E SUE S IS S RIS THI NES ERP I T BUSFOR EN DES GUI
$5.99 APRIL 2015
FEATURE
TOOLS
EVOLVED ADVANCED PRODUCT SOLUTIONS
BY EVOLUTION OIL TOOLS INC
STARTING A BUSINESS BUFFER LIKE BUFFET BULLISH OIL FUTURE YOGA MOVEMENT 5 OIL SANDS LIES WINES OF BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO NASCAR CANADA THE NO BOARD
&5
OPERATIONS REPORT MANAGER
BENEFIT#3
STANDARDIZED
NAMING
OF PRODUCTS & SUPPLIERS LEVERAGE THE POWER OF THE OILFIELD HUB ONLNE BUSINESS COMMUNITY DATABASE FOR REAL TIME ACCESS TO VENDOR MANAGED PRODUCT AND SUPPLIER INFORMATION
OPERATIONS REPORT MANAGER
OPERATIONS REPORT MANAGER
Oilfield HUB is now offering a better way to organize your well operations reporting and a FIELD COST MANAGER revolutionary field cost manager module to control project expenses. There is no question about the need for greater control over and reduction of field expenses. For a live presentation of our Operations Report Manager module and the powerful Field Cost Manager call us toll free at 1-866-883-8848 or click the link to schedule a demo.
FIELD COST MANAGER
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
WHERE THE ENERGY INDUSTRY GETS ITS RESOURCES
BENEFACTOR
Energy Service Companies require a bank that responds to their needs, understands market conditions, sector cycles and seasonality. With over 25 years of expertise and strong industry knowledge, the National Bank Energy Services Group has tailored its products to meet the needs of this unique industry. Your partner in business Calgary: 403-770-1095 Edmonton: 780-409-3563 Toll Free: 1-877-BANKNAT (1-877-226-5628)
energyservices@nbc.ca
APRIL 2015
contents
14
FEATURES
14
5 Lies about the Oil Sands
From cancer to climate change, let’s get a hold on some of these hyperboles
18
Risk Vs. Trust Starting a business is a risk, but if you trust in your idea and yourself, it can be incredibly rewarding
26 38 40
Buffer like Buffet Making major moves in the market place
The No Board Achieve your goals by saying no, and keeping track
18 40
26 52
Tagliani Autosport 2014 marked the debut of Tagliani Autosport, competing in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
52
Eating Out
One of the biggest challenges with losing weight and staying healthy
60
The Yoga Movement Downward facing dog
60
ABOUT THE COVER
46
5 Beer Picks Top five favourite beers from around the world
4
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
Evolution Oil Tools has been at the forefront of innovation, and continues to adapt and evolve.
32
YOUR GLOBAL
ADVOCATE
OILFIELD STAFFING SOLUTION
WELLSITE SUPERVISION Pajak maintains a certification database that allows us to ensure that a supervisor’s tickets are always current before they go out on any job. Pajak senior technical staff are available on a 24 hour/day back-up to all supervisors and engineers.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT We provide experienced, dependable project management staff to oil & gas sites around the globe. Our team knows how to get the job done, and is insured, certified, and be IRP (industry recommended practices) #7 and IRP #16 compliant.
Contact Us
Contact Us
WORK FOR US We are constantly searching for highly qualified, safety conscious individuals to expand and maintain the company’s high standards. We provide the very best in field supervision and project management to the oil and gas industry. Apply With Pajak PAJAKENG.COM | 403-264-1197(24HOURS)
APRIL 2015
contents DEPARTMENTS
10 20
10 20
CEO Message Still bullish on the future!
24
Rail Vs. Pipe More Big Green protests aren’t going to reduce oil by rail shipments – or danger of another tragedy
Brunello di Montalcino What you need to know about the famous
red italian wine
28 44
Client Relationship Management Health, Safety, Environment
24
28
He Said She Said Communication between the genders in
56 62
our workplace
Sunterra
Bountiful Brunching 101
Alternative Health
Can herbal remedies help men with nocturia
or prostatitis, and in turn help sleep patterns?
44 56 50 6
Change in Times Like These How to transition in the best way possible
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
62
ADVOCATE
STABILIZE
PROBLEM SHALES
AND REDUCE
COSTS
PRODUCT DELIVERY AVAILABLE FROM 13 WAREHOUSES AROUND CANADA An independent Canadian drilling & completion fluid Company providing quality of service and experience.
1 403 233 2500 | pinnaclefluids.com
Subscriptions@OilfieldPULSE.com TELEPHONE 1-403-537-6560 TOLL FREE 1-866-883-8848 For advertising inquiries or editorial submissions please contact: Production@LeadstoneGroup.com
CEO KEVIN TURKO | Kevin.Turko@LeadstoneGroup.com
PUBLISHER/V.P. SALES DAVE O’CONNOR | Dave.OConnor@LeadstoneGroup.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR KYLE K. FUJITA | Kyle.Fujita@LeadstoneGroup.com
MANAGING EDITOR ANDREA TURKO | Andrea.Turko@LeadstoneGroup.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AMANDA LEE | Amanda.Lee@LeadstoneGroup.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR BARB LEE | Barb.Lee@LeadstoneGroup.com
NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER CHAD CARBNO | Chad.Carbno@LeadstoneGroup.com
DIRECTOR - CLIENT RELATIONS KAREN KEITH | Karen.Keith@LeadstoneGroup.com FINANCE & ADMIN JEANNIE YIP | Finance_Admin@LeadstoneGroup.com
OILFIELD PULSE
ADVERTISING INDEX 2 OPERATIONS REPORT MANAGER
25 DRILLFORMANCE TECHNOLOGIES
67 ARIZONA VACATION RENTALS INC.
3 NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA
25 KENSINGTON RIVERSIDE INN
68 PLAINS FABRICATION
5 PAJAK ENGINEERING LTD.
25 BP MECHANICAL & CONSULTING LTD.
7 PINNACLE DRILLING FLUIDS LTD.
37 EVOLUTION OIL TOOLS INC.
9 CATCH RESOURCES INC.
55 SIDELINE GRILL & SPORTS LOUNGE
17 BLACK BETTY BURGER & WINEBAR
65 CHAR G. PHOTOGRAPHY
23 MILLENNIUM DIRECTIONAL SERVICE LTD.
66 OILFIELD HUB
© 2015 by Leadstone Group Inc.
For advertising inquiries or editorial submissions please contact: Production@LeadstoneGroup.com
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The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this publication is prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Disclaimer: The messages expressed in this publication do not represent the views of Oilfield PULSE, Leadstone Group or affiliated companies. Publication Number: 42420518
CEO MESSAGE
WE’RE STILL
BULLISH ON THE FUTURE! C
ut, cut, cut! That’s what we’re all hearing lately. Cut capital projects, cut operations and cut costs. We get it, but don’t get it at the same time. Sure we too have been impacted by oil prices hitting the tank. Projects have evaporated and clients have left our fold. Who hasn’t experienced the same thing? Nobody! But we’re still bullish on the future of the industry and our Oilfield HUB product line. Why so? We all know sooner or later prices will recover, activity will pick up and we all will be looking over our shoulders and hope it won’t happen again. But it will. It’s cyclical or just a matter of time. But for today and the foreseeable future, we’re more interested in preparing for the upturn in activity which will undoubtedly occur, be it this summer, fall, winter or perhaps sometime in 2016. Here’s how we are preparing, and how we are working with Operators and EPCs in the HUB to position our products and services, and by extension our clients operations to do more with less, as prices recover and activity rebounds. Let’s face it, everyone is cutting costs today, and there’s definitely a direct human toll no one involved in the patch is immune to. We all have colleagues, friends and relatives who are now or will be sitting on the sidelines while commodity prices, inventory and geo-political issues sort themselves out. It’s not a question of if, as compared to the question of when. We’re taking advantage of the lull in activity as an opportunity to further prepare and enhance our own Oilfield HUB product line, and by extension, our client’s operations to be much better positioned from a cost and resources standpoint when prices and
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OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
the industry start to turn around. Again, it’s all about investing now in order to capitalize on how to do more with less in the future. THE MONEY PROBLEM Many exploration and production companies lack efficiency in the management of field expense processing, which leads to unnecessary and escalating project costs. Products covering upstream field report management currently in the market do not offer assistance in managing the ebb and flow of expense documents, including truck tickets and invoices. They are also way too costly and hence, unattainable for micro-junior, junior and budding intermediate companies due to high annual licensing fees and per diem report fees. These smaller oil and gas companies resort to spreadsheets and manual log books. All parties involved in the management of a well cannot easily access data in these documents, nor is it easily filtered or tracked by those who are privy to them. Suppliers have no knowledge of what field supervisors are telling their head offices regarding approved vendor expenses incurred on a project. The field supervisor’s daily report is an essential component of the confirmation and approval of service invoices. Hence, any break in the chain of communication between the field, head office and their vendors can lead to double billing, duplicate billing, hiring the same service multiple times, cost overruns and poor time management, all resulting in an unfavorable rise in non-productive time and associated costs.
