HOUSTON, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hercules Offshore, Inc. (Nasdaq: HERO) announced the appointment of James W. Noe ("Jim") to Executive Vice President, Beau M. Thompson to General Counsel and Secretary, Charles A. Lestage ("Charlie") to Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Cecil H. Bowden to Vice President Engineering and Capital Projects, and John B. Crabtree to Vice President Technical Support, Compliance, and Maintenance.

Mr. Noe has served as Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Hercules Offshore since October 2005.  His extensive experience in the oil and gas industry includes serving as Corporate Counsel for BJ Services Company and Single Buoy Moorings.  He also spent several years in private practice, where he focused on corporate and commercial issues for oil and gas companies and shipyards.  Mr. Noe serves on the board of Discovery Offshore S.A., a pure-play, ultra-high specification jackup rig company based in Luxembourg and listed on the Oslo Axess exchange.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Alabama and a Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University.

Mr. Thompson joined the Company in May 2007 as the Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary.  In 2010, he became the Assistant General Counsel and Secretary.  Prior to joining Hercules Offshore, he was with Thompson & Knight LLP, where his practice focused on corporate and securities matters and mergers and acquisitions.  Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with honors from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Mr. Lestage joined Hercules Offshore in July 2011 as Associate General Counsel and Deputy Compliance Officer.  His previous experience includes various accounting roles at Arthur Andersen, Ernst & Young and later as a litigation attorney at Thompson & Knight LLP.  Mr. Lestage holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting with honors from Louisiana State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston.  He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Mr. Bowden joined Hercules Offshore in January 2009 as Director of Engineering and Offshore Projects.  His previous experience includes various project management and engineering roles at Noble Corp., Global Marine Drilling Co., and Western Oceanic Drilling Co.  Mr. Bowden served in the United States Navy, attended the University of Southern Louisiana, and has over 30 years of industry experience.

Mr. Crabtree joined Hercules Offshore in July 2007.  His previous experience includes various project management, engineering and operations roles at TODCO, R&B Falcon Drilling USA, Service Marine Industries, Inc., Dredge Systems, Inc. and Kenner Marine and Machinery, Inc. Mr. Crabtree is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, registered with the Louisiana State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, and holds a Bachelor of Marine Engineering Technology from Mississippi State University.

John T. Rynd, Chief Executive Officer and President stated, "Jim has been a key member of the Company's management team since our formation and has served an instrumental role in growing the company and establishing our international presence. His skilled leadership of the Shallow Water Energy Security Coalition and its efforts to guide the industry through the regulatory challenges that ensued post Macondo, are one of many examples of his value to our organization. Jim will add great value in our corporate and strategic development efforts in his expanded role, especially as we turn our eye toward the growth of the Company.

"The breadth of experience Beau and Charlie hold will further strengthen our leadership and provide significant value to the Company as we continue to execute our core objectives.  We also believe that splitting the role of General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer will only strengthen our already robust compliance function.  The exceptional technical skills that Cecil and John have demonstrated are key factors in our ability to maintain our rig fleet at the highest industry standards.  Their experience will be critical in the Company's efforts to expand our global footprint and high grade our asset base. It is with great pleasure that we announce these promotions and we look forward to the continued contributions Jim, Beau, Charlie, Cecil and John will make toward the growth of our Company."

About Hercules Offshore
Headquartered in Houston, Hercules Offshore, Inc. operates a fleet of 39 jackup rigs, 16 barge rigs, 63 liftboats and two submersible rigs. The Company offers a range of services to oil and gas producers to meet their needs during drilling, well service, platform inspection, maintenance, and decommissioning operations in several key shallow water provinces around the world. Hercules Offshore currently holds 32.1% of share capital in Discovery Offshore S.A., a pure play, ultra-high specification jackup rig company.  For more information, please visit our website at http://www.herculesoffshore.com.

SOURCE Hercules Offshore, Inc.