2013 - 2014 Events
A description of the various Speaker Series, Trips, and Panels the University of Alberta Energy Club held during the Fall 2013 and Winter 2014 Semesters!
Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Speaker Series: Oil Sands Issues
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September 13, 2013:
The 2013-2014 executive members of the Energy Club were present to answer any questions/comments the attendees might have had about the club at the AGM. They also discussed the upcoming events including the Fort McMurray trip planned on October 30-31st. September 16, 2013: Shortly after the AGM, the Energy Club hosted their first speaker of the fall semester - Richard Dixon who spoke on Issues in Alberta's Oil Sands including the key concerns about environment, technology and access to market. A link to his presentation can be found below. |
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About the Speaker:
At the time, Richard Dixon was the Executive Director of the Centre for Applied Business Research in Energy and the Environment’s (CABREE). He is currently the chief of strategic foresight with the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). In the Alberta government he co-chaired the government's Emissions Trading Project which won the Premier's Gold Award of Excellence and was used as a basis for the development of the Province's Specified Gas Emitters Regulation and Program.
At the time, Richard Dixon was the Executive Director of the Centre for Applied Business Research in Energy and the Environment’s (CABREE). He is currently the chief of strategic foresight with the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). In the Alberta government he co-chaired the government's Emissions Trading Project which won the Premier's Gold Award of Excellence and was used as a basis for the development of the Province's Specified Gas Emitters Regulation and Program.
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Speaker Series: Can we Engineer Our Way out of Oil Sands Problems?
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October 7, 2013:
Chris Powter discussed if and how engineering can provide solutions to the social and environmental issues surrounding the oil sands developments. The development of the oil sands is testimony to the ingenuity engineers employ to solve complex problems. Historically, efforts focused on developing extraction and processing technologies and then refining them to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness. More recently, engineering solutions have been brought to bear on environmental problems such as air emissions, greenhouse gases, water use, and tailings. In this talk we will explore if and how engineering can provide solutions to the social and environmental issues surrounding oil sands development. |
About the Speaker:
Chris is the Executive Director of the Oil Sands Research and Information Network (OSRIN) in the School of Energy and Environment at the university of Alberta. His work involves Identifying research and information gaps related to environmental impacts of oil sand mining, filling said gaps through research and knowledge synthesis, and disseminating information to regulators, industry and the public.
Chris is the Executive Director of the Oil Sands Research and Information Network (OSRIN) in the School of Energy and Environment at the university of Alberta. His work involves Identifying research and information gaps related to environmental impacts of oil sand mining, filling said gaps through research and knowledge synthesis, and disseminating information to regulators, industry and the public.
| Speaker Series: Chris Powter |
Speaker Series: Waste Becomes Biofuel
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October 23, 2013:
Enerkem Alberta Biofuels has partnered with the City of Edmonton to take the non-recyclable and non-compostable components of municipal solid waste (MSW) and convert them into biofuels: methanol and ethanol. The first commercial scale waste-to-biofuels facility by Enerkem will use technology tested at pilot and demonstration plants in Quebec. This presentation provided an overview of the technology and process used to convert the MSW to valuable biofuels. The presentation also provided a summary of the project, currently under construction at the Edmonton Waste Management Center. |
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About the Speaker:
Lori Adamache, MSc, PEng is a process / operations engineer working at Enerkem Alberta Biofuels Edmonton facility. She joined the production and operations team in January 2013. Lori is currently working with the team to prepare for commissioning and start up of the waste to biofuels facility. Lori received her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1995. After moving to Alberta, she worked as a process engineer in industrial facilities including sour gas processing, and heavy oil upgrading. Lori received her MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Alberta in 2009 and went on to work for Alberta Environment before joining Enerkem Alberta Biofuels.
Lori Adamache, MSc, PEng is a process / operations engineer working at Enerkem Alberta Biofuels Edmonton facility. She joined the production and operations team in January 2013. Lori is currently working with the team to prepare for commissioning and start up of the waste to biofuels facility. Lori received her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1995. After moving to Alberta, she worked as a process engineer in industrial facilities including sour gas processing, and heavy oil upgrading. Lori received her MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Alberta in 2009 and went on to work for Alberta Environment before joining Enerkem Alberta Biofuels.
