Aurora Oil & Gas Ltd. (Toronto: AEF) has named Douglas E. Brooks as chief executive of Aurora Group in an effort to oversee the expansion of its activities in the Eagle Ford.

Jonathan Stewart, executive chairman and previous chief executive officer, will remain as the company’s executive chairman. Stuart founded Aurora in 2005 and has been instrumental in its development since then. Stewart will stay involved in decisions around the company’s corporate activities and strategic direction.

During a 30 year career in the oil and gas industry, Brooks has held a number of senior executive positions, and was most recently the senior vice president of business development at Forest Oil Corp. (NYSE: FST), a position which he accepted in 2012. In the early part of his career, Brooks spent 24 years with Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE: MRO) in 2000, took on the role of director of upstream mergers and acquisitions, worldwide and business development for North and South America.

In 2006, Brooks was appointed president and chief executive of Compass Resources Corp., where he was responsible for development and subsequent divestiture of portfolio resource projects in Texas and Wyoming.

Brooks’ appointment is in line with Aurora’s strategy to recruit experienced U.S.-based senior management to assist with the execution of its existing Sugarkane field interests in the Eagle Ford, and to identify, evaluate and where appropriate pursue additional growth opportunities within the Eagle Ford. Brooks will be based in Aurora’s office in Houston.