Oilfield PULSE March 2014

$5.99 MARCH 2014

CHADD RADKE

STORMHOLD ENERGY LTD. PRESIDENT/ CEO/ DIRECTOR

THE KEYSTONE

XL PIPELINE MOTORCYCLES &

BUSINESS ZR AUTO PORSCHE, FERRARI, LAMBORGHINI, ETC.

WAGES IN ALBERTA

TOP

G N I W S JOINT

THE ISSUE

I T ’ S T I M E TO E X P E R I E N C E

THE DIFFERENCE

W

estcoast Resor t’s four lodges offer guests a choice of packages to suit any age, experience level or preference.

Our lodges are located on the most productive salmon and halibut f ishing grounds British Columbia has to offer.

Indulge in Westcoast Resor t’s personalized ser vice, incredible dining and unpretentious atmosphere.

WES TCOAS TRESORT S.COM CALL TOLL FREE 1.800.810.8933 INFO@WESTCOASTRESORTS.COM

Want to spend more time f ishing and less time f lying?

Ask about our Alberta Direct all-Inclusive packages.

F O L L O W U S O N FA C E B O O K F O R T H E H O T T E S T D E A L S & M O S T U P -TO - DAT E N E W S FA C E B O O K . C O M / W E S T C OA S T R E S O R T S

Better Products, Better Service.

Gas Processing & Industrial Chemicals

Specialty & Oil Production Chemicals

Commodity chemicals and products used for Natural Gas Processing or Industrial manufacturing.

Specialty chemicals used in Natural Gas and Oil Production, Industrial Cleaning, and Odour Control.

Product Families: Methanol, Glycols, Heat Transfer Fluids, Amines, and more.

Products include: StaSolv Wax Solvents/Paraffin, StaSweet H2S Scavengers, StaZero LEL Reducers, Scale Inhibitors and StaClean Cleaning Solutions, and more.

cfrchemicals.com

MULTISTIM FRAC REMOVABLE BALL SEATS & SHIFTABLE SLEEVES

Logan Completion Systems offers a comprehensive line of completion products: • • • • •

Retrievable & Permanent Packers Service tools Liner Hangers Thermal Liner Hangers Casing Patches

• • • •

Flow Control Open Hole Packets Mud Motors Custom Tool Design & Development

www.logancompletionsystems.com

KITCHENS

YOUR

BATHROOMS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

EXPERTS!

ADDITIONS FENCES/DECKS BASEMENTS ROOFING SIDING GUTTERS MASONRY WINDOWS & DOORS

OFFICE: 403 242 1861 | CELL: 403 815 0006 | FAX: 403 225 9550 | ARTECGROUP.NET

contents FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

22 26 36

12

Anxiety Can Herbal Remedies Help?

Wicked Wings 5 featured joints with signature flavors

Well Warriors Chadd Radke and company show you their battle philosophy, methodologies, and strategy.

48 58 70

The Keystone XL Pipeline Don’t expect approval anytime soon

Willow Park The story behind Willow Park Wines & Spirits

ZR Motors

Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches- a Calgary shop offers extreme customization.

CEO Message Split Billing -The good old days of ‘just’ managing

this information over a handshake are dwindling fast.

16 18 20

Rig Reclamation One student’s vision of the future.

Oil Apps

Jobs, markets, and Jargon.

34 50 56 62 66

Press Releases Call for Nominations for the 2014 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards & a new release from Evolution Oil Tools Inc.

Plain’s Perspective Increasing salary for short term gain.

Golf The Fairmont golf experience.

THE BEAT

68

Calgary Women In Energy

Advancing your career, upgrading skills, networking & shattering the glass ceiling

Village Radio Broadcasts from Calgary’s influential

Being Sociable How it can help your business

Zenert Marketing Minute Three ways to outsmart your competitor.

© 2014 by Leadstone Group Inc. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this publication is prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

Disclaimer: The messages expressed in this publication do not represent the views of Oilfield PULSE, Leadstone Group or affiliated companies.

Publication Number: 42420518

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

Sponsored By www.OilfieldHUB.com Published By

www.LeadstoneGroup.com

ON THE COVER

CHADD RADKE

STORMHOLD ENERGY LTD. SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 36

Photography By Charlene Woodman

OILFIELD PULSE

ADVERTISING INDEX 2 West Coast Resorts 3 Drilformance 4 CFR Chemicals 5 Logan Completion Systems 6 Millinnium Directional Services 7 Artec Construction Ltd. 10 TOG Systems 11 Advantage Valve 14 John Brooks Company Ltd. 15 Tourcan Vacations 17 Well Integrity 19 Pinnacle Drilling Fluids Ltd. 24 T&T Oilfield Services 32 Amanda Lee Associate 45 Char G. Photography

47 SAIT 54 Rare Oilfield Services 57 Plains Fabrication 57 Data Shapers 53 University of Calgary 59 Planet Coffee 59 SAIT 61 Planet Coffee 61 Calgary International Beer Fest.

64 Millennium Directional Service Ltd. 64 ZR Auto 75 Global Outsourcing 4 You 75 CORSafety 76 BOE Report 77 Chicago Chophouse

KEVIN TURKO | CEO Kevin.Turko@LeadstoneGroup.com

KYLE K. FUJITA | CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kyle.Fujita@LeadstoneGroup.com

ANDREA TURKO | MANAGING EDITOR Andrea.Turko@LeadstoneGroup.com

DAVE O’CONNOR | VICE PRESIDENT SALES Dave.OConnor@LeadstoneGroup.com

AMANDA LEE | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Amanda.Lee@LeadstoneGroup.com

CINDY WAGNER | NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Cindy.Wagner@LeadstoneGroup.com

BARB LEE | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Barb.Lee@LeadstoneGroup.com

KAREN KEITH | MEMBER RELATIONS Karen.Keith@LeadstoneGroup.com

JEANNIE YIP | FINANCE & ADMIN Finance_Admin@LeadstoneGroup.com Subscriptions@OilfieldPULSE.com TELEPHONE 1-403-537-6560 TOLL FREE 1-866-883-8848 For advertising inquiries or editorial submissions please contact: Production@LeadstoneGroup.com

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

9

OUT HERE, THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS 9 TO 5.

MICAH (COMMUNICATIONS FIELD TECHNICIAN, FAMILY MAN AND AVID GOLFER) PERFORMING A LATE EVENING INSTALL.

KEEP YOUR OPERATIONS RUNNING SMOOTHLY WITH THE TOUGHEST, MOST TRUSTED OIL AND GAS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY IN WESTERN CANADA. There’s nothing we understand more than the value of connecting your business and people… wherever, whenever. TOG Systems provides a full line of dependable communications equipment in both voice and data – backed by a 100% Service + Equipment Guarantee. Our field technicians are some of the best in the industry. And if you ever need to call us out, we’re proud to say there isn’t a problem we can’t solve – trust TOG to keep you connected 24/7.

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Tel: 780-513-0020 Fax: 780-513-9790

Tel: 403-887-1462 Fax: 403-887-1463

A DVA N TAG E VA LV E .C O M

CEO MESSAGE

SPLIT

BILLING My article in the last issue of the PULSE focused on double billing practices in the patch. It certainly struck a huge cord from both sides of the industry.

From both sides, I mean from those who sell products and services and issue invoices, to those who buy and have to approve these same invoices.

I

t seems, particularly from an operator’s point of view, there is significant mistrust in the industry as one of several readers shared his thoughts with me ……

“I read your article and was very pleased that someone is having the courage to address one of the serious issues that is holding us back here at home.

Whether it is double billing, or a bogus one. Adding hours to the actual time contractors spend in the field is always interesting. Or the concept of bringing a trainee to the site and charging his time without your approval is another point. How about adding a few thousand to the bill and if you get caught then and maybe then, the service provider will admit and adjust the invoice. However, if not questioned then they would pocket that money. I disagree that this characteristic occurs every once in a while. I believe it is across the board and the honest few follow along as something that is accepted.”

Others also pointed out to me that split billing practises also leads to potential double billing across the industry. When amalgamating and reconciling these invoices, duplicate charges are found at the trailing edge of the first invoice covering the same services or rentals invoiced on the next (split) invoice.

In addition to the hours issue mentioned above,

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

the other common refrain centers squarely on what rentals are chargeable throughout the lifecycle of a well. There is a huge trust factor built into the rental equation, again from both sides of the industry, as to what period a rental was utilized or not. When did the rental period begin and when did it stop? Was there non-chargeable time during this period and do both the vendor and the operator agree to these billable costs as part of the rental contract? If oilfield rentals were as simple as renting a car, cost management in the patch would be so much simpler! But it’s not.

So how do you right this troublesome cost efficiency ship that has been going in the wrong direction for so many decades?

OPEN MIC KNOWLEDGE OPINIONS & INSIGHTS

The good old days of ‘just’ managing all of this information with the phone, and over a handshake are dwindling fast...

At the heart of the issue is information, or lack thereof, that is readily available, on both sides of the fence. From the services side, what information is in the hands of those who issue invoices for services and rentals rendered to ensure the amounts being billed coincide with the daily reporting the operator is tracking and expecting? And from the operator’s perspective, are they adequately tracking the right information within their spreadsheets or oilfield reporting systems to manage and approve these expenses, and can this billing information be easily shared with their service providers?

The good old days of ‘just’ managing all of this information over the phone or with a handshake are dwindling fast as surplus or onerous costs can no longer be ignored or simply absorbed as part of the ‘contingency’ cost of the well. Everyone deserves their fair share, but this just doesn’t work anymore.

VENDOR OF THE MONTH

Logan Completion Systems offers a comprehensive line of completion products: MultiSTIM Frac Retrievable and Permanent Packers Service tools Liner Hangers Thermal Liner Hangers

Casing Patches Flow Control Open Hole Packets Mud Motors Custom Tool Design and Development

www.logancompletionsystems.com

Kevin Turko CEO LEADSTONE GROUP

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

13

RIG RECLAMATION

A

ble to withstand weather to the extreme, and lasting for decades, oil rigs can live well past their producing years. In a competition for Evolo, Ku Yee Kee of Malaysia presented his vision of how to approach relcamation of such rigs. Using a modular solution, integrating wind, solar, and tidal power, this would be a self sustaining community once agriculture and and livestock was figured out.

