N.L. unveils plan for faster, cheaper offshore oil and gas development by The Canadian Press, February 19, 2018, Calgary Herald
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Cash-strapped Newfoundland and Labrador has launched a 12-year plan to speed and increase offshore oil and gas development while drawing coveted global investment.
The province will review regulations [aka deregulate to keep investors and banks happy, environment, safety and workers be damned], enhance seismic data and advance cost-saving tie-back technology to extract more from existing sites. Its goal is to double overall production to more than 650,000 barrels a day by 2030.
Premier Dwight Ball called it an ambitious [translation – protections throw to the wind] but realistic plan as his province grapples with mounting debt and successive deficits. Offshore oil earnings once accounted for about one-third of revenues but collapsing prices starting in 2014 blew a major hole in provincial finances.
“We can wait no longer,” Ball told a news conference Monday in St. John’s. “We are at a critical point. The time for action is now.”
The province also wants to enhance subsea and seismic technology to develop what it estimates is an offshore oil potential of at least 37 billion barrels.
And it wants to kick-start commercial production of largely untapped natural gas reserves by 2030 as it counts on growing global demand. [And if the world doesn’t want NL’s harmful products?]
Four major oil sites now operate off Newfoundland.
The plan also sets targets of 100 new exploration wells, a shortened timeline of about 10 years from discovery to oil production, and integrating oil and gas with renewable sources to create a “world-class energy cluster.” [Wow, creative Synergy Alberta (industry) lingo sure to dazzle and lure in the greedy!]
Carman Mullins, president of ExxonMobil Canada, said Monday the industry has transformed since the price crash. Still, the plan sets a course to keep Newfoundland and Labrador on the corporate radar for big-ticket investment, she added.
“Every opportunity needs to be competitive on a global scale,” she told reporters. “Having regulations that provide clarity, as well as are efficient and effective, are key. [Translation: Gut your regulations & lie to your citizenry to con them well, and we’ll invest, rape & pillage to greed’s content!] We need to develop the resources as well as protecting the environment.
“We’re looking at how can you do things more efficiently? How can you leverage technology? How can you be creative and innovative and bring new research together?” [Emphasis added
N.L. unveils plan to double oil production by 2030, speed up development process, Another goal is to lay the foundation for a natural gas industry in the province within the next 12 years by CBC News, Feb 19, 2018
The Newfoundland and Labrador government launched a new plan on Monday for growing the oil and gas sector. [A plan created by and pushed by the oil and gas industry?]
Highlights of Advance 2030 include doubling offshore oil production by 2030 through reducing development time for projects and laying the foundation for a natural gas industry.
Last month, the province’s Oil and Gas Industry Development Council started looking at ways to grow the industry, providing government with 17 focus areas which include actions ranging from the short to long term.
Offshore oil
Targets for the offshore oil industry include drilling more than 100 new exploration wells and tapping into multiple basins to produce more than 650,000 barrels of oil per day from new and existing projects.
The council estimates that there are more than 37 billion barrels to be drilled off the coast of Newfoundland, and that currently less than seven per cent is accounted for by licensed drilling operations.
To get going on tapping into those reserves, the province wants to reduce project development time for offshore projects to seven years.
Dwight Ball Rooms Oil and gas 2030
Dwight Ball speaks to reporters after announcing the Advance 2030 oil and gas plan. (CBC)
At Monday’s announcement at The Rooms in St. John’s, Premier Dwight Ball called the plan “ambitious, but achievable.”
Despite the impending carbon tax and a growing trend toward green energy, Ball said it’s not the time to slack off on developing more oil projects, as the world still very much wants to buy Brent Crude.
“There is still a thirst for oil and gas throughout the world,” Ball said.
“The transition from where we are today with oil and gas to green energy will take quite some time. So while that transition is occurring and taking place, the world will still need oil and gas.”
Natural gas
Advance 2030 also aims to get the province more involved in commercial natural gas production.
With more than 133 trillion cubic feet of gas potential surrounding the province, Ball said now is the time to start laying the foundation of that industry so that it will be in full swing within 12 years.
A new plan announced by the N.L. government aims to start laying the groundwork for a natural gas industry in the province before 2030.
“We already know there are tremendous reserves out there. If we do not put targets in place and the mechanism to get there, the fact is if you don’t do that and challenge people it will never get done,” he said.