THE VENDOR MANAGEMENT PROBLEM Vendors offer services or products that are crucial in all facets of the lifecycle of a well. With each project typically involving 30+ vendors that the Operator is responsible for keeping track of, field supervisor’s days are constantly diverted inappropriately from essential and critical wellsite operations to reporting on actual operations and coordination of these vendors. Regardless of their size, many exploration and production companies are using the same outdated systems and processes for cost tracking. The major issue with these systems is the lack of traceable and auditable connections between the company and vendor in an electronic, realtime manner. This deficiency of accessible and centralized communication forces both parties to manage all information manually through phone calls, emails and their written notes. Consequently, information is lost and vendor invoices are often not reflective of the work that was performed, resulting in companies potentially overpaying for services, supplies and rentals. THE SOLUTION The lifecycle of a well involves collecting numerous engineering and status-related figures. Our recently released Oilfield HUB - Operations Report Manager (ORM) service provides a full suite of forms to record all events throughout the Construction, Drilling, and Completion phases of each well by the use of fillable forms simply accessed online through a web browser. But this OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
11
CEO MESSAGE in itself is not the game changer the industry so desperately needs. Here’s the better way. A direct reporting connection with service companies is established through Oilfield HUB, and its related service plugins, both online and via email. Vendors receive an email notification of field supervisor approved expenses and have the ability to reply upon agreement of these expenses, or request a further change all before the invoice is generated. This element of authorization or rebuttal represents a new paradigm in operator-vendor communications. The real game changer! The Oilfield HUB ORM, and our soon to be intro duced Field Cost manager (FCM) service plug-in, are online reporting tools that consolidate all vendor communications and supporting information throughout the complete lifecycle of a well. The HUB is a universal platform that integrates all gathered information from a well and contains it in one, easily linked and accessible location. This is ideal for cost efficiency and communication among vendors, field personnel and head offices. With so many micro-juniors and junior oil and gas companies trying to enter the market, struggling to make ends meet or trying to grow their revenue, this software needs to be offered at a price that targets this market demographic. It’s not what the market will bear, in our opinion, it’s what’s fair! IT costs are coming down all over
ADVOCATE
T
the world whether it be hardware or application development. If we want to truly help operators do more with less, we can’t take a serious pound of flesh to do so. We have to be part of the solution at a price point the entire industry can afford. And that’s the solution we are investing in during this downturn. We’re focusing our resources today on these pain and cost points all operators are experiencing at the end of service or end of well pertaining to the validation, reconciliation, approval and audibility of field expenses. In manpower terms alone this is costing the industry on both sides of the fence millions of dollars each year. Is there a better way? Hell yes! There isn’t a better time than now to invest in our future, and by extension to position our client base to reap the benefits of this operations paradigm shift. The result? Operators and their vendors will be able to do more with less. Less may be the new reality, or perhaps just turn out to be a 2015 aberration. The game changer will be to do more regardless of where less ends up! We are looking forward to weathering the storm and tackling this challenge in lock step with our Oilfield HUB clients. Kevin Turko CEO LEADSTONE GROUP 403.537.6561
his month, we are very pleased to have Evolution Oil Tools Inc. grace our April cover and be featured in this issue of Oilfield PULSE. Evolution’s General Manager Shaun Wold has been one of Oilfield
HUB’s most ardent and vocal supporters since we launched the HUB a few years back. We also share the privilege of working with Shaun and his team at Evolution as one of our VIP clients as we grow the Oilfield HUB online business community together and Evolution Oil Tool’s presence and business both domestically and internationally!
12
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
KA-BLAM CONSULTING CORPORATE PLANNING TO PROJECT EXECUTION & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
P
roviding oil and gas project manage ment services, from detailed corporate planning to the completion of projects on site, Ka-Blam Consulting is pleased to be joining the ever expanding Oilfield HUB online business community. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Ka-Blam is equipped to handle all of the technical details from high level project overview to detailed project planning, including project execution in the field. A strong addition to the HUB’s extensive company listings and product / service database, Ka-Blam specializes in project planning, cost estimates, risk assessment, well design, completions and work-overs, vendor selection, supplying superintendent and well-site supervisors and project execution in the field. With over twenty years of experience in the industry, President Chris Gabrielson, is a proven leader in his field, having innovated affordable SAGD project training courses and oilfield equipment tours. As Gabrielson puts it, “We are
a small business, but we can handle big projects, from the technical details to the project’s successful execution.” Ka-Blam has a strong focus on education and continued growth in the oil and gas industry, offering SAGD project training courses, oilfield equipment tours and an opportunity for people to maximize their potential in the industry. Through knowledge, technical expertise, detailed design and follow through, Ka-Blam guides clients through initial planning and then makes it a reality, always adhering to safety regulations and guidelines. To learn more about how Ka-Blam Consulting can help you with your project call 403-969-1136 or visit their HUB microsite here. Information on SAGD project training can also be found on the website or call 780-898-1445 to register.
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
13
TRUTH BE TOLD
OIL SANDS LIES Lie #1: The oil sands have destroyed an area the size of Florida. Reality: The oil sands deposits sit underneath an area comparable to the size of Florida, BUT only 3% of the oil sands deposits are shallow enough to ever be mined. Anyone who says the oil sands will destroy an area the size of Florida is simply lying, and they know it. It comes down to geography plain and simple.
Lie #2: The oil sands have caused a massive increase in rare cancers. Reality: There is the well documented and quoted case of Doctor John O’Connor who claimed there was a epidemic of cancer cases which grabbed headlines. Yet, he was proven wrong and was sanctioned by the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons for serious ethical breaches. The investigator discovered that instead of a cancer epidemic, Dr. O’Connor’s public statements about the
14
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
health of Fort Chipewyan’s residents contained, “Mistruths, inaccuracies, and unconfirmed information.” This is where the rumors started. If you are looking for credible, factual, and scientific information on the topic, The Royal Society of Canada is a good source. In 2010, the RSC released a report stating there was no correlation between the oil sands and elevated instances of cancer. The report went on to say the oil sands was not likely to cause an increase in cancer among the general population.
Lie #3: We don’t need the oil sands, the world should focus on renewable energy. Reality: There has been a massive push towards new sources of energy but the fact remains, there are side affects to every energy source. Wind farms kill anywhere from 75,000 – 275,000 birds a year in North America and are only possible with rare earth minerals that are mined in China. Nuclear energy has its own misgiving
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
15
TRUTH BE TOLD also, with the Fukushima disaster fresh in our minds and the ongoing issue of where to store nuclear waste in several countries. We all want to shift our way of life towards renewable energy sources but it simply cannot happen overnight. Our entire way of life is only possible because of oil and gas. To quote the Pulitzer prize winning author Daniel Yergin” It is oil that makes possible where we live, how we live, how we commute, how we travel – even where we conduct our courtships. Oil makes it possible to transport food to the totally non self-sufficient mega cities of the world. Oil and natural gas are the essential components in the fertilizer on which world agriculture depends, oil also provides the plastics & chemicals that are the bricks & mortar of contemporary civilization” The world needs oil, energy demand is forecast to grow by 53% between now and 2035 and while we should focus on research and development of new technologies for renewable energy, the fact remains, we must live our lives. The USA spends $50 billion a year protecting OPEC shipping lanes so they can import OPEC oil, I would reason that the USA can source more oil from safe, friendly Canada and transfer that incredible amount of money into R & D for renewable energy. The world needs more Canadian oil, not less.
Lie #5: If we continue to develop the oil sands it is game over for the climate.