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE & EXTEND YOUR WELL LIFE: EVALUATE INTEGRITY STRATEGY IN THE LONG TERM UTILIZING CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS Congressman joins Shell, Chevron, Komsos Energy & Tullow Oil for Well Integrity Meeting, Houston.

Congressman Bill Flores will join leading operators at Houston’s Well Integrity & Asset Digitalization Conference (April 15 - 16) to address well integrity experts from America’s leading operators and contractors.

Joined by a portfolio of multinational and independent operators and contractors, the Congressman, a former President and CEO of Phoenix Oil Corporation, will draw upon his experience as an industry expert as well as a US House of Representative in delivering an expert and informative presentation to well integrity professionals.

Well Integrity - We are in this Together Joining the Congressman to represent the Government and Industry Associations are Scott Anderson, Senior Policy Advisor at the Environmental Defence Fund and Holly Hopkins, Senior Policy Advisor at the American Petroleum Association. Together they will present the current regulations and standards surrounding well integrity and further outline what to anticipate from forecasted trends.

Well Integrity - The Hottest of Topics!

In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon disaster catapulted well integrity to the top of the industry’s and Government’s agenda. This disaster revealed a worst case scenario for the world to see which has instigated repercussions not only for North America, but worldwide. With the disaster bill reaching over $42 billion, the industry has responded and taken effective measures to ensure such a catastrophe is not repeated.

Independent and multinational operators are actively sharing information on preventing future disruptions through the enactment of systems to counteract well integrity failures.

However, there is still so much to do - as the industry saying goes “we are all in this together” and this is no truer than with Well Integrity.

HOSTED BY:

Well Control, Process Safety & HSE Shell recently developed the revolutionary Well Control & eWCAT system (Electronic Well Assurance Tool) to protect their assets, wells, environment and personnel. The team leader for Well Engineering, Marco op de Weegh will present on the key advancements that this system has brought to Shell’s assets and is definitely not to be missed! By hearing first hand from Shell, you will be able to understand the steps to implementing your own successful system, ensuring you HSE is fully protected

Cementing & Zonal Isolation Well cementing, one of the key reasons for the Macondo blowout, is a crucial area of well integrity that continually takes prime positioning under the spotlight and is frequently reported on. In essence, the cementing job is simple - ensuring the job is done right the first time - a notion shared by regulator, operator and service company alike. As a result, a selection of cementing experts from Chevron, Oxy Oil & Gas, Baker Hughes & Schlumberger have put together an exclusive panel session on day 1 of the conference with the intention of tackling the key cementing challenges in the present and future industry.

Meet the Well Integrity Leaders By attending the Well Integrity & Asset Digitalization Conference you will benefit from leading perspectives from the likes of Shell, Chevron, Kosmos Energy, Tullow Oil, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Schlumberger, Congressman Flores, API, EDF, ExproGroup & many more. You will benefit from exclusive insight from expert speakers with unrivalled industry knowledge on all well integrity related issues. By sharing knowledge, real-world case studies and best practises, you will be able to apply these strategies to your wells in the long run, preventing future shut-ins and well integrity failures.

Secure your place as early as possible to benefit from the advanced booking savings, plus join the online networking suite to pre-arrange all your meetings over the course of the conference – this is the only place to do business! Simply register online at http://www.decomworld.com/well-asset/ using discount code DECOM50 to save an extra $50 on your ticket!

With over 150+ well integrity experts confirmed to attend, the well integrity & asset digitalization conference is the only industry platform encompassing the entire industry ecosystem.

With a nearly sold out exhibition hall and unrivalled networking opportunities, this event offers an exclusive and incomparable platform to do business with key clients.

Well Integrity & Asset Digitalization Conference April 15-16, 2014, Sheraton, Brookhollow, Houston

Do not miss out on this unique event. Find out more at www.decomworld.com/well-asset

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ENERGY FACT One gallon of gasoline has about

31

source: avac.typepad.com

MILLION

18

CALORIES*

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

* Ingesting causes serious bodily harm

STABILIZE

PROBLEM SHALES

AND REDUCE

COSTS

PRODUCT DELIVERY AVAILABLE FROM 13 WAREHOUSES AROUND CANADA An independent Canadian drilling & completion fluid Company providing quality of service and experience.

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PRESS RELEASE

CALL FOR

NOMINATIONS CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2014 RBC CANADIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS

I

n celebration of International Women’s Day, RBC and Women of Influence are announcing the call for nominations for the 2014 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards (CWEA). These awards provide national recognition to Canada’s most accomplished and impactful women entrepreneurs, whose successful businesses and influence contribute so much to the local, national and global economy.

“RBC has a long standing commitment to supporting and advancing women entrepreneurs across Canada” said Kim Ulmer, vice president, Small Business, RBC. “These awards enable us to profile women entrepreneurs who are raising the bar, leading the charge and succeeding in business.”

To date, over 15,000 women from their early 20s to their mid-eighties, from every sector of the economy, have been nominated for these awards. Over 120 Awards have been presented for outstanding entrepreneurial achievement. The following awards are presented; Deloitte Start-Up Award, RBC Momentum Award, TPH Charitable Giving Award, TELUS Trailblazer Award and PROFIT Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, and new this year we have added the Micro-Business Award.

The potential boost to economic activity by tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit of women is significant and could sustain women as a source of economic growth in Canada for decades to come.

“Women desire to have value, so when they become entrepreneurs this translates directly to improving quality of life for those around them,

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

challenging the status quo, and making our country better. The purpose of these Awards is to provide recognition for these hardworking women that serves to propel their success and impact,” said Carolyn Lawrence, President and CEO of Women of Influence Inc. “It’s a win-win”.

2014 AWARD CATEGORIES: • Deloitte Start-Up Award • RBC Momentum Award • TELUS Trailblazer Award • PROFIT Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship • Micro-businesses Award (under $1million) • TPH Charitable Giving Award KEY DATES Call for Nominations: March 7, 2014 Nomination Deadline: May 16, 2014 Application Deadline: July 28, 2014 – 6pm EST Finalist Announcement: October 22, 2014 Awards Gala: November 26, 2014

N O MIN ATE SO MEO NE N O MIN ATE SO MEO NE A PPLI CATI ON H ELP A PPLI CATI ON H ELP

PRESS RELEASE NEW TO THE

MARKET

O

W

omen of Influence is North America’s leading organization dedicated to the professional advancement of women. Celebrating its flagship 20th year in 2014, Women of Influence continues to offer a menu of solutions through corporate consulting on gender intelligence, professional coaching, events, and content — both online and through a quarterly magazine.

Renowned events include the Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series and the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Women of Influence has a community and reach of over 120,000 in nine cities across North America including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa, Montreal, New York City and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit womenofinfluence.ca.

il tool manufacturer Evolution Oil Tools Inc. (EOT) announced two new large size WR Retrievable Bridge Plugs and a Hydraulic Setting Tool to the company’s Completion Tools Product Line.

The WR Retrievable Bridge Plug is a product designed to isolate the wellbore when performing downhole operations such as fracturing, acidizing, surface equipment maintenance or temporary suspension of a producing formation. The 8 5/8 inch and 9 5/8 inch size meet customer demand for larger size bridge plugs.

“The larger size Bridge Plugs are in high demand for SAGD [Steam Assist Gravity Drainage] applications, especially in North-Eastern Alberta,” stated Dion Poole, Business Development Manager for Completion Systems at Evolution Oil Tools.

The new size bridge plugs serve industry needs for suspensions, zone isolation and work-overs, and can be used for releasing drilling rigs during completions.

The WR can be set with the Hydraulic Setting Tool, which is also newly released by Evolution.

The Hydraulic Setting Tool is a pressureactivated setting tool used to set a variety of wireline retrievable plugs, permanent packers, bridge plugs, cement retainers or other types of completion equipment along with the WR Bridge Plug.

“Our customers spoke up; we listened and responded,” states Shaun Wold, General Manager, Evolution Oil Tools.

For more info contact Geoff Brennan at geoff.brennan@eotools.com | 403-250-0812 OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

21

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH

A

nxiety is a normal reaction many people experience. In fact, it is a normal human emotion everyone experiences occasionally. It is very common to feel nervous or uptight before a certification exam or to have butterflies in your stomach before going on a job interview. It is very different from an anxiety disorder. Some define this type of condition as occasional anxiety, and it is not considered a neurological or mental illness. It is an emotion!

Being extremely anxious or worried on most days for 6 months or longer is not normal. This is called Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). GAD is just one of several anxiety disorders. There are many other types that include panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and separation anxiety. Anxiety disorders can lead to distress that interferes with the person’s ability to lead a normal life. It can, to some degree, result in a functional impairment of the person’s daily living. This includes your family relationships, work and social interactions. For people with anxiety disorders, worry and fear are constant, overwhelming and can be very crippling.

An anxiety disorder is classified as a serious mental illness, and it can occur in conjunction with other conditions, such as depression. You should consult a health care professional if you believe you are suffering from such a disorder.

Keep in mind you are not alone, and it affects about 12% of all Canadians in any given year.

These disorders are all treatable using pharmacological treatments and/ or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Each of these clinical therapies is also effective on its own. You can consult the website of

ANXIETY CAN HERBAL REMEDIES HELP?

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

the Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada (www. anxietycanada.ca) if you want to learn more about these conditions and the treatments.

There are several herbal treatment options for people suffering from anxiety, stress, or nervousness. Herbs can, in some cases, be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical drugs and can be combined with CBT for a more effective long term therapy. The practitioner may use the herbs to initially help manage the symptoms of anxiety while the patient learns to effectively use the CBT. Subsequently, the herbal remedies may be used occasionally as a rescue type therapy when the person cannot effectively use CBT. The symptoms of anxiety can be reduced using anxiolytic or sedative herbs, such as Hops (Humulus lupulus), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata), Scullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), and Valerian (Valeriana spp.). These herbs are non-addictive and are the preferred choice of people concerned about drug dependence.

Health Canada recognizes these herbs are effective at adequate doses to help relieve nervousness, restlessness, or mental stress. These herbs are all considered safe for use in adults. However, Health Canada only considers Hops, Lemon Balm, and Passion Flower safe for adolescents 13 years and older. Although the use of these herbs to treat anxiety or nervousness comes from its traditional use, the anxiety benefits have been demonstrated in well-controlled human clinical trials. The clinical research clearly showed these herbs can effectively reduce the symptoms of anxiety or stress.

