2023 Conference agenda

Registration and Continental Breakfast

Welcoming Remarks

Day One - Opening Keynote Address

Sarah Marshall, Vice President, Sustainability, Nova Chemicals

Session 1 - Strategies for Developing Canada's Petrochemical & Downstream Capacities

Moderator: Lynette Tremblay, Chief Operating Officer, Invest Alberta

Panel Members:
Mike Simpson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy, Government of Alberta

Geoff Bury, President & CEO, Northern Petrochemicals

Lynn Exner, Chief Operating Operator, Canada Action

Networking Break and Exhibition

Session 2 - Driving Sustainability & Emissions Reduction with Digitization

Moderator: Glenn Cherepak, VP, Process & Infrastructure, Spartan Controls

Panel Members: 

Ashley Marr, Vice President, Optimization & Innovation, Inter Pipeline

Kevin Wilke, Climate Solutions Leader, Nova Chemicals 

Networking Break

Keynote Luncheon - Carbon Negative Bright Green Hydrogen

Presenter: Ian MacGregor, Founder, North West Refining Inc.

Introductions: Mark Kolke, Vice President, Commercial, MaxWell Capital Realty

"Where do you get it? Why Alberta is the best place to make it? When’s it going to get here? How can it reduce the carbon intensity of what we make?

I’m going to try to answer these questions based on my experience dreaming up the Sturgeon Refinery and the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line and getting them both operating.

I’m also going to try to convince you I’ve got one more left in me."

Ian MacGregor, Founder, North West Refining Inc.

Networking Break

Special Presentation: Closing the Skills Gap with Knowledge Automation

Our industry is dealing with a major challenge, which is growing every day: The Skills Gap. Plants are challenged in recruiting, onboarding and maintaining an effective workforce. The traditional way of onboarding new hires and relying on a few SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) on critical operations is not working. Knowledge Automation, deployed by the world’s biggest companies, is proven to solve this challenge, leading to safer, more productive operations.

Learn about real examples and data on how Knowledge automation platform will:

- Capture & transfer critical operator knowledge 

- Make onboarding efficient and effective

- Reduce unplanned events

- Increase revenues

- Prevent operations personnel being overwhelmed

Presenters:

Francis Montemurro, Operations Director, Voovio

Michael Brendel, Account Manager, Voovio

Session 3 -  Decarbonizing Petrochemicals: The Role of SMR's, Hydrogen and CCS in Canada's Downstream Sector

Moderator: Rob Medley, Vice President, Mining and New Energy, Kiewit

Panel Members:

Monika Eby, Director of Industrial Applications, Nuclear Business Unit, HATCH

James Millar, President and CEO, International CCS Knowledge Centre

Bryant Jackson, Vice President, Canada and US Onsite, Large Industries North America, Air Liquide

Networking Break

Session 4 -  Planning and Implementing Strategies to Achieve Net Zero Targets

Moderator: Paul Blenkhorn, Executive Vice President, Vertex Resource Group

Panel Members:

Claudia Leon, Head of Business & Market Development, BASF

Tom McCaffery, Executive Director, Emissions Reduction Alberta

Laura Lunt, Director, Energy Services, Linde Canada Inc.

Sean Collins, CEO, Varme Energy

Day One - Closing Keynote Speaker - A Petrochemical Feedstock Supply Outlook

Jordan Woloschuk, Principal Research Analyst, S&P Global Commodity Insights

 Cocktails & Hors d'oeuvres Reception with Exhibitors

 Registration and Hot Breakfast

Day Two - Opening Keynote Presentation - Alberta's Heartland 101

David MacLean, Director, External Relations, Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association

Session 5 - Expanding and Enhancing the Circular Economy

presented by Alberta Plastics Recycling Association

Alberta is home to many successful examples of innovation. Organizations across the plastics value chain are exploring what it means to advance circularity within their operations from integrating technologies, to design for recycling and the movement of materials into local markets. The Circular Economy represents a new way of thinking about our resources and a shift from linear to a circular system. Hear from a panel of experts from across industry and government who can speak to what they see as the barriers and opportunities to advance plastics circularity. 

Moderator: Tammy Schwass, Executive Director, Alberta Plastics Recycling Association

Panel Members: 

Katarzyna (Kasha) Piquette, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta

Dan Zembal, President, PolyAg Recycling Ltd.

Ravi Chauhan, Manager of Sustainability and Government Relations, BASF

Networking Break and Exhibition

Session 6: Developing Canada’s Petrochemical Industry: Prosperity in the Context of Sustainability 

presented by Canada West Foundation

In this session, we will explore the ways in which Canada’s petrochemical industry can prosper in the context of a national and global push for improved sustainability. Speaking with experts from the industry, we will debate whether sustainability can be a competitive advantage for Canadian petrochemical products; and we will explore who is turning up the pressure to improve sustainability, how hard it will be to meet expectations, where the industry is already making inroads, which areas of operation represent the greatest challenge, and whether the experience is likely to be different across different provinces.

Moderator: Marla Orenstein, Director of the Natural Resources Centre, Canada West Foundation

Panel Members:

Kai Horsfield, Regional Director, Western Canada, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Don Lauweryssen, Business Consultant, Genus Enterprises Ltd 

Kathleen Coffey, President, Sentio Engineering Inc.

Networking Break

Keynote Luncheon: Politics and Petrochemicals

Mat Steppan has eight years experience as a Chief of Staff for eight Cabinet Ministers in eight departments with the Government of Alberta. Most recently, Mat was the Executive Director of the United Conservative Caucus under Premier Jason Kenney. Meanwhile Keith served as a Chief of Staff to several ministers in the former Rachel Notley government. Throughout his time in Alberta politics, Keith has worked closely and effectively with political officials in all three levels of government, and helped lead many strategic initiatives related to municipal governance, consumer protection and local election reforms in Alberta. Keith and Mat will share their perspectives on politics and the petrochemical industry, how and why political decisions are made, and what happens behind the curtains in government. We'll also tackle the 'Just Transition' and its potential impact on the downstream industry. 

moderator: Melissa Caouette, Principal, MC Consulting

presenters:

Mat Steppan, Senior Strategy Advisor, Prairie Sky Strategy

Keith McLaughlin, Partner, New West Public Affairs

Dessert and Networking - Exhibition Floor