Five oil and gas professionals named to Calgary’s water pipe review panel

Five retired oil and gas professionals have been chosen as members of a panel examining last year’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main crisis in Calgary.

The city says Michael J. Crothers, retired president and country chair of Shell Canada, Gordon M. Engbloom, retired consultant with Confer Consultant Ltd., retired Husky Energy executive Nancy F. Foster, retired EPCOR Utilities Inc. executive Stephen Stanley, and retired Environment, Socioeconomic and Human Rights Manager with ExxonMobil Corporation, Bob B. Kerr, will join panel chair Siegfried Kiefer.

“The panel represents in total, over 200 years of industry leadership experience with the breadth and depth to conduct a truly comprehensive objective and meaningful review of our water utility system to ensure that Calgarians have reliable, affordable, and sustainable water services into the future,” Kiefer said.

The six-person panel will look into Calgary’s water utility systems in all areas of operation and maintenance, asset management, assurance and risk management, planning, design, and engineering, budget and financing, governance, and organizational responsibility, the city says.

Kiefer worker with a volunteer advisory group composed of three community leaders to choose the panel members.

A terms of reference and mandate have been finalized, according to the city, so the official review can now begin.

Calgarians can expect a full report with findings and recommendations by the end of the year.

The review was initiated by Calgary’s chief administrative officer, David Duckworth, to learn more about the summer 2024 incident, confirm the long term and reliable delivery to Calgarians, and enhance public trust and confidence in the city’s water utility system.