Your Industry Guidebook
In Alberta Oil’s guide to industry associations, we profile a dozen of these organizations, and outline their specific mandates and services to the oil and gas industry. Mark this page and use it as a reference
Alberta is home to many energy associations and think tanks that provide information for public consumption, and various support services to their members. They are government lobbyists, training centres, and acting liaisons, to name a few—the voices of the industry.
Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB)
Industry focus: Oil and gas regulatory
Head Office: Calgary, Alberta
Phone: (403) 297-8311
Website: www.eub.gov.ab.ca
Date of incorporation: February 15, 1995, through an amalgamation of the Energy Resources Conservation Board and the Public Utilities Board. In 1996, the Alberta Geological Survey became part of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board.
Mandate: To ensure that the discovery, development, and delivery of Alberta’s energy resources and utilities services is fair, responsible, and in the public interest; and to ensure that everyone affected by such development has a fair chance to be heard.
Motivation: The province owns 80 per cent of mineral rights for resources such as oil, natural gas, coal, and oil sands in Alberta. The EUB was developed to ensure the development of these natural resources in an orderly manner, benefiting Albertans and minimizing negative environmental, social, and public safety effects.
What They Do: Regulate the safe, responsible, and efficient development of Alberta’s energy resources: oil, natural gas, oil sands, coal, and electrical energy; as well as the pipelines and transmission lines to move the resources to market.
Regulate rates and terms of service of investor-owned natural gas, electric, and water utility services, as well as the major intra-Alberta gas transmission system. This ensures that customers receive safe and reliable service at just and reasonable rates.
Service Delivery: The EUB provides an application and hearing process, as well as regulation, monitoring, and surveillance and enforcement services. The board disseminates information, knowledge, and advice through a newsletter and annual reports, and a detailed business plan prepared for the Energy Ministry.
When To Call: When there are unresolved conflicts of interest regarding development between industry players, such as between companies and landowners.
Current Projects:
• Draft Measurement Directive: A new directive for measuring upstream petroleum fluids.
• Bitumen Conservation: Conservation policy affecting gas production in oil sands areas.
• Compliance Assurance Initiative: A comprehensive compliance assurance plan.
• Public Safety and Sour Gas Project: The EUB’s response to the report of the Provincial Advisory Committee on Public Safety and Sour Gas.
• Enhancements to the North–South transmission system between Edmonton and Calgary.
Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors (CAGC)
Industry Focus: Seismic technology and applications
Head Office: Calgary, Alberta
Phone: (403) 265-0045
Website: www.cagc.ca
Date of incorporation: 1977
Mandate: To develop and maintain a business environment in which the geophysical and support industries can earn a fair rate of return on invested capital and provide new employment opportunities for Canadians.
Motivation: The CAGC was formed in response to a need for a communication link to promote understanding between the government and the geophysical industry. Programs and training were also needed to ensure worker health and safety.
What They Do: Develop, administer, and promote programs and training; act as the communication link between government, industry, outside groups, and the geophysical industry; promote protection of the natural environment in geophysical operations; advocate for high ethical standards in the geophysical industry; and promote the Canadian geophysical industry as a world leader in developing and applying advanced exploration technologies.
Service Delivery: The CAGC addresses safety and training issues; links industry with government concerning water resources, exploration regulation, wildlife, trappers, geophysics, and frontier geophysics; and addresses issues such as landowner relations, forest stand damage, and explosives.
When Should You Call: When the need for geophysical seismic technology and safety training arises; to clarify issues of confidentiality with regard to seismic data and jurisdiction.
Current Top Issues:
• The human resources crunch: The CAGC is looking to provincial and federal programs to import temporary foreign workers.
• Seasonality of work: An increasingly long work season is adding to the human resources dilemma.
• Data Confidentiality: The release of seismic data and confidentiality regulations differ between jurisdictions. For example, the Alberta government does not release any data, while British Columbia releases land data after 10 years and offshore data after 21 years.
• Confidentiality of geophysical processes: Release of information by government can conflict with proprietary concerns.
• Environmental stewardship.
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