Lie #4: Development of the oil sands has destroyed an enormous amount of the Canadian forest.
about 3.5% of the emissions the USA power
Reality: In 40 years of oil sands development 0.02% of the Canadian forest has been disturbed. Furthermore all areas disturbed by oil sands mining must legally be reclaimed back to a vegetative state. Currently 10% of the mining footprint has been or is in the process of being reclaimed. Lush cosmetics among others has been so quick to promote themselves by bashing the oil sands with pictures of the mining operations. What they fail to mention is mining will only ever affect 3% of the total land area the oil sands occupies. In addition mining is not a new industry specific to the oil sands region only. Human beings have mined since the beginning of time and when you look at other industries you will see the oil sands is leading the pack when it comes to environmental performance, monitoring and improvement.
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OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
Reality: The oil sands is currently responsible for roughly 0.1% of world greenhouse gas emissions. Now I am no mathematical expert but what about the other 99.9%? In this case I would question the sanity or education of anyone who wants to tell me that 0.1% of something is a game changer. Even according the the NEB’s high oil sands production forecast for 2035, emissions are still less than 1% of the worlds total. In addition the oil sands industry has reduced greenhouse gas emissions per barrel by 29% over the last 20 years. Industry and government are spending $billions on research and implementation of better environmental performance, this will only accelerate as time goes on. Desmond Tutu on the other hand has publicly come out against the oil sands even though his country is currently building 2 coal power plants that will combine to emit over 50% of the emissions the oil sands do, and that is just 2 coal power plants. What about Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, India and China. China is commissioning several coal power plants per MONTH. Even in the USA the oil sands produces generation sector does. There is even a single coal power plant in Illinois that produces all by itself 25% of the emissions the entire oil sands does. We all should now be thinking ”Why don’t the celebrities and paid professional protesters hold hands around coal power plants and sing kumbaya while protesting,” and the answer simply is they are not paid to do so and the people who spread these lies about the oil sands also enjoy modern conveniences, driving, flying, electricity and so forth. For them their bus runs on hypocrisy. Cody Battershill REMAX HALL OF FAME TOP 100 REMAX AGENTS IN CANADA 2013 & 2014 @CALGARYISM TWITTER/INSTAGRAM @CODYINCALGARY TWITTER FACEBOOK.COM/CALGARYISM WHYCALGARY.COM THEBESTINCALGARY.COM BESTCALGARYHOMES.COM
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PLAINS PERSPECTIVE
RISK VS TRUST
STARTING A BUSINESS IS A RISK, BUT IF YOU TRUST IN YOUR IDEA & YOURSELF,
THEN BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR CAN BE INCREDIBLY REWARDING.
I have seen the adage, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” flying around social media. Risk is a part of life. Getting out of bed and driving to work in the morning is filled with risk. So is lying in bed and pulling the covers over your head every morning. We are surrounded by risk, and we make choices about how to mitigate that risk depending upon our own personal levels of comfort. When we commute to work, we need to trust in our own ability to operate a vehicle or we rely upon the skill of the bus driver; we need to trust the vehicle has been maintained properly; trust the roads have been maintained properly; and trust the drivers around us are paying attention to the road and not their cellphones. Even though the risks are the same every day, we accept whatever comes our way and return home safely 99.9% of the time. When risk turns into reality, we deal with the situation in the appropriate manner, and life goes on. In the business world, there is an ever growing trend to protect against risk and/or to remove all risk. It is no more possible to remove all risk in business than it is on your daily commute. Companies are
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OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
using their legal departments to create complicated bidding packages and/or purchase agreements. These documents are hundreds of pages long and filled with protectionist language. The growth of risk management in companies has been staggering in the past few years. The practice itself makes a lot of sense if you are working closely with your supply network. If you are keeping everything concise and collaborative, then it will serve all the companies involved well to recognize and identify possible risk. The issue is many companies are using these documents to protect themselves rather than using them to identify risk. These large documents are attempting to divert all risk down the supply network. Good relationships are built upon trust. A relation ship requires open honest dialogue. A contract is a relationship between two companies. It should be a bond between customer and supplier, and we should be trying to produce a product that will lead to a long term relationship. Creating a document which acts as a shield will not help create a successful project nor build a long term trusting relationship. If all parties come to the table willing to share some of the burden of risk involved in the project, it creates the right environment for successful outcomes. If the project is adversarial from the start, I think it is obvious the lack of trust can create unwanted scenarios and no one wins. Don’t get me wrong. This is not about hurt feelings. A lot of the words I am using could be misconstrued as being soft or “touchy feely”. Ultimately, we are trying to create value for all the players involved in the game. If your view is every contract has winners and losers, my experience tells me that mindset is detrimental to good business. If we share in the risk and we trust each other to produce a mutually beneficial outcome, then my years running a successful business should be all the proof you need. Perhaps this will be viewed as a little old fashioned by some, but there was a time when deals were done on a handshake. A person was as good as their word; honour and respect were perhaps viewed a little differently than they are
today. The world of ADVOCATE business is ever changing and constantly evolving. Change is not always bad. In fact, continuous improvement practices mean everything should evolve. New methods of business are created in response to prevailing issues. That is perfectly logical, but sometimes, we over react. That is what I think has happened in this case. Businesses have grown and sometimes, new methods are needed to ensure a company is protected. What I am trying to say here is the balance has shifted too far in the other direction. We have gone from a handshake to legal documents
The growth of risk management in companies has been staggering in the past few years. The practice itself makes a lot of sense if you are working closely with your supply network.
that are hundreds of pages long and create a system of mistrust. Without trust and the willingness to share risk as business owners, we are not creating an environment for mutual success. More and more companies are coming to this realization, and the relationships we are building with our customers are getting better all the time. I have a feeling the face to face meetings and the handshake are still pretty meaningful. We are working closely with our customers to try to find the right balance.
Chester Nagy PRESIDENT PLAINS FABRICATION
OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
19
BEACON ENERGY NEWS
RAIL
VS
PIPE
MORE BIG GREEN PROTESTS AREN’T GOING TO REDUCE OIL BY RAIL SHIPMENTS – OR DANGER OF ANOTHER LAC MEGANTIC TRAGEDY
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OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
Robert Sankey is an hereditary chief of the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation, on the northern coast of BC. He supports an aboriginal pipeline project because his people don’t want oil by rail through their traditional territory. “Given its importance to the national economy we know oil is eventually coming to the B.C. north coast. We sure don’t want bitumen by rail…” he said in a Beacon Energy News story last week. Who can blame him? Four trains carrying oil – some of it volatile Bakken crude, some of it Alberta synthetic crude – have derailed recently in Canada and the USA, resulting in fires and explosions. Two of the accidents occurred near the village of Gogoma, 600 kilometres north of Toronto, and residents there were justifiably worried that a few clicks closer and their community might have suffered the same fate as Lac Megantic, Que. On a sultry summer night in 2013 a runaway train derailed near the centre of the small rural town and a number of rail cars carrying Bakken crude exploded, incinerating more than 30 buildings and killing 47 people. Lac Megantic is to oil by rail what the 1989 ExxonValdez spill is to marine oil tankers and the 2010 release into the Kalamazoo River by Enbridge is to pipelines. Both the ExxonValdez and Kalamazoo disasters spurred change within the respective industries that led to safer transportation of crude oil. The same cannot be said for oil by rail. As I noted in my last column, 80 per cent of the Canadian fleet of oil tanker cars and 69 per cent of the American fleet consist of outdated, unsafe Class 111 cars. Last year, Transport
Canada mandated the supposedly more robust CPC-1232 standard for all new tanker cars. But the Transport Safety Board warned the national regulator CPC-1232 was inadequate. Unfortunately, the Feb. 14 derailment near Gogoma proved TSB right. The preliminary investigation revealed the CPC-1232-built cars performed to the same poor standard at 38 mph as the Class 111 cars did at 65 mph at Lac Megantic. I called for Canadian and American governments to immediately begin the admittedly expensive process of replacing oil tanker fleets with a much more robust design they have been discussing for some time. But public institutions move at government speed – very, very slowly. In the meantime, there is one thing that can be done to reduce the likelihood of another Lac Megantic on either – or, God forbid, both – side of the border: Expedite pipeline approval and construction. Which is where Greenpeace and others anti-oil sands campaigners enter this story. Big Green’s campaign against the oil sands may be the most effective environmental protest campaign ever. It has buttressed President Barack Obama and helped him oppose the Keystone XL pipeline project. Big Green and concerned BC First Nations have frustrated Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project – or as I like to call it, the dead
Train carrying volatile Bakken crude oil derailed and exploded, killing 47 people in Lac Megantic, Que. OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
21
BEACON ENERGY NEWS get the kids to hockey practice and deliver fresh produce to the grocery store. Pipelines are safer than oil by rail. The Canadian Railway Association disputes that assertion, but there is plenty of evidence to back up the claim – and grist for future columns. If we’re serious about both protecting the environment and North American communities, then pipeline walking. And Big Green in conjunction with we need to have a more rational public debate about the cities of Burnaby and Vancouver is mounting oil transportation. an potent opposition to Kinder Morgan’s Trans Weaver is no fan of Big Oil and pipelines, but Mountain expansion. he is pragmatic and his opinions are based on And let’s not forget Big Green leadership role in science, not emotion and an unrealistic view of the the growing opposition to the Energy East project, world’s energy future. Weaver should be the model which will see oil sands crude transported from for Big Green’s approach to the public debate over Alberta across Canada to refineries in Quebec and energy infrastructure. the Maritimes. Rallies on legislature lawns and social media BC Coastal First Nations, a key ally of Big Green campaigns to rally the faithful aren’t going to stop groups opposing West Coast pipelines, has already long trains of Class 111 tanker cars full of crude oil come out publicly against the nascent First Nationsfrom passing through Canadian and American cities led Eagle Spirt Energy energy corridor proposal, and towns. which would include a 1.1 million bbls/day pipeline. As Or lessen the potential for another Lac Megantic, the Eagle Spirit project proceeds, no doubt Big Green perhaps this time in a more populous community will train its mighty guerrilla Pr guns there as well. with much more loss of life. But as even climate scientist and BC Green Party To reduce the prospect of that happening, MLA Andrew Weaver recognizes, until renewable Canada and the United States have to have an adult energy and electric vehicle technology improve – conversation about how crude oil gets to market. which will take decades – we are stuck with oil to Is Big Green going to sit at the table and contribute to the debate or protest outside on the streets?
