The joint venture project was created several years ago to explore and produce natural gas from coal (NGC), also referred to as coal bed methane (CBM), in the Fort Assiniboine region. Today, the project consists of approximately 70 wells, most within a five to 10 kilometre radius of Fort Assiniboine.

“One of the early challenges we faced with our project was to create a relationship of trust and transparency,” explained Bill Gourley, senior advisor community affairs, who accepted the award on behalf of the Nexen. “We wanted to find ways to continuously and effectively communicate with residents, farmers, business owners and others in the area.”

As a result, the Fort Assiniboine Project Liaison Committee (PLC) was created in 2003. It consists of 12 community members from diverse walks of life. In addition, two seats were created for students from the local school to play an active role on the PLC.

“The PLC enables project staff to work directly with community members who represent the concerns, ideas and attitudes of local citizens,” says Bill. “The committee provides a forum where topics of mutual interest and concern can be discussed.”

The result of this is that the project team gains a better understanding of the community’s goals and needs while the community is empowered with a voice and the capability to impact decisions about the project.

“At Nexen, we believe that while the government grants permits, it is the community that grants permission and ultimately our social license to operate,” says Bill. “Working together, we can develop better decisions and creative solutions throughout the life of projects to create a positive working environment with our stakeholders.”

Read More Articles

Top