The anxiolytic effect of herbal remedies is dependent on the dose. As a general rule, when using a high quality product, the anxiolytic benefit can last for several hours. The remedy is commonly taken every 4 to 6 hours as needed. Basically, if the dose is high enough, the product will provide a calmative effect over a period of 4 hours. The person is instructed to take another dose when they perceive the symptoms of anxiety are beginning, and this usually is 4 to 6 hours after the previous dose. It is important to take these sufficiently apart since decreasing the interval between doses will result in drowsiness.

Herbal remedies can be a good alternative to help manage the symptoms of anxiety in people with occasional anxiety (the emotion!). They can also be used to help manage symptoms in anxiety disorders, but this should be under the care of a health care practitioner. They can be effective in disorders that are mild to moderate. One of the disadvantages of these remedies is the time-toonset. It usually takes about one hour for the active ingredients to reach their peak in the blood. Patients will begin to feel the calmative effects 30 to 60 minutes post ingestion. What this means is these remedies will not be effective if you are trying to rapidly reduce anxiety in a crisis, like a panic attack.

Being extremely anxious or worried on most days for 6 months or longer is not normal Keep in mind the delay of at least 30 minutes before beginning to feel the onset, and the benefit will last about 4 hours. The benefit may only last 2 hours if the dose is too low.

Bottom line, herbal remedies can be effective alternatives for anxiety in adults and adolescents.

If you believe you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, do not wait for the anxiety to affect your sleep and quality of life before consulting. Let your health professional know if you prefer a natural herbal remedy instead of a pharmaceutical drug.

Several of these herbs are recognized as safe for adolescents by Health Canada and can be used to effectively manage anxiety or nervousness. It is advisable to consult a health care practitioner prior to use since these herbs are known to have additive effects, such as potentiating drowsiness, when taken with tranquilizers, sedatives, antidepressants, and some other drugs.

By Guy Chamberland, M.SC., PH.D., MASTER HERBALIST, HEALTH PRODUCTÂ CONSULTANT CONTACT HIM AT GUY-CHAMBERLANDMASTERHERBALIST@LIVE.CA.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

23

the best in

technical T&T OILFIELD SERVICES

trades

&T Oilfield Services Ltd. has been operating since 2002 offering the best in facility construction services throughout the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

T&T has made many changes in an effort to meet and exceed industry standards in fields such as welding, quality control, and most importantly safety.

T&T provides safety, quality and efficiency in the areas of facility and plant construction as well as fabrication and maintenance.

T&T also owns and operates the equipment required to complete projects big or small.

Tim Sharp and Troy Illingworth, owners of T&T Oilfield Services work closely with their employees on job sites and projects, maintaining a direct link with them and the clients. T&T Oilfield Services offers a select group of individuals with diversified experience in order to complete any job or project. Resumes are available upon request.

We currently hold certificates of recognition with the Alberta Construction Safety Asso­ ciation (ACSA). T&T is also a member of the Canadian HSE Registry and ISNetworld as well as Complyworks. We have a Zero Tolerance Drug and Alcohol policy in place.

Our Workers compensation Account Number in Alberta is 4168866-1, and our Saskatchewan WCB account number is 4213348.

In regards to the environment, T&T Oilfield Services Ltd. has an Oil Spill response team on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have the means to respond to oil spills on roads, and oil well leases. We also have a fulltime rig cleanup crew to look after what the drilling and service rigs leave behind after they have done their work at the well site. All oil spill response and rig cleanup crews are trained in ground disturbance to ensure their safety, and understand how to clean up oil spills while ensuring they do not disturb the environment.

HEALTH, SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENT

QUALITY

T&T Oilfield Services Ltd. is committed to the highest level of health, safety and environmental concerns of all their clients and employees both on and off the job site. We believe strongly in the health and safety of our workers, others, and of course, the environment. We provide proper safety training to all of our workers, and constantly look for new ways to improve our health and safety program. We also have our own NCSO on staff to keep us up to date on all policies.

T&T Oilfield Services Ltd. is qualified to complete a wide array of facility, wellsite, and other piping applications. Our welders are pressure and CWB certified, as well as T&T’s QC is registered with the Alberta and Saskatchewan Boilers Branches to ASME B31.1 and B31.3 codes. We have our own QC manager and CWB inspector on staff to provide the client with the most thorough service. We complete all our own quality control packages for all piping construction projects.

ADVERTORIAL

T&T Oilfield Services Ltd has in place $5 million general liability insurance coverage and $3 million automotive coverage.

OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED: 1 mile West & 1/2 mile South of Marwayne, AB (SE 22-52-3W4) OUR MAILING ADDRESS IS: Box 82, Marwayne AB TOB 2X0 ttoilfield@hmsinet.ca

WE CAN BE REACHED AT: Tim Sharp: (780)871-1276 Troy Illingworth: (780)205-1858 Office: (780)847-4666 Fax: (780)847-4661 tandtoilfield.ca

GOURMET

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

thang it ain’t no

The “best wing” lists online seem to have a hidden agenda, you would think there would be some consensus, but with a few exceptions it’s pretty much all over the board.

However we were able to find some interesting joints, some gourmet, some unique, some cheap, and one reputable recipe that seemed to stand out from the rest. continued

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

27

GOURMET

CREEKSIDE BAR AND GRILL (CALGARY) A local favorite where 10 dollars gets you a pound of wings, tossed in your choice of hot, medium, bbq, hot honey, teriyaki, parmesan, salt & Pepper, Cajun, and Lemon Garlic. The parmesan seems to be the most popular.

MUG SHOTZ (CALGARY) This joint was one of the few that appeared at the top of quite a few “best wing” lists online. Voted 3 times best wings in Calgary 2011 to 2013, they pride themselves in their original gourmet wings.. Wednesdays and Fridays you can get a pound for 8 bucks.

ADDRESS:

ADDRESS:

1065 CANYON MEADOWS DR. SW

#12-2808 OGDEN ROAD S.E.

FOR THE

CHEAPOS (CALGARY) MONDAY: 9¢ wings Joyce on 4th 506 24th ave SW TUESDAY: 10¢ wings Bonasera 3525 26th Ave SW WEDNESDAY: 10¢ wings The Flight Deck 1200-9650 Harvest Hills Blvd NE THURSDAY: 15¢ wings Bob the Fish Tavern 501 17th Ave S.W. FRIDAY: 25¢ wings KILT & CABER 53 HIGH STREET SE SATURDAY: 20¢ wings Alcove 2372 Banff Tr. NW SUNDAY: 15¢ wings Sunset and Vine 220 68th St NE

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

RESTAURANT

STYLE BOOKERS BBQ GRILL & CRAB SHACK (CALGARY) Ever had smoked chicken wings? Voted best in the city, Bookers smokehouse chicken wings are $11.95 with your choice of 4 house made bbq sauces. On Wednesday the wings are on for 39¢ each.

ADDRESS:

#10, 316 THIRD ST. S.E.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS (CALGARY) They have 17 sauces and 6 seasonings at 2 locations in Calgary. Wing Tuesday is $.60 traditional wings and Boneless Thursday is $.65. Also try out their limited edition sauces that are brought to you

by B-Dubs Sauce Lab. ADDRESS: 9697 MACLEOD TRAIL & 2620 32ND ST.

O2 JOE’S TAP HOUSE & GRILL (EDMONTON) Served by the pound, their wings are tossed in your choice of spice or sauce, served with chipotle aioli, carrot & celery sticks. They offer 7 dry Spice varieties as well as 11 sauce options. Its also one of the few wing joints to offer gluten free options.

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BUFFALO WINGS MAKES 10 WINGS

WHA-CHA NEED PREP 15 MINS 1/2 cup all-purpose flour COOK 15 MINS 1/4 tsp. paprika READY IN 2 HRS 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp. salt MOMMY? 10 chicken wings Oil for deep frying 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup hot sauce 1 dash ground black pepper 1 dash garlic powder HOW TO DO IT Mix the dry (salt, cayenne, paprika, and flour) and sprinkle over the wings in a bowl and coat evenly, then chuck them in the fridge covered for about an hour or longer.

Heat up dat oil to 275°f/190°c, and there should be enough oil to emerse those wings fully down deep.

Combine the hawt sauce, butter, garlic powder, and pepper in a saucepan over low heat and stir until all that goodness blended yo.

Get ‘em wings out and fry for 10-15 minutes, when they turn brown you’re good to go dawg.

Toss those wings with dat sauce, serve, and be prepared to be the king of da chickan wing.

FOOD FACT

T

he buffalo wing was first created at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. by Teressa Bellissimo in 1964. Originally headed for soup stock, Teresa got creative with deep frying the wings and adding a “secret” sauce.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

29

BUSINESS SENSE

GET DOWN TO

BUSINESS LESSONS FROM THE TRACK

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A

t 3 years old, my dad strapped me to his 1978 Honda VT750.

Apparently the combination of sound, vibrations, and blowing wind made me fall asleep. Luckily my parents had a scarf! I was hooked forever…

On my 16th birthday, they gave me $3,000 for my first car, so I bought a sportbike. I’m not sure this was exactly what my mom had in mind, but I loved it. I rode my new found freedom everywhere I could, and it became the first of 10 bikes I’ve owned.

After thousands of dollars in speeding tickets, getting married, and having kids, it was time for the natural progression in riding: I bought a cruiser. My “Harley Eater” Honda VTX1800 is my daily ride, and I love it for the city streets and highway riding.

Once a year my business partner and I go racing, so we can ride without legal restraints. The thrill of dragging a knee while reaching 295 km/hr has been imprinted in my mind forever.

Superbikes, like the new Honda CBR 1000RR, pack a similar power-to-weight ratio as a Formula 1 racecar. So, I sought out expert superbike instructor Keith Code who started the California Superbike School.

I was surprised to find superbike skills are not only transferable to riding my cruiser, but they’re also applicable to business.

It’s 6:00 a.m. as I pull into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. My heart starts pound­ ing. After a quick brief, I suit up, approach my bike, and pull up to the starting line. No biggie, because I’ve been riding for 15 yrs. I got this. I launch onto the track, lean hard into corner one, and hit the gas, but corner two is a little wide.

My heart rate soars. I roll on the throttle.