Protest on Burnaby Mountain against Kinder Morgan pipeline.
By Markham Hislop
Typical Class 111 tanker car used to ship oil by rail.
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OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
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The beautiful tuscan vineyards in autumn, at horizon St. Antimo Abbey, a region of famous red italian wine Brunello di Montalcino
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OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
GROWING THE
1
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2
Guy Phaneuf | General Manager
The wines, by law, must be made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, which are also known as Brunello in the region. The vines thrive around Montalcino, which is known as the hottest and driest area within the Tuscan region. This environment helps to produce deep, intense, and age worthy wines.
DRILFORMANCE TECHNOLOGIES 587-438-6013 | WWW.DRILFORMANCE.COM
GROWING
3
Brunellos cannot be released for sale until five years after harvest or six years for wines labelled as Riservas. While the wine is at the winery, it must be aged for at least two years in oak barrels and four months in bottle (six months for Riservas).
THE
FROM WITHIN
KENSINGTON RIVERSIDE INN IS CALGARY’S FIRST RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX PROPERTY!
4
Katie Mayer Marketing & Media Relations Manager
Brunellos are age worthy wines, which are best when laid down for 10 – 30 years depending on their vintage. They are delicious when served with hard cheeses, such as pecorino, and red meat dishes that have a mushroom or truffle accompaniment.
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Rosso di Montalcino is declassified as Brunello di Montalcino, also known as Brunello’s baby brother. These wines are released for sale 18 months after harvest and are a wonderful way to sample a lighter version of this majestic wine style.
KENSINGTON RIVERSIDE INN (403) 206-9587 WORK KMAYER@HOTELARTS.CA WWW.KENSINGTONRIVERSIDEINN.COM WWW.HOTELARTS.CA
GROWING THE
FROM WITHIN
A PROJECT AND TURNAROUND COMPANY A CANADIAN OWNED COMPANY PROUDLY SERVING WESTERN CANADA, BASED OUT OF RED DEER
Brad Pochapsky | President/CEO By Devin McKay WINE ROOM EXPERT AT WILLOW PARK WINES & SPIRITS
BP MECHANICAL & CONSULTING LTD. (403) 507-0288 WORK BPOCHAPSKY@BPMECHANICAL.CA WWW.BPMECHANICAL.CA
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REAL ESTATE/THE MARKET
BUFFER LIKE
BUFFET DO NOT AS THEY SAY BUT AS HE DOES?
I
t was the beginning of another weekday, recently, and whilst perusing the latest social media feeds, I quickly scrolled past the latest eye-crossing and head-shaking offerings. Then one particular headline caught my eye. It read something like this, “Warren Buffett Is Betting Big on Canadian Oil.” I was immediately intrigued. As the current Calgary real estate market continues to be placed under the microscope like a talented model feeling the fallout from a major wardrobe malfunction, it would seem one of the world’s most successful investors ever doesn’t seem phased by what’s currently happening in the oil and gas sector here. The article, posted by Huffpost, says, “Buffett recently increased his stake in Suncor by 4 million shares, officially making it his largest single energy holding.” Four. Million. Shares. Oh, and he consequently already owns 22 million shares in Suncor through his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. And all of this after dumping 41 million shares of Exxon Corp and half-a-million shares of U.S. based ConocoPhillips. That was in Q4 of last year. Now, I’m no scientist, and I’m certainly not a brain surgeon. But, I find it incredibly interesting that while the rest of the media world in Alberta, economy experts both local and abroad, and others who seem just fine trying to glamorize or push their thinly-veiled
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‘expertise’ as anything other than fear-mongering or ignorance, keep harping on how the sky seems to be falling in the Calgary market, but here’s Warren Buffet doing what he does. Again. Bucking the trend and investing heavily as if he knows something the rest of us don’t. And I’d be willing to bet his Canadian Suncor wager pays off. I also feel it should be a sign, no, a beacon, to all of the current real estate nay-sayers that the Calgary real estate market is and will be strong enough to weather this current storm. At the very least, it should be reason to question all of the latest negative rhetoric and speculation we’re being collectively fed lately. The ‘jumping to conclusion factor’ is simply hard to stomach right now. Truth is, it will likely be Fall of 2015 before we really see what property prices will do in Calgary. And, it will likely be Q1 or Q2 of 2016 before any full fallout from this year is felt by the real estate market downturn here. All this while a REALTOR® colleague of mine recently announced four firm sales between $1.6M $2.2M this past weekend alone in the inner city.
Funny, no media outlet or economist is currently chomping at the bit to report that statistic. Are certain areas, pricepoints, dwellings, and transactions being affected by big changes in the market? Absolutely. Does it make sense to generalize at this point? Absolutely not. Properties, at all price points, are still trading. Less than this time last year? No question. The stats from January and February already back this up. Yes, listings are also up dramatically over last year at this time. But in the last 5 years here, inventory levels and total listings were consistently at record lows. For anyone in full panic mode, I’d encourage you to take a breath and pull a page from the old book of Warren. And if Calgary real estate prices do continue to drop, which is so very typical of a normal, cyclical, Illustration By Kyle K. Fujita
real estate market over time (prices typically rise, fall, rise, fall, and rise over time in major centers), then people need to instead focus more on the silver lining here, which is the chance to invest in something and purchase it low and sell when it’s higher. By Jeff Tincher B.A., B.JOUR REAL ESTATE ADVISOR ENGEL & VÖLKERS CALGARY
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CRM
HEALTH, SAFETY,
ENVIRONMENT
& YOUR CRM SYSTEM
H
ealth, Safety, and Environment (HSE) is a critical component of your organization, agreed? With ineffective processes in place, even the most minor of incidents can bring operations to a grinding halt, which at times results in exponential losses with feelings of helplessness and frustration both in the field and back in the office. Has your HSE division ever had paper forms lost or filled out incorrectly? Of course. This likely happens more than we’d like to admit. Let’s face it, human error plays a costly role in manual processes. Not to mention the additional dilemmas of: • Delayed response times • Limited accountability • Unmanaged escalation procedures
• Slow communication between HSE Managers, Site Owners, and Inspectors • Ineffective tracking of employee training and certification • Lack of centralized location for effective documentation of paper forms …and the list goes on.
