Jacques Bénézit - Director of the CFP

Born in 1913. Lycée Carnot and collège Chaptal (Paris). Polytechnic school, Engineer of Mines. Member of the Lepercq, Mendes-FrancePays FranceShow more and Pleven cabinets after the Liberation. Joined the CFP after the Second World War (1945), and was soon sent on internship/mission to the United States for more than a year. He returned in 1947. In 1951, apart from missions in the East, accompanied by the then chief geologist Henry de Cizancourt (Arabia and IPC zone), he was sent on a mission to prepare discussions with the Algerian general government for the CFP's entry into the exploration of the Sahara (1950). In 1952, he organised research in the Sahara. He is the founding president of the CFP-Algeria: his role is essential in the start of exploration in Algeria, because it was he who understood the request of the head of REPAL to join forces with the CFP to engage in the Sahara, whereas the BRP and the Fuel Directorate were very reserved on this orientation. He received General de Gaulle in Hassi Messaoud on 17 March 1957. Director "Production Research" of the CFP in 1955. In 1970 (before) he was Director of the Central Exploration and Production Directorate, which was to become TEP. In 1969, he was unavailable; his position was temporarily held by Henri Vautrin. He remained Chairman and Managing Director of CFP (Algeria) in 1969 until 1971, the year in which CFP's assets were nationalized by the Algerian government. Director of CGG, SOPEG, IFP, CFP (Libya). Member of the Economic and Social Council. In addition to his management functions at CFP, he left important work on economic calculation in the oil industry, particularly on the price of the barrel. Died suddenly on 13 February 1977. His successor, and classmate at the Polytechnique, Paul Crosnier wrote a biographical note on him in La Jaune et la Rouge [n°321, June-July 1977, p. 28].