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| Speaker Series: Lori Adamache |
Field Trip: Fort McMurray Oil Sands @ Shell Albian Sands
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October 30 & 31, 2013:
With partial funding from Shell, the Energy Club is organized a trip to Fort McMurray where participants had the exciting opportunity to experience first-hand, the industrial activity that is at the heart of Alberta's economy. Participants also learned about the economic, social, technological, and environmental issues associated with the oil sands. The trip included: - Special guided tour of Shell's Albian Sands - Entrance to the Oil Sands Discovery Centre - Visit to the Giants of Mining display of retired mine equipment - Visit of an oil sands land reclamation site - A one night stay in a hotel including breakfast and lunches - Comfortable coach bus transportation to and from Edmonton |
| Oil Sands Trip |
Film Screening: Secret of the Seven Sisters
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January 16, 2013:
The Energy Club presented a screening of The Secret of the Seven Sisters to EC members in order to find out how a secret pact formed a cartel that controls the world's oil. About: On August 28, 1928, in the Scottish highlands, began the secret story of oil. Three men had an appointment at Achnacarry Castle - a Dutchman, an American and an Englishman. The Dutchman was Henry Deterding, a man nicknamed the Napoleon of Oil, having exploited a find in Sumatra. He joined forces with a rich ship owner and painted Shell salesman and together the two men founded Royal Dutch Shell. The American was Walter C. Teagle and he represents the Standard Oil Company, founded by John D. Rockefeller at the age of 31 - the future Exxon. Oil wells, transport, refining and distribution of oil - everything is controlled by Standard oil. |
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The Englishman, Sir John Cadman, was the director of the Anglo-Persian oil Company, soon to become BP. On the initiative of a young Winston Churchill, the British government had taken a stake in BP and the Royal Navy switched its fuel from coal to oil. With fuel-hungry ships, planes and tanks, oil became "the blood of every battle". The new automobile industry was developing fast, and the Ford T was selling by the million. The world was thirsty for oil, and companies were waging a merciless contest but the competition was making the market unstable.That August night, the three men decided to stop fighting and to start sharing out the world's oil. Their vision was that production zones, transport costs, sales prices - everything would be agreed and shared. And so began a great cartel, whose purpose was to dominate the world, by controlling its oil. Four others soon joined them, and they came to be known as the Seven Sisters - the biggest oil companies in the world
Link To Movie
Speaker Series: Climate Reality and Change
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February 6, 2013:
The Climate Reality and Change presentation comes from the work of former Vice-President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore; and the Climate Reality Project. Each summer the Climate Leadership Corps and Chairman Gore work at training regional Climate Leaders to engage at a grassroots level; helping to educate people on climate change. This presentation will focus on the realities of the climate crisis, climate change and how we can work together to solve this serious issue. |
About the Speaker:
The speaker, Mr. Ryan Maguhn not only travels to deliver Climate Change Presentations; but is also a High School Social Studies Instructor, Town Councillor and a former Volunteer Fire Fighter. Ryan has also been a political lobbyist for the Minnesota State Colleges Student Association. Currently Ryan lives and works in the Gateway to the beautiful Rocky Mountains...Hinton, Alberta
The speaker, Mr. Ryan Maguhn not only travels to deliver Climate Change Presentations; but is also a High School Social Studies Instructor, Town Councillor and a former Volunteer Fire Fighter. Ryan has also been a political lobbyist for the Minnesota State Colleges Student Association. Currently Ryan lives and works in the Gateway to the beautiful Rocky Mountains...Hinton, Alberta
| Speaker Series: Ryan Maguhn |
Energy Panel: State Owned Enterprises in the Oil Sands
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February 24, 2013:
State Owned Enterprises: An Inhibitor or Contributor to the Growth and Strategic Development of the Industry? The University of Alberta Energy Club (UAEC) and the Center for Applied Business Research in Energy and the Environment (CABREE), invited members to a distinguished panel discussion. Foreign direct investment in the Canadian oil and gas industry is important. In recent years, significant mergers and acquisitions (M & A) by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have led to increased concerns about the vulnerability of the industry to the priorities of foreign states. The new federal regulatory requirements have introduced a significant degree of uncertainty. Consequently, what balance must be struck between the free flow of capital and a net benefit for Canada? This subject has become a contentious and passionate issue for Canadians. |
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Sponsors: Young Professionals in Energy (YPE); CABREE, University of Alberta Student Group Services; University of Alberta Department of Mechanical Engineering; Oil Sands Research and Information Network (OSRIN).
About the Speakers:
Bartek Kienc - Executive Director International Energy Policy, Alberta Energy
Stephen LeClair - Assistant Deputy Minister, Economics and Fiscal Policy
David Daly - Manager, Fiscal Policy, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
Deborah Yedlin - Business Columnist, Calgary Herald.
Jia Wang - Associate Director, University of Alberta China Institute
Bartek Kienc - Executive Director International Energy Policy, Alberta Energy
Stephen LeClair - Assistant Deputy Minister, Economics and Fiscal Policy
David Daly - Manager, Fiscal Policy, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
Deborah Yedlin - Business Columnist, Calgary Herald.
Jia Wang - Associate Director, University of Alberta China Institute
| Energy Panel: State Owned Enterprises |
Film Screening: Pandora's Promise
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March 26, 2013:
The Energy Club in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Association presented a screening of Pandora's Promise. The 2013 documentary is about the nuclear power debate, directed by Robert Stone. Its central argument is that nuclear power, which has historically been opposed by environmentalists, is actually a safe and clean energy source which can help mitigate global warming. - Learn More |
Field Trip: Renewable Energy @ Capital Power Wind Farm & TransAlta Hydro-Power
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March 28 & 29, 2013:
Energy Club members had the opportunity to visit Alberta's largest wind farm run by Capital Power, along with a hydro-power plant operated by TransAlta. Additionally, this trip included e a discussion will Dr. David Wood from the University of Calgary about the prospects, challenges and opportunities of Wind Energy in Alberta. The trip included: - Special guided tour of Capital Power's Halkirk Wind Farm - Special guided tour of TransAlta's Kananaskis & Horseshoe Hydro Power Plants - Speaker Presentation by Dr. David Wood from UofC on Alberta's Wind Enegry - Comfortable bus transportation to and from Edmonton |
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