“So the development council themselves has set a target and they feel that we have tremendous reserves out there that could lead to a commercial gas industry off our province.” [Emphasis added]
Why Newfoundland and Labrador launched an oil and gas advisory council
by Natural Resources Magazine, March 6, 2017
Just before Christmas, Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady announced the provincial government had established an oil and gas industry development council and appointed nine members to the organization. Coady will chair the council and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association will have permanent members on it.
The government has been vague as to what it wants the council to accomplish. But the Liberal government’s long-term plan for the province, The Way Forward, has made it a priority to position the province as a preferred location for oil and gas development. In an interview with Natural Resources Magazine shortly after she became natural resources minister in 2016, Coady said the council would, “focus on strategic improvements. [Translation: Deregulate to enable whatever industry wants, notably, sneak in a frack frenzy free-for-all, modeled after Alberta’s horrific No Duty of Care system] We want to look at a vision for the province with a foundation of success built on excellence and innovation.”
The council members have a diverse set of skills. [They all sound of one type: promote industry and deregulate]
They include business development, supply chain management, labour relations, resource development, regulatory environment, research and innovation. The council members include plenty of well-known names in the provincial offshore oil circle like Robert Crosbie, chairman of St. John’s-based Crosbie Group Limited, Kim Keating, vice-president of fabrication with the Cahill Group and Malcolm MacLean, Husky Energy’s senior vice-president, Atlantic Region. Besides Coady and Keating, the other woman on the council is Stephanie Hickman, a partner in the St. John’s office of the Cox & Palmer law firm.
The creation of the council comes as the province deals with a prolonged slump in oil prices that played a large part in a projected $1.58 billion deficit the Liberal government forecast in a 2016 fiscal update. The council met for the first time on Jan. 18 to discuss its missions and mandate and it will meet monthly. Finding ways to encourage more exploration from oil and gas companies and speed up development [aka deregulation”] of discoveries like Statoil’s Bay du Nord will likely be two major issues the council will tackle as it tries to chart a new course for the offshore oil sector. [Emphasis added]
Focusing on Newfoundland and Labrador’s Natural Resources Press Release by Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, December 21, 2016
Oil and Gas Industry Development Council Appointments Announced
The Provincial Government has appointed members to the Oil and Gas Industry Development Council. The final membership was determined using the merit-based appointments process. [Or ordered by the oil and gas industry?]
“Our government committed to the establishment of the Oil and Gas Industry Development Council to determine the long-term vision of the province’s oil and gas industry. The appointed members have tremendous knowledge, and I thank them for volunteering their time and talent. I look forward to working with them to develop and strengthen a sustainable and competitive industry.” – The Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources
The Minister of Natural Resources will be Chair, and Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries (Noia) and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) will be fixed members. The members appointed to the council are:
Raymond Collins (Noia representative)
Robert Crosbie
Gus Doyle
William (Bill) Fanning
Stephanie Hickman
Kimberly Keating
Malcolm Maclean
Sean Power
Gisle Stjern (CAPP representative)
“Noia is pleased to see the establishment of an Oil and Gas Industry Development Council – something we called upon in our Redefining Oil strategy framework. A collaborative approach is critical to ensuring resources are developed in a manner that will result in a sustainable industry. The local supply and service sector is a key component of this success and our hope is that the council will develop a long-term strategy that reinvigorates local participation. As Noia Chair, I look forward to representing the interests of our membership at the table.” – Raymond Collins, Chair of Noia’s Board of Directors
The members of the council have a diverse mix of skills and experience in a variety of areas, such as business development and supply chain management, industry specific skills and training requirements, labour relations, resource development, regulatory environment, gender equity and diversity, and research, development and innovation. Biographies for the Oil and Gas Industry Development Council members are provided in the backgrounder below.
“CAPP members share government’s objective in wanting to see the oil and gas industry in this province grow and prosper, and our members are in a unique position to provide insight into how to accomplish this. We look forward to sharing our experience and expertise and to working with Minister Coady and the council on ways to grow a competitive and sustainable industry.” – Paul Barnes, Manager, Atlantic Canada and Arctic, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
The Oil and Gas Industry Development Council will assess the long-term vision for the province’s oil and gas industry and focus on developing a more sustainable and competitive industry.
