Energy difference-makers celebrated

Canada’s energy industry provides many benefits, coast to coast: jobs, innovation, collaboration, revenue creation, and more. But the industry is notoriously reluctant to sing its own praises.

In fact, Canadian oil and natural gas producers are world leaders when it comes to environmental performance, sustainability and innovation – but few Canadians are aware of the significant achievements that make industry safer and more environmentally responsible every day. With its new Energy Excellence Awards, the Daily Oil Bulletin both recognizes these achievements and shares the stories behind them.

“The industry has been very good at data and facts, but not very good at being a storyteller,” says Bemal Mehta, senior vice-president of energy intelligence at June Warren Nichols (JWN). “We’ve told the story of the industry’s positive accomplishments — but we recognize we could do an even better job of celebrating the industry’s successes.”

About the Awards

On May 2, 2019, at Calgary’s Devonian Gardens, the Daily Oil Bulletin handed out 12 awards within three broad categories: Operational Excellence; Innovation and Research; and Exporting Excellence.

Currently there are numerous risks and issues facing the industry – from lack of pipeline access to markets to government policies and regulations that threaten competitiveness. Mehta says the purpose of the awards is to focus on the positives of the entire energy sector, including upstream, downstream, power and clean technology.

Mehta says the Energy Excellence Awards program is a continuation of ongoing efforts by JWN to focus on the merits of the energy sector – including JWN’s longstanding Rising Stars initiative, which highlights younger energy industry leaders.

A JWN committee, including staffers and external judges, selected the winners based on project and environmental performance, collaboration, unique technologies and processes, and corporate social responsibility. The judges had their hands full with more than 90 nominations. Champions were picked in 12 subcategories within the three broad categories.

Excellence in action

Among the champions selected by JWN (see sidebar for the complete list) are Bluesource Methane ULC, Modern Resources and CleanO2. Bluesource was recognized for its methane reduction program that helps oil and natural gas producers quickly meet both provincial and federal methane regulations, which come into effect in 2023. Bluesource’s program assists with identifying what equipment must be upgraded, plus the actual installation and financing.

Modern Resources is an oil and natural gas producer who won for their MULE sites—production sites that use technologies to ensure methane emissions are near zero. Meanwhile, Clean O2 Carbon Capture Technologies was recognized for its innovative carbon capture device that reduces emissions through heat recovery.

Stay tuned! Over the coming months Context will dig deeper into the champions list to profile some of the winners.