I’m screaming in my helmet, my hands are tightly gripped, my teeth are clenched, and my arms are flexed. My thoughts are a mix of euphoria and terror. The speed is intoxicating. continued OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

31

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THE FIRST LESSON I LEARN: WHERE YOU LOOK, YOU GO. It’s a simple concept of per­ spective. When I’m driving a car, the trees beside me are whipping by, but if I look out to the horizon, it feels like I’m driving slow.

As a racer, if I’m looking at the road right in front of me, it feels incredibly fast. But, if I lift my head up and use my peripheral vision, it feels like I’m going slower. So I go faster, much faster.

Business also operates at incredible speed. Did you know Instagram attracted 50 million users in 18 months? To put that in perspective, it took 38 years for 50 million people to gain access to radio.

Our digital world is advancing at an incredible pace. If I keep my head up and watch out for what’s coming, I’ll get a better perspective than if I’m headdown in the tasks. But, there’s a balance. As a racer, if I’m too focused on what’s going on around the corner, I might miss the corner altogether. In business, if I’m watching too far in the future, I’ll miss the decisions I need to make right now and could end up off track.

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

0’s

THE SECOND LESSON: REFERENCE POINTS In racing, the faster I can get through the corners, the faster my lap times will be. It actually has less to do with horsepower and top speed. A skilled racer with a smaller bike could get a faster lap time than an amateur with a faster bike. In the same respect, success in business comes as a result of how skillfully I can get through transitions in business.

My enemy on the track is target fixation. If I see a hairpin corner coming up and I freeze my eyes on the outside of the corner, I’ll end up off the track, because I go where I look. So, I find reference points throughout the track that help me know when to slow down, when to lean in, and when to speed up.

In business, the details of a situation have the power to freeze my decision-making. If I get fixated on a problem, I’ll lose the ability to find a solution quickly and get back on track. Reference points allow me to break down the issue into smaller and more manageable pieces so I can get through a situation step-by-step.

THE THIRD LESSON: RHYTHM By the end of day two, I had learned to relax. My lap times have drastically increased, yet my arms are loose, I’m lighter on the brakes, and I’m gentle on the throttle. I’m maintaining speed around the track, and I’m calm, humming “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond as I reach 300km/hr.

Instead of trying to control the bike with force, I have learned to cooperate with it and allow it to do what it’s been engineered to do. My job is to lead, find the line, recognize the corners, and use my skill to know when to slow down and lean in and when to speed up.

California Superbike School

With experience, I learn to negotiate corners with confidence. In my business life, I’m resisting the urge to fixate on the details of any situation, slow down at precisely the right time, and allow the team around me do what they’re trained to do rather than control them.

I hold my angle until I’m through the tightest part, I keep my head up, and I roll the throttle gently instead of cracking it and spinning out. And the business

If I keep my head up and watch out for what’s coming, I’ll get a better perspective than if I’m head-down in the tasks. runs a lot faster when I’m aware of the present and future, marking my reference points, and focusing on maintaining rhythm.

Business is much easier when my teeth aren’t clenched.

If you’d like to read more articles like this when published, click here to subscribe.

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

33

PLAINS PERSPECTIVE

WAGES INALBERTA

INCREASING PAY FOR SHORT TERM GAIN

I

n the past few months, the industry has been a little soft overall. There are lots of projects being bid on, but the work has been slow to trickle in. Overall, we would say we have been steady but far from busy. That is expected, as it is generally the way the industry runs.

It actually ebbs and flows more than it should in my opinion. I would say it is in the vendor’s best interest to make sure they don’t overload the industry to ramp things up on a project, because it requires us all to incur costs that must be passed on to them.

When things get slow, we employ a different approach. We try desperately not to layoff, because in our opinion, it is very shortsighted. However, by not laying off, it causes issues, because we are paying for people who aren’t producing value in the traditional way. But, we also know the value of a great employee, so to us, it is the most important cost of doing business. When we are slow, our people focus on using continuous improvement tools, so when production ramps up, our company is fully prepared.

Other companies may look to layoff employees and rehire when the work returns. This is also a typical business strategy, and it has its own benefits and downsides as well. My point is when things get busy, regardless of what strategy a business employs, we all need people, and we all go out into the same

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talent pool seeking the best individuals we can find.

At Plains, we employ our own ethical standards, we pay a fair wage, we have excellent benefits, and we have an advanced policy when it comes to keeping people employed through the ups and downs in the market. Our people respect what we offer, and because of that, we have very long-term employees, which is another way in which Plains Fabrication is a leader in Alberta manufacturing.

So, if we all go looking for the same talent from the same pool, then all should be fair and equal right? Well we all know this is not really the way things always work. In Alberta, when things heat up, there are some companies that automatically go out into the talent pool and start splashing more and more money out on wages. Every industry has a range of wages for the same type of work, and there are a variety of wages available depending on the company you choose to work for. I also realize “wage” is a touchy subject. I am an employee too, and in a free market, we as individuals are selling our services just like any business does, so we should be able to get as much value for those services as possible, and I totally agree with that. If a company is willing to pay, then the market can obviously bare what that company is offering, right? The short answer to that is no. Companies are paying for warm body’s not high producing employees, and no

ADVOCATE

the market can’t bare it, at least not on a long-term basis anyway.

So, with that in mind, what I am about to say is purely from a business perspective. This is my opinion, and it may not be a popular one, but I feel it is a valid one. When things heat up in Alberta, and companies seek to steal employees, think solely of themselves, and increase average wages by several percentage points beyond what is reasonable, it damages Alberta’s economy.

Again, I understand free market principles, and I do not disagree with an employee accepting an inflated wage, but I do take issue with companies offering it, because I think it is shortsighted. I think the employee is shortsighted as well, because when our industry ebbs, which it inevitably will, you should think to yourself that you will be one of the first people to go.

Recently, we have seen companies increase the average wage by over six dollars an hour, and we have all just come through a very slow period. To make matters worse, the increase appears to be for individuals who are really not fully qualified to even do the work. They may have the basic skills, but these are not fully trained fully functional people. They are not the highly trained or highly skilled employees you can expect to see large production out of based on experience. These are people who need training and

time to become productive. These companies may be fully aware of this, and they may be prepared for it, but in our experience, that usually isn’t the case.

I am not proposing we live in a socialist society.

I just think Alberta companies have recognized some weaknesses in our overall approach, and we need to seek new methods. It seems to me some competitors aren’t learning from past mistakes

We try desperately not to layoff, because in our opinion, it is very shortsighted. and are prone to repeat them. It seems to me our industry overall is geared in a way that will perpetuate our problems.

People should be paid fairly, they should be given great benefits, they deserve paid time off, and they should be treated with great respect and appreciation. I could go on and on about how much I respect the people that work for Plains, but if I, as a General Manager, decide to circumvent the market with short-term unsustainable wages, then the longterm Alberta Advantage is going to disappear.

By Tom McCaffery GENERAL MANAGER | PLAINS FABRICATION

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

35

THE WELL WARRIORS

NOTHING TO

HIDE

A STORY OF TRANSPARENCY, INTEGRITY, AND HONESTY

Chadd Radke, President and CEO of Stormhold Energy Inc., credits his small-town of Bowden, Alberta, hockey playing upbringing for giving him the ability to be a straight shooter who fights for everything he has, including moulding Stormhold Energy into a different company than others within his industry.

W

Photography By Charlene Woodman

hat makes Stormhold Energy different is that our door is always open, our phone is always on, and we’ll always get back to the most important people in our company; not only our senior management team, but every single shareholder,� says Radke.

It is this determination and unwavering commitment to having an honest and transparent business acumen that has taken Stormhold from just $362 CAD to having a projected worth of $3.46 billion dollars after 20 years by signing a very large Natural Gas supply contract.

The $120,000,000.00 contract will be used to drill 80 Horizontal wells that will fulfill the 200MMCF per day Natural Gas Contract for over 20 years which calculates to $182,000,000.00 in annual income and $3.46 B in 20 years.

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

37

THE WELL WARRIORS Founded in January 2009, Stormhold Energy grew out of industry opportunity during the Stelmach government when land sales were low. Radke, along with his partner Ted Cantlon, took full advantage of this opportunity to purchase land as Radke had previously worked on the service side of the industry and was diversified enough to get involved in an entity such as Stormhold.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE When starting Stormhold, Radke surrounded himself with very experienced industry influencers, geologists, engineers, and scientists by bringing them on as senior consultants. Every single one of these individuals, including Radke himself, purchased shares in the company to demonstrate they all had a vested interest and belief in its success.

During Stormhold’s first year, Radke and his team worked out of their homes to raise enough capital to purchase their first 125 sections of land. For the energy industry at this time, this stood out as most companies bonded together and refused to buy mineral rights from the Alberta government.

By raising capital to purchase these mineral

rights, Stormhold upset the industry, because they didn’t decide to stand with these companies in boycotting. Instead, they went out on their own and took advantage of this situation, as well as these companies’ greed, and built his company the way he believed a company should be built: by sticking to a sound business plan based on integrity, honesty, and transparency.

To this day, Radke continues to surround himself with industry influencers committed to these core values of Stormhold, yet he makes sure the company itself is analyzed and audited by outside third party sources.

In addition, Stormhold is now leading by example in recently signing one of, if not the largest, natural gas contracts in Alberta. This 200 million cubic feet of natural gas per day contract has been signed with a group in Beijing, showing that “Stormhold has already lead by example as far as doing business abroad. A lot of the companies tend to stay in Canada and North America, while we’ve expanded and looked at other avenues.”

Stormhold has also helped demonstrate their leadership by raising 17 million dollars in all equity,

Radke in the war room with his geologists, engineers and scientists

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while having absolutely no banking or institutional debt whatsoever, a feat which is very rare within the energy industry.

HONESTY AND INTEGRITY ABOVE ALL ELSE With Stormhold now being the largest private landholding company in East Central Alberta, this leadership and transparency mandate has guided how Radke intends to grow Stormhold. Having turned down over $50 million dollars in debt capital - “I’m allergic to debt,” emphasizes Radke - the Stormhold team have raised all private equity through friends, their families, credited investors, and each team member. Radke continues to be completely honest and transparent as to what Stormhold is about and what they are prepared to do to increase their value to their shareholders. In fact, Radke welcomes all Shareholders to the office. They are encouraged to sit in on weekly team meetings and see firsthand what it takes to run an entrepreneurial start-up entity.