…
Media contacts:
Erin Shea
Media Relations Manager
Department of Natural Resources
709-729-5777
email hidden; JavaScript is required Jennifer Collingwood
Senior Director of Communications
Noia
709-758-6617
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Nancy Wicks
Communications and Policy Advisor, Atlantic Canada
Canadian Association of Petroleum
Producers
709-724-4204
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BACKGROUNDER
Below are the biographies of the Oil and Gas Industry Development Council:
Raymond Collins
Raymond Collins is the President of PF Collins International Trade Solutions. He joined the family business in 2000 and has contributed significantly to the growth of the company through management of the organization’s operational departments, the acquisition of major contracts, and his leadership in the advancement of the company’s technology and LEAN culture. Mr. Collins has been a member of the Noia Board of Directors for the past six years and is current Chair. His expertise in project logistics consulting to Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry has focused his efforts towards exploration attraction and Federal Government-industry relations.
Mr. Collins is an Economics graduate from Memorial University and holds an MBA from St. Mary’s University. He is a Qualified Officer under the Canada Border Services Agency’s Customs Broker Licensing requirements, and a Certified Customs Specialist through the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers.
Robert Crosbie
Robert Crosbie is the Chairman of Crosbie Group Limited. He is an experienced and well-respected Newfoundland-based business leader and entrepreneur and has significant experience leading growth-oriented companies in resource-based sectors in Newfoundland and Labrador, and throughout Atlantic Canada. Mr. Crosbie graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1979. He began working in the family business in 1991 with the Crosbie Group of Companies in Real Estate Development and Construction and Energy Services. He is seasoned at developing value-added solutions for clients, particularly pertaining to offshore industrial service, supply chain management and logistics.
Mr. Crosbie has held director positions at at ASCO Canada from 2006 to the present, and is a director with Emera NL. In the past, he has held the position of director with Forent Energy in Calgary, Alberta, and as Chairman with Marine Atlantic Inc. Mr. Crosbie currently serves as Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board at Memorial University. He received the MUN FBA Alumnus of the Year in 2003, the MUN JD Eaton Award for Volunteerism in 2014, 2014 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Atlantic Canada, and was inducted into the JA Hall of Fame in 2016.
Gus Doyle
Gus Doyle has a wealth of expertise in the skilled trades, construction, financial literacy, and governance. Having attended College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University to study Carpentry and Labour Relations, respectively, Mr. Doyle has worked with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the Newfoundland Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, and the Atlantic Canada Regional Council. He has held the title of President with the Resource Development Trades Council, President of the Office to Advance Women Apprentices, and President, Carpenters Local 579, of the Newfoundland and Labrador Building Trades Council. Mr. Doyle has been a member of the Provincial Government Skills Advisory Board, the Provincial Government Tri Partite Committee (Business, Labour, and Government), the Apprenticeship and Certification Board of Newfoundland and Labrador, and President of the Resource Development Trades Council. Mr. Doyle currently serves on the Newfoundland and Labrador Building Trades Council, the National Building Trades Council, and the Scaffolding Curriculum and Development Board.
William (Bill) Fanning
Bill Fanning has over 30 years of experience in the offshore oil and gas industry, executing projects in North America and internationally. He is currently the President and Country Manager at Kvaerner Canada Limited. He has a degree in Business Management and attended Concordia University’s Executive Management program in 1996. Mr. Fanning held senior executive positions with both operators and contractors in East Coast Canada’s offshore and in Western Canada. From 1999 to 2009, Mr. Fanning as President and Chief Operating Officer, led the growth and expansion of Spectrol Energy Services Inc., a mid-sized technical services company, to become a recognized leader in asset integrity management in the offshore oil and gas industry with international operations, until it was acquired in 2009. Mr. Fanning has also held positions as Senior Vice-President and General Manager at SNC-Lavalin and Commercial and Supply Chain Manager at ExxonMobil/HMDC. Mr. Fanning is former Board Chair with the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information, a past director of the Bull Arm Site Corporation, director with the Newfoundland Oil and Gas Industries Association, a member of the Canadian Cancer Society philanthropy committee, and a founding member of the Newfoundland and Labrador CEO Safety Charter.