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CRM What in the world does CRM (Customer Relation ship Management) have to do with HSE? GREAT question! A local company has leveraged the flexibility, features, and power of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform and built a brilliant QHSE software solution called iTrak that meets the above-mentioned chal-
iTrak workflows are fully configurable to meet your organization’s unique processes lenges, streamlines workflow procedures, and more. It works like this: Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a Customer Relationship Management system that, out of the box, focuses primarily on managing your organization’s sales, service, and marketing functions. It’s a robust system that is highly configurable and customizable to meet your organization’s specific needs. It has
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also met the mobility requirements many companies now demand, which allows real time access to data from your phone or tablet, as well as an offline mode when no internet connection is available. As a platform, Microsoft Dynamics xRM (anything Relationship Management) works with applications built specifically to meet almost any business or organizational need. NeoSystems, a local Calgary company, harnessed their 15+ years of delivering health and safety solutions and built their most recent version of iTrak on the xRM platform. Built from the ground up, it delivers the game-changing feature of mobility, which is a critically important component for safety processes that originate in the field (such as inspections, hazard identifications, risk assessments, etc.) With iTrak and its seamless integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, a whole new world of opportunities is opened up for your general workflows and QHSE operations. Keeping in line with the platform’s inherent nature, iTrak workflows are fully configurable to meet your organization’s unique processes. Meaning, you don’t have to work around the system. It works with you. This means:
• Standardization of processes across divisions and subsidiary business units, which benefits the overall safety of the organization. • The virtual elimination of paper forms (yes, it’s true! It’s no longer just a pipe dream). • The ability to tag information gathered in the field with GPS coordinates to help you understand where information originated from. • Accurate and timely tracking of workforce training and certification, including the specific training required for certain positions or job functions. • Detailed incident reports show all events; who was involved, how it was corrected, etc., and all of this in a timely manner (you can only imagine what this does to help ensure accountability and promote safety). • Root cause analysis takes on new meaning. Problems are reported early and efficiently with inspection forms that allow for pictures and detailed location pinpointing with the use of GPS technology. • Forms are instantly sent to the appropriate managers, supervisors, and superintendents, which enables streamlined notification and escalation procedures. • Field employees can instantly do their safety check-ins. • You can move data to and from your QHSE processes to utilize charts, graphs, and interactive reporting elements empowering you with the insight you need to ensure issues and risks are identified quickly and easily.
The list can go on and on, but I think you’ve got the idea. I think the 3 key take-aways here are: • Efficiency • Safety • Mobility
.
NOW, LET’S GET INTO JUST A WEE BIT OF THE TECHNICAL STUFF (IN CASE IT ASKS): • Both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and iTrak are available in Cloud or On-Premise. • iTrak allows you to leverage CRM Essential Licenses. Mobility is enabled with no additional licensing. • If you’re already running Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the addition of iTrak doesn’t require any technical intervention from your organization’s IT department (do I hear cheering?). Who do you contact? You can always contact me if you’re considering implementing a CRM system or if you would like to revisit the one you have now that isn’t quite being used as it should be. If you would like specific info on iTrak, check out www.useitrak. com or contact sales@ neosystems.com By Carissa de la Vega LOCAL INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED CRM CONSULTANT OIL & GAS, AUTOMOTIVE, A&D, AND HIGHER EDUCATION INFO@CDLV.CA.
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FEATURE
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Shaun Wold, General Manager of Evolution Oil Tools (left), & majority Owner, Vern Hult (right)
ADVOCATE
THE
STRATEGY OF TOOLS BY
LINDSAY HARLE
“It sounds cliché, but it’s true. Evolution Oil Tools has grown around our people,” says Shaun Wold, General Manager of Evolution Oil Tools. Formed in January 2011 from the predecessor com panies Ess-Ell Tools, Integrated Production Services, and Paintearth Energy Service, Evolution Oil Tools was conceived by majority Owner, Vern Hult. Hult had a vision of taking the process of mere product development, putting together the design and engineering behind the designs of the predecessors’ products, enhancing them further, then increasing offerings in the form of advanced product solutions. After Hult approached Wold about this vision, Wold knew this was something he wanted to be a part of. Bringing together the rest of the management team, Evolution was ready to grow because of the experience, people, and culture that were set in place. Now, just four years later, the company is making a mark not just on the Canadian and U.S. markets but globally as well.
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FEATURE CULTURE FIRST, PRODUCT SECOND Why has Evolution been able to make such an impressive mark in this small amount of time? Quite simply, “It’s our ‘culture first’ mentality,” Wold states. With incredibly low staff turnover, a core group of strong managers retained from the predecessor companies, and an openness to change, Evolution creates a culture that looks to build upon its people’s talent, not just their current knowledge. “One thing I am very proud of is that we have a very low staff turnover. The true story of a company happens when people are happy to work there. I understand that when people are offered positions at other companies, as some of ours have, and choose to stay, this speaks to our company,” says Wold. “It’s so important to make sure the company is where people want to work and...that everyone is working this way together, even during times of stress. This group’s strength is that exact thing.” Part of what allows Evolution to be this place for its team is how the company is open to changing and improving their products based on the actual market. With that, it all starts with the business development reps (BDRs). “[Our design and engineering team] rely
on the BDRs to listen to our existing customers and new ones they’re reaching out to and understand what the market is asking for.” From there, Wold, along with the design team, research the plausibility of the requests, and if it’s in line with what they’re doing, they look to create it. “Our design team relies on straight feedback from the market. Then they just go to work designing it,” he says. However, what’s unique about their team is they don’t just understand what the market needs. They take it another step further and find ways to be more cost effective with their designs as well. It’s not just about the design, but the design affordability, particularly with their down hole tools. INNOVATION STARTS WITH TALENT What enhances this understanding of cost effective solutions is the team they’ve pulled together. This team of engineers and designers is unique as they all come from different backgrounds and experience. While Evolution does look for individuals who have a very particular and unique skill set, such as Bernard (Bernie) Lumori and his extensive
Our design team relies on straight feedback from the market. Then they just go to work designing it Shaun Wold
GENERAL MANAGER
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Photography By Kyle K. Fujita
background in flow control, they also use individuals who have the mindset to look at a system and think differently about it. In particular, when Emery Stoesser was first brought on, he didn’t have extensive background in down hole tools. However, because of his willingness to learn and grow, he is now actually leading the charge in their down hole tool designs, advancing products, and bringing better solutions to the table. As Wold puts in, “[Emery’s] mind automatically now goes to how that tool would work, how it would be designed. He just naturally has Bernard Lumori become a down hole tool designer even though before Evolution, his education was obviously a technologist, but not to the down hole tool side of things. His experience now is having him be a lead hand in this department!” For Evolution, it’s really about having a team of people who are willing to look at their base products and ask, “What can be advanced that’s still out there?” By asking this, Evolution has been able to offer forward thinking product solutions, such as their: Emery Stoesser
Advanced Torque Anchor (ATA, PATENT PENDING)
Slimhole Swivel
COMPLETION TOOLS Integrator-X Packer
AD-1 Tension Packer
Evolution WR Retrievable Bridge Plug
• Advanced Torque Anchor (ATA, patent pending) • Slimhole Swivel • Enhanced Completions suite of tools • Larger sized tools to meet the new well designs In listening to the market, Evolution is also currently developing thermal applications for SAGD focused companies, which allows for more innovation and product solutions to work effectively with the unique needs of SAGD drilling.
Geoff Brennan NEW MARKET GROWTH With these new solutions, Evolution has realized it’s not just about the designing and engineering. It then comes down to the proper marketing of these solutions and, fortunately, one of their down hole designers, Geoff Brennan, showed an excitement and a true talent for technical marketing. While OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
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FEATURE originally joining the company to help design down hole solutions, he was soon developing customer prints, which led to technical data prints, which then led to effective marketing brochures. Through this ability, he quickly became Evolutions Technical Marketing Coordinator, and shares the new solutions both in traditional marketing items, but, more importantly for the global market and reach, online through blogs and social media. He’s been able to take the design and bring it to life for the end users by demonstrating how Evolution has found a solution to their issues. “What we’ve found,” states Wold, “is that because Geoff is keeping our global market up to date [with
We want to be seen as a solution provider not just a ‘me too’ product provider. It’s our design team who really comes to the market’s aid and designs real solutions to their needs.