And he does so without requiring a single person to sign a confidentiality agreement. This trust in his company, his business plan, and his core values allows Radke to go and meet with any group for

drilling opportunities or joint ventures and open Stormhold’s books without concern of what information goes out to the public. Radke simply puts it, “We have nothing to hide.”

“What’s damaged the [energy] industry is a lot of false pretences, empty hopes, and empty promises from a lot of decision makers,” explains Radke.

“Honesty and integrity are key to Stormhold Energy.

Stormhold is now leading by example in recently signing one of, if not the largest, natural gas contracts in Alberta Although some shareholders don’t always agree with our decision making process, they need to understand all of our decisions are strategic and in their best interest, bringing added value to all.”

Uncompromising with how Stormhold conducts business and unwilling to damage its credibility, Radke will always put the interests of his share­ holders first.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

39

THE WELL WARRIORS

Photography By Charlene Woodman

“Stormhold has made a lot of mistakes, but it’s how you correct them and that’s how we move forward”

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Yet, there is something more to his success than his transparent manner that has taken Radke and Stormhold to such growth in just five years. It’s his entrepreneurial spirit, determination, and ability to refuse to say ‘no’ that have him and his team believe in his plan that builds the company.

“It’s not in my vocabulary to say ‘this isn’t going to succeed.” It’s never once come out of my mouth that Stormhold isn’t going to be successful. After all this hard work, we’ve done everything we can to move forward, and now finally looking at the releases we’ve generated and the joint venture partnerships, it’s taken five years.” A success that may have seemed slow, but truly is amazing.

“We’ve kept this edge about Stormhold for going on six years, and if you don’t have that entrepre­ neurial spirit it’s easy to take a job anywhere in Calgary. I live on my phone 24/7, even on holidays.

From an entrepreneurial perspective, it’s key to have that passion to ensure you succeed.”

What this spirit does is provide Radke the ability to control his own destiny within the industry through his approach to business. It’s the only thing he’s truly worried about as it’s the only thing he can actually change. As much as he would like to change the transparency of the entire industry, he knows the most important thing is how he conducts himself, builds his business plan, and talks with other entre­preneurs. He alone can hopefully bring a much more honest and upfront business respect to his fellow colleagues.

BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS Doing business in Calgary differently than the competition can be a very stressful thing to do, but it’s these pressures of going down his own path that Radke thrives under. He admits he has been asked numerous times by other companies not to purchase any more acreage, but he’s focused on growing his business and value for shareholder’s not other people’s. Knowing this often irritates those around him, this creates stress, not just from a professional perspective, but from a personal one as well.

“Ninety-five percent of start-ups fail, and five percent are usually new entities that came about

by companies like Suzanne West’s for example.

She’s done very well for herself. She steps outside of the box as well. She doesn’t need to follow what I call ‘the industry leaders’, because they said so.

Nor do I. Walking in the +15’s in Calgary, I hold my head high. It’s difficult to do business in Calgary when [companies] don’t want you to succeed,” says Radke Because of his dedication and commitment to his company and shareholders, Radke has been approached by a number of colleges in and outside of Alberta to mentor and answer how he’s become a success while other’s want to see him stop succeeding. His answer, “A lot of blood, sweat, and tears is how you do it. A lot of torn relationships.

Not only from a personal perspective, but from an industry perspective.”

Radke admits to having lost a lot of friends, be­ cause he wasn’t simply going to bring in his buddy without the proper background. “It’s not about bring­ing in buddies. It’s about working with industry influ­encers, experts, and marked professionals. This is how you get to the next level.”

LET’S BE HONEST “Stormhold has made a lot of mistakes, but it’s how you correct them and that’s how we move forward.

We hold our head high for a number of reasons.”

For Radke, it’s not about sitting in an office with his head down and phone off. He knows the only way for Stormhold to stay on track with their growth is for the company to stay committed to their business plan and for Radke to continue marketing the company with the honesty he has been using to date.

Radke finds he has his hands in everything, from the website, to social media, to networking. “I try to release and delegate as much as I can, but even doing that, I still need to be involved.”

With his high involvement, he knows the company will be built the way he started it - with honesty and integrity. “Be upfront and honest with the people you are doing business with, and they’ll help you.”

Honest conversations, transparent books, and high integrity relationships. This is how Radke and Stormhold are making their mark on an entire energy industry.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

41

THE WELL WARRIORS

SHARING

INNOVAT

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

E

TION Dr. John Belgrave

Founder, Director Belgrave Oil and Gas Corp.

ach morning, Dr. John Belgrave, Founder and Director of Belgrave Oil and Gas Corp., wakes up and is excited to go to work. He plans to never retire. Even after 30 years in the energy industry, Dr. Belgrave exclaims, “I love what I do. I love people, I love technology, I love travelling.

I’m excited. How many industries really are as transformative as the oil industry?”

So much so, that Dr. Belgrave, along with his two sons, started Belgrave Oil and Gas Corp in 2009. “I decided to form Belgrave Oil and Gas because I had these ideas for revolutionary, highly impacting technology that could make a difference. We have been working on these for the last 5 years, and those technologies are now being recognized by governments, national and state oil companies and public companies.”

Belgrave has developed proprietary and patent-pending technologies capable of tripling light oil reserves in Alberta and unlocking twenty billion barrels of stranded heavy oil in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Yet, with enhancements in these technologies, the entire industry is in a neat position. “We’ve had maybe 100 years of people proposing different technologies and right now is probably the first time that we have a sustained oil price that can make all these things happen.”

With the industry being hungry for all this technology, Dr. Belgrave is finding that there is still a missing faction - the mentorship between the older generation and the younger generation coming in. As all the economics are in place, there must be more mentoring and development of the technical competence in new generations. To answer this need, Belgrave Oil and Gas developed IOREdge.com at their own expense.

IOREdge shares all the information Belgrave has developed and compiled, including engineering applications and perfor­mance of global enhanced oil recovery projects, with the public for free.

Through this information and forums, Belgrave is proactively sharing information and discussing issues, such as environmental impact and sustainability, to make an impact on the industry. For Dr. Belgrave, it’s about sharing the information and spreading it out on an international level to change the entire world.

“We’ve spent the last 5 years building our brand and giving back to communities where we have business. We even answer questions in our forums from students around the world.

We really want to be a central repository and purveyor of sustainable technology that’s going to grow organically.”

For Dr. Belgrave, he likes what he does and this is what motivates him day in and day out. “If you don’t love what you do, you’re just passing time.”

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

43

THE WELL WARRIORS

OPPORTUNITIES

HIDDEN Massimo Geremia President & CEO, Co-founder Manitok Energy Inc.

“I

’ve always liked to get into opportunities that weren’t obvious, but had sound business underpinning and a great model to it,” says Massimo Geremia, the President and CEO of Manitok Energy Inc. From his early career in the financial industry, through to real estate, and now the energy market, Geremia has an uncanny ability to see a lot of opportunity where others may not and then take the risk and cultivate its hidden value.

“It doesn’t matter the industry.

I understand the metrics that are required to drive the value and what is required to bring in the capital.” And in 2008, Geremia took his own risk, drove value, and brought in capital to start Manitok Energy. Starting out as a private company, producing only 250 barrels of oil per day (BOD), to going public in July 2010 and now producing over 5,000 BOD today, Geremia, along with his team, have seen their success in quiet opportunities not apparent to others.

44

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

“Many companies like to buy an existing producing asset, then go develop it for additional production, whereas we prefer an exploration phase on lands that haven’t been fully explored or exploited. Being the grass roots, if we get in early, we create a lot of value as we did with our Stolberg Discovery. We get a little bit ahead of the curve in the sense that we’re trying to find the pool before everybody else wants to participate. And once you find the pool and get that first bit of production out of it and take the risk out of it, then there’s many groups that would like to buy that asset and develop it further.”

Rusty Petree, Chairman, CEO Drilformance Drilling with Canada’s Innovative Canaries

We get a little bit ahead of the curve in the sense that we’re trying to find the pool before everybody else wants to participate.

Geremia guides Manitok to explore land where there’s not a lot of competition and may not yet be popular. He evaluates, takes the smart risk, and then creates the conditions he wants with underexploited and underexplored land. He surrounds himself with the technical people who understand the land they’re going into who will properly evaluate it, and then cultivate it.

Seeing opportunity and taking a risk has kept Manitok growing and becoming a leader in the ex­ plor­ation world. It’s Geremia’s willingness to take risk, see this risk through to the end, and make sure to reduce the volatility involved by always ensuring Manitok has enough capital for the project they are on.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

45

THE WELL WARRIORS

THE

INDEPENDENT

THINKER Rusty Petree

Chairman, CEO | Drilformance

T

wo things about the oilfield space keep Rusty Petree, Chairman and CEO of Drilformance, attracted to it. The first is the tremendous amount of innovative technology involved. The second is the dynamic people within the industry. Petree knows that with this innovation and his creative Drilformance team of experts he will never become bored within this field and will always be driven to help improve its efficiency.

Originally from, and still located in, Texas, Petree was drawn to the Canadian energy market for the talent and innovations going on here. “One of the things that I absolutely love about the Canadian market is that because of some of the dynamics outside of [your] control, breakup for example...Canada has become incredibly efficient at drilling wells and introducing new technology. Like the canary in the mine, a lot of things happen in [Alberta] where you’ve got very independent thinking people that innovate and come up with great ideas

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

all the time. It’s a great place to do business because it forces your business to be efficient and continue operating in an innovative environment.”

To ensure the company’s success, Petree looks at Drilformance as an upside down pyramid with himself at the bottom to help facilitate what his team needs to excel. Petree best serves the team by fostering a safe and trusting environment, everyone within the company shares their thoughts and ideas on how best to improve the business and ultimately the industry.

When the economy took a downturn in 2009, Petree recognized the industry had to deliver new innovations and technologies to remain successful.

It was during this downturn that Petree started Drilformance, seeing that as these innovations started to work, people became more open to adapt new technology and efficiencies. “There’s still a resistance [to innovations and new technology] when compared to other industries; which I enjoy because it’s a rewarding challenge.”

