UPDATE 2-Conoco names Carrig COO, may be Mulva successor

(Adds biographical information, updates share price)

By Anna Driver

HOUSTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Oil major ConocoPhillips (COP.N) on Wednesday named Chief Financial Officer John Carrig president and chief operating officer, an appointment that positions him as a likely successor to Chief Executive Officer Jim Mulva.

Carrig's appointment was one of a number of executive changes made in the company's operations and corporate departments.

"In general, a reshuffle was expected," said Robert Kessler, oil analyst at Simmons & Co Int'l. "Jim Mulva has been close to his retirement. Perhaps two years down the road, Carrig will move into the CEO role and Mulva will take the chairman's job."

Mulva, 62, who has been chief executive officer of ConocoPhillips since 2002, has said he plans to retire at 65.

Carrig, 56, was named to the CFO position in 2001. Prior to that, he had been the company's treasurer since 1996.

Representatives at Conoco did not have a comment on the appointment, but energy companies often move executives into high-level operations positions as preparation for the top job.

Sig Cornelius, who is currently senior vice president of planning, strategy and corporate affairs, will replace Carrig as CFO and become senior vice president. Carrig had been executive vice president, finance, as well as CFO.

Jim Gallogly, who is executive vice president of the company's Refining, Marketing & Transportation division, will become executive vice president, exploration and production.

The company said Gallogly replaces John Lowe, who had wanted to devote more time to personal interests and will now serve as assistant to the CEO.

Conoco, based in Houston, said Willie Chiang, currently senior vice president, commercial, will become senior vice president, refining, marketing and transportation.

Greg Goff, currently president, strategy, integration and specialty businesses for Refining, Marketing & Transportation, will become senior vice president, commercial.

All those appointments are effective immediately, the company said.

Conoco also made a number of changes to its corporate staff, including naming Red Cavaney, the retiring CEO of industry lobbying group the American Petroleum Institute, to the position of senior vice president, government and public affairs, starting Nov. 1.

Conoco shares were off $3.56 or 4.9 percent at $69.69 after trading as low as $68.54 earlier on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock's decline mirrored losses in the sector, which is under pressure from a drop in crude oil prices. (Reporting by Anna Driver, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)