Evolution’s solutions and technologies], people are now contacting us through articles on LinkedIn, through search engine optimization, through our social media.” In fact, what Evolution is noticing is because of their market reach, from Canada to the U.S. to right across the globe, Wold notes that, “We’re fortunate enough and diversified enough to have the global footprint, allowing us to find out which country and region there’s activity in.” This reach allows them to enhance their product solutions in their three main areas of development new completion tools, well work overs/abandonment/ recompletions, and enhance/improve production - allowing for innovation right across the global industry. Without the reach of technical marketing and the talents of the design team, Evolution would
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not be able to stand out and continue to excel. This reach also allows them to hear the concerns of the oil and gas industry worldwide and see the common concerns from one country to the next. Once there’s this consistency in feedback, Evolution is able to transform the industry based on real-time concerns and requests. WHAT’S NEXT? As Evolution continues to grow and enhance the industry through their designs and product solutions, they’re really looking to shift their brand. No longer are they looking to be a company focused solely on providing lots of product to service companies. Rather, they are now becoming a product solutions company. Meaning that, from a technology standpoint, they are a solution provider and offer these solutions to the end user. While they look to continue doing big runs and selling big volumes of product, the difference now is while they do this, they focus on thinking outside of the box and listening to what customers’ needs are and then allow the design team to grow their talents as they find solutions. Doing this, Evolution continues to create the cash flow required to advance the research and development portion of their business. “We are taking the need that’s in the industry, and that will continue to be in the industry as designs and markets change, and build solutions around these needs,” says Wold. “We are keeping our ‘eye on the ball’ as we continue to grow this company as a group.” Truly, it is amazing what the Evolution team does in seeing the true value in listening and responding to their clients’ issues. This is a new way of looking at oil and gas clients. No longer is it about simply providing products. For Evolution, it’s become about so much more. It’s become about solutions through products. “We want to be seen as a solution provider not just a ‘me too’ product provider. It’s our design team who really comes to the market’s aid and designs real solutions to their needs.” And this is just how Hult envisioned the company. Visit eotools.com to see their full range of product solutions, or vistit their Linkedin & Facebook page
ADVOCATE
INSIDER
TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? Goal setting is important. Career advancement and more importantly growing a company is dependent upon an individual’s/team’s ability to achieve goals. Whether they are set within an organization, department, or specific to an individual, both pundits and leaders alike will show their love for goal setting. This want to “achieve” has pervaded our corporate cultures. Many companies have essentially planted gardens and watched them grow.
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I
can tell you are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Gardens need tending. They need a steady hand to tell the difference between a weed and a flower. They also need a gardener willing to do all the little things it takes to ensure growth. We all know what would happen with too much sun, not enough water, and no one looking after pest control. There is a growing trend in companies committed to setting goals (i.e. plant the garden). Someone elects the gardener and walks away. Our middle managers are faced with goals from Human Resources, Safety, Finance, Sales, and Head Office. Reduce, increase, remove, improve, define – fill in the blanks. If your company sets goals, it should come from the top. The person at the top needs to assess resources and make some serious decisions. If you set more than one goal, then be prepared to fail. If you allow department managers or directors to set multiple goals that do not align, be prepared to fail. If you try to implement a new computer program, Lean process, or improvement without a system, then I hope the backs of your best and brightest are strong enough to carry the group. You need a system. Our group has used 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) for the past few years. We didn’t invent it, but we recognized how powerful it could be if used properly. I am not going to get into the specifics as you can look those up for yourself. What it requires is your executive team to choose one to three goals to set as a “wildly important goal (W.I.G)”. It makes everyone in your organization quantify change. It forces you to ask where you are today, where you want to be, and when you want to be there. It then gives you a system to follow. The system works if you follow it religiously. Our group has tried to “innovate” on the system, and as such, we have examples of both successes AND failures. Do it right or don’t bother doing it at all. “Lean” organizations are terrible for getting in over their heads when it comes to continuous improvement. If you follow Lean too closely, you run the risk of having your people trying to fix every issue all at once and running multiple projects at the same time. You are essentially setting goals everywhere and trying to over-achieve. This is where we have found 4DX to be extremely effective. Where Lean has multiple “Scoreboards”, 4DX has one. One place to look means you
are keeping score in a game you are playing. Multiple scoreboards become wallpaper no one looks at unless you tie them all to money, which will end up on paycheques. Even then, people will only look when they have to. It is a big shift for companies to focus on one goal. Often what happens during the process is other problems arise or other issues become significant enough to start pushing the “W.I.G” for attention. We created the NO BOARD for exactly this reason. We even use the NO BOARD when there isn’t a formal 4DX process occurring. The process is simple: you put up a cork board with forms attached (I can give you the template), and anyone can fill out the forms. Ours has a sign which says: “NO BOARD, Where good ideas go to get remembered.” A little hokey we know, but the idea helps us to keep focus on the W.I.G while acknowledging other events are happening and we
Where good ideas go to get remembered will come back to them. Important ideas happen every day and we want to acknowledge them. The board allows senior management to look and evaluate, and they may even decide the new idea is more important than the current W.I.G. They can also add and adjust as needed. In 4DX, it is always about “X to Y by When.” The NO BOARD means senior management can adjust the “when” and assign a new “W.I.G”. The important part is everything is acknowledged. You have no idea how many times I walk into a company and can see the strain trying to fulfill multiple goals is exacting on the middle managers. These goals have great intentions and they are needed, but one needs to recognize it can’t all be done at once. Everything needs to be quantifiable even your goals. Use the NO BOARD and you will see a dramatic positive change in your culture. T.J. Ross TIHEM CONSULTING TIHEM.INFO@GMAIL.COM
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AUTO SPORT
TAGLIANI AUTOSPORT T
he year 2014 marked the debut of Tagliani Autosport. Mainly competing in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, we ran 11 races in five provinces. Last year, 2014, could best be described as a learning year for us; although, we did record two top five finishes as well as our first pole in Edmonton, which is also considered a home race being our Managing Director, Colin Livingston, is headquartered there. The level of competition in NASCAR Canada is extremely high, especially in the last 30 laps. Our team was very competitive, and our cars were very quick with us running in the top five in almost all races. As is often the case in racing, our results did not always match our effort. This is a prime area of focus for us in 2015. Last year was incredibly busy for our driver, Alex Tagliani, who also ran in four other series: NASCAR Xfinity (formerly Nationwide Series), NASCAR Camp足ing World Truck Series, TUDOR Sportscar Series, as well as competing in the INDY 500 for the sixth time.
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By Colin Livingston TEAM PRINCIPAL OF TAGLIANI AUTOSPORT AND PRESIDENT OF CANTORQUE INC.
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AUTO SPORT This year is already shaping up to be an excellent race season for us. Our primary focus is on NASCAR Canada with two goals in mind: winning multiple races and competing for the Championship. We’re very happy our main sponsors EpiPen (division of Pfizer) and CanTorque will return for the 2015 season. Having our core sponsors return certainly makes things easier to go racing, but finding associate sponsors has proven to be a bit more challenging. There are many companies that have reached out and are interested in how motorsports can help promote their business or entertain their clientele. Seeing the benefit is usually fairly easy but getting them to commit has been where the work comes in.