Through Drilformance, Petree is out to innovate the

North American industry specifically. “[Drilformance has] some exceptional concepts and products that when combined with our manufacturing and quality control capability will enable yet another step change in operating efficiency. [This] will enable North America to get that much closer to energy independence by being able to develop [shale] reservoirs more economically and efficiently.”

It’s the combination of the Drilformance team’s persistence, independent thinking, and nonconformist approach, along with their creativity that has guided the company on its efficiency mission to evolve the market. “A lot of people have great ideas but to take a great idea and put it into practice, commercialize it, develop it, and when things don’t work as planned, have the flexibility to pursue a different path, to look at something from a different angle with the grit to see it through; those types of traits ingrained in the Drilformance culture are what enable us to deliver the kind of goals the company consistently achieves.”

By Lindsay Harle

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

47

OPINION

THE KEYSTONE

XL PIPELINE DON’T EXPECT APPROVAL ANYTIME SOON

T

he U.S. state department report, released January 31st supporting the merits of the Keystone XL Pipeline, once again brought renewed optimism that President Barack Obama will approve the project. This optimism was (as usual) quickly squashed as the White House publicly stated that Prime Minister Harper and Keystone proponents shouldn’t expect an answer in the near future.

It’s time to stop being surprised by these reversals of sentiment.

TransCanada submitted an application nearly five years ago to Washington for approval to have the pipeline built, and President Obama has done everything he can to stop the project short of saying no. And, I don’t expect him to give his thumbs down anytime soon.

President Obama has dropped several sugges­ tions that he disapproves of the project. In a preSuper Bowl interview with Fox News Anchor Bill O’Reilly, he disputed TransCanada’s job creation numbers by stating, “It’s a couple thousand to build the pipeline.” Not a very enthusiastic response from a president whose country’s biggest problem is unemployment. Later in the interview, when asked flat-out if he would approve it, he replied, “We’ll take a look at it.”

Quite frankly, I can’t recall the President saying anything positive about the pipeline. It’s been five

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years since TransCanada’s application, and his comments have all either disputed TransCanada’s findings or warned of possible negative climate effects. Furthermore, his delay survived a mid-term and general U.S. election, emboldening him to continue the status quo.

President Obama has dropped several sugges­tions that he disapproves of the project The American public generally approves of the Keystone pipeline. According to a poll taken on January 6th by Rasmussen Reports, 57% of likely U.S. voters at least somewhat favor building the pipeline and only 28% oppose. Thus, the President gains no advantage by outright denying the applica­tion for Keystone XL. However, by indefinitely delaying the project, he achieves his goal of preven­ting con­ struction with minimal political fallout.

By Josh Groberman PUBLISHER OF THE BOE REPORT THE BOE REPORT IS CANADA’S MOST-READ OIL AND GAS NEWS WEBSITE FEATURING REAL-TIME NEWS HEADLINES AND INDUSTRY ACTIVITY

ALBERTA

SASK.

MANITOBA

Hardisty

Hudson Bay

ONTARIO

CANADA MONTANA

U.S.

N.DAKODA

S. DAKODA

Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline Keystone Pipeline

Atkinson SANDHILLS OGALLALA AQUIFER

NEBR.

Steele City

ILLINOIS Patoka

KANSAS

MISSOURI Cushing

TEXAS

MEXICO Houston

Port Arthur Gulf of Mexico OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

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GOLF CORNER

T H E

FAIRMONT G O L F

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E X P E R I E N C E

W

ildlife, scenery, and incredible vistas are signatures of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Fairmont Banff Springs, and Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s golf courses. From the coast mountain range in British Columbia to the rugged peaks of the Canadian Rockies, a Fairmont golf experience should be on every golfer’s bucket list.

They say it took 50 teams of horses with a crew of 200 plus men a year to clear the land and prepare it for what is now Canada’s #1 golf resort, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Since 1925, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has been providing unforgettable luxury golf and travel memories for all its guests. With 446 superbly appointed guest rooms, suites, and luxurious signature cabins set along the shores of Lac Beauvert, The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is the retreat of your dreams. The signature cabins are a perfect location for golfers to come together after their rounds.

In the mid 90’s, a restoration project was undertaken with the sole purpose of returning this jewel in the Rockies back to its initial layout. Using Stanley Thompson’s original blueprints from 1924, the project spent its focus on restoring all the bunkers and tee boxes, highlighting the courses original, and fundamental design.

Not one to rest on its laurels and accolades, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge completed construction on a new 10,000 square foot spa for golfers and vacationers alike to relax and rejuvenate. Ten treatment rooms, two couple’s rooms with Jacuzzis, therapeutic mineral baths, glacial-inspired steam rooms, and an outdoor heated pool are offered up so you can continue swinging with ease as you prepare for the next day’s round.

At the foot of the towering peaks of Mt. Rundle in Banff National Park lays the Fairmont Banff Springs golf course. Created by master golf course architect Stanley Thompson in 1928, this was the world’s first course to cost over one million dollars to OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

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build. It would take teams of men and horses six backbreaking years to complete his vision. Eighty years later, it is a vision, which has evolved and brought enormous pleasure to all who have played

It has been said there is golf in the mountains, and then there is mountain golf. her. Recent restorations have lengthened the course for modern times, yet these alterations have stayed consistent with Thompson’s original genius. In 1989, an additional 9-hole course was constructed

by Geoffrey Cornish and William Robinson, which brought 27 holes of championship golf to Banff National Park. One of the most photographed holes in golf is the Par 3, the fourth hole, named ‘Devil’s Cauldron’. Step up; this could be your time for a hole in one.

With 768 guest rooms, the ‘Castle in the Rockies’, the Fairmont Banff Springs, has been providing luxury accommodations and hospitality to the world for more than 125 years. Drawing energy from the surrounding mountains, the Willow Stream Spa will rejuvenate your tired muscles, balance your rhythms, and awaken your spirits.

It has been said there is golf in the mountains, and then there is mountain golf. Your golf experience at

Devils Cauldron Hole 4 at The Fairmont Banff Springs

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the Fairmont Chateau Whistler golf club is the latter.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club stretches out along majestic Blackcomb Mountain, which traverses creeks, ponds, lush alpine meadows, and stands in shaded Douglas fir trees. Even with its rugged scenery and over 400 feet of elevation change, the layout is thoughtful and allows all levels of golfers to enjoy their play. Home to Western North America’s David Leadbetter Golf Academy, the course also features a double ended 350 yard practice and learning centre.

In keeping with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts standard of luxury and hospitality, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Resort features 550 luxuriously

appointed guest rooms and suites. Located at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, your accommodations provide for spectacular mountain or village views. For a truly spectacular treat, enjoy the hotel within a hotel luxury of Fairmont Gold.

Whether you choose your Fairmont golf experience one resort at a time or on an extended golf holiday, you will discover firsthand why Fairmont Hotels and Resorts receive the awards and accolades of ‘Best in the world’.

Golf Canada’s West is the official golf package provider for Alberta and British Columbia. Give them a call at 1-877-323-3633 or visit them online at golfcanadaswest.com to book your next golf experience.

Chateau Whistler 8th hole

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

Looking over Lake Boisvert

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SINGLE SOURCE PROVIDER

RARE OILFIELD SERVICES

OIL & GAS SERVICES, EQUIPMENT & EXPERIENCE

R

ARE Oilfield Services Corp. is a single source provider of oil and gas services, equipment and experience.

Our 35+ combined years experience in oil and gas offers expert advice to consultants, engineers, producers, project managers, operators, superintendents and executives on their upstream projects.

A unique approach to project management means working with your key stakeholders to identify your core objectives. We compile a list of methods to achieve your goals, along with feasible alternatives to face the various issues that can arise during your projects.

ROB ALLENDORF 403-910-0602

EMAIL ADVERTORIAL

ROB GRYBA 403-910-0601

EMAIL

Our clients have a unique opportunity to work with one company through all project challenges. From an efficient start-up to smooth project completion, RARE offers you expertise in every step of the process. Assisting your project managers and their teams in sourcing the most apt solutions, providing budgets and bids, faci足litating procurement, and following up on delivery and installation; you get the services of multiple product and service partners through one team.

WE ARE THE EXPERTS THE EXPERTS GO TO.

MIKE RIDEOUT 403-910-2577

EMAIL

610, 304-8TH AVENUE SW CALGARY, AB T2P 1C2 PHONE: (403) 269-1175 TOLL FREE (888) 484-1175 WWW.RAREOIL.COM

CONNECTED NEW, RECONDITIONED & FIELD RUN OIL & GAS PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT SALES, FABRICATION AND RENTALS. YOUR ONE STOP EQUIPMENT SHOP Partial Equipment List Separators LPG Bullets Lineheaters Tanks – 50 to 3000 Bbl Secondary Containment

Flare Stacks Knock Outs Treaters FWKO’s Pumping Units

We also purchase New & Used Surplus Production equipment.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

55

CULTURE

PEAS IN A

POD

T

he city of Calgary is at a very interesting inflection point. While the rest of the country wrestles with our cultural impact, there are many Calgarians pressing forward and building artistic platforms of significant merit. A great example of a group pushing the cultural conversation forward is the group behind Village Radio, a podcast hosted by Dave Kelly, curated by Avnish Mehta, and produced by Josh Gwilliam of Pilot Audio.

Village Radio is a weekly podcast of great conversations between Kelly and an ongoing list

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of influential Calgarians doing interesting things in YYC. After 55 podcasts and over 120,000 downloads, this program has truly built some momentum and has captured extraordinary stories from some of Calgary’s most progressive thinkers.

Every week, we learn from very special people about how beautiful, interesting, and forward thinking this city truly is. Take some time yourself and listen to one of the many compelling stories on Village Radio. You can find the podcasts at www.villageradio.com/community/radio

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

57

LIQUOR LANE

OIL& WINE

THE STORY BEHIND WILLOW PARK WINES & SPIRITS

W

hen Alberta’s liquor industry was privatized in 1993, many saw the opportunity for new business in an area that had been government controlled since the late 1800’s. One of these visionaries was Calgary’s own Wayne Henuset, who has not only been a part of Alberta’s oil and gas industry for over four decades, but is also the proud owner of Willow Park Wines & Spirits, which has become a capstone of Alberta’s liquor industry and Canada’s largest privately owned retail liquor store.

Today, we get to know a bit more about the man who has been living a dual life in the world of oil and wine and how he is loving every minute of it. continued

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MEET WAYNE HENUSET What made you want to buy the Willow Park Wines & Spirits store?

