CALGARY, AB (March 21, 2017) – Alberta Innovates, Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and Natural Resources Canada have partnered to host the Oil Sands Innovation Summit 2017, on March 21 and 22, in Calgary. The two-day Summit spotlights how we’re improving the environmental performance of Canada’s oil sands. Attracting global innovators from industry, research, government, academia, and the service and technology sectors, the event provides a platform for new ideas, projects and programs for innovation in the oil sands.
“Finding new ways to be innovative will be essential to the continued economic prosperity of Alberta,” says Laura Kilcrease, CEO, Alberta Innovates. “This event not only showcases the great work being done to improve environmental performance in the oil sands - it is an important opportunity to bring key partners together to share new ways of thinking.”
Oil Sands Innovation Summit 2017 demonstrates the commitment of the federal and the provincial governments in collaboration with the oil sands industry to actively seek out solutions to accelerate environmental performance. It features a variety of technical presentations on some of the latest projects in the environmental priority areas of land, greenhouse gases, tailings and water, as well as general discussions about the need to more quickly advance transformative technology applicable beyond the oil sands industry.
“This Summit connects CanmetENERGY and Canadian Forest Service scientists from my department with leaders from Alberta Innovates, COSIA, and many others. Our innovations will create good middle-class jobs for Albertans and Canadians, in the clean-energy future,” says Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr.
With nearly 100 speakers presenting on topics ranging from carbon dioxide capture and storage, to the future of oil sands water treatment technology, sustainable land reclamation, and novel tailings technologies, the sessions highlight the vast potential of innovation to accelerate environmental performance improvements in the oil sands industry.
“There’s an incredible amount of research and innovation underway in Canada’s oil sands industry,” says Dan Wicklum, chief executive of COSIA. “When you bring great minds together like this, with a challenge of improving environmental performance, great things happen. Oil Sands Innovation Summit 2017 allows us a chance to focus on these opportunities together.”
For more information about the event, please visit http://www.cosia.ca/summit.
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About Alberta Innovates
Alberta Innovates will deliver 21st century solutions to the most compelling challenges faced by Albertans. Building on our province’s strengths in environment, energy, health, food, fibre and emerging technology sectors, we will work with our partners to diversify our economy, improve environmental performance and enhance our well-being. Alberta Innovates delivers the kind of cross-sectoral support and leadership that Alberta’s world-class researchers, entrepreneurs and industry innovators need to thrive in a globally competitive research and innovation context. Services, tools, expertise, partnerships and funding from Alberta Innovates support a broad range of research and innovation activity, from discovery to application, with a focus on accelerating commercial outcomes. Find out more at https://albertainnovates.ca
Alberta Innovates Media Contact
Bruce Marpole
403.760.7322
Bruce.Marpole@albertainnovates.ca
For further information on COSIA, please contact
Eileen Kahler
Eileen.Kahler@cosia.ca
About COSIA
COSIA (Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance) is an alliance of Canada’s largest oil sands producers, representing 90 percent of production from the Canadian oil sands. Our vision is to enable responsible and sustainable development of Canada’s oil sands as a global energy source while delivering accelerated improvement in environmental performance through collaborative action and innovation in the areas of greenhouse gases, land, tailings and water. For more information, visit: www.cosia.ca and follow us on twitter @COSIA_ca.
About Natural Resources Canada
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has a responsibility to create a sustainable resource advantage for Canadians – now and in the future. Attaining this vision requires collective efforts on the part of all stakeholders in natural resources from coast to coast. Each portfolio agency plays an important and unique role to help ensure a strong resource future for Canadians through promoting growth, competitiveness and environmental leadership.
About CanmetENERGY in Devon
As one of three Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) laboratories in the Innovation and Energy Technology Sector, CanmetENERGY in Devon (CanmetENERGY) conducts research and development (R&D) to reduce the environmental impact and improve economic competitiveness of fossil fuel production and processing in Canada.
Located in Devon, Alberta—CanmetENERGY works in collaboration with international, national, provincial, academic, and industrial organizations to develop and demonstrate new technologies, and provide scientific evidence and advice for policy.
CanmetENERGY is a key contributor to the Program for Energy Research and Development’s (PERD) fossil fuel portfolio with projects related to oil sands extraction, heavy oil processing, tight oil and gas, and oil spill science. Other R&D projects are supported by government initiatives such as the National Ocean Protection Plan and Energy Innovation Program. CanmetENERGY also engages in contracts with industrial clients.
Natural Resources Canada
Media Relations
343-292-6100