• Centurion Exploration Co., Houston, has been formed by Brian Ayers, Nicki Maddox and Geoff Roberts. Ayers was most recently with Samson Resources and Coastal Oil & Gas. Roberts was founder of Madison Energy Advisors. Maddox was with Wessely Energy, Coastal Oil & Gas, Phillips Petroleum, Texas Meridian Resources and Xplor Energy. • Shannon International Resources Inc., Calgary, (OTC BB: SHIR) plans to spin off its natural resources properties, consisting of working interests on Prince Edward Island, into a new public company, Shannon Resources Inc., via a dividend to shareholders. • Australia New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., better known as ANZ Bank, will soon pursue formal approval from its parent company to assume responsibility as the lead arranger of syndicated loans such as recent ones to Chesapeake Energy and Magnum Hunter Resources in which it participated, according to New York-based director of global structured finance, Brian D. Knezeak. "Our target portfolio is about $300 million in total capital commitments for senior facilities-more if hedging is involved-with five transactions as lead arranger and five as a participant," Knezeak says. • Quantum Energy Partners, Houston, has formed Quantum Energy Partners III LP and Quantum Parallel Partners III LP-known collectively as Fund III. The $345-million fund will make $10- to $50-million equity investments in North American energy companies. • First Reserve Corp. has raised its 10th private-equity fund, a $2.2-billion fund available for companies in all sectors of the energy industry. The firm is still investing from its ninth fund, and expects to begin making investments from its latest fund in the second half. • Wells Fargo Energy Advisors' Miles Redfield and Doug Perley will open a Houston office of Calgary-based investment-banking and asset-divestment firm Tristone Capital Inc. • Bill Marko, chief operating officer of asset-divestment firm OGJE/Madison Energy Advisors, Houston, has joined asset-divestment, consulting and capital-sourcing firm Randall & Dewey Inc., Houston, in its A&D practice. • Chuck Strain has left Torch Energy Advisors to re-start his own research firm, Strain Consultants Inc., Houston, covering small- and midcap energy companies, such as Carrizo Oil & Gas and Denbury Resources. • Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc. has changed its name to Calyon Securities (USA) Inc. following the April 30 consolidation of the worldwide corporate banking, capital markets and investment banking businesses of Credit Lyonnais and Credit Agricole Indosuez. • J. Robert Ransone has joined privately held producer Five States Energy Co. LLC, Dallas, as chief financial officer and vice president, business development. Ransone is founder, president and chief executive of Dallas-based divestment-advisory firm Wellspring Partners LLC. Wellspring will continue under new ownership or wind down, Ransone says.