Canada needs ‘energy brand’ oilfield services association tells Ottawa

Mark Salkeld, CEO of Petroleum Services Association of Canada.

“Supplying the world with Canadian energy would help reduce global GHG emissions. The world needs more Canada.”

The Petroleum Services Association of Canada has sent a message to Canadian parliamentarians: Canada needs a brand for energy that communicates the country’s strong oil and gas regulations and its commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

PSAC highlighted the fact that the oil and gas services sector supports over 640,000 well-paying jobs across Canada from coast-to-coast, mostly middle-class, and includes manufacturing in Ontario and Quebec.

“We need a Canadian energy brand that speaks to our robust regulatory regime, our progress on protecting the environment, improving efficiency and reducing our GHG emissions through innovation and technology development so that Canadians can be proud of their energy industry and support access to tide water for exports,” said Mark Salkeld, President & CEO of PSAC.

Lack of access to global markets is costing Canadians over $50 million a day as well as jobs as capital investment moves to other countries, according to PSAC.

Recognizing that as global energy demand grows with population growth and the rise of the middle-class in developing countries, all types of energy will be needed.

“Oil and natural gas will continue to part of the energy mix for decades. Canada has the opportunity to replace higher intensity sources of energy with its clean natural gas and also stop carbon leakage by supplying our responsibly-developed oil and natural gas at home to displace supply from foreign sources with no price on carbon, higher GHG intensity, and lower standards of health, safety and environmental protection,” said Scott Van Vliet, chair of PSAC.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley speaking to the Vancouver Board of Trade, Nov. 30, 2017. Photo: Energi News.

“Supplying the world with Canadian energy would help reduce global GHG emissions. The World needs more Canada.”

When Alberta Premier Rachel Notley recently spoke at an Economic Club luncheon in Ottawa, she was introduced by Tenaris Global Services (Canada) Inc., a steel pipe producer and service provider with manufacturing facilities in Ontario and Alberta, whose operations reinforce the fact that the oil and gas industry has a national supply chain across the country, according to PSAC.

“PSAC gives kudos to Premier Notley for her cross-country speaking tour, helping to raise awareness of the benefits of this vital industry to all Canadians, the need for pipelines to tidewater, and the costs of lost opportunity if we do not recognize the opportunity before us,” said Salkeld about his organization’s trip to Ottawa several weeks ago.

“We hope that the federal government will also help raise awareness of the benefits and the high-tech nature of present day industry that continues to reduce our GHG emissions and environmental footprint.”