2023 Conference agenda

Registration and Coffee

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:

Geoff Bury, President & CEO, Northern Petrochemicals

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 Wilkie, Climate Solutions Leader, Nova Chemicals 

Networking Break

Keynote Luncheon

North West Refining is a private, Alberta-based company. In 2004 it was founded under the name, North West Upgrading, by a group of Albertans who shared a vision to create value-added products from bitumen in an environmentally sustainable manner.

After a decade of having to explain that North West Upgrading was building a refinery that produces high value finished products, and not an upgrader that makes bitumen into synthetic crude, the name of the company was changed to North West Refining in 2016.

North West Refining’s mission is to build a profitable bitumen refinery that makes refined products that set the world standard for low CO2 content and achieves the highest goals for sustainability wherever possible.

North West Refining was a 50 per cent owner in the North West Redwater Partnership. In July 2021, our interest in the Sturgeon Refinery was sold but we continue to support their mission.  Canadian Natural Upgrading Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Natural Resources Limited, still owns 50 per cent of the Partnership.

The Partnership built and operates the Sturgeon Refinery, the first greenfield refinery to be built in Canada since 1984. It is also the world’s first refinery designed to capture CO2 process emissions from the outset.

Ian MacGregor, Founder, North West Refining Inc.

Networking Break

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:

Marcy Sanderson, Vice President, Industrial Applications, X-Energy Canada

James Millar, President and CEO, International CCS Knowledge Centre

Networking Break

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

Moderator:

Panel Members:

Claudia Leon, Head of Business & Market Development, BASF

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

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

Cocktail Reception with Exhibitors

 Registration and Coffee

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

David MacLean, Director, External Relations

Session 5 - Expanding and Enhancing The Circular Economy

presented by Alberta Plastics Recycling Association

Networking Break and Exhibition

Session 6:

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 Jest 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