Oil & Gas

Stuart Porter is a Founder, Managing Partner and serves as the firm’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. Stuart brings over 29 years of senior investment experience to Denham. Stuart serves on the Management Committee, Fund Investment Committee and Valuation Committee.

Prior to founding Denham, Stuart was a founding partner of Sowood Capital Management LP and, prior thereto, was employed as a Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Harvard Management Company, Inc. where he focused on public and private transactions in the energy and commodities sectors. Stuart previously worked for Bacon Investments and at J. Aron, a division of Goldman Sachs. While at J. Aron, he worked on the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index desk. Prior to joining J. Aron, Stuart was a self-employed trader at the Chicago Board of Trade and was employed by Cargill Incorporated in Minnetonka, Minnesota in the Financial Markets Division. Stuart volunteers his time by serving on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a charitable organization, and also serves as a Trustee of St. Sebastian’s School in Needham, MA.

Stuart received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Carl Tricoli is a Founder, Managing Partner and Co-President and heads the firm’s Oil & Gas and Mining teams. He brings 36 years of experience to Denham and is a member of the Management Committee, certain of Denham’s investment committees and the Valuation Committee.

Prior to joining Denham in 2004, he served as President of GeosCapital (a J.M. Huber Corporation), after serving as Vice President for Enron North America, Managing Director of Koch Producer Services, President of Black Hawk Resources and Managing Director of Corporate Finance for NationsBank Capital Markets. Carl serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Connaught Oil and Gas, Sierra Buckeye LLC, Platino Energy, Pangea Exploration (Proprietary), Ltd. and Mining Ventures Brasil Ltda.

He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration from Cass Business School in London.

Jordan Marye is a Managing Partner, responsible for origination, analysis, structuring and execution of investments for the O&G Deal Team. He is a member of certain of Denham’s investment committees and the Valuation Committee. He brings 13 years of energy experience to the firm.

Prior to joining Denham, Jordan was an Analyst in the Global Energy Group of UBS Investment Bank and a consultant in the Energy Practice of Huron Consulting Group. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Atlantic Resources, Sierra Buckeye, Ursa Resources Group II, Tall City Exploration, Covey Park Energy, Tundra Oil & Gas, and Outrigger Energy.

He received a Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University.

Geer Blalock is a Managing Director, responsible for origination, analysis, structuring and execution of investments for the O&G Deal Team. He joined Denham in 2008.

Prior to joining Denham, Geer was an Analyst at Randall & Dewey, a division of Jefferies & Company, where he focused on the oil and gas exploration and production industry. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Atlantic Resources, Live Oak Resource Partners, Ursa Resources Group II and S&A Resources.

Geer received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin

Jason Craig is a Managing Director, responsible for origination, analysis, structuring and execution of investments for the O&G Deal Team. He joined Denham in 2012. He brings 10 years of energy experience to the firm.

Prior to joining Denham, Jason was a Reservoir Engineer and Drilling Engineer with Newfield Exploration. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Fairway Resources III and LOLA Energy.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration with High Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

John McLaughlin is a Technical Director, responsible for technical screening and valuation, risk assessment and portfolio management for the Oil & Gas Team. He joined Denham in 2016.

Prior to joining Denham, John was a Vice President at Ryder Scott Company, an Associate Director / Reservoir Engineer at Macquarie Energy Capital in both Houston and London, and Reservoir Engineer and Reservoir Surveillance Engineer at ExxonMobil.  John has 15 years of technical experience in the Oil & Gas industry.

John earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Masters of Petroleum Engineering from the University of Houston.

James Obulaney is a Director, responsible for origination, analysis, structuring, execution and monitoring of investments for the O&G Deal Team. He joined Denham in 2014. He brings five years of energy experience to the firm.

Prior to joining Denham, he was an Associate in the Energy Private Equity Group at Avista Capital Partners and an Analyst in the Global Energy Group at Morgan Stanley.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Atlantic Resources, Tall City II, Ursa Resources II and S&A Resources. James earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Steve Smith is a Director, responsible for origination, analysis, structuring, execution and monitoring of investments for the O&G Deal Team. He joined Denham in 2011. He brings six years of energy experience to the firm.

Prior to joining Denham, Steven was an Analyst in the Energy Investment Banking Group of Evercore Partners and an Analyst at GulfStar Group. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of COG Energy, Fairway Resources, Greene’s Energy Group, Outrigger Energy and WhiteWater Midstream.

Steven graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Texas A&M University.

Anil Pillai is a Vice President, responsible for financial modeling, execution and monitoring of investments. He joined Denham in 2014 and brings two years of energy experience to the firm.

Prior to joining Denham, Anil was an Analyst in the Energy Investment Banking Group of Jefferies LLC.

Anil earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Economics at The University of Texas at Austin.

Caroline Petersen is an Associate, responsible for financial modeling, execution and monitoring of investments. She joined Denham Capital in 2017.

Prior to joining Denham, Caroline was an Associate in the Global Natural Resources Group of the Investment Banking Division of Barclays, where she focused on the oil and gas industry.

Caroline earned a Master of Real Estate and Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Honors at Texas A&M University. She graduated summa cum laude.

Zac Query is an Associate, responsible for financial modeling, execution and monitoring of investments.  He joined Denham Capital in 2016.

Prior to joining Denham, Zac was an Analyst in the Energy Investment Banking Group of Evercore Partners and an Analyst in the Energy Investment Banking Group of Raymond James.

Zac earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a second major in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis.  He graduated magna cum laude.

Artur Shikhaleev is an Associate, responsible for financial modeling, execution and monitoring of investments. He joined Denham Capital in 2018.

Prior to joining Denham, Artur was an Analyst in the Energy Investment Banking Group of Jefferies LLC.

Artur earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a second major in Statistics from Duke University. He graduated cum laude.