One big misconception people have with regard to racing is it’s a big dollar sport and we’re all swimming in money. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
One big misconception people have with regard to racing is it’s a big dollar sport and we’re all swimming in money. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It certainly takes a lot of money to put a racing program together, but unless you’re at the pinnacle of racing, namely NASCAR Sprint Cup or Formula 1, you’re likely still working for a paycheque. The second big misconception is it’s too expensive to get involved as a sponsor, which also isn’t true. We are able to work with virtually anyone who is genuinely interested in establishing a partnership. In NASCAR Canada, the overwhelming majority of our budgets go straight into the car. The top teams, 22 Racing, DJK Racing, Dumoulin Competition, CBRT, and teams like ours,
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allocate a bit more of our budget on marketing and promotions. If you get the chance to visit our ‘garage’ (we’re never in an enclosed structure, and we always work outside), you’ll see a small handful of crewmen working away as well as many of our drivers still pull wrenches. Some of our drivers even drive the hauler to and from the track. A quick look at a NASCAR Canada crew and you’ll soon see none of us are starving. Meals at the track are typically cold cuts turned into sandwiches. Sometimes we can get fancy and have hot dogs or burgers. Everyone knows how to get creative with a BBQ! While we’re not starving, you’ll not see filet mignon and champagne. On our race team, we’re very fortunate to be partnered with 22 Racing run by three time Champion Scott Steckly. We have great cars and a great crew, but the top two reasons are Paula and Lucy. Amongst Paula’s actual race duties are food preparation (she makes us some great stuff) as well as ensuring we have coffee, which is a race weekend necessity. Lucy is the wife of Ron, who drives our Hauler. She really has no official race duty, but she helps out in many ways. However, what the team
loves the most is her baking. No matter where we are, she manages to come up with a few different tasty treats for the boys. In general, we’re grassroots racers. If our guys weren’t working in NASCAR Canada, they’d be working on a late model car at their local track. Almost all of us work ‘regular’ jobs to pay bills, but racing is what we do for fun. Even many of our series’ drivers have ‘normal’ jobs. The list of vocations is very diverse, including a teacher, a fireman, a municipality equipment operator, and engineers to name but a few. Choosing to become part of a race team as a sponsor means you’re connecting with people who appreciate the value of hard work as well as the value of a dollar. You’ll not feel like you’re in the stratosphere with billion dollar companies. You’ll feel like you fit right in. And the great thing is, no matter how many sponsors we have, we can always find room for one more!
Alex Tagliani, also known by his racing name TAG, developed a passion for racing at the age of 10 when he was introduced to karting on a visit to see his grandfather in Northern Italy. Currently competing in the Nascar Canadian Tire Series driving the Tagliani Autosport Epi Pen #18 car, the Montreal native has shown his fans that he can drive anything. Whether it be IndyCar, Nascar, a Prototype or a sedan, Alex's talent and experience is second to none in Canada.
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HE SAID SHE SAID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GENDERS IN OUR WORKPLACE. STRENGTH AND ATTRIBUTES ARE NEEDED AT THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TABLE.
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I
t takes a village to raise a child,” is an ancient African proverb that speaks about the need for community involvement in the successful nurturing and growth of a child. A child raised by a community has exposure to the various viewpoints, learning, and life experiences each person brings, and it is these learning opportunities that fosters positive growth. Hillary Rodham Clinton In the context of business operations, it would logically follow that senior leadership teams and the Boards that govern them could greatly benefit from the diversity of experiences and viewpoints a ‘community’ brings. So what would the composition of this ‘community’ look like? It starts with adding more women to the mix. Chris Bart, who is a McMaster University professor, showed in his study Boards with more women are linked to a 53% higher return on equity and their companies go bankrupt less frequently. The presence of even one female director can reduce the risk of going out of business by as much as 20%. Admittedly, there is a difference in how the genders process and then communicate within a team and company. This isn’t necessarily a right or wrong, but it is simply an appreciation that both genders bring varying strengths and biases to the table. Men and women tend to have different working styles. Men tend to be more individualist and competitive. Women are more collative, and even though we are just as competitive, we tend to approach it in a more subtle way. Women who wish to move forward into leadership need to go out of their comfort zones and become more assertive to be heard. Research shows the benefit of bringing women on Boards, and therefore, the attributes a woman brings must have some additional value based on her gender. The results showed female Board Members make decisions differently than their male counterparts. Women relied more often on what the researchers call “complex moral reasoning.” By weighing a broader range of factors and implications, women fared better at making “consistently fair decisions when competing interests are at stake.” Men tended to base their decisions on rules and traditions. Women’s instincts made them better problem-solvers, but the research-
”
ers posited those tendencies could make them look like troublemakers on male-dominated boards. (Canadian Business Magazine-May 7, 2013) What does this mean for companies? If you want to improve your organization’s return on equity or reduce the chance of going out of business altogether, there are meaningful steps that can be taken to support this. Companies can take meaningful steps to implement change including top down leadership support and accountability. Treat increasing diverse participation like any other critical business issue. Set goals, plan strategically for how you will meet these goals, amply resource these efforts, and continually measure progress. How as women can we help support ourselves and each other? Come to the table with the skills needed to do the job. Identify the areas in your portfolio where you have a deficiency and take steps to neutralize the issue. Mentorship is a huge area where we can get valuable insight. Look for both men and women who are at a level above you and approach for mentorship. They can offer insight on what to expect as you move up and keep you focus on where you want to go. Join groups like Calgary Women in Energy where you will forge friendship, learn from those who are walking the same path as you, and give you strength when you falter. Prepare to change the paradigm. Calgary Women in Energy is a non-profit, membership society dedicated to promoting, supporting, and empowering women in the energy sector of Calgary, Alberta. For more information or to become a member, please visit www.cwie.org for details. By Brenda Beckedorf DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS CALGARY WOMEN IN ENERGY
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LIQUOR LANE
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his past month, I have been asked, “Martini Monday? Tequila Tuesday? Whiskey Wednesday? Thirsty Thursday? Friday Beers? Supersaturated Saturday? Sunday Funday?” This isn’t surprising since I am in my twenties and working in the commercial area of oil and Gas. I have become accustomed to a degree of socializing, which inevitably involves a few bevvies after work. Despite the price of oil and gas reaching new lows over the last few months, the socializing aspect of my job has stayed consistent. The alcohol industry never waivers. This fact is always reassuring for people like me that use, “Beers?” in about 30 conversations a day. I have had a realization of how frequently I bring up beer, and there isn’t a single area in my life that doesn’t involve it in some way. Again, this isn’t a surprise as it puts a perspective on how grabbing a few drinks can be the easiest way to show you’re a social person. From my strong need for a few beers and my somewhat lush lifestyle that has allowed travelling, I thought I would share my top five favourite beers from around the world. To begin, after visiting more than 30 countries in the last seven years, it was hard to find a country that didn’t have a beer of ‘their own’. I want to reinforce I am not a brewmaster and have not been enough places in the world to say these are the best beers in the world. However, I love the look of a full pint walking its way to me on a waitress’ tray and tasting the first sip of an ice-cold beer after a horrible/good/busy/exhilarating day of work. Having that first beer of the day is one of the most satisfying feelings after your work is finished or on a day filled with relaxing. So here you go: the beers I dream about when I go to sleep and the countries they came from.
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LIQUOR LANE GERMANY, GAFFEL KÖLSCH – I know most people wouldn’t pick this beer as their favourite when they’re talking German beer. Don’t send any hate mail, because I didn’t pick a Bavarian beer. Hear me out. This is a very specialized beer brewed in Cologne, it is served in .2l glasses ice-cold, and they will continue to bring new ones as long as your coaster isn’t on top of your glass. It is a little bitter, but not as bitter as the German lagers. It also has a mild hop flavor. I love this beer, not just cause it’s a great beer, but because of the manner in which it is served. The waiters are always grumpy, they are known to be rude, but they always bring you a fresh Kölsch right as you finish its predecessor. Drinking these for hours in the gardens around Cologne equaled a lot of runaway Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I miss this beer so much I have gone back to Cologne three times to get my fix!
TURKEY, EFES PILSEN – This beer is brewed in Istanbul and proclaims to be the #1 beer in the Mediterranean. This is a tangy beer. It has hints of sweet, but is all around a bitter beer. This beer is a beer you can drink a lot of, because it is light enough to not make you full and mild enough you don’t get sick of it. I drank this beer all over Turkey with my best friend after I finished traveling Africa and Europe. We reunited at a hotel, and both of us held a six-pack of Efes, which we proceeded to finish in the first day of our month stay. We continued to try all the other Efes beer, but the Pilsen was always what we longed for. This beer was with us visiting the Pamukkale hot springs, the Cappadocia Mountains in a hot air balloon, and sailing the Mediterranean Sea. Whenever I see this in a store, I buy a couple six packs.
