Wes Jickling of Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) explains how oil sands are on a pathway to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through massive investments in cleantech innovations and a focus on deep cooperation.    "It is going to take collaboration on a scale that's unprecedented," says the COSIA chief executive of the commitment made by oil sands leaders to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Jickling discusses progress to date, as well as exciting advances on the horizon, ranging from CCUS and electric haul trucks to molten carbonate fuel cells. 

Energy Examined

What will it take to get to net-zero emissions in the oil sands?

The Indigenous Resource Network (IRN) recently commissioned an Environics poll to assess cross-Canada Indigenous support for natural resource development. What they found defies the common perception in the media: 65% supported development vs only 23% opposed. Energy Examined chats with John Desjarlais and JP Gladu of the IRN about the findings and how sustainable natural resource development is seen as a key source of jobs, business opportunities and self determination among many Indigenous communities. The Indigenous Resource Network is an Indigenous-run organization providing a platform for Indigenous workers, business owners and leaders who support Indigenous engagement in the resource sector. 

It's a fact: a majority of Indigenous people support natural resource development

What would a $10 billion investment in the oil sands do for Canada's job creation and economy? It's a question economist Philip Cross of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute posed in a recently published study. Cross discusses his findings which highlight the industry's role as a durable job creation and economic growth engine for all of Canada: a role that can help us pull back from record government deficits while offering solutions to environmental challenges through innovation leadership.   

How do you create long-lasting, well-paying Canadian jobs? Invest in oil sands.

Our post-pandemic economy depends on creating jobs and income through investments and exports. As the world's fourth largest net energy exporter, oil and natural gas will be crucial to Canada's economic recovery, say Scotiabank's Swanzy Quarshie and Paul Lee. Quarshi and Lee are directors of global equity energy sales at Scotiabank. They highlight trends they're seeing in the Canadian energy industry, including growth, consolidation and who's investing. They also highlight how investors are focusing on Canadian strengths like sustainable production, capital discipline, environmental innovation and supply reliability.

How oil and gas investments will drive Canada's economic recovery

Is the oil sands destroying Alberta's northern forests? Shannon Carla King is quick to point out no: lands are reclaimed by oil sands producers to a natural, self-sustaining habitat. Her method of showing this is unique: she's an Alberta artist who paints  landscapes of the Canadian outdoors with a focus on, you guessed it, the wild beauty of reclaimed lands from completed oil sands projects. In this podcast, Shannon discusses with Energy Examined host Tracy Larsson why she's using art to correct misinformation about destruction of lands in the oil sands, and the kind of response her work's received to date.  Check out the conversation and the paintings in this video podcast.

The art of oil sands land reclamation

The Newfoundland and Labrador offshore oil and gas industry produces oil with some of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and it's working to get even better. Kieran Hanley, executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), discusses some fascinating work going on to advance clean tech solutions within the industry as part of a green transition. These include hybrid in-service ships, electrification of facilities and iceberg-evading offshore wind turbines. 

What does environmental innovation in Canada's offshore oil and gas industry look like?

Among the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action are those calling for economic reconciliation. Through the growth of Indigenous employment, business partnerships and home-grown companies, Indigenous communities are seeking to reduce poverty and gain economic independence. A recent survey by CAPP shows that in 2019, oil sands producers spent $2.4 billion in partnerships with Indigenous supply chain companies (a 52% jump from 2017) and Indigenous workers make up 7.4% of the oil and natural gas industry workforce (more than double the national average).  Energy Examined host Tracy Larsson delves into these numbers with CAPP Indigenous Policy Advisor Courtney Levesque-Thomas, including what they mean for these communities and the future.  

How Indigenous businesses, workers and communities are finding growing opportunities in oil and natural gas

There's a stereotype that oil sands communities like Fort McMurray are similar to frontier towns in the Wild West. The thing is, they're more aptly described as family friendly, highly livable and truly resilient: surviving wildfires, floods and COVID-19. That's no accident, says Perry Berkenpas, Executive Director of the Oil Sands Community Alliance (OSCA): an organization focused on building bridges between industry and local residents. Berkenpas discusses how industry collaborates to invest in communities, partners with Indigenous groups, and works toward a prosperous and sustainable future for all who live in the oil sands region.