Stephanie Hickman
Stephanie Hickman is a partner in the St. John’s office of Cox & Palmer and has extensive experience in contractual negotiation and claims management for large construction projects. Ms. Hickman acts for sureties and owners in all aspects of construction law, including Mechanics’ Liens, design-build drafting and negotiation, general contractual matters and litigation. Ms. Hickman is a member of the energy and natural resources practice group and has dealt with the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Regulatory regime, litigation, contractual and project development issues in this sector for over 15 years. Ms. Hickman has also handled complex corporate and commercial transactions for local and international companies, including financing in the sale and acquisition of operations and business assets, and contract review and negotiation.
Ms. Hickman is listed as a leading practitioner since 2013 by the publication Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of Energy Law and Construction Law, and she has been recognized since 2013 in the Canadian Legal Expert Directory as a leading practitioner in the fields of Corporate Commercial and Construction Law. She is a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. Ms. Hickman has extensive community involvement, having been a director with NLOWE, St. John Ambulance, the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association. Ms. Hickman is an active member of the Canadian Bar Society, the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Canadian Petroleum Law Foundation.
Kimberly Keating
Kim Keating holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Memorial University and a Masters in Business Administration. With over 17 years of experience in the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore oil and gas industry, Ms. Keating is currently Vice President of Fabrication with the Cahill Group, having also held the title of Director of Projects with the company. Ms. Keating has held various positions with Petro-Canada, including Manager of Environment Health Safety and Security – Terra Nova, Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Management, Risk/Safety Engineer – Environment Health Safety & Security, and Safety Systems Commissioning Engineer – Terra Nova. She has also held the role of Manager – Concept Development Engineering & Innovation with Suncor Energy.
Ms. Keating is an elected alumni representative and Vice Chair of the MUN Board of Regents, Chair of the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee for Newfoundland and Labrador, is a past president of WISE NL, and serves as a director with the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation and Opera on the Avalon. She is a member and past-Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade, a member of the Marine Institute Advisory Board and a founding member of the International Women’s Forum NL chapter. Currently, Ms. Keating is a member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador and is Canadian Registered Safety Professional.
Malcolm Maclean
With more than 35 years of international operational and project experience in the upstream sector, Mr. Maclean joined Husky as Vice President, Developments for the Atlantic Region in 2011, and in 2012, he was appointed Senior Vice President, Atlantic Region. Prior to joining Husky, Mr. Maclean was Vice President, Developments for Petrofac. From 2000 until 2010, he held several senior positions with the Hess Corporation. As Vice President, South East Asia, he successfully led the organization through a period of rapid expansion. Other assignments included Country Manager, Algeria, where he led a major field redevelopment project and Vice President, Business Development.
Mr. Maclean holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Dundee College of Technology, Scotland, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Offshore Engineering from Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology, Aberdeen, Scotland. Mr. Maclean is director with provincial branch of the Canadian Cancer Society and is a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Energy Institute, and the American Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Sean Power
Sean Power is the Vice President of Business Development with the DF Barnes Group of Companies in a Senior Executive capacity, and he deals with Special Projects and Labour Relations. He joined in 2005 and has extensive experience in business development in the oil and gas sector, negotiating innovative, productive construction agreements, as well as project management for large projects in oil and gas.
Mr. Power has served on the Noia Board of Directors since 2009 in a number of roles, including chair, vice-chair, director, and treasurer. He has been heavily involved in the Newfoundland and Labrador oil and gas industry for many years.
Gisle Stjern
Gisle Stjern has been Vice President, Offshore Newfoundland, Statoil Canada, since June 2014, and has 25 years of experience within the global energy industry, including oil & gas and mining. In his current role, Mr. Stjern’s focus is to maximize the value of the Canadian offshore assets and to further develop and implement the long-term strategy for offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.
Prior to joining the Statoil office in St. John’s, Mr. Stjern has worked with Statoil for the last 18 years. He has experience around the world in Norway, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Tanzania. Before his appointment in St. John’s, Mr. Stjern spent five years as a vice president in Statoil’s Technology Projects and Drilling (DWN) business area. He has been a platform manager and operations manager for assets on the NCS. Mr. Stjern holds a Master of Science Degree in Engineering and a Doctorate of Philosophy in rock mechanics from the Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology. Mr. Stjern is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He has a wife and two children and currently lives in St John’s with his wife and daughter who is a student at MUN. [Emphasis added]