Atlantic Richfield - Re Executive Appointments

RNS No 5655j
ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY
4th February 1998


Two Senior ARCO Executives Assigned to Key Posts in London, Caracas

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4/PRNewswire/ -- Two senior ARCO (NYSE: ARC) executives with
broad experience in oil and gas exploration and production have been assigned to
key posts in South America and Europe as part of a previously announced plan to
accelerate the growth of ARCO's global business through a restructuring of its
international operations.

J.B. (Jay) Cheatham, ARCO Senior Vice President, will direct the company's E&P
activities in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Russia and the other CIS nations
from headquarters in London.  Cheatham, 49, previously served as President of
ARCO International Oil and Gas Company, based in Plano, Texas.

Stephen R. Mut, ARCO Senior Vice President, will guide ARCO's upstream
activities in Latin America from headquarters in Caracas, Venezula.  Mut, 46,
previously served as President of ARCO Global Energy Ventures, based in Los
Angeles.

The moves are in line with a restructuring plan announced January 27 by ARCO
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mike R. Bowlin in which ARCO's worldwide
upstream oil and gas operations were split into two geographical regions --
Alaska, the Asia-Pacific rim and California under Executive Vice President Ken
Thompson, and all other global markets under Executive Vice President Michael E.
Wiley.

"This new organization will strengthen our ability to grow the company
profitably and compete globally," said Wiley.  "Positioning Jay and Steve in
Europe and Latin America is a clear indication of how ARCO's international
business has expanded in recent years.  Having two experienced senior executives
based in the regions will enhance our ability to execute the projects already in
our portfolio and to act on new opportunities more quickly and effectively."

Cheatham is a 29-year ARCO veteran with a wide range of experience in the oil
and gas business.  "During his six years with the international company -- the
last three as president -- Jay did an outstanding job of expanding ARCO's global
reach," said Wiley.  "His knowledge of the industry and region will help
maintain the momentum of our projects in Algeria, Tunisia, Qatar, Dubai, the
North Sea and CIS, as well as grow our business in that part of the world."

Mut has also held important international assignments during his 24 years with
ARCO.  These include service in the international oil and gas company as Senior
Vice President of Operations for Australia, Asia and the Americas and as
Managing Director of ARCO British Ltd.

More recently, as President of ARCO Global Energy Ventures, Mut has been
involved in advancing ARCO's Hamaca heavy oil project in Venezuela.  ARCO is
also in the process of developing the Villano oil field in Ecuador and is
considering other oil and gas plays in Latin America.


NOTE TO EDITORS: For a menu of ARCO news releases or to retrieve a specific
release, visit ARCO's Web site at http://www.arco.com on the Internet

CONTACT: Albert Greenstein of ARCO, 213-486-3384/ 
Web site: http://www.arco.com/(ARC)


END

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