Currie Co-Founds New USA Focused Oil, Gas Company

Jeff Currie, the former global head of commodities research at Goldman Sachs, has co-founded a new U.S. focused oil and gas production company, a release sent to Rigzone recently has revealed.

Currie, who the release highlighted was most recently Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer of Energy Pathways at The Carlyle Group, co-founded the new company, dubbed 1947 Oil & Gas plc, along with Ivan Murphy. The release pointed out that Murphy was a co-founder and director of Cove Energy plc and that he is currently Executive Chairman of Harena Rare Earths plc.

Currie and Murphy will serve as Directors of 1947, according to the release, which stated that the new business is focused on building and operating a material production portfolio in the United States.

The release also announced that the company has signed a term sheet to acquire Renaissance Offshore LLC, which it said currently produces 3,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in shallow waters in the Gulf of America and targets increasing production to over 4,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2027.

“The acquisition of Renaissance provides 1947 with immediate oil-weighted cash flows and a strong platform to build a significant U.S. oil and gas production business,” 1947 noted in the release.

In addition, the newly launched business announced the appointment of Tim Duncan as Executive Chairman in the release.

“Duncan is a highly respected executive in the U.S. oil and gas industry, having founded and led multiple successful exploration and production companies, including Talos Energy, building it into one of the largest independent oil and gas producers operating in the Gulf of America,” the release noted, adding that Duncan also currently serves on the board of Expand Energy Corporation.

Brian Romere, current President and CFO of Renaissance Offshore, will also serve on 1947’s management team, the release revealed. Romere, who was a co-founder of Renaissance, will also serve as a director of the company, the release highlighted.

“There is an enormous opportunity to roll-up mature conventional oil-weighted assets with the goal of managing cost, executing low-risk development opportunities and distributing cash flows to investors, specifically in the Gulf of America and along the U.S. Gulf Coast,” Duncan said in the release.

“Our first acquisition gives us a strong operational base and a credible platform to grow and achieve those goals. I look forward to working with Jeff, Ivan and Brian to quickly build 1947 into a company that delivers real value for all stakeholders,” he added.

Rigzone asked 1947 if the company is planning any recruitment drives in the near future. In response, a company spokesperson told Rigzone that 1947 “will be adding to the existing management in due course as the business develops”.

According to 1947’s website, the business is targeting a listing on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in the second quarter of 2026.

The site outlines that 1947’s strategy is focused on acquiring producing oil and gas assets “to deliver maximum returns for investors”.

“With an established operational base, experienced management, and existing infrastructure, the Company is well positioned to scale production significantly,” the site states.

“This strategy is underpinned by consistent cash-flowing assets, supporting a progressive dividend policy,” it adds.

According to the site, the new company’s name is inspired by a “defining milestone in the industry”.

“In 1947, the Kermac No. 16 well was drilled in the Gulf of America’s Ship Shoal Block 32, becoming the first offshore oil well completed beyond sight of land,” the site notes.

“Operated by Kerr-McGee with partners Phillips Petroleum and Stanolind, it introduced fixed offshore platform drilling and set the foundation for modern offshore exploration. This defining milestone in the industry is the inspiration behind the name 1947 Oil & Gas plc,” it adds.

Renaissance highlights on its website that it was founded in December 2011 “as an acquirer and developer of legacy oil fields in the Gulf”.  The company states on its site that it specializes in production optimization and field development through drilling and workovers, “with the goal of maximizing oil recovery in mature fields”.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com