Beyond the stereotype: Oil sands communities are more than you might think

Bryan Helfenbaum is the executive director of Advanced Hydrocarbons at Alberta Innovates, an innovation hub that facilitates innovations from funding to commercialization. Bryan speaks with Energy Examined host Leighton Klassen, discussing some of the work going on at Alberta Innovates, including key developments that'll improve environmental performance in Alberta's natural gas and oil industry, economic opportunities like the creation of carbon fibre feedstocks from bitumen, and a recent study that shows how oil sands facilities are continuing to lower per-barrel greenhouse gas emissions. 

How do we make hydrocarbons cleaner?

The cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline has things off on the wrong foot for Canada/U.S. energy relations as U.S. President Joe Biden starts his presidency. On the other hand, renewed focus on environmental issues in the U.S. could help level the competitive playing field between Canadian and U.S. natural gas and oil producers.  Gary Mar, president and CEO of the Canada West Foundation think tank speaks with Energy Examined host Leighton Klassen about the future of Canada - U.S. energy relations: the threats, the opportunities, and what Canadians need to do to about both. 

What's next for Canada - U.S. energy relations?

Communities near oil and natural gas operations from Fort St. John, B.C. to St. John's, NL, depend on Canada's energy industry as a critical source of jobs and economic opportunity. Recent events like the 2020 oil price crash, COVID-19 pandemic and Keystone XL cancellation have hit rural oil and gas communities especially hard. Energy Examined host Tracy Larsson speaks with Kelly McTaggart, community engagement advisor at CAPP. She works in these communities, and discusses how they've managed through multiple crises, the key issues they're dealing with, and what's giving some hope for the future.

Hardship and Hope: How Canada's oil and gas communities are doing through tough times.

Concerns have been raised in the media about orphan wells in Canada. These are natural gas and oil wells where the owner has gone bankrupt and can no longer cover the costs of removing the well equipment and restoring the land. So how big is this issue and what's being done? Energy Examined host Leighton Klassen speaks with Lars DePauw, executive director of the Orphan Well Association, an industry-funded group that deals with orphan wells. He describes what's being done, including a recent acceleration in reclamations that's also creating jobs across the industry.

What's up with orphan wells?

Energy Examined hosts Tracy Larsson and Leighton Klassen highlight their favourite clips and podcast episodes from 2020, while discussing some of the overarching themes that emerged from Canada's energy scene in 2020, and what they're looking forward to in 2021.

Energy Examined: Best podcasts of 2020

Miguel Ouellette is an economist with independent think tank Montreal Economic Institute (MEI).  Energy Examined host Tracy Larsson speaks with Ouellette about a recent MEI report on the Clean Fuel Standard, proposed federal legislation to lower greenhouse gas emissions through the use of lower-carbon fuels. Ouellette outlines concerns over the legislation's inflexible approach which would harm Canada's economic recovery while producing uncertain environmental benefits.

How the Clean Fuel Standard could hurt Canada's economic recovery

Part 3 of our series of interviews with innovators competing in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE: an international competition to combat climate change by turning CO2 emissions into valuable products.  Energy Examined host Tracy Larsson chats with Alex Ip of Team CERT, a Toronto-based group that's found a way using catalysts to turn greenhouse gas CO2 emissions from a power plant into all-purpose building-block chemicals like ethylene, used to create everything from tires and textiles to food wrap and shampoo.

Carbon XPRIZE finalist CERT turns C02 into industrial building-block chemicals use to make everything from tires to textiles

Energy Examined is a podcast that examines energy issues that impact Canada and the world. We tackle questions regarding growing global energy demand, the transition toward a lower-carbon future, and the role innovation and sustainable approaches can play at finding solutions to meet the economic, environmental and social priorities of all Canadians.

hubhopper

Energy Examined

hubhopper