Terri-Jane Yuzda













Geoscience Sectors Emphasized in APEGGA Activities


APEGGA takes a leadership role in oil and gas reserves evaluation, and the Licensure Task Force addresses the new gray areas created as traditional engineering and geophysical disciplines blend.

BY RON TENOVE, P.ENG.
APEGGA President

Our last APEGGA council meeting - held on June 13 - signalled a new direction for our activities in the geosciences sector, and therefore requires our members' consideration and possibly an increased advocacy role.

1. Oil & Gas Reserves Inquiry Report
A recent survey revealed over 86 per cent of respondents believe there are problems in the evaluation and reporting of oil & gas reserves including overstatement, non-standard technical procedures and varying accountability practices. Working with the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (SPEE), the APEGGA Practice Review Board subcommittee inquiry has recommended APEGGA involvement in areas of accountability, standards, education and quality management. Council will also assess a leadership role for APEGGA to improve public confidence in the financial and investment documents produced by APEGGA members.

2. Licensure Task Force (LTF)
Across Canada the lines are blurring around the traditional domain of engineering and geophysics. Emerging disciplines, technologies and business activities with other professional practitioners have changed the landscape. In response to "gray-area" discipline and enforcement cases, the LTF will establish actions to negotiate delineation of practice, consider changes to APEGGA licensure and build new relationships with legitimate technology entities.

Kyoto Protocol
The security preparations for the G8 summit have reminded me of the last major conference in Calgary, when the World Petroleum Congress met in 2000. Alberta plays a key role in the international oil and gas industry, and APEGGA members are integral to it. We have an obligation to our profession, and to the public at large, to think carefully and work creatively to address the opportunities and challenges in this field.

Ever in the news, the only certainty about the Kyoto Accord is that the Canadian government's decision will directly impact our profession. Although APEGGA itself does not take an opinion on the ratification or rejection of the Accord - we would have difficulty presenting a position that reflects the views of all members - our members are uniquely qualified to inform the debate. Furthermore, the decision made will be central to the practice of engineering and geosciences in Alberta in the future.

Are you paying attention to the issues and do you understand the potential impact on your business and in your community? I encourage you to become informed and make your views known to government before the fall decision date.

Following are several websites that present a broad and knowledgeable perspective on climate change and the Kyoto agenda:
www.capp.ca
www.climatechangecentral.com
www.NCCP.CA
info@iisd.org (International Institute for Sustainable Development)

The Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR) has done yeoman work and activity continues in the Climate Change Task Force. On June 20, Roger Thomas, president of Nexen Canada and CCTF Chair, presented an update of findings and action. You will find the ACR work provides a balanced and open-minded perspective, albeit an Alberta perspective. You will find the TF report on www.acr-alberta.com.


CCPE Gold Medal 2002
On a more personal note, one of my highlights this year is to have met Wally Read, P.Eng. Wally is a thoughtful and energetic icon of our profession. His list of awards and honorary doctorates of Engineering frames the man who was instrumental in, and dedicated nearly five decades of work to, bringing electric power distribution to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Wally is the consummate professional engineer and uses his profile and passion to better our profession. His papers on The Involvement of Young Engineers, The Public Image of Our Profession and Educating Engineers for the Third Millennium speak volumes.

I intend to pass along a few of wise words and witticisms in a future column on the changing role of the profession, but first a few of his words on young professionals. He challenges the provincial associations of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers to involve young engineers in all we do as essential to developing our future leaders. The engineer of the future is evolving; our education and mentoring programs must change accordingly.

Mr. Read stresses that we "provide individuals with strong expertise, but balanced with broader skills in business acumen, skills of an entrepreneurial nature, skills in human resource management, in marketing, in finance and perhaps an understanding of legal issues."

Are we doing our part in our companies, work place and in APEGGA? Take the time today to engage a young professional in your area of work and find out their goals and visions.

Enjoy those staff barbecues, visit some of Alberta's remarkable landscape and plan to attend the next APEGGA meeting in your area.



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