Twice-Ousted LNG Executive Souki Seeks Third Act in Shale Gas

Charif Souki, the LNG pioneer who was ousted from both natural gas ventures he built, has formed a new company to focus on drilling US shale.

Souki’s closely-held Phoenix Energy is acquiring drilling leases in Louisiana’s Haynesville Shale region with plans to commence drilling in a matter of months.

The company intends to hire as many as 100 people for gas production and another 30 to 40 for trading and project development, Souki said in an interview in Milan. He declined to say how much money he raised or from whom to bankroll Phoenix.

Souki, a former investment banker-turned-restaurateur, ...