Oil Sands

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