B.C. Government Providing Update On Montney At CSUR Events This Week

For petroleum geologist Mike Seifert there’s no better way to spend a day than attending a workshop presented by the Canadian Society for Unconventional Resources (CSUR) — and this fall and winter he’ll have the opportunity to attend several of them.

Seifert, senior technical sales specialist with Calgary-based geoLOGIC Systems, now plays a key role in organizing CSUR workshops and other events, as a member of the organization’s technical committee.

“Everything is changing [in the unconventional oil and gas sector],” he said. “Nothing stays the same.”

The B.C. government recognized the important role CSUR plays when it worked with the organization to present a workshop on Thursday, Sept. 14 to provide an update on B.C.’s Montney resource play.

“The B.C. Ministry of Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (BCMEMPR) and the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission normally present a two-day conference on unconventional gas development in the province every spring,” said Seifert. “But this spring, because of the provincial election, it wasn’t held. CSUR has been working with the government to present the Montney day workshop (which, to an extent, replaces the spring event).”

That full-day event, which will be held in the ConocoPhillips Canada Theatre, will be followed by a half-day session on Friday, Dec. 15 at which Dave Nikolejsin, deputy minister, BCMEMPR, will be the keynote speaker. He will also participate in a 45 minute question and answer session.

The Thursday workshop, which will also be held in the ConocoPhillips Canada Theatre, will provide invaluable information for those interested in oil and gas development in the province.

For instance, in describing the event on its website (CSUR.com), the organization says those attending will hear government officials provide an overview of oil and gas plays, they will hear from industry and government officials about the potential for B.C. gas exports into the U.S. Gulf Coast LNG market, they will learn about emerging oil plays in northeastern B.C., and they will hear from five different companies active in B.C.

Speakers include Paul Myers, an executive with Canbriam Energy Inc. who will give the morning keynote address (the event starts at 8:30 a.m.), Carlos Salas, of Geoscience BC, who will address concerns about induced seismicity and greenhouse gas emissions in the Montney. Brad Hayes, of Petrel Robertson Consulting Ltd., who will speak about new resource plays in northeastern B.C. and Jihad Traya, of consultants Solomon Associates, who will speak about monetizing resources in a constrained market.

Executives with active B.C. operators, including Painted Pony Energy Ltd., Leucrotta Exploration Inc., Encana Corporation, Shell Canada and Canbriam will also speak later in the day about their activities.

Seifert said there are opportunities for question and answer sessions after addresses are given.

The workshops are open to non-CSUR members (there is a members-only technical luncheon on Sept. 19, when members will hear an update on induced seismicity from Geoscience BC).

The next workshop, open to non-members, will be held on Monday, Sept. 25, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

That event, entitled “The Alberta Montney Resource - An Important Play for Alberta” will also be held at the ConocoPhillips Canada Theatre.

Those attending that workshop will hear a macro-analysis of the play, illustrating its importance to Alberta and Canada, they will hear about how the play competes with other resource plays in North America, about emerging challenges with the development of the play, and about the area’s unique geology. They will also hear from operators active in the play.

Seifert said the usual format of the workshops involves initial addresses by consultants and others who provide “high level discussion that sets the stage.” The Alberta Montney workshop will lead off with addresses by consultants from RS Energy and McDaniel & Associates. There will be a question and answer session following those addresses.

Following that Prof. JP Zonneveld, of the University of Alberta, will provide a presentation about the geology of the Montney, followed by an address by Carolyn Currie, of Core Labs, who will provide details of her firm’s core study of the play.

That will be followed by a presentation by Seifert geoLOGIC colleague Joshua Lee, who will speak about frac fluids and energizers and by Ken Glover, of Trican Well Service Ltd., who will provide a presentation dealing with formation evaluation for stimulation optimization in the Alberta Montney.

The luncheon presentation will be a departure from normal workshops, with Bill Whitelaw, president of JWN Energy, heading a panel discussion revolving around the “past, present and future” of CSUR.

That afternoon, those attending will hear a variety of presentations, starting with a discussion of “emerging challenges” in the Montney, and an address by Carol Crowfoot, executive vice-president of the strategy and regulatory division of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER),  speaking about the new strategic direction of the AER.

Later that day operators in the Alberta Montney, including Shell Canada Energy, Seven Generations Energy Ltd. and others will speak about various aspects of the play. 

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