In December, I attended the Energy Council’s 2013 Global Energy and Environmental Issues Conference in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. The conference began on December 5 and continued through December 8. The day before the conference started, I joined other council members on a tour of the Devon Energy Jackfish production site near Fort McMurray, Alberta. This is an insitu oil sands development project producing 35,000 barrels per day, with total recoverable resources estimated at over 300 million barrels. The insitu process involves steam assisted gravity drainage technology whereby steam is injected to liquefy the bitumen and the resulting mixture flows by well to the surface. The Devon Energy Corporation is among the largest independent oil and gas producers in Canada with production facilities in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. I was very impressed with the working conditions Devon Energy provides its employees which are widely known as the best employee facilities in the oil sands industry.
Some of the highlights during the three day conference include: an update on Mexican energy policy by Ambassador Jesus Reyes Heroles; environmental factors in the global energy trade by the Alberta Minister of Environment, Diana McQueen; a keynote address by the Premier of Alberta, Alison Redford; and Canada – U.S. energy policy dynamics by the U.S. Consul General, Peter Kujawinski among many other interesting topics and presenters.
I always enjoy attending the Energy Council meetings because of the excellent opportunity it provides me to compare and discuss energy issues with our North American counterparts as well as potential foreign partners. One of the highlights of this conference for me was a working dinner I had with the Canadian Ambassador from the People’s Republic of China, Zhang Junsai. Ambassador Zhang and I talked a lot about China’s growing demand for North American hydrocarbons and how Alaska can play a role in satisfying that demand. China has invested a lot of money in the Canadian oil sands but they need to get that supply to tidewater. Proposals to build a pipeline through British Columbia have been met with resistance so they’re looking at other options. Extending the Canadian rail line north to Alaska is becoming an attractive option. The hydrocarbons could be shipped by rail to Alaska and transported via the Trans-Alaska Pipeline to Valdez. I intend to continue this conversation with the governments of Alberta and China.
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