craddock attended London University (external), with a major in mechanical engineering.
Spencer (Spike) Craddock, Vice President and Operations Manager of CRADDOCK Engineering Inc. and CEO of SUMMIT ENERGY SERVICES.
Craddock has more than thirteen years experience with Caterpillar Inc., working in various field locations throughout Central and Southern California, including work in petroleum, industrial, shipping, waste management, construction, agriculture, demolition and mining operations.
He has more than seven years experience as Owner/ Manager of Coast Automotive and Industrial Supply, supplying parts and equipment to almost all offshore platforms in California’s Santa Barbara channel, as well as to all major industrial operations in the Santa Barbara area.
Raised overseas and in the U.S., Craddock grew up in the petroleum industry. He joined the CRADDOCK Group Companies in 2001, which was followed by his first assignment working and living in Aberdeen, Scotland.
He is a graduate of Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Phoenix, in Diesel and Industrial Technology, with honors.
Colin Cardona, General Manager, CRADDOCK Libya, Inc., born and raised in Malta, has thirty years experience managing oil and gas service companies in Libya, the last seven years with CRADDOCK Group Companies.
With a scholastic background in languages and physics, Cardona attended Malta College of Arts, studying sciences and technology, and marine engineering.
Leon Saucier, CEO S&S Engineering, Inc. and Senior Project Manager for CRADDOCK Group Companies, has more than 27 years of international oilfield expertise while developing and managing many projects, from field-wide equipment maintenance programs through designing and installing production enhancing equipment. His broad-based experience includes data integration systems, function controls, measurement equipment, PLC installations, corrosion management, preventative maintenance planning, well servicing and equipment design and testing.
Saucier is headquartered in Louisiana, on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
Omar Harati, Chief Liaison Officer, CRADDOCK Libya, Inc., has worked for the CRADDOCK Group Companies in Tripoli, Libya for more than ten years, after a career with Esso Standard Libya (Sirte Oil Company).
As a bi-lingual representative for CRADDOCK Libya, Harati serves in the area of government and client relations.
Etienne Vassallo, Assistant Operations Manager, CRADDOCK Libya, Inc., has more than 17 years experience in the oil and gas sector—initially as Logistical Coordinator for oil and gas related shipments (both air and sea freight), managing complete camp moves including heavy equipment, inland and overseas. More than five years' experience with a geophysical company as Party Manager and HSE Advisor completing seismic acquisitions in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya. Fluent in Maltese, English, Italian and Arabic.
VAssallo is a graduate with diplomas in Business Marketing, Management and Nebosh Health and Safety.
Graeme Davidson, Manager of CRADDOCK UK Ltd. in Aberdeen, Scotland, joined the CRADDOCK Group Companies’ Aberdeen operations in 1998, bringing 18 years of European offshore and onshore experience with him—garnered on semi-submersibles, jack-ups and fixed platforms. This experience came from work on rigs in the UK North Sea, plus offshore stints in Denmark, Spain, Norway and onshore stints in France.
Adrian Farrugia, Administrator, CRADDOCK Libya Inc., was born, raised and educated in Malta and has had work experience in customs and tax, prior to joining CRADOCK Group Companies in 2007.
He was educated in a variety of subjects including advanced accounting, physics and mathematics, and is knowledgeable in various European languages—and last but not least—holds a private pilot license since aviation is one of his passions. He is well travelled and experienced dealing with people of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
John Copperstone, Logistics & Operations Manager, joined CRADDOCK Libya, Inc., in 2008, after twenty seven years working closely with the Libyan oil and gas industry in various assignments that he was entrusted with while based in both Malta and Tripoli, Libya.
During this time John worked in different areas of responsibility, gaining him a broad experience in this North African country—opportunities which he now finds invaluable to deal with his present day-to-day duties at the CRADDOCK Tripoli office.
Copperstone was born, raised, and began his career in Malta in the hospitality industry, which, additionally, gave him the opportunity to work in the United Kingdom.
Martin Triganza, Logistics Coordinator, CRADDOCK Libya, Inc., was born and raised in Malta. He has 14 years experience in the oil and gas industry with major companies in Libya, such as Dowell Schlumberger and KCA Drilling of Libya.
Triganza has been working for seven years with the CRADDOCK Group Companies, managing the Administrative and Logistics section of CRADDOCK Libya, Inc. He plans, directs and coordinates human resource activities of the organization, supplies and maintains all necessary items and equipment for desert sites, handles and organizes personnel rotation schedules, secures work visas, desert passes, reservation and issuance of air tickets and personnel movement records, while coordinating and overseeing all logistics records.
Triganza attended the Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology, then the University of Malta where he graduated in Business and Financial Management.
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