Events

Session 1: Net Zero 

Moderator: Soheil Asgarpour (CEO, PTAC)
Panelists discussed key focus areas such as fuel diversification, electrification, and end-use applications.

• Drew Leyburne (NRCan): Highlighted the Bitumen Beyond Combustion program and the growing hydrogen market in the Canadian industry. 
• Joy Romero (CRIN, CNRL): Discussed CNRL's achievements in reducing C1 emissions and their leadership in blue hydrogen. 
• Laura Kilcrease (Alberta Innovates): Addressed challenges in scaling up technologies 
• Justin Reimer (ERA): Mentioned that 13 Canadian companies are in the top 100 global CleanTech companies and that ERA funded 11 CCS early studies in a recent funding cycle. 

Session 2: Challenges and Opportunities in the Policy and Regulatory Landscape 

Moderator: Don McCrimmon (CAPP)
Discussions focused on regulatory frameworks across different provinces and the federal level.

• Don D'Souza (BC Government): BC oil and gas industry has one of the lowest GHG intensities globally. He also mentioned that with improving measurements, this needs to be reflected in regulations. 
• Deborah Westerman (Sask Government): They saw 64% reduction in methane emissions by 2020. She also brought up that there is more gas from oil production than from gas wells and that this poses a challenge since there isnt a lot of pipeline infrastructure in Saskatchewan 
• James Diamond (ECCC): Was advocating for a more aggressive step forward with regulations while keeping industry capabilities in mind. He also assured that Canadian regulations were well aligned compared to US regulations. 

Session 3: Accelerating Momentum in Methane Detection, Measurement, Monitoring, Big Data Analysis, and Reporting 

Moderator: Kevin Stashin
Experts from California Environmental Protection Agency, AER, Highwood Emissions, Arolytics, and Zero Emissions Systems discussed advancements in methane detection technologies, emphasizing the role of big data and reporting frameworks like OGMP 2.0.

Session 4: Methane Emissions Measurement and Reporting 

Moderator: Allan Fogwill (PTAC)
Focused on methodologies and technologies for accurate methane emissions measurement and reporting, featuring panelists from various Canadian universities and research institutions.

Session 5: Methane Emissions Detection and Quantification 

Moderator: Arvinder Kainth
Panelists from Tourmaline, GHGSat, McGill University, and Bridger Photonics explored measurement technologies ranging from cameras to satellite data, highlighting advancements and challenges in continuous methane monitoring.

• Scott Volk (Tourmaline): Talked about reconciling Bridger data with reporting data and spoke about how continuous data and business intelligence will help determine where to invest.  
• Mary Kang (McGill University): She has been measuring emissions associated with suspended gas wells - Which has been an increasing area of focus in regulation.

Session 6: Global Leadership and Collaboration 

Moderator: Monica Prabhu (Prabhu Energy Labs)
Speakers from ARPA-E, Alberta Innovates, and Government of Alberta discussed international collaborations and leadership in methane emissions reduction, touching upon technological innovations and global market strategies.

• Jack Lewnard (ARPA-E): Is based in Washington DC and has been involved with the development and execution of energy infrastructure, low-carbon fuel and energy process programs. John Zhou (Alberta Innovates) 
• John Zhou (Alberta Innovates): Spoke about CERIN (Canadian Emissions Reduction Innovation Network) 
• Nicole Harbauer (Trade Commissioner, Energy & Clean Technologies): Elaborated on how they can help with funding, target market, and connections 

Session 7: Is it Profitable to Reduce Methane Emissions? 

Panelists, including representatives from Process Ecology, MELA, General Magnetic, BMO Radicle, and Carbon Assessors, debated the economic viability of methane emission reduction strategies, funding opportunities, and technological innovations.

James Holoboff, our managing partner, presented on the Techno-Economic Assessment of Methane Mitigation Pathways Report. He dove into the details of the project overview, setup, and mitigation analysis, and how our TEAM software was used. This report was generated in collaboration with ECCC, NRCan, and Clearstone. 

Session 8: Technology Development and Field Trials - Tanks, Wells, Catalytic Heaters

Discussions focused on field trials and technological advancements in methane emission reduction across different industrial applications.

Session 9: Technology Development - Methane Slip, Flaring Alternatives 

Moderator: Bryan Helfenbaum (VP Alberta Innovates)
Panelists from Prabhu Energy Labs, Accurata, and TCI explored technological developments in methane slip reduction and alternative flaring technologies.

• Edan Prabhu (Prabhu Energy Labs): Went over their methane slip technology that is under development.
• JFrank Zahner (Accurata): Discussed their PTAC study of 116 engines. Some of their findings included that fuels trapped on the walls of the engines cause incomplete combustion, the tradeoff between NOX and C1 slip is inversely proportional, and that the AER estimated 4.9 MT CO2E from methane slip should be reviewed for a better estimate. 
• Julie Wiseman (TCI): Went over the benefits of using their portable incinerator 

Session 10: US Deployment Success Stories 

Moderator: Kelly Doody (Kathairos)
Highlighted successful methane emissions reduction deployments in the United States, showcasing case studies and best practices.

Session 11: Methane Emissions Reduction Deployment Success Stories 

Moderator: Bill Whitelaw (geoLOGIC)
Panelists shared success stories and technological advancements in methane emissions reduction, focusing on practical applications and industry-specific solutions.

Conclusion

The PTAC/CRIN MLS Summit 2024 provided a comprehensive platform for stakeholders to discuss and collaborate on methane emissions reduction strategies. James Holoboff's participation underscored Process Ecology's commitment to advancing environmental technologies and sustainability in the energy sector. The summit not only showcased innovative solutions but also fostered crucial dialogue aimed at accelerating global efforts towards methane emissions reduction goals.