When I was originally approached with the opportunity, I had no experience in the wine industry. I did however have experience in business, so I looked at the opportunity as a land deal I could flip in a couple of years and make a good return. It was not my intention to keep or stay in the business when I first bought the store. In fact, I didn’t even drink at the time.

You obviously didn’t sell it. What happened?

Within a year, I knew the wine and spirit industry was one I wanted to be part of long term. The people were so passionate and our customers were very excited about what we were offering and couldn’t wait to see what we had coming next. We were building something fresh and new, and the momentum that was building was infectious. I was hooked!

What is the Vintage Fund, and why was it created?

The Vintage Fund is something really special. It was created as our own endowment fund, so we could personally determine where money that was raised through the Willow Park Wines & Spirits Charity Wine Auction was directed towards. Today, I’m so proud of all we have accomplished. We’ve raised over four

60

million dollars to-date and helped a number of local charities including helping to build Willow Park on the Bow, which is a 150 unit building providing affordable housing to seniors.

What’s next for Willow Park Wines & Spirits?

We’re celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year.

It’s so exciting to look back and see all that we’ve done, but I’ve never been very good at staying still, so you just know I’ve got something up my sleeve to propel Willow Park Wines & Spirits forward through the next 20 years. To start, we have an extensive store renovation planned for our main store, along with some innovative web and e-commerce developments planned. Just watch, because you’re going to love the experience we have planned for you.

Have you found some favourite products in 20 years?

Well, as I mentioned I wasn’t much of a drinker when I first bought the store 20 years ago, but being around passionate wine, beer, and spirit producers has definitely given me a great opportunity to try many amazing products over the years. I have definitely learned to appreciate and enjoy many of our wines, spirits, and beers. (see below)

Chateau Margaux 2004

English Habour 25 Yr

Over the many visits I have had in Bordeaux, no estate has won my affection more than Chateau Margaux.

I have always liked a good shot of rum and when I tasted this 25 year old, I told my manager to buy it all!

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

Glenfiddich 1977 We have been honoured to host Peter Gordon, ex-chairman of William Grant & Sons & Glenfiddich, several times. My visits with him have been among the highlight of my career. We are the only customer of Glenfiddich that has had the honour of purchasing four entire barrels.

COFFEE FOR YOUR BUSINESS CONTACT US FOR A

FREE TRIAL

FOR YOUR OFFICE!

planetroasters.com

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

61

SOCIAL MEDIA

BEING

SOCIABLE

It’s amazing how many organizations and businesses still don’t use social media. When I say it’s amazing, I really mean that.

Any organization that does not already understand that social media is the key to their future success has yet to realize it is 2014.

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I

have had firsthand advice from the “General” here in Calgary about why not to use social media, and although he thinks he knows everything, I have continued on, and it has certainly rewarded Stormhold Energy Ltd. Here are some reasons why social media is essential to our oil and gas development efforts within our company.

Time management is key to my productivity and is very important to me on a daily basis. Using my social media “sites” allows me to set up keyword searches that will track what people are looking for and saying about our ever so changing commodity.

Being able to find these quickly and engage in conversations is very rewarding from a time management perspective.

Scheduling is also part of our time management criteria. Scheduling meetings that have been quali­ fied through my social media criteria is key to a successful meeting.

Each message or post I throw up on the screen can be tracked to see if anyone is responding. This is important, because it allows you to find out what is effective and what is not. Posting joint venture opportunities, land sales, current price per acre, as well as job positions is a very effective way to gain interest.

Most social media sites allow coworkers to work together on your social media campaign, which increases both productivity and effectiveness.

Including, joint venture opportunities, business plans and even networking strategies.

Website tracking, which also includes LinkedIn and Facebook, is very important in my opinion.

Stormhold Energy Ltd. has been very successful using this medium. We have sourced multiple interests through both websites including our own www.stormholdenergy.ca, which in turn is entirely self-directed.

Social networking websites, such as Facebook, are just a small part of social media. For business, social media is much more. Understanding the various opportunities social media provides for business is the first step toward capitalizing on its potential.

Social media is mostly user-friendly, but

embracing it in business is far from simple. There is a huge difference between using Facebook and bringing the right aspects of social media into your company. The amount and depth of information relating to social media is overwhelming, so capitalizing on the right combinations of social media tools for the company can be challenging.

One aspect that makes social media for business a very attractive avenue is that many of the tools are free to use, which provides excellent costeffective solutions. Bringing social media within a company is not completely free; however, time is the key resource.

Social media opens doors to enormous markets.

For instance, there are 75 million business people on LinkedIn including the CEOs of some of the top companies in the world. The business opportunities a company can get by connecting to only a small percentage of those people are extremely valuable.

Having easy access to these markets simply cannot be ignored.

It is important to keep in mind the benefits far outweigh the risks. Having the will to invest time and a strategic plan will allow a company to increase its competitive advantage moving forward.

Perhaps, the most important aspect to keep in mind when using social media for business is it constantly needs to be adjusted.

Social media is an evolving avenue of different opportu­nities. The tools that are useful today may not necessarily be useful tomorrow. As tools change, a winning social media strategy will be one that is able to capture all these innovations and constantly create the right combinations of tools for your business, joint venture leads, and/or drilling partners in our case.

Please follow my next article when I touch on business relationships and partnerships Stormhold Energy Ltd. has established using social media as well as past engineering (gouging) relationships that need a “kick in the ass”.

By Chadd Radke PRESIDENT | CEO | DIRECTOR STORMHOLD ENERGY LTD.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

63

HUB PROFILE

MILLENNIUM

DIRECTIONAL SERVICE LTD. A S A S K AT C H E WA N T O P 10 0 C O M PA N Y

M

Millennium Directional Service Ltd. joined the ranks of Saskatchewan’s Top 100 Companies this year. Millennium was founded in 2005 in response to the demand for quality directional drilling services in the Williston Basin area of SE Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In 2011, the company expanded into North Dakota.

This year, it opened a research and development/ operations facility in Leduc, Alberta to further the company’s expansion in Western Canada.

“We were very pleased to be named one of Saskatchewan’s Top 100 Companies. Our strong growth is due to our state of the art equipment and software technology, the reliability of our tools, and the experience of our employees. This is what sets us apart from our competition,” said Dan Eddy, President of Millennium.

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“Millennium is seeing new opportunities in an expanded geographical area. This is a result of our leading edge focus on high performance and efficiency. We are experiencing increased demand from those operators looking to reduce drilling and well related costs. In addition to relying on state of the art equipment and technology and our field expertise, operators count on us to identify cost savings in the drilling process. This, combined with our exceptional performance results, is leading to new opportunities for Millennium,” said Robert G. MacCuish, Chairman of Millennium.

Millennium was formed in 2005 to meet the growing demand for quality directional services in the Williston Basin. The company’s objective was clear: become the service of choice by providing state of the art equipment, advanced software technology, a highly

efficient, safe operating environment, and dedicated, experienced employees. It has been a winning stra­ tegy with the company also being named New Venture of the Year in 2008 by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

By combining the latest advances in directional drilling technology with the expertise of reliable proven manufacturers, Millennium stays at the forefront of current and emerging industry trends.

The company’s Pulser Drivers, Directional Sensors, and new mud motor fleet are not only state-of-theart but also some of the most reliable and proven on the market today. This gives clients a directional system that is second to none in reliability, performance, and accuracy.

Millennium has a solid reputation for quality, cost-effective work based on strong collaborative relationships with clients. In short, clients can count on Millennium to get the job done. Millennium is now the provider of choice for many of the largest and fastest growing oil and gas companies in Western Canada, having drilled over 1,800 horizontal wells

since its formation little more than eight years ago.

“Millennium takes full advantage of any improvements available in terms of equipment, software, safety, and education for employees. In these areas, Millennium is at the forefront adapting

We are experiencing increased demand from those operators looking to reduce drilling and well related costs. quickly to ensure we can provide the best to our clients. But, our core values have remained constant. We work in a collaborative relationship that is client-focused. We deliver – safely and cost effectively. We are in business to build long term, successful relationships with our clients, while remaining true to our customer oriented values,” Eddy concluded.

Safe, smooth and successful drilling.

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

65

ZENERT’S MARKETING MINUTE

MARKETING

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E

very day you are selling yourself, your products, your business.

You make sales calls, you network, you submit proposals, you have meetings with prospects and clients.

And, the objective to it all is to close more deals and increase the business.

It is not getting any easier. In fact, most people will say it is harder than ever to sell in almost every industry.

The power has shifted from the buyer to the seller.

This has made the job of selling less effective, take longer, and often more confusing.

Various selling methods have emerged – although, in reality, they have always been there. Now, they are named, and they have books written about them and trainers telling you how to do them.

So, at the end of the day, how can you actually do a better job? You need to find a way to set yourself apart from your competitors.

I was talking to a colleague on LinkedIn, and she has had great luck with a very simple tactic.

1

CREATE ENGAGING CONTENT, AND DELIVER IT ACROSS THE DIGITAL OCEAN. This content can even be advertising as long as it is high quality and engaging. It could be reports and white papers.

It could be articles. It could be graphical images and pictures. It could be a video or even cartoons and comics. Come up with a key way you want to express yourself, get your message across, and then create content. Finally, you must get that content out beyond your own borders. Yes, it must be on your website, but it has to spread beyond that.

Get it out on social media platforms that suit your market. Get it out in online magazines related to your industry or online news sources. Even cross over, and get it out in various print formats, radio, or television.

Whatever strategy you choose, whether the ones listed here or some other strategy you come up on your own, make it yours, create a system to get it done on a regular basis, and do it consistently.

This consistency alone will help set you apart from your competitors.

Working in the automotive industry, she works with the sales teams to incorporate basic follow-up as a technique to increase sales and customer retention.

She has seen results greater than 10% with this simple additional tactic. She is now improving it by adding different types of follow-up calls for different customer personas.

It is often the little things, when done consistently that separates you from the others.

Read a section of that last statement again – ‘the little things, when done consistently.’

Too many sales organizations struggle with consistency. They may come up with tactics that are excellent and that endears them to their customers, but they do not continue with these tactics.

Here are three things you can implement into your sales organization that will make you stand out from your competitors. You do not need to do all of them. Simply pick the one you feel is best for your organization, and find a way to implement it successfully and consistently. That alone will help you stand out.

