Bell Geospace geoscientistJames Mataragio has been appointed to the post of director general of the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corp. (TPDC) by President Jakaya Kikwete effective Dec. 15, Bell Geospace said in a news release.

The appointment of Mataragio was announced in a statement issued by Chief Secretary Ambassador Ombeni Sefue.

In his 10 years with Bell Geospace, Mataragio has worked with a number of major international oil and gas firms, including Petrobras, BP, Anadarko, Pitkin, Tullow Oil, Pemex, Ecopetrol, Petronas and Vale Rio Doce, the release said.

Mataragio holds a doctorate degree (geochemistry, mineralogy, structural geology and petroleum geology) from Missouri – Rolla University, an MBA from Charlotte University in North Carolina, a master’s degree in geochemistry and petrology from Okinawa University in Japan,and a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Dar es Salaam, the release said.

From 2004 to date, he was senior geoscientist at Bell Geospace in Houston. He also has served as an assistant lecturer at Missouri University, assistant lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, project manager with Anglo Gold (Buzwagi) and exploration geologist with Anglo America Corp., according to the release.