Mr. Latchem formed Spectrum Energy Services, LLC (SES) in 2000 to pursue innovative developments dealing with LNG. These include the Integrated Satellite Unit that is designed for LDC use for base loading or peak shaving gas supply and a 100MMcfd LNG production unit for offshore Calabar, Nigeria. Mr. Latchem holds a patent on an innovative LNG import terminal.
Prior to SES, in 1992 Mr. Latchem formed Northern Eclipse, Inc. and later its regulated subsidiary Fairbanks Natural Gas, LLC, the local gas distribution company that serves Alaska’s largest interior city. In order to secure the utility certificate for the Fairbanks market, Mr. Latchem led the development of an innovative small scale LNG plant. Today that plant produces as much as 48,000 gallons per day of LNG. In addition to supplying LNG to Fairbanks, Northern Eclipse installed another satellite unit at a hotel complex in Talkeetna, AK under a long-term contract with the hotel owner. Mr. Latchem subsequently sold his interest in the company.
In 1985, Mr. Latchem formed Norgasco, Inc. to develop the local gas distribution company for the Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse, Alaska area which is home to many oilfield support contractors. Mr. Latchem continues to serve on Norgasco’s board of directors and is its largest shareholder. Prior to forming Norgasco, Latchem worked in a variety of positions in Alaska’s North Slope oilfields, studied mechanical engineering at Louisiana State University, and developed both retail and a wholesale venture in the food service industry.
The development of Norgasco, Northern Eclipse, and Spectrum Energy Services required a combination of creative vision, engineering innovation, political savvy, tenacity, and perseverance. In addition to building two of Alaska’s four regulated gas distribution companies, Mr. Latchem is married and a father of 3, has served as a director of several non-profit boards, is an instrument rated multi engine commercial pilot, holds an A & P mechanic’s license, and a CDL.
Mark Ploen began his career in the environmental field on the Alaska North Slope in the early 80’s. He founded QualiTech Environmental in Houston, Texas in 1992 to serve the ever expanding oil spill response and management industry and later moved it to its present headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mark is an investor and board member of AllOver Media, one of the nation’s largest out of home advertising business. He is an outside board member and investor in Heilux, LLC an innovative light source provider and as a shareholder has an active role in the management of QualiTech’s other 3 divisions. Mark was an initial investor in the Fairbanks Natural Gas project.
Mr. Bartholomy joined Spectrum Energy Services in August of 2007. He coordinated the dis-assembly and transportation of the LNG plant from its original location in Texas, to Oklahoma for refurbishing, then eventually to Ehrenberg. Mr. Bartholomy had a variety of assignments during plant construction and is currently Vice President – LNG Production.
Mr. Bartholomy was originally hired by Mr. Latchem at Norgasco in 1991 as a summer-hire while attending college full-time. Mr. Bartholomy continued the gas pipeline construction work each summer in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska until he graduated in 1994 and followed Mr. Latchem to Northern Eclipse. Mr. Bartholomy transferred to the Point MacKenzie LNG Plant once construction began, and upon completion of plant construction, he became the assistant plant manager. Mr. Bartholomy left Alaska in 1999 and moved to Oregon.
Prior to re-uniting with Mr. Latchem at Spectrum Energy Services, Mr. Bartholomy was the General Manager at a ready-mix concrete company in Southern Oregon for seven years.
Mr. Bartholomy has an Economics degree from the University of Alaska – Anchorage.
Mr. Steeper joined Spectrum Energy Services in the summer of 2000 and worked for several years in the Tulsa facility. He then left full-time employment with Spectrum to work at Engineering and Consulting Inc., where he was primarily responsible for performing FEA analysis on oil field and refinery equipment. Three years passed and Mr. Steeper joined the Spectrum team again in order to assist with the design and construction of the Ehrenberg LNG Plant.
Mr. Steeper’s primary duties during construction of the Ehrenberg LNG Plant included piping design, development of engineering drawings, and supervising piping installation. His scope during the project grew, giving him a broad range of experience regarding all aspects of construction including electrical, plumbing, compressor installation, and instrumentation. After construction was finished, he became the lead operator at the site. He is currently the Maintenance and IT Manager for the Ehrenberg plant and all other SLNG facilities.
Mr. Latchem joined Spectrum Energy Services in the Spring of 2020 and is working at the Ehrenberg Facility. Prior to working at Spectrum LNG he worked as the Field Engineering Supervisor for Oasis Midstream Partners in Watford City, North Dakota. Mr. Latchem’s primary role in SES is Plant foreman, serving under Thomas Steeper and assisting with developing customer relationships with LNG distributors and end-users.
Ryan began his career in Oil and Gas with Spectrum LNG as a construction intern and assistant operator in the summer of 2012 at the Ehernberg facility. He has since interned for the Holly Frontier Refinery in Tulsa, TransAm Systems International, and Superior Pipeline. After graduating from the University of Tulsa with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Mr. Latchem worked as a field engineer for Kinder Morgan in Williston, ND where he facilitated gas plant operations, commissioning, and turn arounds. He later went on to join Oasis Midstream Partners as the lead field engineer responsible for the construction of a 40MMSCFD Mechanical refrigeration plant located in Watford City, ND.