2

SEND OUT A HIGH QUALITY NEWSLETTER ON A REGULAR BASIS. This is not a sales letter. It is not a flyer full of offers. This is a way to communicate to your customers and prospects to build relationships, to teach them, and to build trust and credibility. Done consistently, this is one of the most effective methods to set yourself apart from your competitors.

3

SEND YOUR CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS REGULAR GREETINGS ON THEIR BIRTHDAYS AND ON KEY HOLIDAYS. Do this consistently, make it fun, and make it heartfelt when you can.

Many organizations try this. They send out birthday cards or email greetings at Christmas, they spend their promotion budget on cards and gifts, but very few do it all the time, year round, year after year. And even fewer do it for all their prospects and clients. If you are the one who does it right, and consistently, you will be different than your competitors.

By Jack Zenert VP SALES AND MARKETING BEACON NEWS

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

67

CALGARY WOMEN IN ENERGY

CAREER

ADVANCED UPGRADING SKILLS, NETWORKING & SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING

I

n January 2003, a group of proactive female business leaders from an array of different energy professions came together to create Calgary Women in Energy (CWIE), a non-profit membership society dedicated to promoting, supporting, and empowering women in the energy sector of Calgary, Alberta.

It has become a notable trend that for those indivi­duals lucky enough to obtain oil and gas careers, the journey is far from over. Because of ever-changing extraction methods and tech­ nologies, petroleum professionals realized they needed to work hard to stay current with emerging trends. Members of Calgary Women in Energy see the importance of professionals seeking to attend pertinent classes, seminars, and workshops on a regular basis to gain updated knowledge of the industry.

Continuing education is important for oil and gas careers. Many employers enforce a requirement that workers attend a set amount of classes for professional development. Those who don’t continue their education are at a disadvantage.

They could be passed by for promotions and may be unable to obtain new positions within their company or the petroleum industry as a whole.

Unfortunately for some, access to these pro­ grams can be difficult due to financial and time

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restraints. In 2012, the Calgary Women in Energy, in partnership with Suncor Energy, developed an Oil and Gas 101 Short Course series to help members gain new skills and knowledge to assist in the advancement of their career.

“While there are many education options out there, we believe we have identified an area that will supplement formal training programs. By introducing and reinforcing basic principles over a period of time, people new to the industry will be better equipped in oil and gas fundamentals.

The series (Oil & Gas 101) has been run as a nonprofit effort during the free time of the participants.

This allows those who may not have company sponsorship an opportunity to learn”.

-Judy Frame, Team Lead and Senior Advisor with Suncor Energy.

Judy Frame volunteers her time to teach Oil & Gas 101. Her generous desire to share what she has learned in her career has given confidence and optimism to the energy community. Pursuant to her efforts, Calgary Women in Energy has offered training to hundreds of oil and gas professionals in the three years they have run the program. Their course methods include large group luncheons in an interactive classroom setting. Unlike many short courses that can be very expensive and can take days or weeks to complete, the Oil & Gas

101 courses were held at no cost, over the lunch hour, and covered topics ranging from Geology, Exploration, Drilling, Completions, Production, Facilities, Transportation, Marketing, Refining, and Asset Management.

Sending employees to training opportunities, or bringing opportunities into the company, will infuse a business with new ideas and creative ways of solving old problems. Sometimes, just getting employees out of the day-to-day grind of their everyday work schedule is enough to boost energy and encourage employees to recommit to their jobs and the company.

Learning new skills and interacting with new and different people has a direct impact on the productivity and development of the work environment. Members who have signed up for the CWIE Oil & Gas 101 courses have been provided with the opportunity to learn new industry information in combination with the opportunity to network and rub elbows with some of the industry’s leading professionals.

“The Oil & Gas 101 sessions are actually what drew me to Calgary Women in Energy in the first place. I was keen to learn more about the industry to better serve my clients and was thrilled when I found out about the lunch hour sessions. The speaker is fantastic, and it’s been an invaluable

experience in helping to expand my knowledge on the energy sector.”

- Kelly Trotter, Staffing Consultant for Klopp Richards & Associates | CWIE member.

Training does not need to be expensive or last several days in order to be worthwhile. The point of these short courses is to give individuals a good

Sending employees to training opportunities, or bringing opportunities into the company, will infuse a business with new ideas and creative ways of solving old problems. overall understanding of how all the pieces work together to contribute to the whole big picture of the oil and gas industry.

For more information about Calgary Women in Energy, or to become a member, please visit www.cwie.org.

By Kristy Hysert DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT FOR CALGARY WOMEN IN ENERGY.

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69

AUTOMOTIVE

PUSHING THE REDLINE O

nce in a lifetime, you meet someone who is so completely immersed in their passion for what they do it forces you to ask yourself some of those hard hitting questions such as, “what have I done with my life?”

Zahir Rana found his passion at a very young age - exotic cars. Zahir came to Canada as an auto technician over 35 years ago. As a newcomer to Canada, he had a very difficult time initially planting roots. “No one wanted to hire me. I was the British educated guy that knew nothing about American cars.”

So, at that point, Zahir had to decide to make things work and started his Canadian life as a pump jockey at a local gas station, then as a mechanic. After five long years, Zahir realized all the hard work of a mechanic would still not allow him to have the wealth he needed to pursue his dream of exotic cars. He realized he would have to go into business for himself.

Over 10 years of proven success as the owner of ZR Auto, Zahir is able to help others realize their passion for dream cars and the need for speed. “It has been a lot of hard work, long hours, and relentless deter­mination to follow this dream and stay passionate,” he says. Zahir believes the most wonderful aspect of owning an exotic car is driving it. “Simply, there is no point of having one as an ornament.”

Prior to ZR Auto, exotic and fine car owners worried about driving their cars on a regular basis as there really was no one local who was

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AUTOMOTIVE able to service the vehicles or repair them. As a trained mechanic, he personally oversees custom projects, as well as specific service needs. Zahir builds long term relationships with his clients by fully understanding their needs and the vehicles they drive. For some, it’s about what they drive, but for others it’s about what drives them.

After getting his clients into the cars of their dreams, he then creates an environment and experience for them to further enjoy. Each year, Zahir arranges numerous community and charitable events. “We typically drive over 25,000 kilometers a year all over North America,” he says. The trips range from Sunday drives to week long caravan trips which can be seen all across Alberta and B.C. in the spring and summer months. One of the unique and charitable events organized by Zahir is the CFB Cold Lake Event. It represents three charities: The Soldier On Fund, The Tritown Food Bank, and Hearts for Healthcare. Last year, the event raised over $100,000 where 65 exotic cars took to the runway at Cold Lake Air Force Base to race an F18 jet. “The runway at the Cold Lake Base is the longest in Canada, so people can drive their cars flat out and still be safe.” Zahir says. The Race to Base was won by Zahir in both 2010 and 2012.

Whether you are looking for the next ride of your dreams, new ideas for modifications, or just a road less travelled, Zahir and the expert team at ZR Auto are always there to help.

See ZR Auto in the upcoming Edmonton Motor Show on Thursday April 10th - Sunday 13th, 2014, as well as the Area 27 Road Rally and Osoyoos Wine Country Blitz on May 30th to June 1st, 2014, to see the build of the Area 27 Race Track outside Oysoyoos.

For further details, contact Zahir Rana (403) 207-0233, visit their show­room at 2219 32 Ave NE, or check them out online www.zrauto.com.

Zahir Rana

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By Cindy Wagner

1500HP Wide Body Gallardo

Austin Mini - Custom

ZR Auto is a private, family owned business operating in Calgary, specializeing in tuning, repair and service of sports and exotic cars.

2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spider

Mercedes SLS AMG 6.3 2002 Porsche 996

2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG Ferrari F430

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

73

PERSON IN PROFILE

DR. BRAD MECHOR I

n July 2007, Saskatchewan native Dr. Brad Mechor began a practice in Calgary following advanced fellowship training in rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery. In January 2010, he opened the Calgary Sinus Centre to better serve the needs of patients with nasal and sinus disorders.

He strives to provide efficient and effective care for his patients, better educate referring physicians through continuing medical education projects, and has been an invited speaker at both national and international sinus surgery courses.

Dr. Mechor is dedicated to advancing endoscopic skull base surgery and functional rhinoplasty surgery as well as in-office sinus treatments to improve the quality of life of patients while reducing the burden on our health care system.

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OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

MAKING SAFETY

MANAGEABLE We help small & medium size company’s to: DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, AND MAINTAIN THEIR SAFETY PROGRAM WITH AFFORDABLE ONLINE TOOLS

OilfieldPULSE | MARCH 2014

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THE NEW SOURCE FOR OIL AND GAS NEWS SUBSCRIBE TODAY IT’S FREE

THE CHICAGO CHOPHOUSE SPRING 2014 - THE BURNS BUILDING

CURRENT LOCATION 604 – 8TH AVENUE SW

COMING SOON THE BURNS BUILDING 604 – 8TH AVENUE SW

A perfect venue for weddings, corporate parties, stampede, Christmas. Great access to the stampede grounds & saddledome for hockey games & concerts. Great access to theatre Calgary & Epcor events. +15 access. Full service charcuterie counter. Offering a fantastic wine selection, in-house dry aged steak & all your favorite menu items.

ADDRESS 604 – 8TH AVENUE SW CALGARY, AB 403.265.3000​

HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon-Thurs: 11:30am-10pm Fri: 11:30am-11pm Sat: 5PM-11pm

What’s all the HUBbub about?

Changing the way you buy in the oil and gas industry!

Better manage and reduce expenses surrounding the sourcing and life cycle management of your services, supplies and rentals.

â–Ş Centralize Preferred Vendor Management â–Ş Supply Chain Order Processing â–Ş Source Projects Faster â–Ş Eliminate Non-Productive Time â–Ş Improve Accountability and Control â–Ş Increase Profitability and Cost Efficiencies

Improve the collaboration and communication within your company and between you and your suppliers Oilfield HUB addresses your productivity challenges as a strategic component of your operations, all within a single web based tool.

Phone: 403-537-6560

Toll Free: 1-866-883-8848

Call us to arrange a private tour of Oilfield HUB!

Sales@LeadstoneGroup.com

www.OilfieldHUB.com