Neighbour's Day 2012 moving to June
By Dan Singleton
Round Up staff
With photo
The 2012 Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG) Neighbour's Day open house will be held in June instead of September as in past years.
During last week's SPOG annual general meeting at the Sundre Arena, SPOG executive director Tracey McCrimmon told members the move is being made because area farmers and ranchers are typically very busy in September and this will allow more of them to attend the popular open-house day.
The theme of the June 20, 2012 Neighbour's Day will be “Behind the Scenes”, with SPOG profiling the service side of the oil and gas industry.
“Our theme will focus on what happens behind the scenes of industry's operations and the service company sector,” said community affairs co-chair Patricia Poulton.
SPOG is a collection of 20 oil and gas companies with operations in the Sundre area. The organization also includes non-voting associate members such at the Town of Sundre, the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) and community representatives from around Sundre.
Last weeks' AGM saw reports from board members, a review of plans for 2012, and the passing of budgets.
Harold Gold, who was acclaimed as chairman for another year, told members the oil and gas industry is facing a number of challenges right now.
“From ‘dirty' oil to pipelines to multi-stage fracturing/horizontal well drilling operations, the oil and gas industry in Alberta has had an uphill battle to educate and inform the pubic about our industry and what we are doing,” said Gold, with Bonavista Petroleum.
Gold said there is a trend towards more and more unconventional oil and gas activities in the province, such as multi-stage fracturing/horizontal well drilling operations (which are used to get oil and gas out of non-porous rocks such as shale).
He said the pros of that type of activity include “extending the life of existing, mature pools of hydrocarbons that would otherwise be too expensive to produce, thus extending our energy reserve life by decades.
“This increased activity has a trickle-down effect in the local economy with new jobs and new money coming in.”
Cons of the unconventional activities include “increased traffic, wear and tear on the local infrastructure, as well as light and noise pollution,” he said.
SPOG plans to continue to make community communications one of his main jobs in 2012, he said.
“SPOG has and will continue to provide education and awareness of these (oil and gas) activities to the communities that exist within its boundaries. As well, SPOG has and continues to provide ‘Best Practice' guidance material to industry members to ensure that they minimize any negative impact their activities may have in the community.”
He commended community volunteers who help SPOG with activities such as Neighbour's Day.
SPOG executive director Tracy McCrimmon said plans for 2012 include “continuing to work with the ERCB, Clearwater County and Mountain View County to spread the word of synergy to non-member companies operating with the SPOG.”
SPOG has been working on a new strategic plan for the next three years, and participating in “community and industry engagement with neighbouring synergy groups, Synergy Alberta and Mountain View County.”
“We have also taken on a greater role at SPOG by increasing our conflict resolution resources, which has increased SPOG's capacity and involvement in mitigating highly contentious community concerns.”
She gave a report on the resident visit program, saying more than 1,900 people were visited in person and an additional 450 were contacted by phone in 2011.
SPOG community affairs committee co-chair Patricia Poulton gave a report on Neighbour's Day 2011, saying about 1,500 attended, “which although down from last year's numbers due to the farming community taking advantage of the great weather, continues to demonstrate the interest and value of this event to all stakeholders.” She also commended the volunteers involved in putting on Neighbour's Day 2011.
The 2011 charity golf tournament, as well as the proceeds of the lunch donations at Neighbour's Day, raised a total of $6,240 for the Sundre Agricultural Society, she said.
Goals of the communications committee in 2012 will include “continuing to work with the local media, to conduct media training for the board of directors, and continue to produce the Impact Newsletter,” said committee chair Alice Murray.
The updated Fair Play booklet for landowners and other residents will soon be printed and released, she said.
There were 76 calls to the SPOG mutual aid call centre so far in 2011, with 65 of those calls being for odour complaints, said committee member Eric Berg.
“Participation by member companies continues to be very good in tracking down odours or responding to flaring, noise and other complaints,” said Berg.
The resident visit program has been expanded to year-round visits, he noted.
The environment committee has made “education for both the industry and the public” as a top priority in 2012, said outgoing committee chair Dale Nyland. Brian Vanderzwan will take over the chair of the committee in 2012.
Terry Hunt gave an update on the agriculture initiatives program.
SPOG voting members passed the 2012 budget, which calls for total spending of $141,500, up from $138,500 in 2011. Among the items budgeted for in 2012 are $10,000 for Neighbour's Day (as well as a new $1,000 contribution from each member company for the event), $10,000 for communications, and $3,000 for board development.
