Cardinal Energy Group Inc. (OTCBB: CEGX) hired David Rippy as its chief operating officer, the company said Jan. 7. Rippy, who was a consultant for Cardinal the past three months, has more than 35 years’ oil field experience, the company added.

"We are delighted to bring Dave on full time with Cardinal as its chief operating officer," Timothy Crawford, CEO, said.

Crawford said that as a consultant, Rippy helped remediate the company’s Shackelford County, Texas, project, whose four wells now produce a total 41 barrels of oil per day.

“This is a milestone in Cardinal's quest to become a major domestic, independent oil and gas producer,” Crawford added.

Crawford said the company anticipates that the project could produce up to 400 barrels per day by the end of first quarter 2014. To accomplish this, 39 wells would have to be reworked, he added.

Cardinal Energy is a Dublin, Ohio-based oil and natural gas producer.