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B.C. Oil & Gas Report • 20136

B.C. Oil & Gas Report 2013is published by:DEL Communications Inc.Suite 300, 6 Roslyn RoadWinnipeg, ManitobaCanada R3L 0G5

President David Langstaff

ASSoCIAtE PubLIShER Jason Stefanik

Managing editor Shayna Wiwierski [email protected]

sales Manager Dayna oulion account rePresentatives Jennifer hebert Gladwyn Nickel Mic Paterson Anthony Romeo Colin James trakalo

Production services provided by S.G. bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com

art director Kathy Cable

layout & design Dana Jensen

advertising art Caitlyn haier Joel Gunter

cover photo provided by nexen.

© 2013 DEL Communications Inc.all rights reserved. contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the infor ma tion and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

Publications Mail Agreement #40934510Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:DEL Communications Inc.Suite 300, 6 Roslyn RoadWinnipeg, Manitoba R3L 0G5Email: [email protected]

Contents

DELCommunications Inc.

bRItISh CoLuMbIA

Oil & Gas Report 2013

8 Message from the B.C. Premier, the Honourable Christy Clark

10 Message from the Minister of Natural Gas Development, Rich Coleman

12 Message from the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, John Rustad

14 B.C. key to market access for oil and natural gas: CAPP

18 LNG – Potential for dynamic impact on B.C. economic growth

20 A potential game changer: Nexen pursues a top-tier shale gas play in Northeastern B.C.

22 A northern gateway partnership: Enbridge

24 Apache/Chevron Kitimat upstream: Direct link to Horn River and Liard Basin

26 BC Jobs Plan building the foundation for prosperity

28 Horn River Basin strategically aligned for LNG: A Q&A with Dave Rushford, chair of the HRBPG

32 Human resources for B.C.’s resource economy

36 ‘Wanted’ - Businesses to serve emerging communities of Prince Rupert and Port Edward, B.C.

38 Are the capital risks too high to invest in B.C.’s LNG industry?

40 The energy pathway: KTIDS Northwest

42 A decade of safety improvement on the rigs

44 Encana receives top honours for responsible Canadian energy development

46 BC Oil and Gas Commission launches innovative water tool

48 Serving the profession and the professional: the Society of Petroleum Engineers

50 British Columbians want answers from pipeline industry

52 STEP Energy Services’ acquisition of Kamber Nitrogen Services expands benefits to operators in the Fort St. John region

54 The unconventional renaissance: CSUR

56 The voice of the service sector in B.C.: Energy Services BC

58 Changes to Enform’s COR program creates efficiency for energy industry employers

60 Have you considered an alternative safety approach?

62 Fort St. John set to host the 2013 BC Energy Conference

64 Regional development in the Northern Rockies: Laying the groundwork for success

66 In the hub with Mayor Lori Ackerman of Fort St. John

68 Emerging energy sector to enhance growth of Prince George economy

70 Make your move to Tumbler Ridge

72 Education program builds energy awareness among students and teachers: Society of Petroleum Engineers

74 Product enhancements in OGLs lead to increased protection for hoist gears

76 Supporting LNG development: NOV Wilson Business Development Group

78 New “TILT” desanders deliver improved efficiency

80 Gas Field Innovators brings life to tired oil and gas wells

82 GPEC – supplying today’s environment for tomorrow

84 Prince George company expanding into the Peace area: The Alliance Group of Companies

86 Performance under pressure: Caliber Oilfield and Production Services Inc.

88 A dream becoming a reality: Swift Specialty Services Ltd.

90 Like their structures, family-owned Calhoun Super Structure continues to grow and expand

92 Western Canada’s oil + gas communications experts: TOG Systems

94 Modular construction a key solution in overcoming project issues

96 TerraPro: tradition and innovation

98 Worksite solutions crafted from houseboat beginnings: TA Structures

100 Under pressure, under control: Peregrine Pressure Testing Ltd.

101 A team that works: Edge Electric & Controls

102 The calling: Alpha Safety Ltd.

104 Spray-applied polyurethane liners replace traditional lining systems in Northern B.C.

106 The right fire truck for the job: Smokey Series Fire Trucks

108 Giving back to the community: Rosenau Transport Ltd.

110 Never lost – save time and funds with the right navigation system

112 Making the earth move for over 50 years

114 One call does it all: Radar Road Transport Ltd.

116 Breathe Right

121 Relax with unparalleled service at Northern B.C.’s Wonowon Lodge

122 Index to advertisers

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Emerging industries• Burgeoning wind power industry under development.• Tourism operators wanted to provide outdoor experiences in the

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Message froM the B.C. PreMierthe Honourable christy clark

For years, british Columbia has

been a premier location for oil

and gas development. Some of

the world’s most promising resource ar-

eas are found here. Looking forward, the

coming boom in liquefied natural gas –

or LNG – demand is on the verge of cre-

ating unprecedented opportunities.

the advantages we provide are clear:

geographical proximity to Asia; a sup-

portive regulatory and fiscal framework;

a long history of safe and responsible

development; and positive business

partnerships with First Nations and local

communities.

Simply put, b.C. is the place for indus-

try to invest and conduct business. over

the last year, large industry players with

global LNG experience have come for-

ward and announced their intentions to

build an export facility in our province.

b.C.’s momentum has attracted inter-

national attention, including the first in-

ternational LNG Conference in Canada

this past February. over 500 people at-

tended the two-day event – appropriately

called “Fuelling the Future” – to discuss

b.C.’s LNG prospects. First Nations lead-

ers, representatives from 25 b.C. commu-

nities, federal and provincial government

officials, academics, and 192 companies

from eight countries participated.

LNG is a unique, historical opportuni-

ty for british Columbia – a lasting legacy

that will create jobs, revenues and pros-

perity. It is expected to create on average

39,000 jobs during a nine-year construc-

tion period, and once operations begin,

there will be as many as 75,000 full-time

jobs in regions and sectors across the

province. Additionally, the growth and

development expected is poised to trig-

ger approximately $1 trillion in cumula-

tive GDP within british Columbia over

the next 30 years.

that’s why we’re taking action now to

make sure british Columbians see the

benefits made possible by this once-in-a-

lifetime opportunity. besides being able

to make further investments in areas like

education and healthcare, we will create

a bC Prosperity Fund, enshrine it in law,

and dedicate revenues to eliminating the

provincial debt.

those are the stakes, and we can’t af-

ford to waste time on needless delays.

None of this would even be possible

without a vibrant oil and gas sector and

the dedication of industry, First Nations,

local communities, and government

agencies.

Please visit our website at www.gov.

bc.ca to learn more about government’s

commitment to grow and diversify b.C.’s

oil and gas sector. S

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Message froM Minister of natural gas develoPMentrich coleman

Infrastructure capital, job creation

and economic growth – these are

the benefits of a vibrant natural gas

and oil sector.

For years, british Columbia has been a

premier location for natural gas and oil

development. Some of the world’s most

promising resource areas are found here.

Modernized technology pioneered in

our province has reshaped exploration

practices around the world. Most recent-

ly, the province has become the setting

of a bold new energy future where lique-

fied natural gas – or LNG – will create

unprecedented opportunities for british

Columbians.

b.C.’s potential in this global industry

was expedited with the release of our

natural gas strategy in 2012. the goal is

to diversify the sector, increase our com-

petitiveness, and attract investment. We

need to facilitate growth as quickly as

possible to secure b.C.’s position as a lo-

cation of choice for tomorrow’s natural

gas export industry.

the advantages we provide to this

global industry are clear: a geographical

proximity to Asia; a supportive regula-

tory and fiscal framework; a long history

of safe and responsible natural resource

development; a stable geo-political ju-

risdiction; and positive business partner-

ships with First Nations and local com-

munities.

Simply put, b.C. is the place for pro-

ponents to invest and conduct business;

where new infrastructure and economic

opportunities are supported.

the world is taking notice. one year

after releasing our strategy and plans

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B.C. Oil & Gas Report • 2013 11

for LNG, b.C. is positioned as a future

supplier of clean natural gas for Asia

and new markets.

Large industry players with global

LNG experience have come forward and

announced their intentions to build

an export facility. the momentum has

been so significant that it led to the

first international LNG conference in

Canada this past February. over 500

people attended the two-day Fuelling

the Future event to discuss b.C.’s LNG

prospects. First Nations leaders, repre-

sentatives from 25 b.C. communities,

federal and provincial government of-

ficials, academics, and 192 companies

spanning eight countries participated.

LNG is a unique, historical oppor-

tunity for british Columbia – a lasting

legacy that will create jobs, revenues

and new prosperity. Recently, I was ap-

pointed the Minister responsible for

the new Ministry of Natural Gas De-

velopment by british Columbia’s Pre-

mier, Christy Clark. the creation of this

ministry, as well as a dedicated Cabinet

Working Group on Liquefied Natu-

ral Gas, demonstrates how sincere our

commitment is, and how real the op-

portunity has become.

We owe this opportunity to a vibrant

oil and gas sector, and to the dedication

of industry, First Nations, local commu-

nities, and government agencies that are

making it possible. the benefits are sub-

stantial. the opportunities of tomorrow

are taking shape today.

Please visit our new ministry website

at http://www.gov.bc.ca/mngd/ to learn

more about the government’s commit-

ment to grow and diversify b.C.’s natural

gas and oil sector. S


Partnerships are at the heart of

b.C.’s relationships with First

Nations. With some 200 First

Nations calling b.C. home, the pro-

vincial government has made build-

ing relationships with First Nations

communities a priority. underscoring

these commitments is the knowledge

that government must work in partner-

ship with aboriginal people to identify

shared goals and outcomes.

the way forward to close the socio-

economic gap between First Nations and

other british Columbians is to ensure

that First Nations are in the best possible

position to take advantage of resource

development opportunities in their

communities. opportunities in major

new natural gas pipelines and develop-

ment of a liquefied natural gas (LNG)

export industry for british Columbia can

create the jobs, income and other eco-

nomic benefits for First Nations that can

help build a robust economy.

Aboriginal people can play an im-

portant role in development of a LNG

industry. First Nations are working with

the b.C. government and industry on

LNG plants proposed for in Kitimat

and Prince Rupert areas, as well as on

new major natural gas pipelines from

northern british Columbia that will

provide the gas feedstock for liquefac-

tion.

b.C. is also working with treaty 8

First Nations to ensure that they benefit

from natural gas extraction and other

developments in their territory.

Message froM Minister of aBoriginal relationsand reConCiliationJohn rustad

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In February, the provincial government

announced $32 million for the First Na-

tions Limited Partnership to facilitate a

non-equity investment in the Pacific trail

Pipelines Project which will connect to

Kitimat LNG. the partnership is com-

prised of 15 First Nations along the route

of the pipeline and will generate signifi-

cant revenues for each of the First Nations.

As well, my ministry has signed several

agreements with the haisla Nation and

with the Federal Government that will al-

low for provincial regulation of an LNG

plant on reserve land. Additionally, the

haisla are part of the ownership group, bC

LNG, which proposes to develop a float-

ing LNG export project in Douglas Chan-

nel. having these types of agreements

in place provides increased certainty on

the land and, thus, increases confidence

among business investors as well.

the work to date done by the Pacific

trail Pipelines Aboriginal Skills Em-

ployment Partnership (PtP ASEP) is an

example of where First Nations, govern-

ment, and industry can come together

to address the training needs of aborigi-

nal communities in combination with

the workforce requirements of industry.

by working closely with First Nations

and industry, we are creating jobs and

long-term economic development for

many communities.

Government is encouraging the LNG

sector to work with First Nations as it

develops and plans their projects, to

include First Nations in environmental

work required to support those projects

through regulatory processes, and to

also consider business and commercial

arrangements with First Nations. Make

no mistake, engaging early and often

with First Nations makes good business

sense. It saves companies money and

creates increased predictability and cer-

tainty for everyone.

by exporting natural gas to Asia, b.C.

has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

and we want to make sure First Nations

have the opportunity to participate in,

and benefit from, the economic bene-

fits this new industry will bring to all

of british Columbia. I am committed

to continuing the dialogue between

our government, First Nations, and the

business community to ensure indus-

try understands its obligations and re-

sponsibilities to First Nations.

It’s critical that we secure the ben-

efits that will arise from the develop-

ment of the liquefied natural gas sec-

tor. My role as minister will be to en-

sure First Nations are participating and

benefitting. S

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Celebrating 40 Years • 1973 – 2013canam.com


As Canada’s window to the Pa-

cific, british Columbia’s role in

expanding and diversifying mar-

kets for Canada’s oil and natural gas re-

sources cannot be overstated.

Responsibly producing and trading

our abundant natural resources creates

jobs, generates taxes and royalties, con-

tributes to stronger, more prosperous

communities, and benefits the country

economically as a whole.

At present, the united States is Cana-

da’s only customer for oil and natural

gas exports. Natural gas exports to the

u.S. declined 16 per cent over the past

five years and are projected to drop fur-

ther as abundant and affordable supply

makes the u.S. increasingly self-suffi-

cient. Likewise, u.S. demand for oil is

flat, a trend expected to continue in the

medium term, while Canadian produc-

tion is poised to double over the next two

decades.

In Asia, meanwhile, demand for oil

and natural gas is growing at a rapid pace.

the International Energy Agency esti-

mates world energy demand will increase

35 per cent by 2035, driven in large part

by expanding economies such as China

and India. From a supply perspective,

Canada’s oil and natural gas assets repre-

sent a significant wealth opportunity for

all Canadians, provided we remain com-

petitive and develop the infrastructure

necessary to connect to these markets.

british Columbia’s proximity to Asia

and its tidewater access make it key to

supplying Asian markets.

Planning and regulatory work con-

tinues on proposed b.C.-based pipeline

projects, such as Enbridge’s Northern

Gateway, Kinder Morgan’s expansion and

many proposals to liquefy natural gas

and ship it to world markets.

We recognize the public’s concerns

related to crude oil pipelines and ma-

rine transportation proposals in b.C. are

genuine and substantial. We believe these

concerns can be resolved to the public’s

satisfaction through continued respon-

sible resource development, implemen-

tation of world-class operating practices

and leading spill prevention and re-

sponse capabilities.

Canadians expect the oil and natural

gas industry and governments to ensure

environmental risks are mitigated while

realizing the jobs and economic growth.

We agree and are committed to doing

so, contributing to the high standards

of living we have come to expect and

enjoy due to our abundance of natural

resources, and the planning, investment

and innovation of previous generations

of Canadians.

For example, oil sands development

is expected to generate $117 billion in

economic activity in Canadian provinces

outside of Alberta over the next 25 years.

About $28 billion will be generated in

b.C. alone, according to the Canadian

Energy Research Institute. transportation

infrastructure, including pipelines, is crit-

ical to ensure these benefits are realized.

In addition to the work underway on

oil projects, diversifying natural gas mar-

kets through exports of liquefied natural

gas (LNG) is critically important to the

Canadian natural gas industry.

Abundant supplies have seen North

American natural gas prices drop to the

By geoff Morrison, manager of B.c. operations, canadian association of Petroleum Producers

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lowest level in a decade. Due to trans-

portation costs and competing u.S. sup-

plies, western Canadian natural gas is

now less competitive in its traditional

u.S. and eastern Canadian markets.

to adapt to this new market reality,

ensure an outlet for production growth

and capture a share of the growing glob-

al LNG markets, the natural gas industry

is focused on building LNG terminals

on the West Coast and exporting the

product to Asia, where demand is grow-

ing and prices are currently much higher

than in North America.

Australia and the united States are

only two of Canada’s international com-

petitors for offshore natural gas markets.

And both are ahead of Canada in terms

of established LNG infrastructure devel-

opment and commercial relationships

with consuming nations.

Canada can be a competitive supplier

to offshore natural gas markets. to do so,

however, we must have a collective sense

of urgency and shared commitment to

compete in these global markets.

b.C.’s royalty regime, which governs

the producing part of the natural gas in-

dustry, is competitive with other jurisdic-

tions and generates significant resource

revenue for the province. that same type

of competitiveness must extend to the

fiscal framework LNG exporters need to

attract the substantial investment capital

that will be required to open new mar-

kets for a resource that otherwise may

be stranded in the oversupplied North

American market.

If LNG projects do not move forward,

reduced market access will ultimately re-

sult in reduced investment activity and

jeopardize the economic benefits of nat-

ural gas development.

A calculation based on a 2012 report

by the Canadian Energy Research Insti-

tute shows the proposed LNG facilities

on the West Coast could generate about

$150 billion in taxes and $500 billion in

GDP growth across Canada over the next

25 years.

In summary, Canada’s oil and natural

gas industry is positioned to continue to

create significant value for all Canadians

as global energy demand increases. to

achieve these benefits, however, we must

remain competitive, we must maintain

the confidence of the public that we are

acting responsibly, and we must align

within Canada to compete effectively on

the global stage.

It’s an opportunity for today’s genera-

tion to act as those before us and to seize

the opportunity to not only sustain, but

but also improve the quality of life for

all Canadians. S

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It is no exaggeration to declare that

the economic future of the province

of british Columbia may be more

dependent on developments within the

world of natural gas than any other sin-

gle factor.

british Columbia has already identi-

fied enormous reserves of the colourless,

odourless gas; several billion dollars are

currently being expended in developing

and expanding those reserves, and tens of

thousands of workers are presently em-

ployed within the industry.

however, a new and dynamic side to

the natural gas equation has recently en-

tered the picture in a big way, namely the

conversion of natural gas from its nor-

mal gaseous state into liquefied natural

gas (LNG) for trans-shipment to distant

markets, particularly those in Asia where

energy requirements are huge, while al-

ternative means of supply are inadequate

at best and nearing crisis levels at worst.

this conversion is necessary, as there

is simply no viable method of shipping

huge quantities of natural gas other than

in a liquefied state. In order to accomplish

the conversion into LNG, plants known

as “LNG trains” must be constructed. the

process involves purification of the gas

and then cooling to a temperature of -161

degrees Celsius. LNG is then loaded on

special vessels for shipment and, upon

arrival at the final destination, the LNG is

regasified. throughout the process, safety

is a vital concern as natural gas in all its

forms is exceedingly flammable.

one of the most important economic

factors is the dynamic difference between

pricing of natural gas in North America

versus Asia. In Canada and the u.S.A.,

where supplies are abundant and grow-

ing dynamically, commodity pricing for

natural gas hovers near $4 per million

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Asia, where domestic supplies are mini-

mal and demand is excessive, the price

hovers near quadruple that amount.

therefore, this price differential suggests

an opportunity to make enormous prof-

its – including substantial tax revenues

for governments – by building a pipeline

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pert and establishing LNG conversion fa-

cilities and advanced harbour capabilities

in that community.

Speculation is abundant regarding the

continuation of this vast pricing differen-

tial. on the one hand, Asian demand for

energy continues to grow rapidly and it

appears alternatives to natural gas such as

nuclear power, conventional petroleum

fuels, and even renewable energy sources

all encounter serious environmental or

supply problems. however, on the supply

side, numerous new LNG terminals are

being proposed in several nations which

could mitigate the supply/demand bal-

ance in favour of adequate or even excess

supply down the road, thereby reducing

price pressures.

thanks to its location directly on the

Pacific Coast and its relative proximity

to b.C.’s natural gas fields, Prince Rupert

has indeed become the focus of atten-

tion when it comes to british Columbia’s

LNG development. two companies have

already received regulatory approval to

proceed with LNG plans and several oth-

er applications appear to be in the works.

In 2011, Kitimat LNG was granted a li-

cence to export LNG from b.C., with Asia

as the primary commercial target. In grant-

ing the licence, Canada`s National Energy

board noted, “...the board recognizes that

forecast demand growth for LNG in the

Asia pacific region provides a new oppor-

tunity for Canadian producers to diversify

their export markets...”

Next, LNG Canada, a venture between

Shell Canada Ltd. and three Asian part-

ners, submitted a plan for environmental

review to build both a LNG terminal at

Kitimat and a natural gas pipeline from

northeastern b.C. to the terminal facili-

ties. In the proposal, the company noted,

“Project construction is expected to start in

2015...with construction of the first phase

to be completed in 2019/20. the life of the

project is expected to be at least 25 years.”

the stakes for b.C. could be staggering.

Premier Christy Clark recently declared

that should LNG expansion take place

as projected, the province could be able

to create a “prosperity fund” of sufficient

size to entirely eliminate both the prov-

ince’s governmental debt and its provin-

cial sales tax as well. both commercial

activities and job creation associated with

both construction and operations could

be enormous as well.

With stakes that vast placed upon the

LNG table, developments within the in-

dustry bear the closest attention. S

TERRACE/KITIMAT


Advancements in technology have

enabled the cost-effective recov-

ery of shale gas — a potentially

game-changing resource for the world’s

energy supply. Shale gas, which is found

in abundance throughout many conti-

nents, is an affordable, clean-burning

fuel.

For Calgary-based Nexen Inc., an

upstream oil and gas company that de-

velops energy resources in some of the

world’s most significant basins, shale gas

is one of three strategic businesses; the

others are conventional oil and gas and

oil sands. Nexen recognized the poten-

tial of shale gas early, and in 2006 be-

gan acquiring large blocks of high-qual-

ity acreage in the horn River basin of

Northeastern british Columbia — one

of the most prospective shale gas fields

in North America. In 2010, Nexen pur-

chased more land in the nearby Cordova

and Liard basins, bringing the compa-

ny’s total land position to approximately

300,000 gross acres.

third-party evaluators have estimated

that Nexen’s horn River and Cordova

lands hold between four trillion and 15

trillion cubic feet of recoverable contin-

gent resources, while its Liard lands con-

tain an estimated five to 23 trillion cubic

feet of prospective resources.

“Shale gas complements Nexen’s oil-

weighted portfolio, and we believe it can

be a significant source of growth in the

future,” says Ron bailey, Nexen’s senior

vice-president, Natural Gas (Canada)

operational Services & technology. “In

an environment of relatively low natu-

ral gas prices, shale gas must compete

for capital with other opportunities.

For now, we are prudently pursuing our

horn River drilling program, while fo-

cusing on cost-reduction, superior exe-

cution, environmental stewardship, and

research of alternate markets to maxi-

mize the value of the resource.”

Nexen continues to achieve industry-

leading results in the horn River basin,

where the company completed a nine-

well pad in 2011. In 2012, Nexen devel-

oped an 18-well pad in the horn River

basin and set a new industry record,

completing 6.3 fracs per day, beating the

previous industry record of four fracs

per day. Currently, Nexen is drilling 20

horizontal wells from a single pad in

the horn River basin. Production capac-

ity from Nexen’s Dilly Creek facility is

about 175 million cubic feet per day.

“the horn River basin is a top-tier

shale play and Nexen is at the heart of

it,” observes bailey. “We have a very large

resource base and a strong team that has

extensive experience from working in

other shale gas basins.”

the calibre of Nexen’s resource base

and operating expertise were under-

Nexen pursues a top-tiershale gas play in Northeastern B.C.

a Potential gaMe Changer


scored by the joint venture agreement

announced in 2011 to a consortium led

by INPEX Corporation of Japan. under

this agreement, INPEX and its partner,

JGC, acquired a combined 40 per cent

working interest in Nexen’s shale gas

holdings in Northeast british Columbia.

Nexen remains the operator.

Nexen believes liquefied natural gas

(LNG) exports could be an attractive op-

tion for maximizing the value of its shale

gas resource in the future. the partner-

ship with INPEX and JGC brought with

it significant LNG expertise and market

access. INPEX’s assets include large LNG

projects around the globe, and the com-

pany is currently building a regasifica-

tion terminal in Japan. Nexen, INPEX,

and JGC are jointly investigating the fea-

sibility of a potential downstream proj-

ect, including exporting LNG.

Nexen is making impressive strides

in demonstrating the cost-effectiveness

of shale gas drilling. At horn River, the

company has reduced its cost per stimu-

lated metre by about 60 per cent since

2009. but bailey says Nexen recognizes

it’s not enough to make shale gas pro-

duction cost-effective — it must also be

done safely, reliably, and with minimal

impact on the environment.

“technology has enabled the respon-

sible development of shale gas,” says

bailey, “but concerns about its impact on

the environment have been raised, espe-

cially on how production impacts water.

We’re responding to those concerns on

several fronts and we’re committed to

keeping local residents informed on our

progress.”

Nexen complies with rigorous b.C. wa-

ter protection measures. For example, to

reduce the risk of water contamination,

regulations require significant setbacks

for water sources, such as lakes, rivers,

and aquifiers. Nexen’s shale gas wells

have steel casing and cement barriers in

place to provide protective, imperme-

able barriers between gas production,

flowback water, and water sources. Nexen

also minimizes the risk of surface spills

of wastewater by injecting it deep under-

ground where it can be safely stored.

Nexen conducts comprehensive water

availability and water-quality monitor-

ing near its Dilly Creek operations and

shares that data with regulators. the

company is also advancing testing of

new technology that could enable it to

use saline water as an alternative to fresh

water in shale gas production.

“We plan to be a responsible energy

developer in Northeastern b.C. for many

years to come,” observes bailey. “We want

to make sure we get it right from the start

when it comes to safely and responsibly

unlocking this resource base.” S


It’s known as the Northern Gateway project. but, for more

than a decade and counting, Enbridge has viewed this as the

Northern Gateway partnership.

Northern Gateway is a proposed $6.5-billion energy infra-

structure project that would link Canada’s oil sands with emerg-

ing Pacific Rim energy markets. At the same time, Northern Gate-

way represents the evolution of Enbridge’s community-centred

partnership approach with the company’s aboriginal associates.

“All along, we’ve seen the aboriginal community as a funda-

mentally important partner in Northern Gateway,” says Michele

Perret, Northern Gateway’s senior manager of community and

municipal relations. “Northern Gateway is truly a nation-build-

ing exercise, but it would also be impossible to achieve without

a strong relationship built on respect, trust, and sincerity.”

throughout the project’s planning and consultation phases,

Northern Gateway’s aboriginal partners have always rated long-

term environmental considerations above the sizeable economic

benefits that the project offers. “In other words, they’re not will-

ing to sacrifice tomorrow for today where the environment is

concerned,” says Perret. “We’ve listened. And we’ve responded

with extra environmental and safety measures.”

Northern Gateway used detailed Aboriginal traditional

Knowledge (AtK) studies, directed by various aboriginal groups,

to help determine the pipeline’s design and route. Aboriginal

representatives have been invited along on strategic watercourse

assessment and reconnaissance fieldwork, and their input and

knowledge have helped in the selection of crossing locations.

Northern Gateway is committed to world-class programs in the

area of marine transportation safety and marine emergency pre-

paredness and response, with coastal First Nations involvement

in both.

to date, Northern Gateway has held more than 2,000 meetings

and 43 open houses with aboriginal groups regarding the proj-

ect, in addition to 400-plus community presentations, 36 open-

houses with the public, 16 rounds of community advisory board

meetings, and a dozen “community technical meetings” that have

provided specific information about pipeline integrity and safety.

Northern Gateway has also offered up funding to allow aboriginal

groups to participate fully in the engagement process.

throughout this ongoing dialogue, Northern Gateway acted

on community concerns, using public input to alter the pro-

posed project route some two-dozen times in various locations.

Northern Gateway also announced a $500-million package of

enhancements – in the areas of monitoring and analysis, in-line

inspection surveys, and pipeline-wall thickness – to make a safe

project even safer.

From the start, Northern Gateway’s right-of-way aboriginal

communities have been recognized as project partners. An eq-

uity ownership offer for aboriginal pipeline right-of-way com-

munities is worth an estimated $300 million. And that repre-

sents just a portion of Northern Gateway’s estimated $1-billion

total aboriginal benefits package – which also includes $100

million in employment income, $300 million in business op-

portunities, and a $100-million community investment fund, a

portion of which would be dedicated to aboriginal right-of-way

communities.

Northern Gateway’s aboriginal skills development and em-

ployment training strategy – funded by the company’s $3-mil-

lion aboriginal education and training fund – has an “employ-

ment-right-now” approach. Northern Gateway is working direct-

ly with 14 aboriginal communities, helping to develop skilled

tradespeople in heavy equipment operation, pipefitting, iron-

working, welding, and surveying. Northern Gateway is also com-

municating with local colleges in b.C. and Alberta to make sure

they’re aware of impending labour needs in the energy pipeline

and construction sectors, and looking for ways to link aboriginal

graduates to work in those fields.

Northern Gateway represents a potential world-class energy

infrastructure project, with state-of-the-art technology. but it

can’t be done alone. Enbridge promised full inclusion for its

aboriginal partners – and will continue to live up to that prom-

ise. S

a northern gateway PartnershiP

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• DRILLING & COMPLETION SOLUTIONS

• PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

• BLOWOUT PREVENTERS & ACCUMULATORS


Rob Spitzer is executive vice-pres-

ident of development for the

Apache/Chevron Kitimat up-

stream project. In his new role, Spitzer’s

focus involves assets in Northeast b.C.,

specifically the horn River basin and the

Liard basin. During his former position as

vice-president of exploration for Apache

Canada, Spitzer was involved in natural

gas exploration across the country and in-

ternationally. Spitzer was also chair of the

horn River basin Producers Group since

its inception, and only recently handed

over the reins for that when he accepted

his new role with Apache/Chevron.

Mr. spitzer, how many wells is apache-

chevron drilling in the liard basin, and for

what purpose, i.e. exploration or production?

Rob spitzer (Rs): Apache and Chevron

have the 50/50 partnership that was an-

nounced in late December 2012, and we

have three wells we’re drilling for sure in

2013 in the Liard – it could be up to five.

We have one tenure well in the horn, so

that’s basically the plan for 2013. beyond

that, there are wells we’ll have to drill for

tenure again in 2014. We posted licences

a few years ago and those licences need a

well to retain the land … because we like

the area, we’re drilling the wells to make

sure that we validate the land … some of

these wells will become productive, and

some are drilled solely for the purpose of

keeping the land.

are you drilling vertical or horizontal wells?

Rs: A good number of them will be ver-

ticals and they are mainly in the northern

Liard area, where there’s no infrastruc-

ture to produce them. they’re basically

vertical wells that are aimed at holding

the land, and there are 10 or possibly 11

horizontal wells over the next number of

years. they will be horizontal wells, but

they’re also drilled for tenure primarily

to learn more about drilling them and

production. they’re fulfilling a number

of different needs: tenure, technical infor-

mation, production information, and so

on.

What is the difference you see between the

Horn river formation and the liard forma-

tion?

Rs: Not terribly much, but the biggest

difference is depth and pressure. Cordova

is the shallowest of the basins, then you

get into the horn, which is deeper, and

Liard is the deepest of the three. that

presents slightly different drilling chal-

lenges for each area. ultimately, the for-

mations are relatively similar with shales

that are gas-charged. Drilling differences

are fairly dramatic because of depth, and

costs are proportional to depth. of all

the shale gas in far Northeastern b.C., the

horn River basin is where it started, so

therefore it’s the most mature in terms of

the number of wells drilled historically.

After horn, people poked around in Cor-

dova and then the Liard.

speaking as a member of the Horn river

Basin Producers group, how is the member-

ship doing today?

Rs: the bulk of the work being done

today in that area is still horn River re-

lated. there are still more wells being

drilled at horn than probably the other

two places combined, so the group still

represents the most significant activity.

the producers group is relevant in the

sense that it does a lot of planning to-

gether, and communicates and passes

along information to the community, so

at the end of the day it still has relevance

– it may not be the same level of activity

as it was in 2009, but it’s still the most

significant of the three basins.

What can you say about activity increasing

once again in the area?

Rs: When I used to chair the producers

group, we talked very openly about the

fact that prices go up and down, and as

they do, technology changes, so there’s

going to be some ups and downs. Right

now, because gas prices are relatively low

aPaChe/Chevron kitiMat uPstreaM: direCt link to horn river and liard Basina Q&a with rob spitzer, executive vPof development for apache/chevron Kitimat upstream project By Kathy smith

rob spitzer, the executive vice-president of development for the apache/chevron Kitimat upstream project. COURTESy OF APACHE CANADA LTD.


and there’s no LNG heading for Asia yet,

there is a bit of a lull. but that doesn’t

mean it can’t pick up. I view it as just part

of the business cycle and the lifecycle of

the field. At the end of the day, would it

surprise me if it went up a little bit? No.

Would it surprise me if LNG contracts

were signed and companies needed gas

out of horn? No. Either one of those two

would cause a lot more activity.

How will initial gas supply to lng plants

work?

Rs: I think it’s going to be company-specific. From Apache/Chevron’s stand-point, we’re looking at horn obviously and Liard because we’ve got a large amount of acreage there and a lot of gas. We’re also looking at the grid gas, so it’s likely going to be some kind of combina-tion, and economics determines the com-bination. In other words, what is the grid gas going to sell for, relative to what you think you can produce the gas for in the horn or Liard – if you are buying from the grid (gas already in the system), you don’t necessarily know where the gas is coming from. If you are looking at LNG which is still years out, you’re looking at what the price of gas is going to be when you need it, which isn’t necessarily linked to today’s price. You make an assump-tion on what that price is going to be and compare that with what you think your costs will be to drill, complete, and tie in those wells. the jury is still out on how

those two will interplay.

in looking forward at positive investment de-

cisions for lng, what is most encouraging?

Rs: the two key ingredients for LNG are supply and demand. From a supply standpoint, b.C. is blessed with a lot of gas, including Northeast b.C., so that’s a good thing. the other part is what’s the demand for gas? there’s a big demand for it, so now it’s just a matter of filling in the blanks and that’s not a trivial exercise. It’s got to make economic sense, environ-mental sense, and so on. I’m optimistic obviously because we’re working toward

that goal, but there’s lots [of work still]

to do.

the new idca (infrastructure development

contribution agreement) passed for Fort

nelson, and the referendum passed to access

provincial monies for infrastructure. do you

see this as a positive in terms of Fort nelson

being the primary service centre for the Horn

river Basin?

Rs: Coming from a geographic stand-

point, it’s been that way historically.

It’s a great thing for the Northern Rock-

ies Regional Municipality, and how it’s

spent is up to them … what they’ve ac-

complished by attracting that money

and having the province provide it is a

good thing for the oil and gas industry

and the residents of b.C. S


british Columbia’s natural gas sec-

tor is experiencing a time of un-

precedented investment, growth

and job creation. the reason: liquefied

natural gas, also known as LNG.

the Government of british Colum-

bia’s aspirations for LNG came to the

forefront with the release of the bC Jobs

Plan in 2011, where we made a pledge to

pursue the export potential of our prov-

ince’s vast supply of natural gas.

With access to Asian markets, LNG

will strengthen the economics of b.C.’s

natural gas sector and facilitate new em-

ployment opportunities for british Co-

lumbians.

Construction of multiple LNG projects

is expected to create thousands of jobs

over the next decade – this includes field

preparation work, trade services, heavy-

equipment operators and engineering

positions, to name just a few.

once in operation, each LNG facil-

ity will have permanent positions to be

filled. they will require highly skilled

and technically qualified employees to

successfully manage and operate this

new industry for b.C.

based on the development of five proj-

ects, our analysis indicates over 75,000

long-term jobs will be created once LNG

plants are fully operational, with the

construction phase creating thousands

of additional jobs.

Employment opportunities will occur

all over the province. of the permanent

jobs created, 2,400 of them will operate

and maintain LNG plants and a stagger-

ing 61,700 positions will support the in-

dustry – the people who will be involved

in exploration, production, processing

and transportation. New jobs will be cre-

ated in other sectors, as workers and lo-

cal businesses thrive from the economic

stimulus created from LNG activities.

obviously the demands on our labour

force are increasing quickly and people

will need training to fill job openings.

our government is taking action to en-

sure british Columbians are first-in-line

for the jobs being created.

A bC Natural Gas Workforce Strategy

Committee was formed in March 2012 to

evaluate and address labour supply-and-

demand needs. In July 2013, a strategy

and action plan was released, initiating

the crucial first step to ensure training

requirements are addressed in a timely

manner.

our work is far from over. Actions are

now being taken by various parties –

government, industry and key stakehold-

ers – to implement our plan in a timely

manner so the natural gas sector can

continue to grow and british Columbi-

ans are ready for the opportunities of the

future.

With technology improving, new re-

sources still being discovered, and pro-

jections increasing, b.C. estimates that

expanded growth, including LNG ex-

ports, in the natural gas sector could be

supported for 80 years or longer. this is

why our work to prepare british Colum-

bians for the jobs ahead is so essential.

together with industry and key stake-

holders, we are championing a prosper-

ous future full of economic opportuni-

ties. We will be a leader for LNG pro-

duction and export. british Columbians

– with the skills to make it all work – will

benefit for generations to come.

to learn more about the bC Jobs Plan,

please visit http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/.

to view the bC Natural Gas Workforce

Strategy and Action Plan, visit www.

rtobc.com/Resources/Reports.htm. S

BC JoBs Plan Building the foundation for ProsPerityBy rich coleman, Minister of natural gas development

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David Rushford is the new chair

of the horn River basin Pro-

ducers Group (hRbPG), suc-

ceeding Rob Spitzer in the role. Rushford

is also senior vice-president and chief

operating officer for Quicksilver Re-

sources Canada Inc. In a recent interview,

Rushford expressed a high level of confi-

dence that once investment decisions are

reached for LNG facilities, activity will in-

crease in the horn River basin.

Mr. rushford, what prompted you to

become chair of the Horn river Basin

Producers group, representing one of the

world’s most desirable shale gas plays?

Dave Rushford (DR): I’ve been in-

volved with the horn River Producers

Group for a couple of years, and Rob

Spitzer before me has been doing an

excellent job of that for a number of

years. of all the producers, Quicksilver

probably has the largest interest in horn

River relative to our overall portfolio, so

it’s very important to us. I felt that from

a Quicksilver perspective, and knowing

the area quite well, I’d be a good choice,

and I was elected as chair.

activity is down in the Horn river Basin

for now. are you confident that once

investment decisions are reached for lng

facilities, activity will increase in the area?

DR: Certainly all of the members are

encouraging that these facilities get per-

mitted and built because we absolutely

need to have another outlet for gas sales

in North America. I think I can speak for

all the producers that we’re all working

diligently to get economics to a level that

we can support activity in the horn River

basin. I think british Columbia and the

federal government have a major role

in terms of getting pipelines permitted,

LNG plants built on the coast, and a

fiscal structure that works for the horn

River. It’s economically challenged right

now, but I think that can be fixed. It’s

really hard to ignore the size of the re-

source – the horn River, Cordova, and

Liard combined – there really isn’t any-

where in the world with that level and

accumulation of gas in one place outside

of the Middle East.

While capital is very mobile and it can go

anywhere in the world, what makes the

shale gas in northeast B.c. so desirable?

DR: the first thing they’re going to

look at is the geology, and that’s what sets

Northeastern b.C.’s assets apart – it really

is blessed with world-class geology. the

second thing companies are looking for

is certainty in regulatory processes. Cana-

da has a very modern, very complex, very

thorough regulatory process. Countries

from all over the world come to study

our processes. the negative is that ours

take a considerable amount of time to go

through, and the positive is that they’re

done professionally, at arm’s length from

government, and we have the certainty

of law within the processes. the third is

the fiscal framework we work under – we

don’t know yet what the framework for

LNG is going to be, so that’s job number

one following the provincial election that

just happened. All factions of the provin-

cial government that industry has been

working with are extremely supportive

of developing LNG in b.C., and the same

can be said federally – I think everybody

understands the value proposition to the

citizens of the province for developing

the LNG business – it really can be one

of the major economic supporters for the

entire country.

though low gas prices are supposed to be

self-correcting, it all takes time. How do

you weigh in on gas prices and the surplus

of gas in the system?

DR: the amount of supply from

large shale plays, such as the Marcellus,

haynesville, barnett, horn River, and

Montney, have added a tremendous

amount of gas into the system, as well

as secondary gas coming off the u.S.

shale oil plays (associated gases pro-

duced from the oil). this has resulted in

a supply surge and not enough demand.

You’re seeing some of the gas price re-

covery now, and we’ve had an almost

100 per cent surge in gas prices since last

year, although it’s still too low for the

horn River to see a massive increase in

drilling activity – but it’s finally starting

to go in the right direction. Storage num-

bers in the u.S. and Canada are back into

a normal five-year average. our storage

last year was absolutely full – there was

horn river Basin strategiCally aligned for lngQ&a with dave rushford,chair of the Horn river Basin Producers groupBy Kathy smith

david rushford, chair of the Horn river Basin Producer’s group.


nowhere to put any more gas at the end

of the injection season, so we’re finally

coming back into the normal patterns

and we’re starting to see a bit of gas price

recovery.

obtaining investment decisions can be

slow-going. in the interim, what evidence

do you see of continued support for lng

and related projects in B.c.?

DR: All the major recent studies show

great support for LNG exports. We’ve

got more gas than we can possibly use

and if you look at it from a future re-

serves perspective, we’ve had reserves in

place in North America equal to seven

or eight years’ worth of supply, which

has been typical over the last 20 years.

Now we have resources in place that are

excess of 100 years’ worth of supply. We

can drill up several times that again.

We’ve got this wonderful situation in

North America where we have this mas-

sive resource that can be developed, so

we just need to develop markets for it.

While awaiting approvals for projects like

building pipelines across mountains and

constructing lng plants, how is the me-

ticulous regulatory and permitting work

going?

DR: When you look at the process

the world over on large investments,

there’s a number of steps you have to go

through, like financing, regulatory per-

mitting, public consultation, and once

you get through all those, you’ve got a

higher level of confidence that the proj-

ect is economically viable, and will get

regulatory approvals. then the boards

of companies will review that for their

final investment decisions. It’s contin-

gent on the economics of the projects,

government fiscal policy, and carbon

tax – there are a number of things.

Assuming we have successful negotia-

tions, and the projects have final in-

vestment decisions in a few years’ time,

you’ll start to see a ramp up of drilling.

there’s not enough gas developed in

Western Canada right now to fill all of

these LNG facilities, so it will spur an

amazing amount of drilling in all of the

basins, including the horn River.

so you can say with confidence that the

members of the HrBPg will likely keep

their irons in the fire in this area?

DR: I think they’ll stay for the long

haul because when you look around

the world at shale plays, the horn River

is probably one of the best resources in

the world. Depending on which report

you read, there’s 100 to 150 tCF of re-

coverable gas there, so it will get devel-

oped with time – it’s really just a func-

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tion of getting the economics together,

which really means we need to get these

LNG facilities built. Some producers

are already involved in joint ventures,

and their partners are injecting capital

into the horn River. these projects are

expected to mature over the next few

years.

What about the dreaded distance to mar-

ket and related costs we hear about?

DR: the farther away gas is from the

u.S. market, the more expensive the

pipeline transportation. the counter

to that are the types of reservoirs we

have up in british Columbia – these

are world-class gas assets – the better-

quality reservoir makes up for its loca-

tion. As we move into LNG projects,

gas from Northeastern b.C. is actually

some of the gas that’s closest to market,

so that’s one of the reasons why North-

east b.C. is such a great spot to look at

gas for LNG exports to Asia. Northeast

b.C. is going to have an advantage get-

ting to markets through any of the ex-

port points, whether it’s Kitimat, Prince

Rupert, or others.

the liard river Basin and cordova em-

bayment are also in northeast B.c. What

are the basic differences between those

and the Horn river Basin?

DR: It’s their stage of maturity. there’s

much more history with the reservoir

performance in the horn River than we

have in the other plays. As economics

improve and more drilling gets done in

the Cordova and Liard, you’ll start see-

ing activity accelerate there as well.

on april 11th, 2013, yourself and the former

chair of the HrBPg, rob spitzer, telecon-

ferenced with us when the government of

British columbia and the northern rockies

regional Municipality (nrrM) announced

a landmark agreement called idca (infra-

structure development contribution agree-

ment). it is a long-awaited fair-share type

agreement unique to needs of Fort nelson

and area that addresses infrastructure short-

falls and requirements. the municipality can

receive up to $10 million a year for 20 years

with potential for extension. and, on June 8th

the nrrM held a referendum to seek monies

for five specific projects, which passed 90 per

cent in favour. With such positive changes

for Fort nelson, are you encouraged that the

town will be the primary service centre for the

Horn river Basin?

DR: there has been a constant lack of

infrastructure and challenges meeting

the growth needs in Northeast b.C. the

producers group is extremely support-

ive of the initiatives to start adding in-

frastructure there because we absolutely

believe that the gas development is go-

ing to happen. We absolutely believe the

LNG facilities are going to get permitted

on the coast. When you’re looking a few

years down the road from now at the ac-

tivity levels we’re going to see in North-

east b.C., they’re going to grow very dra-

matically and very quickly once those

final investment decisions are made.

the announcement to start putting stra-

tegic investment into infrastructure with

steady predictable funding over the next

several years is very welcome.

While new infrastructure will help to attract

families to Fort nelson, the town and the

gas patch currently experiences the fly-in-

fly-out model. Better transportation routes to

and from the patch are required. What are

your thoughts on a centre-line road?

DR: the closest analogy would be the

Sierra-Yoyo-Desan, a public-private part-

nership. the producers group has had a

number of very good meetings with the

Ministry of transport about a central cor-

ridor road. Right now with activity levels

down, it’s tough to justify that expenditure

so you’re seeing hesitation. but looking

out two or three years, I think that road

definitely needs to be built. on the fly-in-

fly-out versus live-in issue, you’ll see a slow

transition when you get steadier activity.

there are areas of the horn River basin

that are closer to Fort Nelson where you

can have staff commuting easily to and

from. there will be an economic incen-

tive to move away from the fly-in-fly-out

model, though some areas are too remote

to safely commute. Most of the producers

want to see Fort Nelson as an industry ser-

vice hub for the Northeast. S

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Long before many of the proposed LNG, pipeline, and re-

source projects get in the ground, many communities in

the North are already feeling the pressure.

With several northern cities already at three to four per cent

employment – essentially, anyone who wants a job is in one –

the current response from employers and employment agencies

in the North when asked about finding skilled tradespeople is

pretty succinct:

“there’s nobody left.”

“We’re running short.”

this is an issue concerning businesses looking to embrace the

unique opportunities offered by current and proposed resource

projects in the North. the recent buildForce report, construction

looking Forward: British columbia 2013-2021 identifies a number

of construction trades that are significantly undersupplied. Some

of these are classified as critical shortages – that is: “Needed

workers meeting employer qualifications are not available in lo-

cal or adjacent markets to meet current demand so that projects

or production may be delayed or deferred.”

these projections require a more creative hiring approach.

Employers must have a plan for their personnel before they bid

on a project, digging a little deeper to find (and develop) the

skilled workers they need.

bCCA president Manley McLachlan explains the situation as

tactical: “We must be as strategic in planning the development

of our industry’s labour resources as we are in developing our

country’s natural resources.”

Working with non-traditional labour pools is a start. Many of

the proposed projects – particularly in the Northeast – reported-

ly include requirements to work with the nearby communities,

which are largely aboriginal. these agreements, which honour

the local populations, offer the greatest benefit for the term of

construction and well beyond; ensuring those who are most af-

fected are those who most benefit.

For example, the estimate for these projects is one permanent

job for every seven or eight temporary jobs over the course of

construction. With just one major effort in the North projecting

a hire of 7,500 individuals for construction over the next several

years, that leaves a thousand permanent jobs to remain in the

nearby communities. With this in mind, developing the skills

capacity of the local population is key.

“What we’re looking at now is getting training aligned with

those needs, and at transferability of skills in the North, so that

when one project ends, others are coming on stream,” says Paul

Mitchell, provincial manager for the b.C. Construction Asso-

ciation’s Skilled trades Employment Program (StEP). “For in-

stance, we’ve taken people from large projects in the Northwest

and successfully engaged them in the Northeast. If these projects

go ahead in the next few years, that’s a five-year opportunity in

many cases. that’s an opportunity to put an entry-level person in

there and they will come out a journeyperson. And that’s cool.

that’s what gets young apprentices engaged.”

he adds, “we can come in and provide support, and partner

for training opportunities; the employer does the hire. that pro-

cess can take several months or a year; but in situations like we

have with these resource projects, it can easily align with the op-

portunity that’s going to unfold.”

In response to this, the british Columbia Construction Asso-

ciation (bCCA) and its human resource programs are working

with employers to respond to their demand – starting at home.

JobMatch, which connects unemployed individuals with jobs

in the construction sector, recently completed its pilot program

and was renewed in early 2013, following results well beyond

the original goals. StEP, on the other hand, is focused on im-

proving opportunities for the employed and underemployed to

build careers in the skilled trades through certifications, training,

and apprenticeships, and continues to build on extremely strong

results since its 2006 launch.

both programs work to assess the strengths, skills, and attri-

butes of individual workers to ensure a quality labour supply

for construction employers, and ensure an effective connection

between employer and employee.

together, the programs have connected roughly 6,000 indi-

viduals with jobs in the construction sector, to significant benefit

for each, but also with a wider reach. bruce Lund, the provincial

manager for JobMatch, summarizes the effort as follows: “What

we’re trying to do is maximize the medium and long-term ben-

efits for the local community where the site is, and for the overall

community – the broader provincial economy.”

Lund explains the current status for his staff in the North:

“We’re already placing people every day in the projects that are

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live, including a number of block placements. We recently placed

20 people within a single day, and then repeated it again within

the same week. the JobMatch program is like speed dating –

we’ve received the request, identified and placed a client in 48

to 72 hours. that’s about as fast as you can hire; those kind of

transactional relationships are happening now.”

“At the same time, StEP is involved in the continuum of up-

grading, and we can talk about a lot of supports,” says Mitchell.

“You’ve hired labourers and we ask – do any of these look like

they’re ready to become apprentices? Can we help you with that?

We’re finding new people for their company, or helping to build

training programs for their team. We can help the individual to

get the certificates they need – and the employer doesn’t have

to pay for it. that’s a big issue for a lot of employers. We hear ‘I

don’t have time’, or ‘I can’t afford to train someone’ – and we can

respond to that.”

While the programs’ field representatives expand their search

and support methods only once the local labour market for the

needed workers is exhausted, other options are available.

Recruiting from beyond Canadian borders has become in-

creasingly necessary in order to find highly skilled workers with

in-demand specializations; in these cases, Foreign Skilled Work-

ers bC (FSWbC) offers international search and immigration

support for b.C. employers who have not been able to source

journeypersons and other construction professionals within

Canada who boast the sufficient experience and certifications to

complete the projects to required specifications – or to be able to

train Canadian apprentices.

“You can’t build something like the LNG projects with appren-

tices,” says Mitchell. “You’ve got to have skilled tradespeople;

once you have those you can take on more apprentices.”

Alternatively, the programs’ provincial network allows for field

representatives to connect and assist with the relocation – usu-

ally temporary – of workers in the southern parts of the province,

benefiting not only the projects, but the workers’ home area.

Lund echoes this in practical terms for those of us well outside

of Kitimat and Fort St. John. “there are a number of people in

the south parts of the province who encourage temporary reloca-

tion to the North.”

“At the end of the day they’re going to get a lot more journey-

people getting experience much faster than they can get by the

level of activity currently available in the South. And by the time

they’ve finished these projects, they’ve become journeypersons.

After these projects are done, there are so many boomers retiring

in the coming years that they can use all those freshly minted

journeymen – permanently – at home in the okanagan. there’s

this ebb and flow of mobility that’s going to happen.” S

a JobMatch participant in Fort st. John.

Kevin Mctavish (steP regional employment placement specialist) and aaron smith (steP participant, apprenticeship sheet metal worker) on site.

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Prince Rupert and Port Edward

british Columbia are on the verge

of an extraordinary future as vi-

brant, diverse, and sustainable econo-

mies are connecting North America to

the world.

the Prince Rupert and Port Edward

region present a wealth of opportunity

for entrepreneurs and corporations of

all sectors and sizes. With over $20 bil-

lion in proposed developments in the

immediate area, few locations these days

offer a greater diversity of business pos-

sibilities that include everything from

manufacturing, warehousing, research,

operational maintenance, security, train-

ing and labour services, through to retail

and hospitality services. As a market that

is generally considered underserved in

many sectors, the opportunities are vast.

In fact, investment is not only welcomed

in Prince Rupert and Port Edward, but

encouraged to help meet the needs of a

growing industrial base and those resi-

dents who proudly call it home.

historically, Prince Rupert and Port

Edward relied on forestry and fishing to

sustain their economies, but it wasn’t un-

til the mid-2000s that they embarked on

a new path to become world-class trans-

portation hubs. Since the opening of the

Fairview Container terminal in 2007,

Prince Rupert and Port Edward have been

home to one of the fastest-growing ports

in North America. the Port of Prince

Rupert offers its clients many strategic

advantages, including the distinction of

being the closest North American port to

Asia by up to three days.

the success of existing terminals, fa-

vourable market conditions, and a suite

of significant competitive advantages are

all contributing factors to Prince Rupert’s

and Port Edward’s abilities to attract ad-

ditional investments in port infrastruc-

ture. these days, more than $20 billion

in private investments in port terminal

developments are being considered

within Prince Rupert harbour limits that

include expansions of the coal and con-

tainer terminals and new wood pellet

and potash export facilities. highlight-

ing that investment potential are plans

for several liquefied natural gas (LNG)

terminals. At a cost of roughly $10 bil-

lion per facility, each LNG plant repre-

sents significant opportunities for local

business development and job creation

during construction and operational

phases.

the u.K.’s bG Group intends to build

a facility on Ridley Island, which would

have an initial production capacity of 14

million tonnes of LNG per year. At full

build-out, the terminal would be capa-

ble of producing 21 million tonnes of

LNG per year. the project is called Prince

Rupert LNG and would create 3,500 jobs

during construction, 250 permanent di-

rect jobs, and another 250 spinoff jobs.

Malaysia’s Petronas, through its sub-

sidiary, Progress Energy Canada, is plan-

ning to build the Pacific Northwest LNG

export facility on nearby Lelu Island.

this proposed facility would have an ini-

tial capacity of 12 million tonnes of LNG

a year with expansion possibility for a

subsequent six million tonnes per year.

Similar to Prince Rupert LNG, the Pacific

Northwest LNG project would create up

to 3,500 new construction jobs at peak

activity, and 200 to 300 direct perma-

nent jobs once operations begin.

With over $20 billion in LNG and

other terminal developments planned

in the Prince Rupert harbour, Prince Ru-

pert and Port Edward are embarking on

one the most exciting growth periods in

recent history and now is the time to ex-

pand into the region and enjoy the many

strategic advantages the communities

have to offer, including a growing and

diverse economy, job growth, growing

population, exceptional quality of life,

and affordable commercial and residen-

tial real estate options.

If you’re interested in being part of the

excitement in Prince Rupert and Port Ed-

ward, the economic development office

wants to hear from you.

For more information, contact

Derek baker, economic development

officer for the Prince Rupert and Port

Edward Economic Development Cor-

poration, at 250-627-5138 or by email,

[email protected]. General

information can be found online at

www.predc.com. S

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Ever since hydraulic fracturing tech-

nology first extracted natural gas

from tight shale rock, both the

natural gas and overall energy sectors

have been going through a major trans-

formation.

Just a little over five years ago, liq-

uid natural gas (LNG) plans were being

drafted to build LNG import terminals

in Kitimat, b.C., and in Louisiana, u.S.A.

the “fracking” revolution took natural

gas production to all-time highs, supply

in inventory swelled, prices collapsed,

and plans for LNG import terminals were

turned into export terminals to sell the

massive surplus to Asia where prices re-

mained high.

During this time, new shale gas pro-

duction allowed the united States to

surpass Russia as the biggest producer of

natural gas on the planet, and in doing

so, went from being Canada’s biggest cus-

tomer for natural gas to being its biggest

competitor. technology was exported to

markets outside of North America, and

more countries like Australia started to

open massive shale gas fields, and the

global race to exploit shale gas and tap

Asia’s $150 billion LNG market had start-

ed.

but many point out that investing in

the latest technology for LNG infrastruc-

ture to pipe shale gas from Alberta and

b.C. to Kitimat, where it can be super-

chilled and loaded onto LNG tankers,

has price risks. the capital costs of build-

ing LNG infrastructure and processing

terminals is very high, costing billions

of dollars. Increased domestic demand

could increase domestic prices, making

domestic sales more profitable than LNG

export sales. At the same time, increased

international LNG supplies and exports

to Asia could decrease natural gas prices

in Asia, again making LNG exports from

Canada less profitable.

however, the risks of investing in LNG

should also be weighed against not do-

ing anything at all. Much like Canada’s

oil market, it would be short-sighted to

not invest for the long term and in build-

ing out a secondary market for Canadian

natural gas. Not having a pipeline and

LNG export terminal on the West Coast

leaves Canada with only one customer

for its production surplus – the u.S.A.

– who simply does not need to import

natural gas from Canada. With no LNG

export capability, Canada will not be par-

ticipating in the global market of what is

developing into one of the most impor-

tant sources of global energy for the next

century due to the abundance and com-

paratively lower carbon footprint of nat-

ural gas to other carbon fuels – namely

coal and oil.

the true economical risk is the decline

of a multi-billion-dollar Canadian indus-

try that generates hundreds of millions

in revenues that the various governments

(which supports other government and

social programs), primary and ancillary

economic activity, and employs thou-

sands of people right across Canada, will

simply be lost.

though domestic natural gas prices

have recently increased, prices are still

down more then 50 per cent from the

previous decade. Drilling activity for nat-

ural gas is down over 50 per cent in 2012,

gas-weighted tSX-listed companies are

down over 40 per cent, and government

royalties are down. Investing in Canadian

LNG is needed to save this important in-

dustry.

by having LNG infrastructure and ter-

minals, new jobs are created, economic

activity grows and Canada connects into

the global LNG supply chain that is be-

ing built now and retains its leadership

role in the global energy market not just

for production but technology and in-

novation. Canada can move from being

the largest provider of natural gas to the

u.S.A., to being the largest provider of

natural gas to the world along the same

level as Qatar. Without LNG, this growth

opportunity is lost.

It takes serious in-depth analysis and

economic assessment to make the deci-

sions necessary to invest the vast amounts

of money necessary to invest the capi-

tal necessary to build the infrastructure

needed to export LNG. It requires long-

term thinking and planning and the big-

gest names in the energy industry are

betting on british Columbia. Major inter-

national companies like Chevron Corp.,

Shell, and Petronas are betting and in-

vesting in british Columbia with the lat-

est technologies because of a favourable

regulatory environment and shorter ship-

ping distance to Asia.

And its not just major companies…

countries are also choosing b.C. Japan

recently announced their interest in mov-

ing a Canadian LNG project forward with

$10 billion in loan guarantees to private

Japanese companies that make invest-

ments into providing Japan with a stable

are the CaPital risks too high toinvest in B.C.’s lng industry?By Jay roberge

not having a pipeline and lng export terminal on the West coast leaves canada with only one customer for its production surplus – the u.s.a. – who simply does not

need to import natural gas from canada.


supply of natural gas. they have made

similar investments in Australia. this

international investment support also

helps reduce the risk considerations in-

vesting into Canadian LNG.

being early in exporting to Asia will

allow the negotiation and settlement of

long-term contracts (one of the benefits

of LNG) before additional competitors

enter the market. the race has already

started and british Columbia is moving

forward in the right direction. Canada

has a lead on the u.S.A. to export to Asia,

and the Douglas Channel Energy Part-

nership (DCEP) will likely be the first

LNG facility to begin exporting in 2015.

Cheniere Energy’s terminal in Louisiana

is not expected to be operational until

late 2016. Continued cooperation, glob-

ally competitive regulations, and royalty

structures must be maintained in order to

keep and build on existing momentum.

In addition to Douglas Channel, Can-

ada has three facilities approved com-

pared to only one in the u.S.A. Ameri-

can policy-makers are split over LNG

exports for fear of driving up domestic

prices. the u.S.A. and Canada are, and

should, make natural gas a larger part of

the overall domestic energy mix using it

more for power production and trans-

portation. Canada does not have nearly

the same concerns, as it has lost its largest

customer to the south, and has a surplus

of shale gas that far exceeds an increas-

ing domestic demand for the foreseeable

future. Regardless, with LNG, Canada will

no longer be beholden to just one buyer.

b.C. and Canada can compete with

the u.S.A. As Canada’s gateway to Asia,

b.C. enjoys the advantage of geographic

location with shorter shipping distances

to Asia than Louisiana, which provides a

lower overall shipping cost and shorter

times to delivery. Perhaps overlooked and

just as important, Canada enjoys a lower

political risk profile for many natural gas

buyers in Asia – especially China – that

will work to Canada’s competitive advan-

tage over the long-term.

Canada has a great history of compet-

ing and winning. thinking long term and

making wise investments into a robust

domestic LNG infrastructure will allow

Canada to compete in the global LNG

market. With no LNG infrastructure,

Canada will simply not be competing.

they won’t even be in the game. Jay roberge is an entrepreneur and merchant banker based in vancouver, focused on energy, resources and technology. He is the managing director and partner at tehama ventures inc. and has been a long-time believer in the global opportunity of shale gas dating back to the first holes drilled in north america. He is a past contributor to the b.C. oil & Gas Report magazine and also posts some of his opinions on Hornrivernews.com. S

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the northwest of british Columbia is experiencing un-

precedented economic opportunities. A region that has

historically been supportive of industrial development

is on the verge of diversifying its industrial economic base and

adding to its already existing and established industries.

the proposal of several LNG plants along the coast of north-

ern b.C., the connecting pipeline infrastructure from the gas

reservoirs in Northeast b.C., and Enbridge’s Northern Gateway

project, have enormous economic implications not only for the

region, but also for the province and Western Canada as a whole.

the necessity to diversify Canada’s customer base for its

energy products and open up the growing and energy-hungry

Asian markets for future revenue and royalty streams will result

in healthier, more robust businesses and communities.

the communities in northwestern b.C., including Kitimat

and Prince Rupert as ports, and terrace as a retail and service

hub, are all open for business and have worked diligently and

hard to get ready for the investment influx into the communi-

ties. the b.C. Government has supported the labour and skills

gap issue with several studies and programs, and the action

plan is in place to assure local people will be able to participate

in the job opportunities.

today, b.C. has a provincial government committed to energy

development. their focus is to fast-track government response

so industry can set up successfully.

this commitment by provincial and regional stakeholders

must be met with community support through an authentic

commitment by proponents to inform, engage, and invest in

the energy Pathway

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the communities they wish to be active in, from initial intro-

ductions through the lifetime of a project.

the communities of Northwest b.C. recognize that the sheer

volume of jobs needed to build the infrastructure will addition-

ally require the ability for communities to be welcoming to im-

migrant workers who will come and help to construct this vital

infrastructure that will then bring long-term, sustainable jobs

for decades to come.

the initial spark investments, listed at above $60 billion in

June 2013, will deliver enough economies of scale to the supply

and service industry. this will additionally create a robust, blos-

soming, and healthy economic environment, which will more

easily cope with market changes as it will be diversified and

protected by a broader customer base.

the demands of Canada’s, and especially b.C.’s, challenging

geography, paired with world-class environmental engineer-

ing companies, will deliver state-of-the-art energy delivery so-

lutions. this knowledge and innovation derived from b.C.’s

high-environmental standard, coupled with its natural resource

economy, could one day become an export product in itself.

this knowledge gained by developing world-class processes and

standards for the extraction and delivery of energy will become

part of the legacy in developing the energy pathway.

KtIDS Northwest, a society based in terrace, b.C., is a local

group of industrial development champions that can be a re-

source for energy and supply companies seeking orientation to

the region, introductions to local contacts, or guidance regard-

ing community relations.

We look forward to being part of this exciting change and to

supporting the region, the province, and Western Canada to de-

velop community programs, legacy initiatives and a long-term,

sustainable supply chain. S


It takes just one to drive change and

leave a positive legacy in the world.

And this is true for an industry’s

safety culture: it’s an attitude, a culture,

and one person has the power to influ-

ence it.

In April, the Canadian Association of

oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAoDC)

hosted its 33rd annual Safety Award

banquets in Edmonton, Alberta. over

2,700 drillers and rig managers from

drilling rigs and service rigs were award-

ed a 2013 Safety Award. these individu-

als were nominated by their employers.

the criteria to be eligible for an award

is completing 200 consecutive days of

operations without an incident.

Drillers and rig managers are making

a difference in the industry’s safety per-

formance. they are having an impact by

reminding crew members to buckle-up

when driving to and from the rig site

and by reminding employees to check

in after they leave the job site to trav-

el home. Rig crews take time to assess

hazards before beginning a critical task.

they stop the operation when someone

notices an unsafe environment.

these individual acts have contrib-

uted to an astonishing difference in

the industry’s safety record. CAoDC

data shows that 10 years ago, incident

a deCade of safety iMProveMent on the rigsBy cindy soderstrom, manager, communications, caodc

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frequency as measured by CAoDC’s

tRIF formula, showed that 10 incidents

or more occurred every 100 operating

hours. today, tRIF has been slashed by

more than half. In fact, the rig industry

has cut that rate down to one-third of

the 2002 tRIF.

that’s not an anomaly. that’s what

industry has maintained for three years

running.

Statistics from WorkSafebC show

that incident rates on rigs operating in

b.C. are well below the combined av-

erage from all industries. WorkSafebC

measures how many time-loss claims

are made for every 100 years of employ-

ment. Data between 2007 and 2011

shows that when time-loss claims are

averaged from all b.C. industries, the

injury rate works out to be between two

and three. Data for only the drilling in-

dustry from that same time period puts

time-loss claims between 0.4 and 0.8.

Data for service rigs and other oilfield

services shows time-loss claims be-

tween 0.9 and 1.3.

Regulators have noticed this indus-

try’s commitment to jobsite safety,

especially those involved in occupa-

tional health and safety. bob Ross, for

example, used to work for Saskatch-

ewan oh&S. today he’s the managing

director of Enform Saskatchewan, but

some time before that, he earned a pay-

cheque from the rigs, working as an as-

sistant driller in the 1970s. he knows

– firsthand – what the benchmark was

for rig safety back then. today, he ap-

plauds the rigs’ commitment to an ever-

improving safety record. his comment

regarding today’s stance toward safe

work? “When this industry committed

to changing their mindset on that mat-

ter, it made the change quickly. that’s

the beauty of this industry: the speed it

likes to work at and its commitment to

improve.”

the safety culture in this indus-

try has benefits beyond the rig site. A

little-known story from 2010: a service

rig crew helped save the life of a man

in a vehicle accident. the rig crew was

travelling to a job. they witnessed the

accident: a truck with a trailer skidded

sideways across the highway and then

rolled – multiple times – into a ditch.

the driver was thrown from the vehicle.

the crew quickly mobilized, putting

into action their first-aid training and

assuming the team roles they would

adopt for an emergency drill. they not

only stabilized the injured driver; they

managed the scene, gathering data from

other witnesses and contacting emer-

gency services.

their experience in man-down drills

meant they knew how to deal with the

emergency. When asked about their

quick response, they credited the repeti-

tion of those drills for giving them the

confidence to act.

the rig industry is moving in the

right direction. Focus is still required.

WorkSafebC statistics further note that

the disabling rate of injuries is higher

for the oil and gas industry than in oth-

er industries. training standards have

been introduced through the rig tech-

nician trade and the Service Rig Com-

petency Program, and innovation and

technology have helped to engineer out

hazards.

but most of all, our improved safety

record rests on the influence of employ-

ees who demonstrate again and again a

commitment to safety.

the improved safety record has come

from the influence of crew supervisors.

this influence has made rigs safer and

companies more competitive. It has

helped this industry to be the example

of what a change in mindset can ac-

complish. S

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the merits of three distinct ini-

tiatives from across Encana’s

operations, including a unique

recycling project in british Colum-

bia’s horn River basin, recently saw

the company receive the President’s

Award in the Canadian Association

of Petroleum Producers’ (CAPP) 2013

Responsible Canadian Energy Awards.

the President’s Award, announced

March 20, is presented to energy com-

panies for activities that demonstrate

exceptional environmental, health and

safety or social performance.

historically awarded on the environ-

mental, health and safety and social

performance of a single project, this

year’s President’s Award focused on the

three Encana projects described next.

“Responsible development is a key

component of our business model

throughout our operations and it’s

important that we as an industry con-

tinue to improve our performance.

these types of initiatives help support

our business, improve our relation-

ships with important stakeholders

and help continually raise the bar on

our environmental, safety and social

performance,” said Mike McAllister,

executive vice-president & president,

Canadian Division.

Horn River Recycling Program

In 2009, in an effort to reduce the

amount of material being diverted to

local landfills, Encana began a waste

reduction program in its horn River

work camps. Recyclables were col-

lected at the camps and stored in 50-

foot trailers before being transported

to Fort Nelson and donated to local

community groups. these groups were

then able to sort the material and re-

turn containers to receive the refunded

deposits.

by 2011, it had become difficult to

find groups able to sort an entire trail-

er of material. In 2012, to address this

challenge, Encana and the Northern

Rockies Social Planning Council creat-

ed a sorting facility where individuals

with barriers to employment, fundrais-

ing groups and others in need are able

to sort the containers and return them

for cash. to date, Encana has diverted

20 trailers of for-deposit contain-

ers from the landfill, providing over

$60,000 in revenue to the community.

Race Against Hunger

Encana’s longstanding support of

rural lifestyles was the premise for de-

enCana reCeives toP honours for resPonsiBle Canadian energy develoPMentrecycling program in Horn river Basinamong the three diverse projects cited

in 2009, in an effort to reduce the amount of material being diverted to local landfills, encana began a waste reduction program in its work camps in the Horn river Basin. the project was one of three recognized with the caPP President’s award received by encana on March 20, 2013.


Mike Mcallister, executive vice-president & president, canadian division, accepts the caPP President’s award on behalf of encana on March 20, 2013.

veloping Race Against hunger, a part-

nership with the World Professional

Chuckwagon Association that benefits

local food banks in Encana’s operating

areas in Alberta and british Columbia.

Now in its third year, the initiative has

received overwhelming community

support, raising more than $100,000

and almost 12,000 pounds of food in

2012. In Dawson Creek alone last year,

the campaign raised $11,285 and 1,085

pounds of food for area food banks.

Responsible Products Program Developed in conjunction with

third-party toxicologists, the Responsi-

ble Products Program allows Encana to

make objective, accurate assessments

of its hydraulic fracturing fluid systems

for potential impacts to human health

or the environment using widely ac-

cepted toxicological criteria. Encana

then identifies any required opera-

tional controls to allow for responsible

use of the additives or eliminate them

from use entirely. the program has

been shared with CAPP in support of

the Fracturing Fluid Additive Risk As-

sessment and Management operating

practice. S

encana’s race against Hunger program with the World Professional chuckwagon association raised $11,285 and 1,085 pounds of food for dawson creek-area food banks in 2012. the initiative was one of three projects recognized with the caPP President’s award received by encana on March 20, 2013.


the use and protection of water in the oil and gas sec-

tor has become an important topic in the province of

british Columbia. Water traditionally has a number of

uses, from dust control to machine washing, but its use for

hydraulic fracturing has increased overall use. In the last six

years, the province and jurisdictions across North America

have seen a shift from conventional to unconventional sourc-

es of natural gas, and with that, the increased utilization of

hydraulic fracturing, and thereby water, to unlock those re-

sources. Six years ago in british Columbia, about 15 per cent

of wells targeted unconventional sources, and by 2012 it rose

to over 80 per cent.

With such a shift, the bC oil and Gas Commission (commis-

sion) realized a quick and efficient regulatory response on water

use was required. Regulating this changing industry required the

commission to have critical information on hand, not only to

be confident it was making informed decisions on permits, but

also that permits could be managed in times of extreme weather,

such as the droughts of 2010 and 2012.

It was recognized that a water-resource decision-support tool

was required to aid in managing the decision-making process of

water use approvals. this tool would need to be strongly science-

based, it must be publicly available and transparent, and its de-

velopment must be collaborative, involving academics, research-

ers and government specialists.

After 20 months of extensive collaboration and hard work by

a specialized team, a highly innovative, GIS-based program was

made available on the commission’s website. the Northeast Water

tool, or NEWt, is a tool that is unique to North America and is

designed to query locations on rivers or lakes throughout North-

east b.C for information on water availability, existing use, and

environmental flows.

the commission formally engaged with hydrology and water

resource specialists from b.C. universities and elsewhere to help

guide the NEWt hydrology. Funding and support was provided

by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource operations

(FLNRo) and Geoscience bC, an industry-led, not-for-profit, ap-

plied geoscience organization.

the impact of NEWt is wide-ranging. Not only does it help in-

form commission decisions, but also addresses the critical need

for water information by industry, First Nations, communities,

government, and the public. Its availability increases transparency

surrounding the oil and gas industry’s use of water and helps to

address concerns of the public and media. Industry uses it to assist

with water planning, and with First Nations to help understand

potential impacts of water withdrawals in traditional territories.

BC oil and gas CoMMissionlaunChes innovative water toolBy Maria reschke

a northern B.c. watershed.


a natural resource officer from the Bc oil and gas commission uses neWt to make a decision on a permit.

Not only is this hydrology tool well-based in science, it is easy

to use and understand and makes detailed water recourse infor-

mation available to anyone who might be interested. users are

able to access detailed maps which outline the watershed up-

stream to any particular river, creek, or lake selected. Locations

can be chosen by coordinates or simply by selecting a location

on the map. by zooming in or out, the user is able to move

quickly to another location for the next query.

Details on all water-use permits and licences on a given loca-

tion can be easily accessed simply by requesting NEWt to pro-

duce a PDF report. the report includes all active permits and

licences upstream of the query location that are authorized by

the commission and all other government agencies. this in-

cludes details such as the volumes of water that have already

been licensed or approved for use, detail on environmental

flows, and the volume of water that might be potentially avail-

able for use by industry.

NEWt has already become a model for other jurisdictions.

Alberta is now applying similar concepts to create a hydrology-

based and publicly available decision support tool and hopes

to have work completed in late 2013. the commission’s NEWt

developers believe the approach could be replicated across

North America.

the mandate of the commission is to ensure oil and gas re-

sources are developed for the benefit of all british Columbians.

In order to accomplish this, it is paramount to anticipate indus-

try trends and how they will affect the environment and public

safety. NEWt is a tool that provides the commission with the

required data needed to assess water trends and make decisions

in the interest of all british Columbians. S

screenshot of the northeast Water tool.


Despite what the name implies, membership in the So-

ciety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is not limited to

petroleum engineers. In fact, about two-thirds of SPE’s

professional members have degrees in other engineering fields

such as mechanical or chemical engineering. In addition, a sig-

nificant portion of SPE members hold non-engineering degrees

in areas including geology, physics, chemistry, and business.

SPE’s more than 110,000 members represent a diverse cross-

section of engineers, managers, consultants, geologists, and

more – all tasked with meeting the world’s growing energy

needs in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.

to assist in meeting this challenge, SPE provides the latest

technical knowledge and professional development through

such resources as conferences, workshops, and technical ex-

hibitions; training courses; periodicals and books; and local

section meetings.

With members in 141 countries, SPE is the largest individual

member organization serving managers, engineers, scientists,

and other professionals worldwide in the upstream segment of

the oil and gas industry. What makes SPE unique is that it exists

primarily for the benefit of its members, who are both owners

of the organization and its major customers.

SPE understands the importance of continuing education for

honing skills and developing new ones, as well as expanding

expertise and knowledge. the SPE Canada office in Calgary,

home to one of the organization’s three training centres, offers

an array of programs and courses that address six technical dis-

ciplines: drilling and completions; hSSE and social responsibil-

ity; management and information; production and operations;

projects, facilities, and construction; and reservoir description

and dynamics.

Courses on thermal Reservoir Stimulation for SAGD and

Forecasting Well Production Data in unconventional Re-

sources are just a two of the many training courses scheduled

for 2013. A complete list of training courses is available at

www.spe.org/training/courses.

In addition to the training courses, SPE holds conferences

and workshops each year in Canada. Calgary served as the

host city for the heavy oil Conference-Canada in June. the

Progressing Cavity Pumps Conference was also held in Cal-

gary, August 26 to 27. Attendees learned about real-life field

applications, applicability of current and future PCP technol-

ogies, well optimization using PCPs through proper automa-

tion and monitoring, and much more.

In November, SPE will host the unconventional Resources

Conference-Canada in Calgary. the conference and exhibi-

tion will showcase the latest techniques and best practices

for discovering, developing, and producing unconventional

resources in North America.

upcoming workshops include Production Forecasting in

october. For a listing of workshops and conferences as their

details are finalized, visit the SPE event calendar at www.spe.

org/events/calendar.

SPE publications, considered the leading source of in-

dustry technical applications, issues and discoveries, cover

all aspects of the upstream oil and gas industry. Among its

library of periodicals, it publishes the Journal of Canadian

Petroleum technology. this bi-monthly, peer-reviewed jour-

nal focuses on heavy oil and oil sands technology, thermal

recovery techniques, unconventional gas supplies, optimiza-

tion techniques, increasing recovery from older basins, and

other technologies designed for the production challenges of

Canada and similar producing regions. View the current issue

at www.spe.org/publications/jcpt.php.

SPE has six local sections to meet the needs of the Canadi-

an E&P industry: Calgary, Edmonton, halifax, Lloydminster,

Saskatchewan, and St. John’s. these sections link members to

technical knowledge through distinguished lecturer visits and

locally organized events, as well as networking opportunities

with industry colleagues.

For more information about SPE’s Canadian activities, visit

www.spe.org/canada. S

serving the Profession and the Professionalthe society of Petroleum engineersBy Melissa schultea, sPe senior manager, canadian activities

Gar-North Ent. is a locally owned Pipe Bending Company located in Fort St. John BC for the past 8 years. We service Oil & Gas Companies in BC and Alberta.

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E-mail: [email protected]

SPE is where you are.

Providing technical information to the Canadian E&P marketSPE is a not-for-profi t professional association whose more than 110,000 members globally are engaged in oil and gas exploration and production. As a key resource for technical knowledge, SPE provides publications, events, training courses, and online resources at www.spe.org.

When you become a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, you join the brightest minds in the E&P industry, gaining access to new people, new places, and new ideas from all over Canada, and 140 other countries as well.

SPE has something for everyone working in the upstream oil and gas industry, no matter where in Canada you may be.

Join our worldwide membership today at www.spe.org/join.

WYA_FP_1749_O&GE_0413.indd 1 6/5/13 8:06 PM

It seems everywhere you look, whether

it’s coffee houses, local playgrounds

or boardroom tables, british Colum-

bians are talking about the oil and gas

sector, or more specifically, the pipeline

industry. With all the personal opinions,

misinformation and half-truths floating

around, it can be difficult to make sense of

it all. Not to mention, with the advent of

social media, in which the speed of infor-

mation is measured in nanoseconds, mis-

information quickly becomes the truth.

So, providing honest, straightforward,

factual-based answers to british Columbi-

ans from credible sources is paramount to

earning the trust of british Columbians.

the pipeline industry has been part of

Canada’s critical infrastructure for decades.

It started with the construction and opera-

tion of the first 25-kilometre cast-iron nat-

ural gas pipeline in 1853. then, the first

crude oil pipeline was completed in 1862,

and by the 1950s, with the discovery of an

abundant supply of crude oil in the west,

the transMountain Pipeline system began

transporting crude oil from Edmonton to

Vancouver. Shortly after, Westcoast Energy,

now Spectra Energy, began transporting

natural gas from northeast british Colum-

bia to the u.S. border. today, our mem-

ber companies operate approximately

115,000 kilometres of transmission pipe-

lines in Canada, including approximately

9,000 kilometres in british Columbia.

this long and proud history has result-

ed in successfully transporting 97 per cent

of Canada’s daily natural gas and onshore

crude oil from producing regions to mar-

kets throughout North America. but, like

anything else, there are risks involved. It

seems that just when we’re trying to prove

to Canadians that we’re one of the saf-

est industries, a pipeline incident occurs.

And, after a while, it’s understandable that

people become leery of what it is we’re try-

ing to say and do. the truth is, we are one

of the safest methods of transporting large

volumes of crude oil and natural gas, but

we can no longer keep telling people that

we’re safe. Instead, we need to prove it.

one of the ways we plan on doing that

is through a program called CEPA Integ-

rity First®. this program, which our mem-

ber companies have been quietly working

on for a few years now, is designed to ad-

vance the performance of the industry in

the areas of safety, environment, and so-

cio-economic issues. however, the initial

focus of the program will be on two key

areas: pipeline integrity and emergency

management.

Pipeline integrity involves practices

and processes that pipeline operators un-

dertake in order to ensure that crude oil

and natural gas is transported safely and

within the intended operating parameters.

British ColuMBians wantanswers froM PiPeline industryBy sandra Burns

Preparing the pipeline. COURTESy OF SPECTRA ENERGy.


It also includes things like prevention

technology, which among other things, ex-

amines the latest advancements of in-line

inspection tools. Emergency management

is the ability for a pipeline operator to re-

spond to an emergency situation using a

comprehensive and systematic emergency

response plan.

In both these areas, CEPA will facilitate

the collective review of our member com-

panies’ integrity management programs

and emergency response plans. the inten-

tion is to define a common set of require-

ments that will be adhered to by member

companies on a consistent and ongoing

basis. In doing so, it will provide increased

transparency to the public through indus-

try-wide performance tracking and report-

ing. We know that CEPA Integrity First® is

not the answer to everything, but we think

it’s a good start in demonstrating our in-

dustry’s commitment to continuously im-

proving.

We’ve also heard from a number of

sources that british Columbians want to

know more about what happens in the

event of a pipeline spill or leak. So, anoth-

er initiative that our member companies

are undertaking is to thoroughly examine

the ability of a pipeline operator to re-

spond to an emergency situation. Emer-

gency response plans are activated as soon

as the pipeline operator discovers the in-

cident. they could involve large numbers

of employees, contractors, government

authorities, local emergency responders,

and other key stakeholders who all have

important jobs to do that will ensure the

safety of the people and the environment.

the reality is that without pipelines, we

wouldn’t be able to drive our cars, take

the bus or hop on a plane. Pipelines also

help deliver the raw materials needed for

the petrochemical industry, which then re-

fines the products and produces the plastic

materials, which are then used in consum-

er goods. As Canadians, our lifestyle dic-

tates the use of thousands of commercial

plastic products every day; items such as

garden hoses, plastic packaging, computer

keyboards, and automotive parts and ac-

cessories, to name a few. In order to pro-

duce these products, pipelines are needed.

And, with the volumes that we’re talking

about, pipelines are one of the safest and

most efficient ways to transport raw ma-

terials, such as crude oil and natural gas,

from areas of production to consumer

markets. but, the reality is that not every

Canadian is going to stop using these

products overnight. If Canadians stopped

using pipelines to get products to market,

alternative forms of transportation would

be used.

Another misunderstanding is the idea

that CEPA’s pipeline operators would put

profit before safety, which is also not true.

the majority of CEPA member compa-

nies own and operate large transmission

pipelines that carry significant volumes

of natural gas and crude oil. the member

companies would not intentionally risk

their operations or reputation in order to

save money. Safety is their number one

priority, which is why they have emergen-

cy response plans and procedures in place

to account for any emergency situations

that could arise. these plans are reviewed

and updated, as required, by the pipeline

operator and submitted to the appropriate

regulator. Pipeline operators conduct reg-

ular emergency response procedures and

inform everyone who may be associated

with an emergency response activity of the

practices and procedures to be followed.

outreach activities are also conducted to

inform nearby residents of what to do in

the case of an emergency, as well.

And finally, oftentimes, we forget that

the Canadian pipeline industry is also

strictly regulated. If a pipeline crosses a

provincial boundary, it is federally regu-

lated by the National Energy board. the

regulatory framework takes a full lifecycle

approach to pipelines, which means that

a pipeline operator is expected to follow

specific standards and procedures that re-

late to its construction, operation, and the

retirement of a pipeline.

Providing answers to tough questions

is something CEPA and its member com-

panies are more than willing to do. brit-

ish Columbians owe it to themselves and

their future generations to learn as much

as possible about the pipeline industry,

come to their own conclusions, and be

proud of an industry that has served us so

well for decades. For more information on

pipelines, please visit our website at www.

aboutpipelines.com.

sandra Burns is the manager of

communications with the canadian energy

Pipeline association. Her background

includes a wide variety of communications

experience, including media relations and

social media. throughout her career, she has

been published in various publications, as

well as online. Burns holds a bachelor of arts

in english from the university of Western

ontario and a MBa from the university of

edinburgh. S

Pipeline right-of-way. COURTESy OF ENBRIDGE.



steP into northeastern B.C.steP energy services’ acquisition of Kamber nitrogen services expands benefits to operators in the Fort st. John regionBy graham chandler

It’s a classic example of what’s called

“synergy”—when two organizations

come together and produce some-

thing better than the sum of their indi-

vidual parts.

“We were looking for a strategic op-

portunity to further propel our growth in

northeastern b.C.,” says Rory thompson,

operations manager at Calgary-based

StEP Energy Services. A leading nitrogen

pumping company in Fort St. John had re-

cently expanded their services into coiled

tubing and caught the attention of StEP.

“they offered a similar value proposition

as StEP – coiled tubing services designed

for the deep horizontal well market, as

well as nitrogen pumping services, and

they were operating in the heart of the

Montney.”

StEP worked with the owners of Kam-

ber Nitrogen Services who were aligned

with StEP’s growth plans, and by mid-

September 2012 the acquisition was fi-

nalized.

Kamber was the first privately owned ni-

trogen company in northeastern b.C. and

had been operating out of Fort St. John

since July 2006. Kamber built a reputation

in the area as the premier nitrogen services

company operating five N2 pumpers and a

number of transport bulkers.

“Nitrogen pumping was a big market

for us,” says Jamie Lawson, Kamber’s ni-

trogen manager. “basically, it’s how we

entered the coiled tubing side of the well

intervention business.”

With a growing client base, Kamber

decided to expand into the coiled tubing

sector late in 2010. the company took de-


livery of its first Class III long-reach coiled tubing unit in Novem-

ber that year, followed by two reel-support trailers and a second

coiled tubing unit in 2011. “We had success in the coil business

and kept both rigs well utilized. When StEP acquired Kamber, we

were ready to expand our client base even further,” says Lawson.

“So timing worked out pretty well.”

Likewise, the timing was right for StEP. Kamber’s two coiled

units were integrated into the company, which, at the time, dou-

bled StEP’s coiled tubing fleet. the acquisition also provided the

opportunity for StEP to gain a geographic foothold in the prolific

shale plays of northeastern b.C. and Alberta.

but there are more than just two winners with this synergy. the

service centre in Fort St. John has since become the company’s

full-service hub in the region, allowing StEP and Kamber to

strengthen service, maintenance, and project support for clients in

the area. Within the next six months, “our fleet will include a total

of 12 coiled tubing spreads, six of which will operate out of Fort St.

John,” says thompson. “We anticipate the activity in the liquids-

rich natural gas and oil plays, such as Duvernay and Montney, will

continue through 2014 and we are well-positioned to help clients

with their challenging well intervention programs.”

the synergies aren’t restricted to shops and equipment. the cul-

tural fit was right as well.

“Kamber built a team of highly skilled and experienced opera-

tors,” says thompson. “their service model was aligned with our

cultural philosophy of combining the most technically advanced

oilfield services equipment with a team of experienced oilfield

professionals to provide our clients with an exceptional experi-

ence on every project.”

Lawson agrees that StEP’s focus on building a team of oilfield

professionals complemented Kamber’s growth priorities. “StEP’s

people plan and core values of safety, trust, execution, and pos-

sibilities fit well with what Kamber was doing.”

the integration of Kamber into StEP was deliberately staged

over a year period to ensure that the integrity of Kamber’s brand,

its employees, and its client relationships were maintained and

successfully transitioned to StEP.

“As of September 2013, we have wholly incorporated Kam-

ber’s people and assets under the StEP name,” says thompson.

the majority of the company’s employees remained through

the transition, which allowed StEP to learn more about doing

business in the area and the client relationships Kamber had

established prior to the acquisition.

“We are fortunate to have such a great team of technically

capable and client-focused field professionals servicing our cli-

ents in the northern areas of the Western Canadian Sedimen-

tary basin.” S


british Columbia has an integral

role in the future of the Cana-

dian oil and gas industry, which

has undergone significant changes in

the past six to seven years.

For example, relative to natural gas

alone, in 2007, 85 per cent of wells in

b.C. targeted conventional gas while

the other 15 per cent were horizontal,

hydraulically stimulated wells. Single

well pads meant increased infrastruc-

ture demands to get gas production to

market. the sour content of natural gas

was increasing dramatically, and North

America was looking for imported liq-

uefied natural gas to replace declining

output from the Western Canadian Sed-

imentary basin. today, approximately

90 per cent of b.C.’s wells are target-

ing unconventional gas. Multiple well

pads mean more predictable placing,

dry holes are rare, shales are valuable

reservoirs, and it’s imperative to find al-

ternative markets for the province’s gas

production.

the bC oil & Gas Commission, as

the industry’s regulator, utilizes con-

tinuous improvement as an important

part of their commitment to service.

this allows the commission to take ad-

vantage of newer technologies and bet-

ter position the province going forward.

our organization, the Canadian So-

ciety for unconventional Resources

(CSuR), like british Columbia, is tech-

nology-driven. the province, known for

its world-class geoscience research, has

been both an innovator in petroleum

research and a pioneer relative to hori-

zontal well drilling.

the oil and gas industry continues to

evolve and change as a result of the un-

precedented growth of unconventional

resource exploration and production.

Across Western Canada, significantly,

more horizontal wells completed with

multistage hydraulic fracturing are be-

ing drilled than conventional vertical

wells. unconventional has truly be-

come conventional. horizontal drill-

ing and hydraulic fracturing have been

integral to that transition, and to the

myriad of challenges that the industry

must address in today’s resource devel-

opment environment – social licence,

commodity prices, capital require-

ments, market access.

CSuR has recognized the fundamen-

tal changes that all aspects of the indus-

try are experiencing.

the resurgence of a strong and grow-

ing oil and gas industry in british Co-

lumbia – b.C. has four primary basins

(Montney, Liard, horn River, and Cor-

dova) and cumulative, established un-

conventional gas resources of more than

1,000 trillion cubic feet – is a reflection

of the impact technology can have.

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the industry has also entered a new

era of technological and operational

transparency. Never before has our or-

ganization (CSuR) faced the number of

inquiries about resource development

and calls for engagement from the full

spectrum of stakeholders – landown-

ers, operators, communities, munici-

palities, NGos, professional organiza-

tions, governments, and regulators – as

it faced in 2012 and so far in 2013. In

the past year, we undertook a doubling

of face-to-face engagement with that

spectrum of stakeholders, including

involvement in 60 presentations, com-

munity, and multi-stakeholder meet-

ings, symposiums, and workshops. In

british Columbia and across North

America, operators are also responding

at the community level and through ac-

tions, including voluntary disclosure of

chemicals, development and publica-

tion of hydraulic fracturing operating

practices, increased community en-

gagement, and collaboration to reduce

the footprint of development. Service

companies, too, recognize the need for

transparency and visible recommitment

to a set of health, safety, environmental

(protection), and community values.

the evolution of technology is con-

tinuing from drill bits to software to

geological models and it will continue

to influence the way resources are de-

veloped, how we perceive Canada’s re-

source endowment, and how we talk to

stakeholders and communities where

the industry operates.

What plans does CSuR have to sup-

port and morph with the evolution? We

will continue to:

• Participateinspeakingengagements,

including face-to-face with commu-

nities and multi-stakeholder groups,

for the purpose of raising the under-

standing and awareness of the tech-

nologies and development processes

related to the unconventional re-

source industry in Canada, as well as

highlighting emerging resource play

opportunities.

• HostourTechnicalLuncheonSeries,

field trips and play-specific work-

shops – these are popular learning

experiences and in high demand.

CSuR’s flagship technical event is

the 15th annual Canadian uncon-

ventional Resources Conference

(CuRC), to be held in october 2013.

• Develop and update our understand-

ing booklet and fact sheet series, as

well as the video collection, all of

which are very popular destinations

on our website for a diverse group of

surfers and stakeholders, worldwide.

With a very keen group of staff and

volunteers, we’ll also renew our efforts

to tackle the communication and un-

derstanding challenges presented by

audiences seeking improved science

and engineering literacy.

• Engageindialoguewithgovernments

and regulatory agencies to ensure a

solid understanding of evolving tech-

nologies and development processes,

and that issues identified by the in-

dustry are considered.

CSuR is active across Canada, fa-

cilitating communications and under-

standing between the unconventional

oil and gas industry, provincial, federal

and municipal governments, the pub-

lic, First Nations, and the media. With

a strong focus on technology transfer

amongst professionals (engineers, ge-

ologists, etc.), CSuR’s major role is to

provide this information that enables

resource development in an environ-

mentally, socially, and economically

sensitive manner.

Kevin Heffernan is the president of the

canadian society for unconventional re-

sources. S


Energy Services bC (ESbC) is the

“voice of the service sector” in

Northeast british Columbia. We

lobby government and campaign pro-

ducers on behalf of b.C.-based contrac-

tors.

Since the successful completion of

the provincial election, the enthusiasm

has been electrifying. With the promise

of four years growth and development,

many companies are expanding, upgrad-

ing equipment, and diversifying with ea-

ger anticipation of involving themselves

with liquid natural gas projects. Several

retail and hospitality providers are ramp-

ing up to fulfill the needs of the employ-

ees of contractors poised to maintain the

increasing requirements and demands

of producers developing the gas fields

of Northeast b.C., and ESbC is buzzing

with phone calls and emails from com-

panies wanting to join our membership.

ESbC is the liaison for b.C.-based busi-

nesses. As executive director of ESbC, I

look forward to future conversations

with Rich Coleman, minister respon-

sible for Natural Gas and housing; todd

Stone, minister responsible for trans-

portation; and my monthly meetings

with MLA and newly appointed minister

responsible for Agriculture, Pat Pimm. A

relationship spanning decades with Sen-

ator Richard Neufeld and MP bob Zim-

mer is our window to conveying issues

at a federal level, and regular meetings

with mayors and regional chairpersons

address municipal and regional district-

related subjects. We persevere for the

b.C.-based contractor.

June 24th, 2013 was recognized as the

inaugural flight for WestJet in and out

of Fort St. John. WestJet is now the third

of three regional carriers (which also

includes Air Canada and Central Moun-

tain Air) serving this outstanding region

of the province. the airport manager is

quoted as saying “Energy Services bC’s

contribution to achieving our goal in

securing a third air carrier is duly noted

and very much appreciated!”

our annual energy expos are stocked

with unique equipment specific to the

climate and geographical challenges pre-

sented by the North. these expos, which

are hosted by ESbC, provide excellent

networking opportunities, connecting

producer to supplier and provide terrific

information transfer face to face.

Lori Ackerman, mayor of Fort St. John,

says, “Northern b.C. has the ability to

change the conversation in the prov-

ince. Natural gas alone can be a game-

changer. understanding the opportu-

nity for b.C. when b.C. businesses are

active in industry development cannot

be stressed enough. Energy Services bC

is the voice of our energy service sector.

As a ‘go-to’ organization, they speak to

the issues that are or can become bar-

riers to strengthening the backbone of

the Canadian economy – our small- and

medium-sized businesses.”

the next few years, if not decades,

project huge opportunities and long-

term jobs in both Northeast and North-

west b.C., and ESbC will continue to

play a major role in every step of this

journey.

For membership information, please

contact Art Jarvis at 250-263-8569, or by

email, [email protected]. S

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Enform, the safety association for Canada’s upstream

oil and gas industry, is making some changes. It has

taken on new leadership, is streamlining processes,

creating new resources, and enhancing its client services.

“We are in the process of overhauling some of our pro-

grams and systems to make them more effective,” said Cam-

eron MacGillivray, Enform’s president and CEo. “We have a

number of strategic priorities that we have set for ourselves

that include enabling a culture of safety throughout our in-

dustry – and an important aspect of that is assessing safety

performance.”

to that end, Enform, which has an office in Fort St. John,

has streamlined its Certificate of Recognition program

(CoR), which reviews and audits companies’ health and

safety management systems. CoR is a well-proven method

for energy companies to improve their health and safety

performance and reduce any risks and costs associated with

workplace incidents. over the past year, Enform has created

a more efficient application and auditing process. the new

audit protocol was released this past May and has been ap-

proved by governing bodies in british Columbia, Alberta

and Saskatchewan.

“these changes to the CoR program are intended to pro-

vide efficiencies for both companies and auditors with fewer

overall questions and a more effective targeting of interview

questions,” said MacGillivray.

the CoR program has been offered by Enform since 1985,

and to date, 1,778 Alberta employers, 554 british Columbia

employers, and 422 Saskatchewan employers are CoR-cer-

tified companies. the program provides quality assurance

and protocols that support occupational health and safety

guidelines and standards for safety procedures.

“Companies with solid health and safety management sys-

tems are able to identify and assess their workplace hazards

and then systematically control the risks to their employees

and overall operations,” said MacGillivray.

And it has paid off. organizations with a CoR generate

a solid return on their investment in health and safety with

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lower Workers’ Compensation claims costs. In 2012, for in-

stance, industry employers who held a b.C. CoR or SECoR

(a similar certification program for small-sized companies)

with Enform received approximately $2.1 million in Work-

ers’ Compensation rebates through the WorkSafebC’s Part-

ners in Injury and Disability Prevention Program. other

statistics show a substantial reduction in lost-time claim

rates.

Enform is the only certifying partner in Canada to pro-

vide CoR protocols that are cross-jurisdictional, meaning

that through Enform, only one audit is required for a com-

pany operating in multiple provinces. british Columbia,

Alberta and Saskatchewan each have their own set of CoR

standards.

“We are very pleased with the response we have been get-

ting on our new streamlined process,” said MacGillivray.

“there are a number of things that go into creating a safety

culture, and this is certainly an important part of it.”

Enform supports and promotes the highest health and

safety standards in the upstream oil and gas industry, help-

ing companies to achieve their safety goals by providing

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Interest in bC Safety Authority’s new

Alternative Safety Approaches (ASA)

optional program continues to

grow, especially in the oil and gas sector.

Applications have now been received

from eight companies, and an addition-

al 15 companies are in discussions with

the bC Safety Authority (bCSA).

ASA was included in changes to the

safety standards act that were approved

by the Provincial Government of brit-

ish Columbia in 2010. the program

gives owners and operators of regulated

products an alternative method to pre-

scriptive regulation to effectively man-

age safety. An ASA provides flexibility by

treating safety as an integrated whole in-

stead of simply complying with a series

of prescriptive requirements.

An initiative with Shell Canada Lim-

ited on implementing an ASA option

at all of their b.C. facilities is in the fi-

nal stages of preparation. this has been

a valuable exercise for both parties by

enhancing understanding of what is

required and ensuring that the product

is practical and streamlined, while en-

suring a level of safety equal to or bet-

ter than prescriptive regulatory require-

ments.

According to Pearse Walsh, bCSA’s

leader of business development, “An al-

ternative safety approach is an opportu-

nity for owners and operators to imple-

ment innovative safety practices, taking

into account the individual characteris-

tics of their operations to ensure a high

level of safety performance.”

there are two options available under

the ASA program:

• Safety Management Plan: Applies to

the safety of an entire facility and al-

lows for significant substitution or

equivalency to prescriptive regulations

across one or more of the following

technologies: boilers, pressure vessels,

refrigeration, electrical and gas.

• Equivalent Standard Approach: Al-

lows for limited equivalency or sub-

stitution of a regulation in one of the

technologies noted above.

“We believe that ASA options improve

a company’s safety culture, as those

tasks that are most important to safe

outcomes are emphasized,” says Walsh.

“In addition, integrating safety systems

thinking into new projects at the design

stage is a significant safety and value-

added opportunity. bCSA is planning to

work with the design and engineering

teams on the proposed new liquefied

natural gas (LNG) projects”

the bC Safety Authority is confident

that a number of companies will have new

ASA options in place by the end of 2013.

“Safety management plans give com-

panies an opportunity to take a perfor-

mance-based approach towards safety

compliance,” adds Walsh. “bCSA is using

a robust auditing practice to support their

process.”

For more information about the

Alternative Safety Approaches pro-

gram, visit the Permits section of our

website at safetyauthority.ca or email

[email protected].

the bC Safety Authority is an indepen-

dent, self-funded organization mandated

to oversee the safe installation and opera-

tion of technical systems and equipment.

In addition to issuing permits, licences

and certificates, we work with industry to

reduce safety risks through assessment,

enforcement, research and education.

With our mission to build confidence

in safety systems for life, through a focus

on risk and support for innovation, we

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over 16 years ago, the City of Fort St. John partnered

with the b.C. government to host the first oil & Gas

Symposium. this conference offered an opportunity

for government to recognize the local energy industry and the

significant role it has played in our communities in british Co-

lumbia. It has since been renamed the bC Energy Conference,

recognizing the multiple types of industries related to energy in

b.C., particularly in the northeast region. this annual event at-

tracts politicians, regulators, and industry leaders to share valu-

able information.

At the close of the inaugural conference held in Fort St. John, a

joint protocol agreement was signed between Fort St. John, Fort

Nelson, and Dawson Creek to allow each community an oppor-

tunity to host. this year’s conference will take place in Fort St.

John from october 1st to 3rd, 2013 at the Pomeroy hotel.

As host of the 2013 Energy Conference, the “Energy Capital of

b.C.”, as Fort St. John is known, has one big question for those

attending the conference or who are thinking about attending –

fort st. John set to host the 2013 BC energy ConferenCe

Register for the 2013 BC Energy Conference at

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October 1-3, 2013 www.bcenergyconference.ca

Advancing the interests of energy partners

“Are you energy literate?” this question is

a call to action to those who are involved

with, or affected in some way, by the dis-

covery, production, shipping, and deliv-

ery of energy sources.

Not content to be the same old confer-

ence, this event offers an opportunity to

bring together industry leaders, all levels

of government, and academics to discuss

the issues that really matter in the Cana-

dian energy sector, especially in North-

eastern b.C. the City of Fort St. John is

committed to being a leader in energy

literacy and hopes that other municipali-

ties and industry partners will pursue the

same goal.

Chair of the 2013 bC Energy Confer-

ence trevor bolin states, “Never before has

the Fort St. John area been poised for the

growth in the energy sector as it is right

now. Fort St. John has been a hub for en-

ergy for the past five decades, but it is the

coming decade that’s going to change ev-

erything we thought about energy.”

Whether you’re local government

or industry, bolin has this to say: “If

you only book one event to attend this

year, make sure it’s the 2013 bC Energy

Conference hosted by the City of Fort

St. John. You won’t regret it.”

the three-day conference opens

with an optional tour of a working

camp, followed by two action-packed

days covering hot topics such as the

new types of applications for lique-

fied natural gas pipelines and the need

for effective transportation options in

the future, plus an update on the Site

C project, bC hydro’s proposed third

dam and hydroelectric generating sta-

tion on the Peace River in Northeast

b.C. S


the Northern Rockies Regional

Municipality (NRRM), provincial

partners, industry, and Fort Nel-

son First Nation (FNFN) work diligently

to ensure sustainable, balanced growth

in british Columbia’s most northeastern

region. Continual discoveries as a re-

sult of ongoing natural gas exploration,

refinement of technologies in both up-

stream and downstream production, and

momentum in the development of west

coast liquefied natural gas (LNG) proj-

ects set the stage for continued growth in

both the natural gas sector and the com-

munity. Canfor’s disposal of assets (two

production facilities and equipment) in

the Fort Nelson area have opened up op-

portunities for fresh investment, with a

healthy and diverse wood supply to sup-

port any range of new operations.

Signing a memorandum of under-

standing (Mou) with the Province of

british Columbia in 2012 solidified the

commitment of provincial leadership

to work with the NRRM to establish a

mechanism for future infrastructure in-

vestment, akin to the Peace River Dis-

trict’s Fair Share Agreements. With Pro-

vincial land sales and royalties in excess

of $3.5 billion from the horn River,

Liard, and Cordova basins, the NRRM

maintains that investment to aging in-

frastructure is essential to sustainable in-

dustry access and development, and not

to be borne by the community alone.

A region of major natural gas supply

to future LNG developments in Kitimat

and Prince Rupert, Fort Nelson, and the

NRRM sees 2013-2016 overall as a pe-

riod of preparation. Forecasts for direct

employment of future natural gas sec-

tor expansion show the potential for a

workforce of up to 10,000 in the NRRM

by 2020.

the Alaska highway, combined with

railhead access and regular scheduled

and charter air service at the Northern

Rockies Regional Airport (NRRA), makes

Fort Nelson a natural transportation

hub. Strategic business and capital plan-

ning of these methods of transportation

(NRRA expansion, and the Alaska high-

way Corridor Study) will ensure that

development stays ahead of the curve.

In response to the development of shale

gas resources and the steadfast growth

of the service sector, new light-industrial

lands are in the second phase of devel-

opment. two-hundred-and-fifty local,

fully serviced acres are available for pub-

lic ownership, accessed by an industrial

traffic route off of the Alaska highway.

to maintain focus on Fort Nelson’s sister

industry, the Forestry Roundtable meets

regularly to explore new options in our

changing forest sector. FNFN and the

NRRM have agreed to pursue a commu-

nity forest agreement, working together

to establish a future community forest

tenure.

tourism in this incredible region also

remains a force, being that the world-

famous Alaska highway serves as Fort

Nelson’s main street, and the globally

significant 6.4-million-hectare Musk-

wa-Kechika wilderness lies in the back-

yard. the number of visitors to the area

steadily climbs annually, as the desire to

explore and experience the “true north”

remains a motivational driver for many

of those with time to spare.

over 300 new businesses of all sizes

have established themselves in Fort Nel-

son since 2009, with a continued expec-

tation of the same growth through 2013

and beyond. Storefronts in retail, ser-

vice-sector providers, corporate oil and

gas drilling, completion and production

services, and expansion of the accom-

modations sector, all show the value

and measurable potential of the NRRM.

Reaching the peak of business success is

not a small feat: doing so in the North-

ern Rockies is well within reach.

For more information, contact Invest

Northern Rockies:

Email: [email protected]

tel: 250-774-2541

www.InvestNorthernRockies.ca S

regional develoPMentin the northern roCkieslaying the groundwork for success

Fort nelson airport.PHOTO By CHRIS GALE NORTHERN PHOTOGRAPHy.

Ind Scaffold Services.indd 1 13-05-22 9:17 AM

66 B.C. Oil & Gas Report • 2013

Many Canadians seeking adven-

ture in Northern b.C. point

their compasses to mile 47 of

the Alaskan highway—only to find that

the bustling town of Fort St. John might

make for a perfect home base.

touted as “the Energetic City”, Fort St.

John has become synonymous with com-

munity spirit and opportunity. As the

province’s oldest interior community, the

city has established a solid communal

foundation that has become increasingly

attractive to industry in recent years.

Since 2011, Mayor Lori Ackerman has

provided leadership that’s committed to

Fort St. John. her active pursuit of eco-

nomic development and financial stabil-

ity for her city, as well as airport viability,

is a plight that well-resonates with the

community she serves. Recently, Mayor

Ackerman was kind enough to sit down

with the B.c. oil and gas report to share

insight into the city’s ongoing popula-

tion surge. Read on for the official scoop.

Fort st. John is known as the energetic city.

in what ways does this title best fit Fort st.

John?

the energy is the heartbeat of Fort St.

John—and that is its people. We work

hard and play hard. Residents recognize

the need to be a neighbour and a citizen.

Fort St. John is filled with stories of those

who have come north to kick-start or re-

in the huB withMayor lori aCkerManof fort st. John

By Jillian Mitchell

Fort st. John city Hall.


start their careers for a couple of years

and have stayed for decades.

since its founding in 1794, Fort st. John has

grown exponentially. What factors have at-

tributed to this growth?

our growth can be directly attributed

to strong industries that spin off busi-

ness opportunities.

What type of growth is anticipated in five

years? 10 years?

All things remaining the same, we

could see a further 13 per cent growth,

and in 10 years, 27 per cent. this pre-

cludes projects that require Environmen-

tal Assessment office (EAo) approval.

So should these be approved, the num-

bers will increase even more. the Site C

Environmental Impact Statement states

that this project alone would push up

the anticipated community population

growth by two years. We believe that is a

very conservative number.

referring to the above question, how does

the oil and gas industry play into these num-

bers? is the town actively trying to draw in

the oil and gas industry?

these numbers are directly attached to

industry. the city is the regional service

centre in northeast b.C. and b.C.’s en-

ergy capital. With strong infrastructure,

a strong financial position, good ameni-

ties, expanding air service and a competi-

tive business environment, investors and

site selectors recognize our community

as a good location for long-term invest-

ment.

What sort of opportunities are there in the

town for working professionals, particularly

in the oil and gas industry?

the need for skilled labour has been

an issue for many years. Professionals in

all areas can find opportunities, health,

social, environmental technologies, en-

gineering, trades and hospitality.

What kind of infrastructure has been put in

place to accommodate families?

Fort St. John has paved over 75 ki-

lometres of roads, built over five kilo-

metres of sidewalks, and created over

27 kilometres of trails since 2000. We

continue to add to these each year. the

Pomeroy Sport Centre is home to two

NhL-sized rinks, a world-class speed

skating oval, and a walking/running

track. this facility is also home to the Pa-

cific Sport Centre, a program to enhance

our residents’ sport competency, and the

Energetic Learning Campus, a partner-

ship with School District 60 (Peace River

North).

Mayor ackerman, what was your motivation

to run for mayor back in 2011? to date, what

do you think has been your most notable ac-

complishment as mayor? and finally, are

there any future plans for the city that you

might share with our readers?

My motivation to run began in 2004.

At that time, my plan was for two terms

on council then run for mayor. My three

areas of focus were the same then as they

are now:

1. Economic development: Council has

resolved to move forward with an econom-

ic strategy that has a strong community fo-

cus with collaborative regional efforts.

2. Financial sustainability: We have cre-

ated a benefit-based approach to dealing

with city facilities and the fees and charg-

es for use. unless there is a referendum

for special borrowing needs, we only bor-

row for water and sewer. Development

Cost Charges have been implemented

for future water and sewer infrastructure.

Council continues to support the policy

that 97 to 97.5 per cent of the Fair Share

dollars received are invested into infra-

structure.

3. Viability of the airport: Recent chang-

es to policy allow for renewed invest-

ment in capital programs to install and

complete much-needed capital projects.

the community response to the “It Just

Makes Sense” campaign was overwhelm-

ingly successful and was a key factor in

showing WestJet Encore that the North

Peace Regional Airport (YXJ) should be

a location for their regional airline. this

announcement is without a doubt an in-

dication that we are investment ready. S


More than $70 billion worth of resource, utility, and trans-

portation projects are currently underway and planned in

the northern part of british Columbia over the next 10 to

15 years. Central to this immense growth and opportunity is Prince

George, a thriving city with a population of almost 80,000 that is the

supply, service, transportation, health, education, and culture centre

for the northern b.C. region in which 335,000 people live.

the energy sector is of increasing importance to the city’s econ-

omy, which is well diversified across a variety of sectors, including

forestry, mining, manufacturing, construction, transportation, edu-

cation, and healthcare. the b.C. government has committed to the

development of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector and intends

for the first LNG plant to be operational by 2015, with three LNG

facilities up and running by 2020. the pipelines that are proposed

to transport LNG to the ports of Kitimat will likely route through the

Prince George region, which creates considerable opportunities for

Prince George firms engaged in professional services, manufacturing

and fabrication, construction, and transportation. In addition to the

significant pipeline development opportunities, also possible is the

transportation of LNG via rail from facilities in and around Prince

George, creating opportunities for industrial land development, per-

manent job creation, and service and supply work in a variety of

sectors.

the increased activity and revenue from the northern land base is

leading to increased productivity in the design, construction, manu-

facturing, transportation, retail, health, education, and professional

services sectors in Northern b.C. As Prince George is the supply and

service hub for this economic activity, local firms are already sup-

porting forestry and mining operations and are prepared to service

the growing oil and gas sector.

the city is well connected to domestic and international markets

through an international airport (YXS), the transcontinental CN Rail

line, provincial highways 16 and 97, and its proximity to the major

west coast ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert. In addition, the city

also offers well planned and affordable light and heavy industrial

lands, as well as a highly competitive tax climate. the increased activ-

ity in Northern b.C., as well as the superior transportation connectiv-

ity, skilled workforce, and health and education amenities in Prince

George makes the city the preferred location for companies looking

to establish or expand their operations.

opportunity is in Prince George – we look forward to doing busi-

ness with you.

For more information about investment opportunities, contact:

Initiatives Prince George Economic Development Corporation

[email protected] | www.investprincegeorge.ca S

By Heather oland, ceo of initiatives Prince george

PHOTO CREDIT: COLLEGE OF NEW CALEDONIA.

eMerging energy seCtor to enhanCe growth of PrinCe george eConoMy

PHOTO CREDIT: INITIATIVES PRINCE GEORGE.

PHOTO CREDIT: INITIATIVES PRINCE GEORGE.

PRINCE GEORGE. bRItIsh COlumbIa. CaNadaGROWTH. OppORTuniTy. inVESTMEnT.

For business inquiries, site selection services and additional information, contact:Initiatives Prince George Economic Development Corporation Tel: 250.564.0282 I [email protected] I www.initiativespg.com

Prince George Youth Soccer – TourismPG

PG Farmers Market – TourismPG

Home in Malaspina Ridge – InitiativesPG

Skijoring at Otway Nordic Ski – TourismPG

Cougars WHL Hockey – TourismPG

Downtown Prince George– Capture PG

Container Loading at CN – InitiativesPG

Rainbow Dancers – Multicultural Heritage Society

River View at Fort George Park – City of PG University of Northern British Columbia

Tech Stop at PG Airport – InitiativesPG

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Leading the Way for British ColumbiaPrince George, British Columbia has a growing economy that offers a diverse range of opportunities for new business investment. The energy sector is an increasingly important component of the city’s economy, enhancing Prince George’s role as the service and supply hub for one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada and making the city the preferred location for companies looking to invest or expand their operations.

Growth:

• Prince George has a population of almost 80,000 and is the service and supply hub for a growing region of about 335,000 people.

• The city’s superior transportation connectivity makes it the preferred location for companies looking to be a part of the $70 billion in resource projects underway and proposed in northern BC.

Opportunity:

• Prince George is the northern centre for business, health, education, culture and shopping for BC.

• The city is well-connected to domestic and international markets through an international airport (YXS), the transcontinental CN Rail line, provincial Highways 16 and 97 and its proximity to major west coast ports.

• The Prince George economy is well-diversified across a variety of sectors, including energy, supplying goods and services throughout northern BC, Canada and the globe.

Investment:

• A broad selection of competitively-priced commercial space is available in all areas of Prince George, with options to suit all types of business ventures.

• Development cost charges in Prince George are among the lowest in BC and the City offers competitive tax rates for business and industry (starting at 16.28 per $1,000 of assessed value).

• Prince George is home to the University of Northern British Columbia and the College of New Caledonia, which provide a wide range of programming to facilitate the continuous development of the Prince George labour force to support business expansion across all industries.

www.investprincegeorge.ca

/InitiativesPG@InitiativesPG/InitiativesPG


If I had a dollar for every time I was asked “how are things in

tumbler Ridge these days,” I’d be a wealthy person. It seems

wherever we go, people know about us. this is good! We are

on the radar!

tumbler Ridge is a master-planned community that was cre-

ated to house and retain a stable workforce for the Northeast b.C.

Coal Project in the 1980s. the original mines are now reclaimed,

but the northeast coal slopes are buzzing once again with two

new operating mines under expansion, plus additional mines

undergoing feasibility and permitting. the natural gas industry

in the area has grown year after year. talks continue for two large

pipeline projects very near to tumbler Ridge. With investigative-

use permits issued for virtually every mountaintop, tumbler

Ridge’s clean, renewable wind resources have proven to be a lu-

crative prospect for energy projects. It’s an investor and business

owner’s dream! the services required to support these industries

and the residents of the community are immense in numbers and

opportunities to get in on the action are limitless.

Aside from the business and employment opportunities avail-

able in tumbler Ridge, we are also known as the “waterfall capital

of the north”. our famous Kinuseo Falls are a must-see on any-

one’s list. River-boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming,

and waterfall bagging—wherever there’s water, we’ve found a

way to enjoy it. Forty-seven designated trails for hiking lead to

caves, fascinating geological formations, hidden waterfalls, and

world-class dinosaur trackways. Add to that a network of over 300

kilometres of off-road vehicle routes and the most challenging

and scenic nine-hole golf course in northern b.C., and we have a

lifestyle to be envious of.

Winter doesn’t keep us indoors either, we take advantage of the

crisp mountain air, sunny skies and pristine landscape to get out

and enjoy cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice

climbing, ice fishing, and more.

the town site itself is reminiscent of a wilderness village resort

equipped with all possible recreational amenities, some of which

include a multi-million dollar community centre complete with

aquatic centre, gym, public library, full-size arena, and curling

rink. With accessible year-round recreational options for people

of all ages, interests and abilities; the possibilities are as diverse as

the landscapes in which they appear.

tumbler Ridge is thriving and aspires to be seen as a diverse

and sustainable community where life is as spectacular as its nat-

ural surroundings. the community has proven that it is not going

anywhere; now is the time to make your move to tumbler Ridge!

For more information, please contact the community develop-

ment department at town hall at 250.242.4242, [email protected] or

visit www.InvesttumblerRidge.ca. S

Make your Moveto tuMBler ridgeBy lindsey Wozniak, district of tumbler ridge

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72 B.C. Oil & Gas Report • 2013

eduCation PrograM Builds energy awareness aMong students and teaCherssociety of Petroleum engineers

by the age of 17, many teenagers

have made their most important

decision to date. A choice that

more than likely will affect the rest of

their lives: they have selected a career.

Science, technology, engineering,

and math (StEM) are among teenagers’

most popular career choices, according

to a recent survey conducted by Junior

Achievement, the world’s largest organi-

zation dedicated to educating students

about workforce readiness.

this is encouraging news for the oil

and gas industry, which is undergoing

the “Great Crew Change”. however, if

the industry is to reap the benefits of this

trend, it must engage and educate to-

morrow’s university students and future

workforce about energy careers.

the Society of Petroleum Engineers

(SPE) developed its Energy4me global

energy education outreach program with

that in mind. the program educates stu-

dents, teachers, and the general public

about how energy positively impacts

everyday life, career opportunities, and

factual resources.

“Many people in the public perceive

the energy industry as complex,” says

Sujata bhatia, chairperson of the SPE

Energy Information Committee. “Ener-

gy4me simplifies the learning curve, of-

fering a way for the public to learn about

energy sources, industry challenges, the

technology used to develop resources,

and ways we manage the safety, health,

and environmental risks that goes with

our business.”

Energy4me uses a three-pronged ap-

proach: the Energy4me website, teacher

development, and speaker programs to

spread its message. the website (www.

energy4me.org) offers information on

energy sources, challenges, technology,

73B.C. Oil & Gas Report • 2013

conservation and sustainability, as well

as environmental protection. there

is also career information and a list of

available scholarships.

Recognizing the role teachers play in

educating young people about the im-

portance of energy, the site’s classroom

resources section provides educators

with materials and activities, lesson

plans, educational videos, and other re-

sources. the printed materials are avail-

able in six languages.

SPE holds teacher workshops to pro-

vide educators with comprehensive, ob-

jective information about the scientific

concepts of energy and its importance.

After reviewing his school’s curriculum

for the first time, tim Gordon, a Grade

9 math and science teacher in Calgary,

learned he was tasked with teaching his

students the truth about the oil and gas

industry and energy alternatives.

“I feared I didn’t know enough about

the topic to give an honest and thor-

ough explanation to my students,” said

Gordon, who teaches at Ernest Morrow

School.

he then received an email about an

Energy4me teacher Workshop held in

conjunction with last year’s SPE Cana-

dian unconventional Resources Confer-

ence in Calgary.

“It was obvious the workshop was

what I was looking for – a professional

program run by industry experts and di-

rected toward helping teachers maneu-

ver through the nuances of the energy

industry and what that means to our stu-

dents and the world as a whole,” he said.

Gordon, who was among 35 educa-

tors who attended the workshop, says

the Energy4me resources directly im-

pacted his teaching practice.

“Without Energy4me, teachers would

only see what is happening in the pe-

troleum industry from the periphery –

never truly understanding what diverse

energy sources are,” he said. Another

teacher workshop will be held at the SPE

unconventional Resources Conference

Canada in Calgary in November.

In addition to the Energy4me kit, SPE

members volunteer their time to give

classroom presentations to pre-univer-

sity students. these presentations are an

excellent way to provide students with

facts about energy and inspire students

to pursue energy sector careers. Ener-

gy4me offers ready-to-go PowerPoint

presentations and fun activities that can

be customized to give a local and per-

sonal perspective.

SPE also published oil and natural

gas, a colourful, hardcover book that

tells the story of petroleum and how it

shapes the world. Distributed to more

than 3,000 teachers globally, the Ener-

gy4me materials and teacher workshops

were developed in partnership with the

National Energy Education Develop-

ment Project.

to learn more about Energy4me or to

volunteer, visit www.energy4me.org or

call 403-237-5112. S


oil sands mining presents unique chal-

lenges when it comes to lubrication. With

intense working conditions, severe tem-

peratures, unpredictable weather, and unfavourable

terrain, there is a constant need for the industry to go

beyond today’s standards to protect the equipment

that keeps operations alive. one company leading

the charge in evolving protection is Petro-Canada

Lubricants.

Facing expensive equipment wear In early 2010, Petro-Canada Lubricants, a division

of Suncor Energy, was made aware of a mechanical

issue with the hoist gear and pinions on electric-

powered mining shovels operating in Western Can-

ada. the gearing on these shovels was wearing out

prematurely, requiring the early replacement of the

hoist bull gears. this resulted in expensive replace-

ment part costs and downtime for the shovel opera-

tor. After several visits to mining customers by Petro-Canada

Lubricants technical services and R&D personnel, as well as con-

sultation with an independent gear expert, it was decided that a

new high-viscosity/high-performance lubricant for this applica-

tion could address this issue.

Mining new solutions the grease development team at the Petro-Canada Lubricants

Research and Development facility in Mississauga, ontario was

assigned to develop this new product. Work first concentrated

on developing a new, partially synthetic high-viscosity base fluid

to meet the requirements of AGMA 9005-E02, calling for a mini-

mum viscosity of 6120 centistokes at 40° C and 219 centistokes

at 100° C. this base fluid was combined with a suitable grease

thickener and fortified with a unique combination of specialized

additives to achieve the desired level of performance. In light of

the issues realized in the field, special emphasis was placed on

improving extreme pressure and anti-wear properties. Various

formulations were produced and tested in the laboratory to con-

firm that the necessary level of performance was attained.

After development was complete and the new product had

been manufactured for the first time, the Petro-Canada Lubri-

cants Research and Development group worked together with

technical services and sales representatives in the field to over-

see the initial trial of the new product (Petro-Canada VuLtREX™

oGL heavy 6200) at a mining customer. Modifications were

made to the shovel’s grease delivery system as directed by Petro-

Canada’s shovel technical expert, and then the new product was

applied for the first time.

Advanced performance results

the results of the initial trial were excellent, with the new

product demonstrating the necessary performance on the hoist

gear and pinions over the long term. Compared to the previous

product that was used in this application, Petro-Canada VuL-

tREX oGL heavy 6200 showed improved adhesion to the gear

face, resulting in less lubricant fling off from the gear and pin-

ions. this resulted in a thicker, tenacious, plated lubricant film

across the entire loaded side of the hoist gear. Another benefit

of the conversion was reduced lubricant consumption, and less

lubricant buildup under the hoist gear cavity. based on the per-

formance at the initial trial site, Petro-Canada VuLtREX oGL

heavy 6200 was rolled out to similar equipment at many mine

sites in Canada, where it has worked effectively under a wide

range of operating conditions.

As a result of this co-operative development effort between

Petro-Canada Lubricants and a mine in Western Canada, Petro-

Canada Lubricants now has a superior open gear lubricant for

the hoist gear and pinions on electric mining shovels. It is also

suitable for use as an open gear lubricant for all requirements on

mining shovels in warmer climates.

Martin Keenan is a product specialist on Petro-canada lubricant’s

research & development team. S

ProduCt enhanCeMents in ogls lead to inCreased ProteCtion for hoist gearsBy Martin Keenan

Premature wear in Hoist gear teeth surfaces.


With conventional gas devel-

opment on the decline or

uncertain based upon cur-

rent economic conditions, LNG devel-

opment represents a very positive oppor-

tunity for industry producers to estab-

lish solid long-term capital investment

plans. While some of the comparatives

to the development of oil sands in Fort

McMurray are positive in nature, risks as-

sociated with cost escalation and project

overruns are not characteristics LNG in-

vestors are eager to experience.

NoV Wilson plays an integral role in

production development plans by sup-

porting new construction and long-term

maintenance of new pipelines and facili-

ties. NoV Wilson has expanded on the

typical definition of material supply/

supplier and has built a reputation as a

solution provider with respect to project

planning, sourcing, expediting, delivery,

surplus distribution, and relationship

management.

suPPorting lng develoPMentBy nov Wilson Business development group


LNG projects involve a large number

of EPCM firms, fabrication contrac-

tors, and end-user stakeholders who all

influence decisions on when, where,

and how much material is required to

meet development plans. NoV Wilson

has established experienced, dedicated

teams to work on these projects with

our customers. Knowledge, experience,

and relationships are critical to inte-

grate communication and expectations

for all of the stakeholders from plan-

ning through project execution.

once build-out is completed, cus-

tomer relationship management and

service support is provided through the

NoV Wilson network of branch loca-

tions. While most oilfield service com-

panies have focused upon the gathering

systems in the Peace Region of british

Columbia, in addition to this impor-

tant region, NoV Wilson has a long-

established network of locations to

support existing pipeline, mining, and

industrial markets.

NoV Wilson branch locations pro-

vide frontline support to manage prod-

uct requirements where and when

materials and service are required. Em-

ployees enjoy a learning atmosphere to

support continuous improvement and

a safe work environment. these traits

are essential elements to sustain service

and supply commitments throughout

all field operations for the long term.

Given the anticipated rapid pace of

development, companies like NoV

Wilson must engender a strong culture

to support these operating values and

maintain safe growth.

Service of gas facilities and midstream

markets remain a core competency for

NoV Wilson operations in b.C. Supe-

rior products, project execution experi-

ence, and a strong branch network help

our customers reduce the many risks

associated with their new development

plans and ongoing maintenance.

through NoV Wilson history, the

company has grown by operating where

our customers operate and by servicing

what we sell. As LNG continues to so-

lidify a path for future development in

b.C., NoV Wilson is committed to sup-

port plans with additional infrastruc-

ture, jobs and solutions for this impor-

tant resource.

to learn more about NoV Wilson

service capabilities in british Columbia,

please call 403-531-5600, or visit our

website at: www.nov.com.

For more information about NoV

Wilson’s LNG development, please con-

tact Dave Wallace at 250-785-5622. S

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Specialized tech Inc.’s exclusive

focus is on providing engineered

solutions for the removal of sand

and particulate matter from produced

well fluids. With hallmarks of simplicity

and reliability, industry acceptance of its

multi-phase desanding equipment has

fuelled rapid expansion of the compa-

ny’s fleet of patented equipment, with

pressure ratings ranging from 9,930 kPa

(1,440 psig) to 41,370 kPa (6,000 psig).

Effective at removing sand, without a

pressure drop, is just one of the benefits

that alternative methods cannot deliver.

by temporarily separating the multi-

phase flow into a stratified, laminar

flow regime, gravity is able to effectively

separate the sand from the fluid flow

of gas, condensate (or oil), and water.

Separated sand collects in the desander,

leaving a fluid discharge stream that can

pass through chokes, valves, and pro-

cess equipment with lower risks of ero-

sion and equipment damage.

StI’s desanding equipment has

evolved continuously since its introduc-

tion to the Western Canadian market

in 2001. Larger units, with larger sand

capacities and higher pressure ratings

are now available to meet the increas-

ing needs of the market. StI’s fleet of

desanders has doubled over the past

few years, primarily in response to the

popularity of drilling horizontal, multi-

stage stimulated, liquids-rich gas wells.

this trend is expected to continue and

will support further growth of the com-

pany.

Installed at the well site, StI de-

sanders remove fracturing proppants

and produced sands from the produced

fluids to prevent erosional damage to

downstream assets, ultimately prevent-

ing uncontrolled or accidental releases

of hydrocarbons. the typical criteria for

sizing of the desander is to achieve 95

to 98 per cent removal of all particulate

matter greater than or equal to 150 mi-

crons in diameter. With lower velocities,

particles as small as 60 microns may be

removed without requiring any filter

media. StI engineers design each instal-

lation to ensure the chosen desander

model provides optimum performance.

With particulates removed from the

multi-phase fluid stream, recombined

fluids leaving the desander are ready to

feed into the gathering infrastructure

under pressure. the gas component of

production does not need to be flared

in order to remove sand, yielding high-

er revenues for the producer, as well as

avoiding regulatory compliance issues.

Wells can be put on production sooner,

immediately following testing, without

concerns about equipment damage, dis-

turbance to the environment or nearby

landowners, especially at sites where

production contains hydrogen sulphide

(h2S) gas.

unlike cyclonic sand separators, the

physics that allow StI’s desanders to

work is not dependent upon constant

flowrates. this means that a desander is

sized to work initially with high initial

potential flows and remains effective as

the formation pressure drops. Impor-

tantly, a decrease in flowing pressure in

gas wells actually results in higher gas

phase velocities as production contin-

ues, and this is taken into account when

sizing the desander. For wells with con-

tinuing sand production, it is not un-

common for the desander to be on the

well for years as opposed to the initial

three to four months of production

when flow rates are at their highest.

Now Specialized tech Inc. introduces

its new, patented tILt desander, with

increased sand removal efficiency. the

tILt desander features a modified ge-

ometry that, as the name suggests, in-

corporates an angled vessel. Computer

modeling has determined that the tILt

models offer increased operating effi-

new “tilt” desandersdeliver iMProved effiCienCyBy craig Mcdonald P.eng., manager of technical services for specialized tech inc.


ciency. Supported by more than 15,000

unit-months of desanding service expe-

rience, the proprietary engineering de-

sign software used to model desander

performance has been validated and

calibrated, ensuring that the StI-recom-

mended desander employed will per-

form reliably throughout the expected

range of operating conditions.

the first tILt desander to enter ser-

vice is an ANSI 1500 class unit, fully

NACE-compliant for use in sour service,

and completely compatible with StI’s

web-based Sand Sentry monitoring sys-

tem. Designs for ANSI 600 and 2500

class units, with diameters of 20 and 24

inches, are complete, and several larger,

higher-pressure units are scheduled to

enter service by yearend.

“With their improved performance,

StI anticipates that its future fleet will

predominantly be tILt desanders,” says

Chris hemstock, president of StI tech-

nologies, Inc.

Every unit is built to strict quality

and engineering specifications, in ac-

cordance with ASME Section VIII, Div.

1 code. Several units are National board

certified for use internationally. StI is

an AbSA-registered owner-operator with

its own, proprietary pressure equipment

integrity management system.

“becoming a registered owner-opera-

tor was an important strategic step for

StI,” says hemstock, adding, “as a ser-

vice provider, we manage field and ad-

ministrative tasks to ensure regulatory

compliance for all of the company’s

temporarily-installed, pressure-con-

taining equipment. We are committed

to providing these services to facilitate

safe, effective and reliable operations to

our customers.”

FEATURES• Pressureratings:9,930to41,370kPa

• Temperatureratings:–29°C&-45°C

• ASMESectionVIII,div.1ABSAregis-

tered

• NACEMR0175forsourservice

• Nopressuredrop

• Noemissions

• Minimalservice/clean-outtime

• Eliminatesflaring

• Removessandandotherparticulates,

such as asphalts and free precipitants

• Earlyproduction

• Fracsandcleanup

• Nofreezingissues

• ABSA Pressure Equipment Integrity

Management System (PEIMS)

For more information, please contact:

Specialized tech Inc.

Gas Well Desanding Services

www.specializedtech.ca

[email protected] S

SPECIALIZED TECH INC. has provided an engineered

solution associated with sand production in High

pressure gas wells since 2001. With STI’s equipment

gas well operators save money and keep their wells

producing no matter how challenging the conditions.

[email protected]

Head Office in Calgary, Alberta ....................................(403) 233-2040Field Offices in Three Hills, Alberta ..............................(403) 443-5453Grande Prairie, Alberta ................................................(780) 897-8140Fort St. John, B.C. ........................................................(250) 793-5140


Gas Field Innovators Inc. (GFI) of Linden, Alberta,

Canada, started building booster natural gas com-

pressors in 1997 to take advantage of the opportu-

nity for increasing the economics of the large and aging devel-

oped oil and gas reserves in Western Canada.

“Cost-effective production from low-productivity oil and

gas wells has always been challenging,” says Fred Majocha,

owner of GFI. “Accepting this challenge, GFI developed the

Gas hog as a booster for pressure-depleted oil and gas wells.

Acceptance of the product in Canada has been very high, now

with more than 120 units in service.”

Intensive design analysis based on field information carried

out at GFI’s Linden fabrication shop has resulted in a slow-

speed, reliable, very quiet reciprocating compressor and surface

liquid pump. It also has a hydraulic drive and subsurface lift as-

sist combination option. the objective was to economically re-

duce formation-flowing pressures by reducing surface-flowing

pressure and minimizing liquid buildup in the wellbore.

the Gas hog compresses sweet or slightly sour natural gas

and reliably pumps surface liquids against pipeline pressure.

this reduces liquid-related multi-well header or other flow-line

back pressures that restrict gas and oil production from the

wells. the Gas hog units have been designed to operate under

very adverse inlet gas quality conditions while still requiring

minimal maintenance and operator attention. they are also

well suited to cold climates, with the engine and compressor

capable of starting without pre-heating. Routine maintenance

for the Gas hog consists of once-a-month greasing of a few

bearings and replacing the engine oil filter. No oil changes are

required.

the Gas hog can be configured to act as its own complete

separation and measurement facility and also be capable of

supplying hydraulic or jet pump power for artificial lift. Dis-

charged high-pressure gas can also be recycled to optimize well

flow velocity. the Gas hog is designed to work with a variety of

gas field innovators Bringslife to tired oil and gas wells

By Mike downey

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located in Fort Nelson, B.C.

Ph: (250) 500-3478 www.muskwavalleyventures.caFax: (250) 774-3777 [email protected]


GFIInnovatorsGas Field

High pipeline pressure at your multi-well header an issue?Slightly sour production handling cost prohibitive in your tired wells?Down hole liquid loading or causing back pressure a problem in your oil wells?

We put the run on high operating cost and down time with GAS HOG!

GFI’s 30,000 sq ft fabrication shop is ready to assist with your specialized needs

Give those tired old wells a snort with the Hog!GAS HOG!

• Reliable under the worst Canadian conditions

• Extremely quiet and Landowner Friendly

• Low Maintenance and Operator Friendly

• Ideal for long life reserves applications

• Reliably pump surface liquids with the gas

• Power subsurface artificial lift

• Operates as a complete production facility.

Check us out at www.GasFieldinnovators.caContact us at [email protected]

817 Central Avenue West, Linden, AlbertaPh: 403-546-0011 | Fax: 403-546-0012

well optimization subsurface lift systems. Packages come fully

enclosed and include secondary containment.

the Gas hog’s “pump jack” analogous long stroke/slow

speed compressor is GFI’s own design with all manufacture and

assembly done at the company’s fabrication facility in Alberta.

the Gas hog can operate up to a discharge pressure of 17.2 bar

with a volume throughput of 45,300-square-metres a day and

down to a suction pressure near zero with liquid pump rates up

to 60 litres per minute.

A battery-powered PLC panel provides industry standard

controls for the package. battery charging is provided by the

gas-fuelled driver. Standard units are self-sufficient and require

no external electrical power.

A recent study showed that the cost to operate a Gas hog

was about 50 per cent less than that of an equivalent screw

compressor and with much less operator attention. operating

availability time was in the 95 per cent range.

the low-operating cost, SCADA readiness, and high reliabil-

ity are qualities the Gas hog offers that make it suitable for

long-life reserve applications, such as coalbed methane (CbM),

multi-oil/gas well headers, and long reserve life wellhead pres-

sure boosters.

Each compressor meets all Canadian government regula-

tions and is fully tested before shipment. GFI services what it

sells or rents. Compliance with other international standards

is also possible.

GFI’s service technicians and engineers have many years of

experience with well surface and down hole problem analysis

and are ready to assist with any production challenges. GFI’s

manufacturing facility can often provide previously tested so-

lutions, as well as having the capability to design solutions

for specific needs. GFI will work with clients to find a way to

optimize production and maximize return from troublesome

oil and gas wells.

to meet the next challenge of expanding the market for the

Gas hog, GFI is very pleased to announce the appointment

of bSS (beijing) Petro-Chemical Equipment Co. Ltd. as the

exclusive representative for Gas hog compressors in Asia and

Australia. bSS is a company well known for manufacturing a

wide range of quality equipment for the oil and gas industry,

and is well placed to take the Gas hog to these new markets.

Mike downey is the general manager at gas Field innovators. S


As a Canadian owned and operated company, Green

Patch Environmental Consulting Ltd. (GPEC) prides

itself on supplying the energy, mining, erosion control,

construction, and reclamation industries with a variety of prod-

ucts, ideas, and solutions. our goal is to provide peace of mind

for all your needs when you need it, with the right products for

the job every time.

GPEC’s knowledge and history speaks for itself. We work re-

lentlessly with our manufacturers to bring you the newest and

innovative solutions that help you get the job done right. What-

ever the job may be, or whatever the industry may be, GPEC has

a solution for you.

Oil and gas projects

Pipeline and right-of-way projects are some of the most dif-

ficult projects to complete. Regulations regarding construction,

storm water compliance, and final approval are changing rap-

idly. Projects are intensely scrutinized.

GPEC has solutions to ensure the ability to:

•Surpassregulatorycompliance

•Quicklyestablishvegetation

•Achievesuperioron-siteerosioncontrolmanagement

•Reduceriskofremotefiresfromstrawmulching

•Utilizeenvironmentallyfriendlyproductsandpractices

•Driveefficiencybecause“timeismoney”andyoumustgetit

right the first time

our products and technologies lessen the environmental impact of any

construction project by protecting surface and ground water, and by minimizing the need to mine, process, and handle natural

aggregate and fill materials.

gPeC – suPPlying today’s environMent for toMorrow


GPEC supplies:

• Geotextiles

• Geogrids

• Geomembranes

• Nativegrassseedsandsoilamendments

• Erosioncontrolproducts

• Sedimentcontrolproducts

• Drainageproducts

• Pavingproducts

• Landscapingproducts

• Wallandslopeproducts

Since GPEC’s inception, we have added additional loca-

tions. our products and services fall into five key industries:

energy, mining, erosion and sediment control, construction,

reclamation and containment. GPEC has a long-standing

commitment to the environment, with our highly qualified

staff. GPEC delivers the products, technologies and support

that give clients a key advantage with an added environmental

benefit.S

riverbank restore.

Visit us online at gpec.ca. Or give us a call at 1-888-550-9188.

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OFFICES IN EDMONTON & CALGARY

TOLL FREE: 888-550-9188FAX: 866-394-8145

EMAIL: [email protected]@GPEC.CA

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times are changing and collabo-

ration is one of the latest, most

powerful action strategies. Col-

laboration produces a special energy

commonly known as synergy. It is where

a group of non-competitors pool their

resources towards a collective vision to

produce a desired outcome or goal.

one such company that facilitates

this type of relationship is the Alliance

Group of Companies, headquartered

out of Prince George. they, in essence

are a group of non-competing industri-

al-related businesses providing resource

services for the primary Apex Industrial

Solutions Inc. the Alliance group origi-

nated with a basic machine shop many

years ago where the owners recognized

that it was a commonality to most in-

dustrial resource sectors. this idea spear-

headed further growth, and company

owners Dan Schreiner and Peter Dawley

have not looked back.

Scott Everall, manager of business de-

velopment services explains Apex Indus-

trial Solutions as the primary overseer of

“designing, building and maintaining”

your industrial projects. he stresses the

importance of being sure that the entire

quote is being accommodated, right on

through to the earplugs and other inci-

dentals. With emphasis on corporate

open-mindedness and possibility think-

ing, Everall encourages further corporate

relationship building and invites CEos

and management to give him, or one of

the owners a call to explore corporate

possibilities and investment options.

In the Peace area of Western Canada,

administered from the Prince George

base are two such companies from the

Alliance group. the first is blackridge In-

dustrial Services located in taylor, b.C.,

which has access to fabrication and me-

chanical resources pertinent to industry

in the area. the other company, Apex

Industrial Solutions now located in both

Grand Prairie and Prince George, is ac-

tively designing, building, and maintain-

ing industrial projects for all resource in-

dustries.

to date, the Alliance Group of Com-

panies includes a variety of industrial

services and is not limited to oil, gas,

mining, pulp and paper sectors, to name

a few. the corporate administration of-

fice is located in Prince George, b.C.,

and contact information can be found

at www.niraresources.com, or by calling

the central office at 1-800-539-3492. S

PrinCe george CoMPanyexPanding into the PeaCe areaBy rita Wiebe, alliance group of companies

AlAnA TurcoTTe, VP Business Development and Sales | Direct: (403) 268-9637

OTHER DISTRICT OFFICES: Red Earth Creek, AB | High Level, AB | Shaunavon, SK | Norman Wells, NT

CORPORATE HEAD OFFICE 9606C 100th St Peace River, AB T8S 1M6 Phone: 780-624-5217 Fax: 780-624-5962

CORPORATE SERVICE/ SALES OFFICE 1205, 736 6th Ave SW Calgary, AB T2P 3T7 Phone: 403-232-8200

FORT NELSON Box 58, 4803-48th Avenue Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 Phone: 250-774-9951 Fax: 250-774-9954

} } }

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Caliber oilfield and Production

Services Inc. is a locally owned

and operated company based

in Fort St. John, the heart of Northeast

b.C.’s oil and gas industry. Caliber of-

fers hot oiling and pressure truck servic-

es, backed with 35 years of experience.

owner and CEo Murray McClelland

is no stranger to the trials, tribulations,

and eventual success associated with

this type of business. After 15 years as

an owner-operator, McClelland saw an

opportunity and seized it. Starting Cali-

ber with just one tandem hot oiler, he

would grow the fleet to open up shop

at the current location in the summer of

2008. today Caliber operates with three

hot oiler units, two 10K pressure trucks,

and new to the fleet this past June, a

twin heating unit. Also coming in the

fall will be their first 20K low-rate high-

pressure unit and 1,000-horsepower

pumping unit. Complementary to the

fleet, Caliber also maintains a six-man

shower unit for companies to ensure

safety precautions are in place.

Caliber sets the industry benchmark

with continued innovation. their in-

house designs are application-specific

incorporating the latest developments

in technology and build materials. In

2010, Caliber achieved recognition on

a provincial level, with Sci-tech North

nominating the company for a techno-

logical innovation award. In conjunc-

tion with this nomination, the then-

minister of Small business, technology,

and Economic Development, Ian black

toured the facilities and equipment,

commending Caliber on their progress

within the industry. Caliber is commu-

nity minded and focused on creating

opportunity in business, for itself and

local entrepreneurs. the majority of

equipment development and construc-

tion is completed locally, contributing

to local job markets and economy.

When it comes to employee loyalty,

Caliber is second to none in their in-

dustry. this is reflected during day-to-

day operations, whether in the field,

shop or office. Mentoring has always

been a must, right from McClelland’s

first hire, which has led to a strong

program of operators having the right

combination of practical and theoreti-

cal knowledge. this has resulted in a

team that can expertly and efficiently

meet client expectations, develop strat-

egy in a new environment, as well as

PerforManCe under PressureBy lacey Beaumont

caliber Hot oiler.


caliber six-man shower unit.adapt to and master a less than ideal

situation. In today’s strained job mar-

ket, Caliber has chosen to recruit and

develop employees organically. Due to

this process, all operators are highly

qualified and consistently expanding

their knowledge with the developing

industry. Caliber ensures that their cli-

ents receive the best personnel for the

job, while supporting the local labour

pool.

the Caliber team is proud of the

products and services they offer to an

ever-changing and fast-paced indus-

try, as well as their contribution to the

growth and prosperity of the commu-

nity within which they live.

to visit Caliber online, check out www.

caliberoilfield.com. Email inquiries may

be directed to [email protected],

and telephone inquiries can be made to

1-855-785-3772. S

9312 - 111 St., Fort St. John, BC V1J [email protected]

Hot Oiling | Volume Fluid Heating | High Pressure PumpingChemical-Acid Pumping

“The best quality equipment

performed by the best professionals in the industry”

Performance Under PressurePh: 250.785.3772 | Fax: 250.785.3776 | wwwcaliberoilfield.com


With one box truck and one

pickup in which to provide

pilot car and light hotshot

services, Jesse Forrester embarked on

his dream of being self-employed. the

result was locally owned and operated

Swift Specialty Services Ltd., founded in

2010.

Forrester’s entrepreneurial drive was

instilled throughout his childhood as he

watched his parents persevere and thrive

as small business owners in the then-

developing boundary Lake oilfield,

located 60 kilometres northeast of Fort

St. John, b.C., around the small town of

Goodlow.

“I saw how much work it was for

them, as well as the daily dedication

that was involved,” recalls Forrester of

his parents’ vocation. “I also recognized

that the rewards for the unfaltering ef-

fort were great.”

a dreaM BeCoMing a reality

Braving the elements en route to Milepost 16.1. spectra Mainline, stewart lake area, B.c.

Two is stronger than one.

Experience, Quality & Service.

CompassBending.com

7320 30 Street S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2C 1W2 • Phone: (403) 279-6615 • Fax: (403) 236-4249 • Toll free: (800) 708-7453

Compass Bending has doubled in size to serve you better

Additional Services: • Insulation, taping and coating, including YJ bends • 3D and 5D bends

• 10” and 12” bends • Structural Bending

We have doubled in size to provide our customers the highest possible level of quality and service.

Praxair, your Welding & Gas Supplier offers more than just gases, equipment, consumables, safety products or accessories – Praxair offers ideas and innovation. Our broad range of solutions aim to save our customers time and money.

Praxair has the presence, products and industry leading expertise to be your prime supplier along with e-commerce capabilities that make it easy for you to do business. Finding our customers the best solutions to their problems; saving customers time; thereby making our customers more profitable.

Toll Free: 1.800.225.82471601 Central Street, Prince George | 250.563.3641

527A South Mackenzie Avenue, Williams Lake | 250.392.31124751 Highway 16 West, Terrace | 250.635.1277

139 George Hills Way, Prince Rupert | 250.624.43011500 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek | 250.782.8280

101-10331 Alaska Road, Fort St. John | 250.262.0047


As Swift’s customer base increased,

so too did the need for additional

equipment. As the owner-operator

reiterates, positive, yet sustainable

growth, had to be achieved. With that,

a Ford F-550 deck truck with a 60 se-

ries hiab was bought so as to be more

versatile as a pilot and hotshot service

provider.

At this time, the need for oilfield

fencing contractors in the north be-

came apparent. operating on the be-

lief that proficient diversity is key,

Swift’s fencing division was formed.

With a pilot and hotshot division,

box truck services, and fencing divi-

sion now operating daily, there was an

immediate need for more trucks—two

more pickups and another Ford F-550

again with a 60 series hiab were soon

added to the roster.

With a proven track record and a

steadily growing customer base, For-

rester’s focus became attracting and

acquiring employees with the training,

knowledge, skills, and will to provide

the highest quality of service each and

every day.

“Providing skilled workers to cus-

tomers everyday may very well be the

biggest obstacle to overcome for busi-

ness owners in the north and all of

b.C.,” says the business owner. “In an

effort to be proactive, I asked—and re-

ally listened—to what employees and

prospective employees wanted and

needed to make long-term commit-

ment decisions to the Swift team. What

I consistently heard was competitive

wages, benefits, employer respect for

scheduled time off, and short notice

family commitments. hearing this, I

decided that I wasn’t going to provide

only a paycheque for employees, but

a rewarding way of life for them and

their families.”

heading into the winter, Swift Spe-

cialty Services Ltd. is very excited to

provide pilot and hotshot services, box

truck services, as well as all oilfield fenc-

ing services to the oil and gas producers

of british Columbia.

“We promise to continue our hard

work and highest quality of service,” For-

rester concludes, “as well as to keep an

open, diverse mind to the ever-changing

needs and services of our local produc-

ers in order to remain world-leading in

this industry as we are today.”

For more information, please

contact Swift Specialty Services Ltd. at:

250-264-8960 (c); 250-785-2785 (w);

[email protected]. S

Site 5 Comp 56 RR1 | Stn. Main | Fort St. John, BC V1J 4M6

Email: [email protected] Cell: 250-264-8960 | Office: 250-785-2785

Jesse Forrester - Owner/Operator

Specializing In: Pilot & Hotshot Chainlink Fencing (Installation & Repair)Supervision Security

Equipment: Pilot Cars/ Pickups PickersBox Trucks


With over 20 years in the fab-

ric-building industry, the

Calhoun family utilizes their

time-tested experience and knowledge

in the industry to provide innovative

structural solutions and expand their

Calhoun Super Structures into many

different markets. Confidence in their

product, engineering, and dealer net-

work has been the driving force behind

this family-owned company, which is

now into its second generation.

What started as a small tarp business

on their family farm in ontario, Leon-

ard Calhoun, along with his sons Jeremy

and Sean, began selling and installing

fabric structures to the agriculture in-

dustry. Seeing a need for their structures

in other markets, the company expand-

ed to include three different building

profiles, a manufacturing plant, and

a strong dealer network to sell and in-

stall their structures. With its roots in

the agriculture industry, the company

has moved into more commercial and

industrial markets, from commodity

storage to warehousing. the demand for

their Canadian-made fully engineered

structures in the Canadian oil and gas

industry has seen a large growth in the

last few years, and with the expansion

of their dealer network, Calhoun Super

Structures has the ability to provide local

service to these industries.

Engineered for the Canadian climate,

the hot dip galvanized steel framework

of a Calhoun Super Structure provides

superior protection and durability in

any environment. With the natural light

of a fabric cover and a free-span truss sys-

tem, a Calhoun Super Structure can help

to lower your energy consumption and

increase your storage capacity. For a mul-

titude of applications, a Calhoun Super

Structure can provide a customized and

cost-effective solution for all your stor-

age needs.

taking pride in ownership and know-

ing that their family name is on every

building that they manufacture and sell,

Calhoun have made it their personal

mission to ensure that each building is

engineered to be the strongest, most re-

liable product on the market. Calhoun

like their struCtures,faMily-owned Calhoun suPer struCture Continues to grow and exPand

Progress Energy Canada Ltd., a leader in Canadian natural gas development for North America, is pioneering new infrastructure for delivering liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Pacific Rim markets. Progress is owned by PETRONAS of Malaysia, which is planning a world-scale LNG export facility – Pacific NorthWest LNG, on Canada’s West Coast, near Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Progress and Pacific NorthWest LNG are helping craft a bright new future for Canada’s energy exports.

Canadian EnErgy. global rEaCh.ProgressEnergy.com

Progress ad may 6.indd 1 2013-05-06 12:30 PM


www.calhoun.ca 1.800.265.3994 [email protected]

See the Calhoun Difference!

• Hot Dip Galvanized • Naturally Bright, Free Span Interior• Proven Site Specifi c Engineering• Lower Operational Costs• Quick Installation• Storage Solutions Customized For Your Industry and Location

Let a Calhoun Dealer assist you throughout your entire project!

Call or � nd us Online!

uses cutting-edge technology to engineer

your fabric tension building to your ex-

act site loads, use and application. being

one of the only names in the industry

to utilize 3D Finite Element Non-Linear

Analysis on each and every building,

Calhoun can ensure the integrity of

your structure right down to the size of

a pinhead. Knowing that each building

is engineered and manufactured using

the most precise technology allows the

Calhoun family to pursue new and in-

novative markets for their structures.

Aware of how important it is to have

someone beside you every step of the

way, from the initial concept and design

to installation and completion, Calhoun

Super Structure has enlisted a dedi-

cated dealer network to provide service

throughout your entire project. From the

very beginning, the Calhoun family has

focused on providing exceptional cus-

tomer service to each and every client,

and expects nothing less from their deal-

ers. having a local dealer assist in all as-

pects of the project and provide personal

service to the customer is important to

the Calhoun family and has been the

backbone of the company since the very

beginning. their dealer network is an ex-

tension of the family business, and like a

family, Calhoun provide assistance and

support to each and every one of their

dealers.

As the Calhoun family continues to

expand, so does their company. their

strength is in their structure, not just the

structure of their engineered buildings,

but the structure of their company, their

employees and their dealers. Confidence

in their products and their company al-

lows the Calhoun family peace of mind

knowing that they can provide the most

reliable structure on the market, after all,

their family name is on each and every

one of their buildings they manufacture

and sell!

to find a local Calhoun dealer near

you, go to www.calhoun.ca. S


there’s no such thing as nine-to-five

in the oil and gas industry, and no

service company knows that better

than toG Systems. In its 11th year of op-

eration, toG provides remote commu-

nications solutions and products to the

oil and gas industry throughout british

Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Companies in this sector have grown to

trust and rely on toG when it comes to

getting a remote site or rig connected in a

timely and safe manner.

Taking remote communicationsto new heights toG supplies and services the latest in

communications equipment including

satellite, cellular and Internet services,

portable towers, rig phones, radios, and

computer or camp packages. If there

is a communications need the current

equipment doesn’t solve, toG partners

with manufacturers or suppliers to de-

velop and build a custom solution en-

suring that their customers get the right

solution for their unique needs…and

this is really where toG stands apart

from their competitors. this focus on re-

search and development keeps toG on

the front line and drives them to create

new industry standards.

“We take the time to innovate and we

are committed to investing in the future

of this industry. All of our clients have

unique needs and when presented with

a new challenge, we go out and search

the globe for products – and if doesn’t

exist, well, then we create it,” says Diane

Nordhagen, CEo of toG Systems.

Service you can count on Employees are considered toG’s big-

gest assets, and over the years manage-

ment has built up a team of specialists in

all fields from health and safety to field

technicians. Each person brings a unique

skill set that contributes to the success of

the company and helps position them as

one of the top remote communications

companies in Western Canada.

“We really nurture long-term relation-

ships both within our company and

with our customers,” Nordhagen says,

noting this is a key part of toG’s philos-

ophy. “We invest in people and when we

receive feedback from customers about

our exceptional staff and service – we

consider the job well done.”

TOG’s network management one of the key foundations in remote

communications is to have solid, reli-

able equipment that will operate under

challenging conditions and to keep that

equipment operating smoothly despite

the many complications that may be

caused by both man and nature. toG

delivers a level of service and through-

put that gives remote sites the ability

to function like an office in any city.

by investing in building systems that

provide premium services and utiliz-

ing industry-leading hardware and soft-

ware, toG can remotely manage and

maintain a site. this degree of control

gives toG complete network visibility

with diagnostic tools to flag and resolve

potential issues before they become a

problem. their latest systems with dual

sources of Internet are networked seam-

lessly on sites allowing a level of redun-

dancy and assurance that critical sites

require.

For more information on tog systems, or

to sign up for their email newsletter, go to

togsystems.ca. call 780-356-3965 for a

quote or immediate service. S

western Canada’s oil + gas CoMMuniCations exPertstog systems

At Williams Scotsman of Canada, we’re proud of the work we do. Our talented team of experts understands the specific challenges of each unique region of our country because our knowledge and expertise is homegrown. From the harshest, most remote locations, to the heart of major cities and everywhere in between, our design professionals have the local experience necessary to work with you to combine functionality, innovative technology, and intelligent design to satisfy your every need.

Whether your project requires a temporary or permanent facility, for a few workers to several thousand, we can design and customize a modular solution that supports your company goals. Fast, functional, flexible solutions that are as hard working as the country they serve.

• Administrative offices • Washcars and water storage units• Bunkhouses • VIP staff quarters• Kitchen and dining facilities • Conference rooms• Recreation complexes • Command and security centers

Homegrown

800.782.1500www.willscot.ca

Modular Solutions


the use of modular construction has never been more

prevalent in the construction industry because it ad-

dresses many of the major issues that are faced while

implementing large projects, such as those proposed in british

Columbia. these issues can include limited access to remote

areas, aggressive construction schedules, severe site weather

conditions, limited local availability of labour, and adherence

to high quality and safety standards.

Sarens, a global leader in heavy lift and specialized trans-

port services, has recently entered the british Columbia market

and is currently working at Rio tinto’s Kitimat Modernization

Project. this project, as with many large projects, involves the

transportation and installation of large prefabricated modules

through the use of large cranes and hydraulically-driven trailers,

known as Self-Propelled Modular transporters (SPMt).

the benefits of modular construction were particularly evi-

dent at the Koniambo Project, a nickel mine in New Caledonia,

off the coast of east Australia. the 400-kilometre-long French

territory includes only one large city, the southern capital

Noumea, and one power station that supplies the island with

electricity. Most infrastructure in New Caledonia is rudimen-

tary, making it a daunting challenge to build a vast plant, de-

signed to produce 60,000 metric tons of nickel annually. the

heart of the plant consisted of 17 modules totaling 40,000 tons.

Altogether, there were 450 modular constructions to be trans-

ported and installed, the heaviest weighing 3,750 tons.

the load-in from the assembly yard was completed by Sa-

rens using SPMts. Modules then travelled to site in four marine

shipments to a wharf near the mine site, from which they were

transported to site on more than 120 axles of SPMts and erect-

ed to a height of 60 metres using tower and skidding systems.

operation of the above-mentioned equipment, along with

Modular ConstruCtion a key solution in overCoMing ProJeCt issues


Sarens understands today’s high standards in the oil and gas industry. Our specialists focus on providing tailor-made solutions for all your heavy lifting and heavy transport needs.

A focus on safety and quality underliesevery decision. All of our processes meet ISO / OHSAS standards and are continuously monitored by our professional QEHS representatives.

Contact us to learn more: Sarens Canada1901 5th StreetNisku, AB T9E 7V7Tel: +1 (780) 955 [email protected]

www.sarens.com - [email protected]

over 25 cranes larger than 100 tons capacity, required over 120

employees working onsite. Safety and quality throughout con-

struction were ensured through comprehensive planning at the

company’s engineering office in belgium and implementation

of a rigorous management program onsite.

the Sarens Group has been providing heavy lift services and

specialized transport for over 55 years, building a thriving en-

terprise that now touches every continent. With offices in more

than 50 countries, Sarens’ 4,000 dedicated employees embody

the spirit of the company’s motto – nothing too heavy, nothing

too high.

the success of the Sarens Group as a specialist of the extraor-

dinary is built around an unwavering commitment to safety,

engineering creativity, and operational excellence. Add state-of-

the-art design tools to one of the world’s largest inventory of

cranes, transporters and specialty rigging equipment, along with

a team of highly skilled professionals, and it becomes clear why

Sarens has evolved into an international market leader in heavy

lift services and specialized transport.

For more information about the Sarens Group please visit

www.sarens.com. S


Remote locations and the un-

predictable weather in Canada

create unique challenges for

the resource industry. Namely, getting

equipment and crews into remote areas

while minimizing damage to terrain,

protecting vegetation and wildlife. Like

any challenge, this creates opportuni-

ties for solutions and, in 2007, terrapro

Group Inc. was founded by Richard Kul-

hawe (president and CEo) and Colin

Schmidt (VP, sales and business devel-

opment) to offer just such solutions.

terraPro provides remote-access mat-

ting products across Western Canada

and beyond. Since being founded in

2007, terraPro has seized the opportu-

nity presented to it and grown rapidly,

becoming one of the leading provid-

ers of remote-access matting products

in Western Canada. this growth has

not gone without notice. In fact, ter-

raPro has been recognized as one of

“Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies”

by ProFit magazine (award winner in

2011, and member of the “hot 50” start-

ups, 2012 and 2013). In 2013, ProFit

recognized terraPro as the fourth fast-

est-growing company in Canada, the

fastest-growing company in Alberta, the

fastest-growing natural resources com-

pany, and the fastest-growing private

company in Canada.

terraPro’s success belies the simplic-

ity of its product offering. there may be

nothing simpler than a piece of wood

on the ground for equipment to drive

or set up on. terraPro’s core business

utilizes this traditional approach to ad-

dressing its client’s access challenges

with an inventory that includes a vari-

ety of traditional wood mat products.

As this inventory continues to grow, the

company has been able to entrench it-

self amongst the leading players in ac-

cess matting.

terraPro is also highly focused on

providing innovative solutions as envi-

ronmental standards and logistics issues

in the resource sector continue to evolve.

this includes investing in new tech-

nologies that address concerns around

soil cross-contamination by mats (a

well-known and documented industry

challenge), as well as new products that

provide particularly helpful solutions in

more environmentally sensitive areas

while addressing concerns over the cost

of transporting mats as well.

terraPro has recognized that different

clients have different needs and, as a re-

sult, provides mats for either rent or sale

to clients. In addition, terraPro offers

experienced crews to mobilize inven-

tory on an ongoing basis, whether the

client is renting or buying the mats from

terraPro or not. It has also developed a

real-time “mat-tracking” technology,

which allows the client to know where

their mats are, who moved them, how

many they have, and how long they’ve

been at that location.

As the company moves into the fu-

ture, there remains significant opportu-

nities to continue its growth trajectory

both in its traditional wooden matting

business, as well as in the innovative so-

lutions it provides.

“our focus is to provide the highest-

quality products, delivered by the best

people in the industry at a fair and pre-

dictable price,” says Richard Kulhawe,

CEo of terraPro Group. “our success

is based on the hard work and loyalty

of our dedicated employees, customers

and vendors, and the trust placed in us

by investors in the company. We look

forward to continuing to grow our busi-

ness while serving the needs of all of

our stakeholders.” S

terraPro – tradition and innovationBy Blain davis, public relations at terraPro group of companies

855.255.MATS (6287) toll free www.terraprogroup.com

Temporary Roadways and Work Surfaces for the Resource Industry

INNOVATION

2012

200

PRODUCTWe source the highest quality product for sale and rent with several staging yards all over

western Canada.

PEOPLEWe work to clearly understand

your needs, confirm our understanding with you and then go about our business

delivering the solution.

PRICINGWe strive to offer you the

greatest value for your matting dollar.

MAT TRACKINGWe can help you know where

your mats are anytimeand anywhere.

• Oak• Hybrid• Fir• CLT• Rig mats• Composite• Tanks

• Experienced crews• Safe• Professional• Courteous

• Fair• Competitive• Predictable

• Online• Real time• Customized reporting

Corporate Office#200 Brentwood Professional Place48 Brentwood BoulevardSherwood Park, AB T8A 2H5

855.255.MATS (6287) toll freeEmail: [email protected]

A portion of Mat Rental revenue goes to support Breast Cancer research.


A few beers, a conversation, and a

boat – that is all it took. the de-

cision for twin Anchors to diver-

sify from manufacturing houseboats to

building well-site accommodation struc-

tures for the oil and gas industry was

that simple. however, it was with time,

effort, and dedication that tA Structures

grew into the company it is today.

tA Structures’ roots are with twin

Anchors houseboat Vacations, a rental

company the family has operated on

Mara and Shuswap lakes in Sicamous,

b.C. since 1977. It was here on the twin

Anchors dock that a conversation be-

tween friends launched into a new busi-

ness venture.

“A close friend of my husband’s was

visiting from out of town during the

summer,” said Georgina Kyllo, tA presi-

dent. “he was working in the oilfield

industry at the time and was staying

on one of our boats to unwind dur-

ing his vacation. the two were sharing

stories and a few beers on the top deck

one night, when he mentioned that

he wouldn’t mind staying in camps as

much if they were built like our house-

boats. that was all it took,” she laughed.

Confident in their ability to effi-

ciently manufacture well-site structures

of equal quality to the luxury house-

boats built by twin Anchors Manufac-

turing, they made the transition from

building from the hull up to building

from the skid up in 2005. For a time

during those early years, tA, the rookie

in the industry, was widely known as

“those houseboat guys”. It was during

the global economic downturn of 2008

that the significance of this transition

was felt, with houseboat manufactur-

ing coming to a standstill. tA Struc-

tures is what kept twin Anchors and its

employees afloat.

today, tA Structures is the largest

private-sector employer in Sicamous,

building rugged, durable and mod-

ern units at its 60,000-square-foot

CSA-certified manufacturing plant in

Sicamous. Each tA project is unique,

with careful consideration of the cli-

ent’s specific needs to offer affordable

and flexible solutions. built with su-

perior materials and skilfully crafted,

tA manufactures a range of products,

including worksite accommodation

units, rig managers, command centres,

camps and dorms, offices, as well as

steel and aluminum fabrication.

their units have been called “a home

away from home”. In the past, work-

site accommodation has been noto-

rious for being considered cramped

and uncomfortable. tA Structures has

heightened the industry standard with

a long-time history of hand-built qual-

ity products, exceptional services, and

credible customer satisfaction. It is no

longer feasible for companies, serious

about employee retention, to accept

less than satisfactory living conditions

for their workers.

ISo-approved, each component of

manufacturing is built to precise speci-

fication in a construction environment

made for success. tA Structures works

to build lasting working relationships

with a commitment to exceptional ser-

vices and customer satisfaction.

to learn more about tA Structures,

visit www.tastructures.com, or call

toll-free 1-800-558-0881. to check out

tA’s parent company, twin Anchors

houseboat Vacations, please visit

www.twinanchors.com. S

By sarah Kyllo

worksite solutions CraftedfroM houseBoat Beginningsta structures

1.800.558.0881tastructures.com


Peregrine Pressure testing Ltd. was

incorporated in August 2006 and

currently operates a fleet of 14

pressure-testing units. We operate a va-

riety of units with operating pressures

to 105,000 KPA (15,000 PSI) and pump

rates to 400 litres per minute (LPM). All

our units are equipped with our state-of-

the-art digital computerized charting and

recording system, and have a secondary

backup charting system.

Peregrine does a variety of pressure

testing, from blow-out prevention sys-

tems, plant and facility testing, pipelines,

formation integrity tests, formation leak-

off tests, micro fracs and hydrology tests.

We introduced our first 105,000 KPA

high-rate unit in 2011. this unit is capable

of 90 litres per minute at 105,000 KPA

and is equipped with an 8,000-litre tank,

centrifugal pump for line filling, and fluid

transfer at up to 1,200 LPM.

In 2012, we put our newest high-pres-

sure high-volume unit into service. this

unit is capable of 275 LPM at 69,000 KPA

and 400 LPM at 42,000 KPA. this unit is

also equipped with a centrifigal pump ca-

pable of 1,500 LPM for line filling or fluid

transfer, bowie pump, 12,000-litre fluid

tank, 1.5 figure 1502 integral iron and fittings, and 100 feet of

105,000 KPA working-pressure hose.

We now offer high-volume low-pressure diesel-powered

pumps for pipeline filling or fluid transfer, the smaller units

are capable of pumping 4,000 litres per minute with lift ca-

pabilities of 360 feet and are self-priming from 30 below the

pump. our larger unit is capable of 16,000 litres per minute,

and up to 700 feet of lift. We are also able to chart and record

fill rate and volume pumped.

We currently have units stationed in Fort St. John and Fort

Nelson, b.C., as well as service Northwest Alberta. All units

are equipped with a full range of test subs, crossover subs and

cup testers, flow metre, digital deadweight, standard gauges,

and barton chart recorder for back up. With our digital com-

puterized charting and recording system we are able to record

all data in one-second intervals. All data can be exported in an

Excel format with pressure, volume pumped, pumping rate,

temperature and remote pressure if required. by simply click-

ing on the exported chart it will give you any information you

require.

Peregrine Pressure testing Ltd. is CoR certified, registered

with ISNetworld, Complyworks, and PICS. We are also regis-

tered with Worksafe bC and Alberta Workers’ Compensation

board, and carry full liability insurance.

All our operators go through an intensive training and

mentoring program so we can have the most capable people

doing fieldwork.

At Peregrine, safety is our number-one priority. our mot-

to is “under Pressure, under Control”, and with our digital

charting and recording system, if there are well control issues,

you have digital back up to show the tests were done to the

correct pressures and timelines.

If you have any questions or require more information,

please feel free to contact us at 250-787-8662, or email

[email protected]. S

under Pressure, under ControlPeregrine Pressure testing ltd.

all units are equipped with a full range of test subs, crossover subs and cup testers, flow metre,

digital deadweight, standard gauges, and Barton chart recorder for back up.


Edge Electric & Controls is a Dawson Creek, b.C.-based

company servicing the oil and gas industry in Northern

b.C. and Northern Alberta. We opened our doors in Sep-

tember 2008 with four partners and an office manager. We have

had continual growth, and to date we have a team of 24 that

consists of employees and contractors. We have highly skilled

journeyman electricians, journeymen instruments technicians,

as well as apprentices in various stages. We carefully hand select

our team in order to maintain excellent service to our valued

customers. our services include maintenance for the oil and

gas industry, construction for the oil and gas industry, as well

as electrical services ranging from industrial to residential. We

pride ourselves in maintaining a safe, fun work environment, as

well as having safe, happy, satisfied customers.

the safety of our workers and those around us is important

to our team. to date we have not had any reportable incidents.

We are CoR-certified (Certificate of Recognition) and we com-

ply with ISNetworld, as well as Comply Works and browz.

Protection of the environment is also important to us here at

Edge, as well as Edge’s customers. this is maintained by proper

housekeeping and proper training of our workers.

training for our team is ongoing. Proper safety tickets are up

to date, such as h2S and First Aid. As well, our team of journey-

men provide proper training to our apprentices to practice and

follow policies and procedures set out by Edge Controls.

Due to our growth, Edge is undertaking the building of a

16,000-square-foot building in Dawson Creek’s newest indus-

trial park near the airport. this will be our new home and we

will have office and shop space available to lease.

We see the growth in the area as an opportunity to grow our

company to better serve the needs of our existing customers,

and are poised to serve our new customers.

We look forward to this challenge, and as a hometown,

homegrown company, we are here to stay!

Visit us at 34 Vic turner Road in Dawson Creek, b.C. S

a teaM that works

INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING | CONSTRUCTION | POWER DISTRIBUTION & MOTOR CONTROL

PROGRAMMING & SUPPORT | CONTROL PANEL FABRICATION | WELLSITE & RTU INSTALLATIONS

CALIBRATION & TESTING | ZEDI INSTALLS & SERVICING | COMMISSIONING & START-UP ASSISTANCE

ADMINISTERING MEASUREMENT PROGRAMS | PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Edge Electric & Controls613 - 104th Avenue | Dawson Creek, British Columbia | V1G 2H1

P: (250) 784-0555 | F: (250) 784-0556 | E: [email protected]

www.edgecontrols.ca

“Local People Providing Cutting EDGE Products and Services”


At the start of the winter season

of 1996-97, David Phibbs head-

ed for Fort St. John to look for

first aid work in the oil patch with his

son Mark, two mobile first aid vehicles,

and a first aid trailer. After approaching

companies for work for many days with

no success, they had finally taken a day

off to do some ice fishing on Charlie

Lake and consider their options. they

did not catch any fish that day, but they

did receive a phone call from Surerus

Pipeline. Surerus hired them to cover

first aid on a major pipeline they were

doing north of Fort St. John, and so

began the venture that became Alpha

Safety Ltd. Later, in the summer of ‘97,

Phibbs’ whole family moved up to Fort

St. John. As the doors of opportunity

opened for Alpha Safety, the company

began to grow steadily.

today Alpha Safety, co-owned by Da-

vid Phibbs and his wife Judy, consists

of two divisions – training and field op-

erations. Each year, literally thousands

of workers get their required safety cer-

tificates through Alpha training Solu-

tions, located in a 9,000-square-foot

training facility in downtown Fort St.

John. training is also available on-site

in any location convenient for the cli-

ent. Alpha training Solutions, a divi-

sion of Alpha Safety Ltd., is known as

the premier safety training school in

Northeast b.C.

the field division consists of a fleet of

mobile treatment centres and h2S air

trailers, with medic and h2S safety su-

pervisors. Field operations are housed

in a large shop in a separate location in

Fort St. John.

Little did they realize 16 years ago

that Alpha would be where it is today.

over the years, they have seen many

safety companies come and go, and it

seems a lot of them came to ride the

wave, cash in, and leave. Alpha has nev-

er thought that way; instead they are a

company that has put its roots down

to provide stable employment over the

long haul. Does this mean they don’t

have their ups and downs? of course

not! the oil patch has its cycles after all,

but it’s the challenge of balancing those

seasons of boom and bust that separate

those who are committed to the indus-

try from those who are not.

A long-term outlook, with proper

planning and key employee trust are es-

sential. their mission statement: “to be

a positive influence in the marketplace

locally, nationally and internationally,

demonstrated by both our words and

actions” is what the heart of their com-

pany is about. their core values of trust,

service, stewardship, and long-term car-

ing relationships are the foundation it

is built on. to put these into practice

takes focus, discipline, and encourage-

ment. Yes, it took a lot of hard work,

long hours and sacrifice, but it has been

worth it all.

David and Judy feel that it is Alpha’s

destiny to fulfill its calling to be a posi-

tive influence in the marketplace. S

the Callingalpha safety ltd.

Why Climb a Ladder?

“The Team You Can Trust”1.888.868.2658 www.marmitplastics.com

Marmit Plastics’ Revolutionary TOPFILL Tank Adaptor

the field division consists of a fleet of mobile

treatment centres and H2s air trailers, with medic and

H2s safety supervisors.

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halo Environmental Ltd.

has introduced spray-ap-

plied polyurethane mem-

branes to the Northern b.C. area for

secondary containment. Several local

oil and gas operators are now switch-

ing from the traditional polyethylene

lining systems to the more advanced

and reliable polyurethane spray liners.

Spray-applied polyurethane mem-

branes have an excellent resistance to

very cold temperatures (down to -50

degrees Celsius) and very hot liquids

(up to 150 degrees Celsius), excellent

chemical tolerance, acid resistance,

and an incredible surface abrasion/

wear and tear durability unmatched by

LDPE and hDPE membranes.

halo has been using this technology

for the past 10 years in Western Cana-

da, and has developed a product spe-

cifically engineered for the harsh and

ever-changing climate in Canada that

we have become accustomed to.

the polyurethane membrane picks

up where traditional polyethylene lin-

ers leave off. the polyurethane liners’

ability to attach to any surface removes

the requirement for pipe boots that are

wrapped around protrusions, resulting

in weak points in the containment area.

the metal clamps that are used to se-

cure the boots to the piles often come

loose and allow fluids to pass between

the boot and the pile. this also elimi-

nates the need to use any type of tape or

calking when sealing around gaps, and

since it is all spray applied in a multi-

pass coating system, it is one complete

membrane. LDPE and hDPE liners

are welded together, which causes in-

creased stress points on the seams and

increases the potential for leaks and

separation to occur over time.

sPray-aPPlied Polyurethane liners rePlaCe traditional lining systeMs in northern B.C.


1st in Secondary Containment

Spray Applied Polyurethane Liners For Secondary Containment for:New and Existing Tank Farms | Compressors | Concrete Sumps & Trenches | Leaking Facility Roofs

Repair Existing LDPE & HDPE Liners | Protects and Preserves Concrete | Corrugated Zero Ground Disturbance Metal Containment

Walls | Spray Foam Insulation for Tanks, Well Heads, and Skids | Smoke Test Existing Liners For Confirmed Integrity

• Stays Flexible Down To -50C• Fire Resistant & Can Handle Fluids Up to 150C• Abrasion Resistant• Chemical Resistant• Does Not Require Ground Cover

Benefits:• Fast Curing – Will attach to Any Surface• No Boots or Clamps Required to Attach to Pipes, Piles, or Walls• Can be installed all Winter Long• Several Mobile Spray Units to Handle Any Sized Project

Fort St. John: 250 787 7077 | Grande Prairie: 780 830 0177 | Edmonton: 780 265 4256 | Calgary: 403 945 0177 | Toll Free: 888 945 0177www.halo1.ca

Many of the tank farms and fluid stor-

age areas around the province have ag-

gregate placed over top to protect them

from uV damage and surface wear and

tear. this inhibits proper liner inspec-

tions and leaves an open door for po-

tential contaminants to leak out of the

area without the operator’s knowledge.

this problem is overcome with the

use of the polyurethane spray liner, as

it is uV resistant. It does not require

the aggregate to cover the liner, will

elongate up to 100 per cent of its origi-

nal size, and will stay flexible down to

-50 degrees Celsius. this makes halo’s

polyurethane spray liner a far superior

choice for a long-term secondary con-

tainment application.

halo also has pioneered the ability

to test the integrity of the liner with its

unique smoke machine. A thick pres-

surize fogging smoke is blown under

the liner, and if any holes exist, the

smoke will billow out of these holes,

easily identifying any trouble spots

that can then be fixed with the poly-

urethane spray.

halo’s spray-applied polyurethane

liner is truly the next generation when

it comes to secondary containment,

saving operators time and money from

repairing faulty liners, and dealing

clean ups from potential spills.

halo Environmental Ltd. is all you

need for your secondary containment

needs. S

Halo has been using this technology for the past 10 years in Western canada,

and has developed a product specifically engineered for the harsh and ever-

changing climate in canada that we have become accustomed to.


through innovation and ingenuity, Safety boss has been a

worldwide leader in the business of well control and hydro-

carbon firefighting for 57 years. With the same approach,

Safety boss offers a complete line of safety services. It’s in the pre-

planning stages that Safety boss can be of the most help.

As frac operations get bigger, so does the demand for firefight-

ing equipment and personnel. Frac equipment has already been

lost on several smaller frac operations due to inadequate supply

and delivery of firefighting foam and water. Multi-truck fire sys-

tems do not mean better fire knockdown rates. Smokey fire trucks

are the only custom fire trucks specifically designed for the largest

possible demands in the oil and gas industry. one Smokey Fire

truck is adequate for the largest frac operation with a minimum of

400 bbl (48 kL) of on-site water, as well as additional firefighters

depending on the operation.

FAQ’s - What makes Smokey Fire Trucks different? are smokey Fire trucks ul rated? Yes, a plate is mounted on every

Smokey Fire truck with these ratings. the underwriters Laborato-

ries Rating is a third-party rating ensuring our fire trucks do what

we say they can do.

Why is the pump rate so important? All NFPA (National Fire Pro-

tection Association) specifications are based on the pump rate ver-

sus the area to be covered. Simply put, the higher the pump rate,

the larger the area that can be covered. Smokey Fire trucks have

the largest fire pump available. they’re all uL Performance Rated

at 3,500 GPM (13 m3/min) from a 10-foot draft; however being a

Centrifugal type Pump as the suction pressure increases, so does

the discharge rate. For example, taking suction from a hydrant-

type system, this same fire truck will deliver discharge rates over

5,000 GPM (19 m3/min). the obvious benefit is that the Smokey

Fire trucks are capable of covering much larger areas than com-

petitors’ trucks, some of which are rated as low as 500 GPM (1.9

m3/min) and none have the larger pumps.

What type of Foam injection system is used? the Smokey Fire

trucks use a balanced pressure system that allows for an accurate

foam consistency regardless of changes in rates or pressures. the

balanced pressure system allows for foaming any outlet stream.

For example, the firefighters may want a straight water stream for

cooling in one area and another foamed stream for a fire knock-

down.

What type of foam is used? Safety boss recently upgraded to

FireAde®2000 which has six times the Fire Knockdown Rate of

uL162, while using one-sixth of the volume. FireAde® 2000 is

biodegradable and environmentally safe.

What is the coverage range of the water/foam stream? From any

single point, the coverage range is 100 metres, which is enough for

the largest frac operations.

are smokey Fire trucks winterized? Yes, they have a completely

independent heating system to keep the enclosed pump compart-

ment, water tank, and foam concentrate at a controlled tempera-

ture. Smokey Fire trucks have proven performance at -50°C, a very

important reliability feature for typical Canadian sub-arctic oper-

ating conditions.

What type of shower system is on board the smokey Fire trucks? Are

they ANSI/ohSA/WCb compliant? three independent decon-

tamination/shower stations complete with showerhead, eyewash

basin, and deluge hose are included. the whole system is fully

compliant with ANSI/ohSA/WCb specifics. Also, each unit is ca-

pable of full containment of contaminated fluids.

Call Safety boss for a quote on all your safety services to ensure

that you have the right capability on site to protect your invest-

ment, as well as your crew’s safety. S

the right fire truCk for the JoBsmokey series Fire trucks


Rosenau transport Ltd. started in 1957 with a sin-

gle pickup truck and has grown to over 350 power

units and approximately 1,000 trailers. As a result,

Rosenau transport continues to infiltrate more and more

communities in Western Canada. With 32 terminal and

agency locations, Rosenau continues to grow in communi-

ties from as far away as brandon, Man. to our most north-

ern community of Fort Nelson, b.C. Rosenau currently em-

ploys over 500 people and continues to grow every day.

Rosenau transport started out as the typical mom and

pop operation, and has grown into one of the largest pri-

vately held transport companies in Western Canada. With

becoming a leader in the industry, our company strives to

be a leader in the community as well. When Rosenau trans-

port sets up shop in a town, we set up with a long-term

commitment in mind. With that long-term commitment,

we want to invest in the community that supports our busi-

ness.

Rosenau has been involved in numerous events, charities,

and sponsorship programs since inception. We want to be

involved, whether it is donating to a local baseball team

giving BaCk to the CoMMunityrosenau transport ltd.By Ken rosenau

Fort nelson facility.

rosenau has been involved in numerous charities, functions, and various events to give back to the community that has helped us prosper, including

the Fort nelson Hospital Foundation hockey tournaments and curling bonspiels, Fort nelson seniors society, Fort nelson Petroleum association,

and the childcare resources & referral.


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DAILY SERVICE BETWEEN

WWW.ROSENAU.ORGFor more information please go to our website.

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SERVING WESTERN CANADA

or various provincial charities, like

the Alberta heart and Stroke Founda-

tion. Some of which are near and dear

to our hearts, including the StARS Air

Ambulance.

Carl Rosenau, president of Rosenau

transport says, “God forbid one of our

drivers will ever need this service, but

if we ever do need it, we want to sup-

port a charity that will bring one of our

own safely home.”

one of our northern british Colum-

bia terminals is situated in Fort Nel-

son, b.C. Fort Nelson is home to ap-

proximately 4,500 residents. Rosenau

transport started serving this small

community back in late 2007. At the

start, we were a company trying to

make inroads and selling our service

and on-time performance. Some days

were a struggle, but no matter the size

of the shipment, we proved that we

were going to make it in Fort Nelson.

As time went by, the freight started to

increase and we were quickly up to a

truckload of freight a day. As a result,

we quickly recognized that we need-

ed a bigger facility. the old adage of

“build it and they will come” came to

mind. In December 2009 we moved

into a new eight-door facility. With the

addition of this new space, it quickly

became evident in the community that

Rosenau was here for the long haul.

In the past four years, Rosenau has

been involved in numerous chari-

ties, functions, and various events to

give back to the community that has

helped us prosper, including the Fort

Nelson hospital Foundation hockey

tournaments and curling bonspiels

that have raised in excess of $200,000

over the past three years. the Fort Nel-

son Seniors Society, Fort Nelson Petro-

leum Association, and the Childcare

Resources & Referral are just a few of

the various groups and charities that

we try to support on a daily basis. As

a result of some of this hard work,

Rosenau transport was recognized as

business of the Year the past two out of

three years.

Rosenau transport Limited is a

leader in the transportation world and

strives to be the leader in the commu-

nities that have continued to help us

become best in class. Giving back to

the various communities that help us

become a better company makes me

feel proud to be part of this organiza-

tion.

Ken rosenau is the director of opera-

tions at rosenau transport limited. S


Skybase Geomatic Solutions Inc.

(dba: Skybase Solutions) has

been around the oil and gas

industry since 2001. Distilled from a

few decades of field surveying in the

patch prior to that, company CEo Rob

Coutts says “when people realize what

we can do for them, they embrace our

tools immediately, as we help them

keep money in their pockets; RoIs

are typically calculated in a few short

days.”

Skybase has set the bar high in oil-

field navigation.

“We have had a consultant call back

the very next day to thank us and let

us know that it had already paid for

itself!”

the product that he was referring to

is the premier navigational map sys-

tem in the Canadian oil and gas indus-

try, appropriately called the PatchMap.

PatchMap has a few flavours, but

the main usage is in combination with

Garmin GPS units for in-vehicle navi-

gation and in office-based PC software

for job bidding and crew dispatching,

and map and turn printing. Some Au-

tomated Vehicle Location (AVL) com-

panies utilize a web-based version of

the product, and soon it will appear as

an Android cellphone app.

In addition to top sellers PatchMap,

bushMap and AgMap, Skybase has also

pioneered several software solutions

for situations that no sane software

company would consider (as there are

too few potential customers). FireSpot

is a PC-based product that enables a

helicopter pilot to perform as a GIS

tech while locating and tagging fire

hotspots for ground crews. GPSbuddy

never lost – save tiMe and fundswith the right navigation systeM

search lsd for Wellsite info on PatchMap Pc.


garmin gPs.

is a free GPS to PC (and back) transfer

tool that utilizes Google Maps satellite

view for instant situational awareness.

After deciding to be more than a

map and navigation expert, Skybase

Solutions have developed 360-degree

photo viewing software and the sys-

tems for deploying them on both ve-

hicles and helicopters.

“Now we are entering into custom-

ized hardware/software solutions that

can be leveraged for regulatory com-

pliance purposes, but then used by

others in the same company (the ‘hey,

I could use that’ moment) for environ-

mental and strategic development, a

side benefit not initially considered,”

says Coutts.

he adds, “We also have something

quite revolutionary coming out soon;

it’s really going to be a game changer

in the GIS sector that we inhabit –

we’re calling it hyperMap. If you like

the features of PatchMap and GPSbud-

dy, but want a ‘real’ GIS system, you’ll

feel right at home using hyperMap.”

to get a sneak peak of this new pro-

gram, head to Skybase.ca.

For more information, contact:

Robert Coutts CSt

[email protected] / Cell: 780-518-2666

President / CEo & founder

Skybase Geomatic Solutions Inc. S

“if you like the features of PatchMap and gPsbuddy, but want a ‘real’ gis system, you’ll

feel right at home using HyperMap.”

All roads lead to SkyBase!


V.E. brandl Ltd. is a family-owned

business based in Fort St. John,

b.C. that has been delivering

quality service, equipment and earth

moving expertise to the oilfield con-

struction industry in Northeastern b.C.,

Northwestern Alberta, and the Yukon

since 1961. A respected name in the in-

dustry, V.E. brandl has built an outstand-

ing reputation over the years, priding

itself not only on the quality of its work,

but also on its integrity and concern for

employee safety and the environment.

originally founded by Vic brandl, his

sons barry, Ron, and Kevin are now run-

ning the company.

V.E. brandl has approximately 80 em-

ployees, many of them long term, and its

supervisors and operators bring a wealth

of experience to the job.

“our biggest asset is our employees.

Whenever we work with new clients,

they seem pretty impressed with the

quality of our work,” barry says.

In addition to its people, V.E. brandl’s

large fleet of modern equipment gives

them the ability to handle a wide range

of projects. V.E. brandl maintains its

fleet of equipment according to one of

the most thorough maintenance pro-

grams in the industry in order to prevent

downtime on job sites. When mainte-

nance or repairs need to be done in the

field, they have five fully rigged service

trucks, which are able to be mobilized

quickly to deal with the issue.

V.E. brandl also prides itself on its

commitment to safety. In its recent an-

nual Certificate of Recognition (CoR)

audit, the company scored 99.27 per

cent, and has had over two years without

a lost-time accident. V.E. brandl has been

innovative in modifying it’s equipment

so that it’s easier for operators to get on

and off their crew trucks and equipment,

because over the years that’s been one

of the major causes of LtAs. one of the

problems, particularly with high drive

Caterpillars, is that there is nowhere

to stand while fueling. V.E. brandl has

modified its service truck decks with a

flip-out platform that workers can stand

on so they don’t have to balance them-

selves on the tracks to fuel up. the com-

pany has also installed guardrails at the

back of its trucks to ensure that opera-

tors use the proper steps when climbing

in and out of their service trucks, along

with adding steps and handholds to all

of its equipment, in addition to the ones

provided by the manufacturer.

V.E. brandl also seeks to ensure em-

ployee safety inside its vehicles. In re-

sponse to concerns and documented

cases of people being injured by being

struck by objects inside a vehicle, V.E.

brandl had a local plastics company

build containers which are attached to

the back seat of its crewcabs using the

existing seatbelts along with bolts on the

floor, which allow for objects, such as

lunchboxes and thermoses, to be secured

during travel. All trucks are equipped

with in-vehicle monitoring systems,

which helps track where employees are

at all times in addition to ensuring that

they drive within the speed limits.

With shale gas development, the en-

ergy industry has changed the way it op-

erates, and V.E. brandl has changed with

it. With many multi-well pads measur-

ing 250 metres by 200 metres or larger, it

is no longer efficient to move the mate-

rial with dozers as was the norm in the

past. As a result, V.E. brandl has added

15 Caterpillar 627 motor scrapers to its

fleet, including two of the latest mod-

els, 627h’s, as the company has found

these to be the most cost-effective way to

move material these distances. In order

to further increase the efficiency of their

crews, they are now able to offer topcon

GPS control for our motor scrapers, doz-

ers, excavators and graders, which allow

them to finish projects to precise toler-

ances with greater speed than would

otherwise be possible.

Looking forward, V.E. brandl sees a

long-term future for shale gas in North-

eastern b.C. And the company is looking

forward to serving the energy industry

for many years to come.

Please contact for more information:

V.E. brandl

t: (250) 785.2916

t: (403) 835.2916

E: [email protected]

www.vebrandl.com S

Making the earth Move for over 50 years

Based in Fort St. John since 1961 V.E. Brandl has been serving the Canadian Oil and Gas Industry for over 50 years. With a fleet of 90 pieces of earthmoving equipment we have the right machine for any job whether it is building roads, wellsites, plansites or wherever you need material moved quickly and cost effectively. We have recently increased our fleet of 627 motor scrapers to a total of 15 including two 2013 627Hs in response to the industry’s move to large, multi-well pads which require material to be moved distances beyond what crawler tractors can do efficiently. We have outfitted multiple pieces of equipment with Topcon 3D GPS control to maximize the efficiency and accuracy that jobs can be done with. With innovative equipment modifications and guarding, a 99.2% score in our most recent COR audit and a WCB claims cost that is one-third of the industry average V.E. Brandl truly puts safety into action.


Radar Road transport Ltd. has

been serving Fort Nelson and

the surrounding area for more

than 20 years. owner Rick Seidel has

been working in the transportation, con-

struction, and maintenance business for

more than 30 years.

With more than just trucks, Radar

Road transport’s construction division

provides: road maintenance, road and

lease construction, reclamation, right of

ways, and winter access. they also have

tow tractors complete with front-plow

push blades, winches or use the con-

struction disc or the sheepsfoot packer

attachments for your needs. Also avail-

able are the smooth drum packers, vari-

ous dozers, excavators, backhoes, graders

with front-push blades and wings for the

winter, and various picks for any surface

preparation, loaders, skidsteers, water

tanker or water trucks. Plow trucks com-

plete with underbodies and front-push

blades are also available. You need it,

Radar’s got it.

Radar Road transport’s transportation

division continues to offer heavy haul

of all your big loads with up to 10 axle

configurations. We can haul it all even

when road bans are on so we can get

your load where you need it to go. hav-

ing their own pilot cars ensures the safe

transport of your loads. the fleet of trail-

ers include highboys, scissornecks, low-

beds, stepdecks various boosters, and

jeeps. As well, they have tandem and

tridem winch tractors among the fleet

of trucks. having their own end dumps,

gravel trailers, and box trucks with ac-

cess to material (sand, gravel, shale, etc.)

not only can they haul all your mate-

rial needs, the construction division can

place it, spread it, and pack it…. one call

does it all.

Some of their recent successes include

the hauling and placement of 5,000

loads of gravel incident-free on a project

in northeast b.C.

Continuing to comply with industry-

driven safety compliances, they main-

tain a CoR certification with Enform,

are current members of ISN Networld,

ComplyWorks, PICS and Workers Com-

pensation board of b.C.

having a skilled, diverse team of

personnel who are safety orientated,

trained, knowledgeable, and who pride

themselves on providing reliable service,

Radar continues to be an industry service

provider.

You can find Radar Road transport

Ltd. at 4204 - 49th Avenue in Fort Nel-

son, or just look for their sign, which

can be seen from Main Street. Stop by

or look them up on the website at www.

radarroadtransport.com

Founded, owned, and operated by

Rick and Carol Seidel of Fort Nelson,

they are unique in that they are still

small enough to be considered a “mom

and pop” operation, but diversified

enough to meet their client’s needs.

offering reliable quality service with

competitive pricing, if Rick can’t help

you, he will know someone who can. S

one Call does it allradar road transport ltd.

scrapper with forest.

rock truck.

scrapper with forest.

1 1 7 4 7 – 2 3 1 S T R E E T, E D M O N T O N , A B T 5 S 2 C 5

T: 7 8 0 - 4 5 1 - 8 0 8 8 • F : 7 8 0 - 4 5 1 - 8 0 9 0

WONOWON LODGEOPEN CAMP FACILITY

www.gnstrailers.com

Based out of Edmonton, Alberta, GNS has been building and supplying workforce accommodations and building solutions

throughout (Western) Canada for over fourteen years. Backed by our team of experienced professionals, we work quickly but

efficiently to provide you with top quality turnkey solutions to maximize workforce comfort and productivity.

SERVICES OFFERED:

Site design and layout Manufacturing | Retrofitting and complete camp renovation servicesEquipment leasing and sales | Complete camp installation, turnarounds and tear outs | Camp Mobilization (Transportation)

Camp Maintenance: 24/7 on-call service maintenance, field support and onsite troubleshooting,full time maintenance

personnel if required, network of on call Service Trucks throughout Alberta and British Colombia

Complete Camp Operation & Management: Supplies and equipment transportation, communication systems-internet,

telephone, cable/satellite, water storage, sewage containment / treatment, other related utilities.


As with all industry-related safety equipment, the ser-

vicing of breathing apparatus is essential in ensuring

they function as required, especially in IDLh envi-

ronments. Self Contained breathing Apparatus (SCbA) and

Supplied Air breathing Apparatus (SAbA) are widely used

throughout the oil and gas industry. Recently there has been

some discussion regarding the requirements of servicing the

equipment.

What do the regulations say? Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and CSA Standard

Z94.4-11 for care and maintenance of SCbA/SAbA; this in-

cludes a multitude of tests, including a complete visual/ func-

tional inspection, as well as the function test (flow test) of the

first and second stage regulators. All discrepancies are recorded

on the flow test report.

A flow test is a comprehensive test of the SCbA or SAbA to

ensure it is working within the parameters of the manufacturer,

as well as NIoSh or NFPA. the flow test includes, but is Not

limited to:

• Maskleak-check,aswellasathroughvisualinspection

• Firstbreathonregulatoractivationpressure

• Exhalationcheck-valveopeningpressure

• Statusmaskpressure

Breathe rightBy darryl Bodnar

Manufacturer Flow test requirement Mandatory overhaul

Drager Annually None (*Annually part replacement requirement)

MSA Annually Yes

Scott Every two years (*annually in high-use applications or

NFPA units)

None

Survivair Annually Yes

Specializing inHeavy Industrial, Infrastructure and Institutional.

With Plants In: PRINCE GEORGE • DAWSON CREEK • CASTLEGAR • TERRACEToll Free: 877-561-5025 [email protected] www.canasteel.com


• Bypassflowrate

• Pressuregaugeaccuracy

• Low-pressurealarmactivationPSIaccuracy

• High-pressureleaks

• Breathingresistanceatstandardworkrate

• Breathingresistanceatmaximumworkrate

• Manufacturer-specific testpassingcriteria– thisvarieswith

each manufacturer

Specific manufactures require the test at different intervals,

as well as some mandatory regulator or part specific overhauls.

overhaul and/or maintenance requirements are listed in each

manufacture’s operation and maintenance instructions.

How do I tell if my flow test was performed by an authorized service centre? Questions have been asked by many end users as to how

they can tell if their SCbA or SAbA has been certified by an

authorized and recognized service centre. there are a couple

simple, yet tell-tale ways:

1. Check the flow report

a. You MuSt receive a flow sheet indicating the flow test re-

sults from the certifying party with specific information

pertaining to the unit. this MuSt include identifiable and

specific information relating to your apparatus.

i. the serial number of the first stage and/or second stage

regulator must be the same on the apparatus as on the

flow test report.

b. Look for the specific brand logo

i. If the flow check is performed by an authorized service

centre, using brand-specific software, the applicable

logo (SCott, SuRVIVAIR, DRAGER, MSA) will be pres-

ent on the flow sheet on the top left corner. If the “bio-

systems” or “honeywell” logo is present, the apparatus

has Not been flow tested using the required brand spe-

cific software.

c. the Flow Rate Chart

i. In looking at the flow rate chart on the flow sheet, you

should see the company name and address in a water-

mark. Although some resellers may third party this ser-

vice, it is a good indication whether or not the com-

pany you are working with are certified with the specific

manufacturer.

Considering a new project or majorredesign? BC Safety Authority can help.


APEX Technological Field Services Ltd.24 Hour Service | (403) 818.2739 (APEX) | [email protected]

www.apextech.ca

Gas Analysis Real Time• Gas Chromatography Analysis Onsite • Critical Sour & High-pressure Services • Trace Oxygen, Millipore Sampling, XRD - XES Analysis for Corrosion Monitoring

• Gas Plant & Well Sampling for Gas, Condensate & Water Analysis• Gas FindIR Camera for Fugitive Emissions Control• Production, Completions, SAGD & Special Projects

• Water & Hydrocarbon Dew Points • DEOS Sampling & Reporting

2. Ask to see specific certification

a. brand-specific training is comprehensive and intense. It is

only made available by the manufacturer a few times per

year and the training is performed over multiple days (four

to five at a minimum).

i. technicians that meet the requirements, including

hands-on observation and written tests, are presented

a certificate identifying them as a “certified technician”.

the certificate also identifies the authorized service cen-

tre the technician is employed by and is Not transfer-

able to any other company without the approval of the

manufacturer.

ii. the technician remains oNLY certified while employed

by an authorized service centre, otherwise the certificate

is VoID.

b. Manufacturers will at times allow large users to become

“in-house” certified to service the equipment. these users

have a large number of apparatus in their fleet for their own

company use. In-house service centre agreements are explic-

itly clear identifying the restriction to owned equipment

only. they are not authorized to perform any third-party

services or repairs.

c. As a commitment to customer service, the manufactures

will offer use and care training to all end users (there is even

a “specialist level” training course). Although the training

can be very informative, it is Not as comprehensive as the

technician level training, and hence does not qualify the

participant as a certified technician.

3. Check with the manufacturer

a. A call to the specific manufacturer will help determine if

your provider is authorized to perform the service on your

apparatus. Contact information can be obtained online, or

ask your provider for the specific regional sales representa-

tive.

Used/reconditioned equipment

Given the cost associated with new equipment, at times,

economics enter the equation and users entertain the notion

of purchasing used or reconditioned equipment. Although

manufactures do not necessarily denounce the sale or pur-

chase of used or reconditioned equipment, buyer beware


should be employed. Most manufacturers allow the equip-

ment to be re-certified for use, provided it is conducted by an

authorized service centre.

• There aremanyonlineandotherwise companiesoffering

used or reconditioned equipment (SCbA/SAbA) that are

Not certified nor authorized by the manufacture. by fol-

lowing the same guidelines as previously mentioned, the

buyer can be assured the equipment will perform as de-

signed, especially in IDLh atmospheres.

• Purchasingusedorreconditionedequipmentfromanun-

authorized provider can put the user at significant risk, as

well as void the intended approvals and warranties on the

unit.

Given the comprehensive warranty, training and support

offered by distribution partners, often the long-term cost of a

new versus reconditioned or used units demonstrates signifi-

cant benefit.

Cylinders As with the regulators, there are also specific requirement

regarding the mandatory hydrostatic testing of breathing air

cylinders; CSA b339, b340 outline these requirements. Given

the potential danger, it is unlawful for any service provider to

fill a cylinder that is past its hydrotest due date or life expec-

tancy date.

Cylinders approved for a specific brand are Not approved

to be used in another brand of apparatus. the use of cylin-

ders that do not specifically indicate the manufacturer, often

referred to as “jobber” cylinders are Not approved for use

in brand-specific apparatus. the use of these will void the

NIoSh approval on the equipments.

breathing apparatus is a vital piece of safety equipment

largely used in the oil and gas industry. It is imperative that

this equipment is certified according to the regulations to en-

sure worker safety. S

Type Hydrostatic Test Requirement Life Expectancy

Steel/aluminum Every five years Indefinite** (until they fair a hydrotest)

hoop-Wrapped Every three years 15 years

Fully wrapped fiberglass/Kevlar Every three years 15 years

Call: 1.866.831.4744www.delcommunications.com

CREATIVE DESIGNADVERTISING SALESTRADE PUBLICATIONSQUALIFIED SALES & EDITORIAL TEAM

DEL Communications Inc. & You.

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We offer outstanding personal serviceand quality in the areas of:

** aluminum cylinders older than 15 years require an annual internal neck inspection as per csa Z94


Situated on Mile 101 of the Alaska

highway, Wonowon Lodge is a

home-away-from-home for many

who work in the oil and gas industry. the

modern open camp facility operated by

Camco Ventures Inc. and PRM Camps

and Catering is conveniently located only

an hour’s drive from Fort St. John, the oil

capital of b.C.

“It’s becoming more common now of

the industry’s movement to these open

camp facilities,” says Dwayne Cameron of

Camco Ventures Inc. “It’s the convenience

of having rooms readily available, without

getting involved in the coordination of lo-

gistics, permitting, site preparation, instal-

lation, reclamation, etc., that comes with

setting up their own private facility. We are

making every effort to provide a hotel feel,

allowing companies to utilize rooms as re-

quired for the duration of their projects.”

the needs of the oil and gas sector in

b.C.’s northeast corridor, as well as the

evident shortfall of accommodations,

sparked the mobilization of the existing

camp from a project north of Fort Nelson,

b.C. to Wonowon in 2011. Subsequently,

preparation for the lodge began immedi-

ately to clear, pack, and prepare a site large

enough to accommodate standard, private

and executive rooms, as well as a kitchen

and recreation facilities. As Cameron con-

firms, there was immediate interest in

Wonowon Lodge, which led to contract

bookings of rooms for companies work-

ing on various projects in the area.

With a newly upgraded and larger open-

concept kitchen and recreation complex,

this makes for a more pleasurable din-

ing experience and stay. other amenities

include a fitness room, on-site laundry

services and a games area featuring pool

tables, ping pong, and foosball. Along

with housekeeping, Camco Ventures Inc.

professionally prepares all meals daily,

including health-conscious menu options

to meet the needs of the camp’s array of

clientele.

“As the demand in the industry is shift-

ing toward executive suites as a minimum

standard, we continue to evolve and up-

grade our facility,” Cameron says. “We are

confident there will be five to 10 years of

future activity in the area. the long-term

plan is to continue evolving our prod-

uct and improving our services, making

Wonowon Lodge the open camp of choice

along the Alaska highway.”

For more information, please visit them

online at www.wonowonlodge.com. S

relax with unParalleled serviCe at northern B.C.’s wonowon lodge

Providing quality valve services to the North Peace since 1990

10415 Beaver Road | Fort St. John, BC | V1J 6H2

Servicing the Oil and Gas Industry for 20 Years

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• Plants & Facilities• Pipeline & Well Head• ESD’s & Rigs

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index to advertisersAdair (Tom) Pilot Car Service .............................. 22

Akita Drilling Ltd. ................................................ 55

Alpha Safety Ltd. .............................................. 103

Aluma Systems ................................................... 35

Apex Technological Field Services..................... 119

Applus RTD ......................................................... 77

Aurora Park Inn & Suites ..................................... 59

BC Energy Conference ......................................... 63

BK Two-Way Radio Ltd. ....................................... 18

Black Gold Emergency Planners Inc. ................... 22

British Columbia Safety Authority ...................... 10

Brogan Safety ................................................... 117

Calfrac Well Services ........................................... 58

Calhoun Superstructure ...................................... 91

Caliber Oilfield & Production Services Inc. .......... 87

Cambridge House International Inc. ................... 61

Can-Am Geomatics ............................................. 13

Canada Crane Services / Sarens Group ............... 95

Canadian Society for Unconventional Resources .. 3

Canasteel Rebar ................................................ 116

Canruss Medical and Safety Services .................. 19

Chetwynd & Area Economic Development......... 31

Compass Bending Ltd. ........................................ 88

COR Solutions ..................................................... 84

D&D Insulators ...................................................... 9

DEL Equipment ................................................... 12

District of Tumbler Ridge ...................................... 7

Diversified Transportation Ltd. ........................... 54

Drive Products / DOCAP ...................................... 75

Edge Electric & Controls .................................... 101

Enform ................................................................ 59

EOS Pipeline & Facilities Inc. ............................... 84

FABCOR 2001 Inc. ................................................. 4

Focus Corporation ............................................... 16

G.N.S. Industrial Trailer Services Ltd. ................ 115

Gar-North Enterprises Inc. .................................. 48

Gas Field Innovators ........................................... 81

Gemini Helicopters ............................................. 39

Graham Construction .........................................IFC

Green Patch Environmantal Consulting .............. 83

Halo Environment ............................................. 105

Industrial Scaffold Services Limited ................... 65

Initiatives Prince George ..................................... 69

Kendra’s First Aid ................................................ 40

Kitimat LNG ........................................................ 18

KTIDS Northwest ................................................ 41

Livewire Automation Inc. ................................... 37

LN’s First Aid Services (2008) Inc. ....................... 70

Marmit Plastics Inc. .......................................... 102

MCI Solutions...................................................... 26

Micro-Watt Control Devices Ltd. ......................... 30

Muskwa Valley Ventures ..................................... 80

Nira Resources / Alliance .................................... 12

Nortech Business Solutions .................................. 8

North Peace Communications ............................ 32

Northern Rockies Regional ................................. 29

Northern Valve Services .................................... 121

Northlands Water & Sewer Supplies Ltd. ............ 43

Northwest Tank Lines Inc. ................................... 33

NOV Wilson Canada ............................................ 76

Peregrine Pressure Testing Ltd. ........................... 15

Petro Canada | c/o Jan Kelley Marketing ............ 27

Phoenix Rentals Ltd. ........................................... 11

Praxair ................................................................ 88

Progress Energy Resources Corp. ........................ 90

Quality Mat Company ......................................... 85

Radar Road Transport Ltd. .................................. 17

Rosenau Transport Ltd. ..................................... 109

Safety Boss Inc. ................................................. 107

Skybase Geomatics Solutins Inc........................ 111

Society of Petroleum Engineers .......................... 49

Specialized Tech Inc. ........................................... 79

STEP Energy Services .....................................21, 25

Streeper & Sons Trucking Ltd. ............................. 26

Summit Liability Solutions ................................. 40

Swift Specialty Services ...................................... 89

Synergy Land Services Ltd. ................................. 57

T3 Energy Services .............................................. 23

TA Structures ...................................................... 99

TBD Consultants Inc. ........................................... 82

Terrapro Group of Companies ............................. 97

Tervita ...............................................................OBC

Thru Tubing Solutions ......................................... 71

TOG Systems Telecom Oil + Gas ......................... IBC

Trans Peace Construction (1987) Ltd. ................... 5

V.E. Brandl Ltd................................................... 113

William Scotsman of Canada Inc. ....................... 93

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APPROVAL REQUIREDThe enclosed proof is sent for your approval. We will not proceed with the job until the proof is returned.

DO NOT GIVE VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS. CHECK CAREFULLY! Beyond this point we cannot accept responsibility for any errors. Alterations (other than typo-graphical errors) will be charged extra. Mark proof “OK” or “OK with corrections” as the case may be, signing your name so we may know that the proof reached the proper authority.

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HOW TO CLEAN UP IN THE ENERGY BUSINESS

The short answer? Call Tervita. Our more than 4,000 men and women are uniquely qualified to help you minimize the environmental impact of your quest for resources while maximizing your returns. For 30 years we’ve been providing best-in-class environmental and energy services. From solid and liquid waste management to production and reclamation services, Tervita offers comprehensive and reliable solutions to support responsible development and help preserve our planet.

With an unwavering commitment to safety, we ensure not just compliance, but excellence. We maintain the industry’s largest network of waste recovery, treatment, and disposal facilities and more than 100 well servicing rigs ready to go at a moment’s notice to help you maximize productivity.

Visit tervita.com or call 1-855-TERVITA today. And get ready to really clean up.

A N O RT H A M E R I CA N L E A D E R I N E N V I R O N M E N TA L A N D E N E R GY S E RV I C E S

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B.C. Oil and Gas 2013

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