September 2007 Issue
NEWSMAKERS
Emerald Foundation Cites Greeners
COMPILED BY FRANCINE MAXWELL
The PEGG
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Service to Many |
It may not be easy being green, but for these four it’s been worth the effort. Petro-Canada, the City of Edmonton, EnCana Corporation and the University of Calgary’s Patrick Hettiaratchi, P.Eng., are among winners recognized in the 2007 Emerald Awards.
Petro-Canada and the City of Edmonton shared the large business category award for their environmentally smart collaboration to put recycled water to good use. Instead of fresh water from the North Saskatchewan River, the system uses recycled water for cooling and for the production of hydrogen and steam in desulphurization.
The city outfitted its Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant with a special membrane filter, which allows filtered wastewater to be shipped to a Petro-Can refinery via pipeline. By 2008 the process will be using some 15 megalitres a day of recycled water. That’s the equivalent of 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth, every day.
EnCana Corporation took home the climate change award, recognizing the corporation’s work on enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide storage. The Weyburn project, the first of its kind anywhere, has already stored some 8.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Over its lifetime, the project will store an additional 30 million tonnes, EnCana estimates. That has the same impact as taking about 6.8 million cars off the road for a year.
Dr. Hettiaratchi, recipient of the research and innovation award, heads up the Calgary biocell project on managing waste and landfill. A global first in environmental engineering, this project consists of an isolated, one-hectare pit in a southeast Calgary landfill.
The pit is lined with clay and plastic, filled with garbage and sealed. Run-off soaks the dry garbage and vacuum hoses pull out any gases produced.
The end result is promising. So far, the biocell has eliminated methane emissions, captured usable energy, and treated more garbage in a smaller-than-usual space. Best of all, it leaves behind an urban terrain that’s solid and reusable.
The Emerald Foundation presents its awards annually to recognize environmental initiatives of large and small corporations, individuals, not-for profit associations, community groups and governments.
Academy Honours Distinguished Service
The Canadian Academy of Engineering has honoured one of APEGGA’s life members with a brand new award. Clem Bowman, OC, P.Eng., now of Sarnia, was presented with the academy’s distinguished service award at the recent annual general meeting.
Dr. Bowman has spent more than 40 years in the petrochemical industry, including his work as head of research for one of the first Canadian oilsands operations. He coordinated Alberta’s early infusion of $100 million into energy projects, which led to many of today’s huge oilsands projects.
The award will be presented annually to a fellow of the academy who’s demonstrated extraordinary effort to further academy business. Dr. Bowman was recognized for his leadership of the academy’s Energy Pathways Task Force.
Also at the annual general meeting, four APEGGA members were inducted as fellows to the academy. Every year engineers from across Canada are selected from a peer-nominated list.
Making the list in 2007 are Camille Dow Baker, P.Eng., of Calgary; Dr. Duke du Plessis, P.Eng., of Calgary; Dr. Krishnaswamy Nandakumar, P.Eng., of Edmonton, and John Nenniger, P.Eng., of Calgary.
Romanow Named Financial Ace
Marvin Romanow, P.Eng., has been name Canada’s CFO of the year for 2007. The Nexen Inc. executive vice-president and chief financial officer was presented with the award at a gala in Toronto by the awards creators, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Financial Executives International and Caldwell Partners International.
The award honours the quality, insight, direction and leadership of Canada’s senior financial leaders. This year marks the first time in the award’s five-year history that it has been awarded to someone from the West.
“It’s good for the West and it’s good to see a spotlight on the oil and gas industry too,” said Mr. Romanow, who lives in Calgary.
ADM Recognized for Professionalism
Edmonton member Jay Nagendran, P.Eng., is well known among colleagues and staff as a man quick to recognize the achievements and good works of others. Recently, it came right back at him when the Institute of Professional Environmental Practice presented him with an award for professional standards and ethics.
Mr. Nagendran, the assistant deputy minister of Alberta Environment’s Oil Sands Environmental Management Division, received his award at a ceremony in Pittsburgh. “Jay has worked tirelessly to ensure sound decisions are made, that promises are kept and that performance is achieved at the top level,” says an Alberta Environment release.
The award is presented to those who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the environmental profession or to society at large.
AMEC is Number One
Engineering News-Record recently published its listing of the top 200 international design firms, and AMEC ranked number one in Canada. The listing compiles what the magazine considers the top firms in their revenue categories. AMEC was ranked number two in the United States.
Other permit holders to make the top 10 list of international design firms in Canada were Bechtel, Jacobs, Fluor Corp., Veco, CH2M Hill, Earth Tech and WorleyParson.
Edmonton’s Stantec was in the top 50 of 200 international design firms recognized globally.
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H. ALLEN SWANSON, P.ENG. |
Transportation Engineers
Recognize Canadian
The Institute of Transportation Engineers has made H. Allen Swanson, P.Eng., of Calgary the first Canadian ever to receive its Burton W. Marsh Award. The award recognizes distinguished service to the institute and was presented at the annual meeting in Pittsburgh.
Mr. Swanson was the international president of the institute in 1988 and has served in leadership positions for over 20 years.
Geologist Wins CSPG Award
Ian McIlreath, P.Geol., a former APEGGA councillor, recently
received the H.M. Hunter Award from the
Canadian Society Petroleum Geologists. The award goes annually to a member who
has served the society in a variety of voluntary capacities.
Dr. McIlreath, of Calgary, has been an active member of the society for over 30 years. In that time he’s been a member of 23 different committees and served as director, president and past-president on the executive.
He is Alberta’s director with the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists
Who’s Moved Where
Roger Inkpen, P.Eng., and David McNicoll, P.Eng., have joined Shelby Engineering of Edmonton as partners. The company says that the new partners will strengthen Shelby’s position as providers of consulting services.
John Hogg, P.Geol., of Calgary has been appointed as vice-president of exploration for MGM Energy Corp. Mr. Hogg brings with him more than 25 years of experience in geology and the energy industry. He sits on APEGGA Council.
Ed Kruchkowski, P.Geol., of Calgary has been named to the board of directors for Tribune Resources Corp. Mr. Kruchkowski has been working as a consultant for some 35 years throughout North and South America.
Ron Andriuk, P.Geol., has accepted the position of senior geologist at Glamis Resources Ltd. of Calgary. Mr. Andriuk brings with him more than 19 years of exploration experience. He will be focused on the development of the company’s holding in the Peace River Arch.
Several APEGGA members were elected to the national executive of the Canadian Society for Senior Engineers. They are APEGGA Life Member Kenneth Putt, P.Eng., FEIC, FCSSE, as president; Andrew Jones, P.Eng., as secretary-treasurer; a past APEGGA president, APEGGA Life Member John Anthony Howard, P.Eng., as a director; Donald Albert Peterson, P.Eng., as a director; and APEGGA Life Member Michael Brawn, P.Eng., FEIC, as board representative for Calgary.
Dr. Michael Sideris, P.Eng., of Calgary has been elected president of the International Association of Geodesy. The association promotes scientific cooperation and research in geodesy on a global scale, contributing through various research bodies and services.
Bruce Miller, P.Eng., of Calgary has been appointed president of Morrison Hershfield Limited, the Canadian operating arm. Mr. Miller brings with him a wealth of management and engineering experience and will continue to operate from his home base of Calgary.