AUSTRALIAN onshore oil and gas explorer Central Petroleum has appointed a new, well-known, face to its board as it looks to future growth in the Northern Territory.

In a notice to shareholders today, ASX-listed junior Central Petroleum announced Dr Agu Kantsler had joined the board as a director.

Kantsler is a familiar face in the Asia-Pacific oil and gas industry, and is currently a non-executive director of Oil Search.

Prior to joining Oil Search, Kantsler led Woodside Petroleum as executive vice president for exploration and new ventures.

Central Petroleum said Kantsler's appointment was made after an "extensive search" for the right fit.

"Kantsler's appointment is timely as he joins Central during an important step-change in the evolution of our company," Central chairperson Wrix Gasteen said.

Gasteen said Central was emerging from market challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and oil price crash, and that Kantsler would bring technical credibility and an "extensive depth of experience to the board" at an "exciting juncture" in the company's growth strategy. 

Central aims to become on of Australia's major suppliers of gas to the east coast market.

This year the company is looking to the Northern Territory's Amadeus Basin for exploration, while also completing its recently drilled Dukas exploration well.

"[Dukas] is targeting one of the largest conventional on-shore gas prospects in Australia," Gasteen noted.

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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