Ryan Lance, who has been a senior vice president of ConocoPhillips’s international exploration and production business since May 2009, will now become the chairman and chief executive of the upstream company, which will keep the name ConocoPhillips.

“ConocoPhillips will retain the size, scale and capability to pursue any project globally, with the additional benefit of greater focus,” Lance said in a statement.

“With our enhanced balance sheet and strong capabilities, we will pursue the goals of the repositioning plan, including investing in good opportunities, maintaining capital discipline, and continuing to return available cash to shareholders.”

Greg Garland, who took over as senior vice president of the company’s exploration and production business in the Americas in October 2010, will become the chairman and chief executive officer of the downstream company.

From 2008 to 2010, Garland was the president and chief executive of Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., a joint venture of ConocoPhillips and Chevron.

ConocoPhillips’s interest in the joint venture will be transferred to the downstream company following the separation, the company said.

As ConocoPhillips said when it announced the split in July, Chief Executive Jim Mulva will retire upon completion of the separation.

ConocoPhillips shares were little changed at $64.30 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange.