Oil Sands

What the President(s) said…

With the President of the United States having just described attributes of Canadian energy, my ears perked up when Imperial Oil President and CEO Bruce March was asked about the U.S.-Canada trade relationship in oil, yesterday.

To paraphrase the question from an audience member at the National Buyer/Seller Forum in Edmonton: ‘What’s the mood of the U.S. Government toward us after all the negative press and campaigning against the oil sands?’

“A lot different than the mood (reflected) in the media and by the environmental groups,” March replied. “I think the U.S. is interested in improving the security of supply (of petroleum energy)” even as it transitions to renewable and cleaner energy sources, he added.

Understanding of the value of Canada’s energy resources — and March pointed out that’s not just oil, but gas, hydro electricity and renewables — is growing among decision makers south of the border.

And, “I think overall the profile of what the oil sands looks like in the U.S. is slowly improving.”

There’s a video of President Obama’s remarks on energy security here.

Here’s more from March on oil sands issues, from 2008.

- David Sands

Safety message not being heard

Two years with no lost-time worker injuries at Imperial Oil’s three Alberta oil sands operations is pretty good, suggests CEO Bruce March.

Then he says no, it’s not good enough.

“We still find better safety performance in many other places in the world,” March told several hundred potential contractors, suppliers and vendors to his 130-year-old energy company.

“Lost time” is a measure that doesn’t take into account the full picture of worker safety, March said. Employees here in Alberta were hurt on the job, lost time or not, and that’s not acceptable.

Alberta’s minister for worker safety has also lost patience with industry’s failure to address its worker safety issues. Read about that here.

-David Sands

Premier: ‘We have global responsibilities’

Yes, the world needs Alberta’s energy resources, said Premier Ed Stelmach. But even more, it needs the technologies we’re developing to lessen the environmental impact of using that energy.

“Significant resources come with significant responsibilities,” the premier told a national audience of employers at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton this evening. “Globally significant resources come with globally significant responsibilities.”

Speaking to the National Buyer Seller Forum, the premier said Alberta’s drive for reduced emissions, improved habitat reclamation, greater alternative and renewable energy sources and more sustainable development are “challenging issues that take vision and innovation at all levels.”

But they are not, he stressed, optional: “These are issues that must be tackled to ensure sustained prosperity.”

The National Buyer Seller Forum is an 11-year-old event that started as a venue to help Alberta energy industry operators and suppliers connect to supply-chain employers elsewhere in Canada and beyond. It has been and continues to be heavily promoted by other Provinces as a major business opportunity for their home-grown industries to land manufacturing and service contracts in a rare, growing domestic market. My colleague Jac MacDonald of Alberta Finance and Enterprise does a better job than I of explaining what it’s all about here.

-David Sands

Environmental technologies featured at 2011 National Buyer Seller Forum

You might have heard that the National Buyer Seller Forum helps create jobs and wealth across Canada and in Alberta.

For example, machinery and metal fabrication industries in Ontario, B.C., Quebec, and Atlantic Canada benefit from buyers and sellers getting together to place orders for oil sands equipment.

But you might not have heard making the oil sands greener and more environmentally sustainable is one of the feature discussions at this year’s forum, which is happening in Edmonton, March 29 to 31.

Yes, the forum is certainly about getting buyers and sellers together and creating business opportunities for construction, maintenance, repair, and operations in the oil sands industry. Indeed, with $218 billion in estimated capital investment going into projects over the next 25 years, there’s no shortage of opportunities for businesses from across Canada to get a piece of the action.

But this year there is also a focus on the environment, with discussion of issues such as tailings pond management, land reclamation, water management, and carbon capture and storage. It’s part of Alberta’s emphasis on environmental responsibility.

David Lynch, dean of engineering at the University of Alberta, will be speaking about the “greening” of future oilsands management.

Bruce March, CEO of Imperial Oil, will talk about balancing economic development and environmental protection. There will also be break-out sessions about carbon capture and storage, and reclamation and water management which will feature speakers from Suncor, EPCOR Water Services Inc., and Devon Canada Corp.

The forum kicks off Tuesday evening with a speech from Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, followed by remarks from Finance and Enterprise Minister Lloyd Snelgrove Wednesday morning.

Go to www.nationalbuyersellerforum.ca for more information.

-Jac MacDonald

Alberta Finance and Enterprise

Arm yourself with knowledge to outwit identity thieves

Imagine you just used your debit card to pay for a purchase. Did you keep your eyes on your card when it was swiped?

Whether it is skimming your debit card or running sophisticated schemes using social media or cell phones fraudsters will go to great lengths to profit off your good name. They use the information they steal to commit crimes like obtaining false ID and charging goods to their victims’ credit cards.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing types of fraud in Canada. And it’s one that we are seeing more and more here in Alberta.

As consumers, one of the most effective weapons we have against this type of fraud is knowledge.

Service Alberta has a wealth of resources to help you learn more about what identity theft is, why it is a problem, how to protect yourself and what to do if you think someone else is using your identity.

Our Ministry also participates in Fraud Prevention Alberta, a coalition of law enforcement, government and non-profit organizations dedicated to increasing awareness of fraud-related crime and identity theft. Coalition partners take part in Fraud Prevention Month activities every March and post fraud prevention tips on Facebook and Twitter.

As we near the end of Fraud Prevention Month, it’s important to remember to remain vigilant throughout the year. The more information we can arm ourselves with, the less chance there will be to become a victim. By protecting your personal information you will protect yourself against identity theft.

-Heather Klimchuk

Minister, Service Alberta