ZIMBABWE, ZAMBEZI LAGER – The national beer of Zimbabwe. The place doesn’t have its own currency but has one of the best lagers I have ever tasted. This beer can be bought in any bar in Zimbabwe for less than $0.50 American, so most foreigners give a nice tip and leave an American dollar. This is a very typical tasting lager; light, a touch bitter, but still very smooth, and always refreshing. The first time I drank this beer was after an 8-hour day filled with white water rafting down the crocodile infested Zambezi River and bungee jumping over the river in no man’s land between Zimbabwe and Zambia. I know you are probably thinking any beer would taste amazing after an adrenaline filled day like that, and you are probably right, but the people I came across in Zimbabwe were so kind with a great sense of humor, it made the experience of that beer unforgettable.
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AUSTRALIA, CROWN LAGER – Backpacking the East Coast of Australia at eighteen, or any age for that matter, is best described as going on a houseboating trip. The fridge on my boat was filled with ‘Crownie’. Being only 4.9% alcohol, it was a good beer for the beach. It is a bit darker and full bodied but was my goto for the six months I spent in Australia. Crown Lager is in the craft beer family of the Foster’s Group, which is THE Australian beer according to North Americans. Any Aussie will cringe when hearing they are famous for Fosters. So being 18 and naive, travellers took me under their wing to show me there was more to Australian beer than Fosters, and so began my love affair with Crown Lager. I have even asked a few Aussie friends, and they agree it is a classic and staple in Australian fridges.
CANADA, TREE BREWING CO. THIRSTY BEAVER AMBER ALE This beer is so smooth! I went through a phase of ordering two pints. One to chug in its entirety (my record was about eight seconds), and the other to really enjoy the slightly sweet and nutty flavor. This beer was brought to my attention while studying in Kelowna, BC where it is brewed. It was a part of my diet while in university. I probably went through a growler filled with the ‘beave’ every three days. When it’s available, this is definitely my go-to beer after work.
BONUS!
SOUTH AFRICA, SAVANNA DRY CIDER – Cider is not usually something I drink, but when I got to Cape Town, Savanna Dry was the drink of choice and for good reason. This is probably the best drink I have ever had. It starts out sweet with a light crisp refreshing apple flavor and then ends with a little tang on the tip of your tongue. I think I drank over a hundred of these while I trekked for two months through Southern Africa. My most fond memory of this cider is climbing Spitzkoppe Mountain in Namibia National Park, where all I had was my camera and two bottles of Savanna Dry Cider. One for the way up, and one for the way down. I have been lucky enough to find Savanna at my local store, and every time I drink it, I remember why I loved it. By P.S. Spensor OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
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CHANGE MANAGEMENT
CHANGE IN TIMES LIKE THESE
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Everyone knows someone who has been Why? let go, especially recently as companies The more you communicate what you know or don’t know the more you can address the scramble to cut their costs in the envi rumor mill that is extremely heightened at times like ronment we are in. Knowing these are these. The impact of you not sharing information necessary actions for organizations, when it is known or not being visible to your team the result of these layoffs and cutbacks results in the rumor mill flying and productivity have a people impact that sometimes grinds to a halt. is forgotten. Think of your neighbour or Productivity will be affected during these times. friend who has two kids in school, play Simply put, people will be concerned for their hockey, and are in dance, just to name a friends and teammates. Allow them to be and know few costly activities. Suddenly, they are that when addressing your team. Think of it this way: would you work harder for your boss if he/she left with no income coming in.
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What does change management in your organi zations have to do with this you ask? Think about how your company communicated with you and your teams before you or one of your team members was let go. Prior to that dreaded meeting with your boss and someone from HR in the room, how was it communicated by your leader and/or your company? Aside from the news headlines or a company all email saying cuts are required and only business critical projects will continue as they re-evaluate every aspect of the organization, was anything else communicated? Did your leader have a separate team meeting to explain what this meant to you and your group? Did they pull you aside to chat with you face-to-face and explain what his/her thoughts were and next steps. I
shared all the information they knew at the time and communicated any information when they knew it? Compassion for your team members and colleagues goes a long way in order to ensure productivity loss is kept to a minimum. How hard would you work for your boss who isn’t visible and doesn’t tell you or your team anything other than forwarding on the corporate wide email? I know what my answer would be.
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Lack of trust of their leaders is one of the top reasons why people are not engaged at work. Transparent and honest communication on a regular basis helps you create trust during these times.
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Everyone will react and act differently during these times. The more you communicate with your team and your colleagues the more prepared and ready your team will be to take on future changes.
hope so. This is the ‘soft’ stuff that is more important
These are only a few reasons that will ultimately help your organization get through this and continue by your leader, not less, is paramount. to have engaged employees throughout. Difficult Even if you don’t know all the answers, which is times like this are necessary every few years but often the excuse of not communicating to your team, those leaders and companies who think about the tell your people what you know and how it could people impacted are those impact them once that company wide email is sent who people will want to work out. It isn’t enough to simply tell your people to read for and continue to remain the email. A conversation with your team about the with those companies. email should be done. Discuss with your team what during these turbulent times. More communication
you know from that email, when you expect to get
By Trevor Deeks
further information, and what you anticipate the next
DIRECTOR T DEEKS CONSULTING INC. TDEEKSCONSULTING@GMAIL.COM
steps to be.
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WEIGHT LOSS
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH LOSING WEIGHT AND STAYING HEALTHY
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ne of the biggest challenges with losing weight and staying healthy is eating out. In a perfect world, it would be nice to just stay at home all the time, so we can be in control of what we eat. It’s not realistic and not a whole lot of fun. We want to enjoy life and enjoy the journey along the way. There are many things that make eating out tough. First of all, portions are crazy large. We’re told it will be a better deal if we supersize it. When it’s all there, it’s so hard to say no. Secondly, we don’t always know how the food is prepared. How much fat, sugar, or sodium is in it? Thirdly, peer pressure. We’re out, and we want to treat ourselves, because it looks and tastes good. There are many small things we can start with. Let’s start with portions. I find if it’s a fine dining restaurant, portions are generally where they should be. It’s more the main stream restaurants that have huge portions. Many restaurants offer half size portions. I like to do that, because I belong to the clean your plate club. If all that food isn’t there to begin with, then I’m not tempted. If it doesn’t come in half size portions, you could ask the waiter to split it in half, put half in a doggie bag, and just bring the other half on your plate at the beginning. Many of the same foods are on the appetizer menu and are smaller. Many times it’s everything around the menu. By the time you’ve had half the basket of bread and butter while you are waiting for the entrée, you’ve almost eaten a meal in calories before the entrée even arrives. Now you move on and have dessert as well as a drink or wine. It adds up to a lot of extra calories. One of my members once said the three most important things to her when she ate out was the bread, wine, or dessert. She would allow herself to choose one depending on the restaurant and the mood she was in. I’m not much of a dessert gal anymore, but I do enjoy my wine, so that’s where I indulge. As for the bread basket, if it’s just my husband and I, I tell them to take the bread basket away, so we won’t be tempted. If we’re out with others, I try to make sure the basket is not close to me. Having your water glass full at all times makes a huge difference. If all you have is wine in front of you, that’s all you’re going to drink, and you will drink it faster. As much as we think we can have it all, we can’t. Not if we want to lose weight and be healthy. In my next article, I will continue talking about the challenges of eating out. This month I am sharing a fantastic meatloaf recipe on the next page. Who doesn’t love meatloaf? As well as a scalloped potato recipe. Total comfort foods! Enjoy! Dianna Kerek WORDSTODIFOR.BLOGSPOT.COM
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WEIGHT LOSS
SCALLOPED POTATOES 4 servings | 4 PointsPlus per serving • 2 large baking potatoes (9oz each) thinly sliced • 2 onions thinly sliced • ¼ cup minced parsley • 3 tbsp flour • ¼ tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper • 2 cups hot skim milk • 1/3 cup shredded light cheddar cheese Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 10x6” pan with non-stick spray. Arrange 1/3 of the potatoes and onions in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with parsley and flour. Repeat layering once more, ending with potatoes and onion. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Pour milk over everything and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until tender and top is browned, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
SASSY MEATLOAF 6 servings | 5 PointsPlus per serving • 1 lb extra lean ground beef (10% fat or less) • 1 ¼ cups salsa • ¾ cup quick cooking oats • 1 carrot, grated • 2 roma tomatoes, diced • ½ cup coarsely chopped mushrooms Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray. In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Place in loaf pan. Bake until browned and a knife inserted comes out clean and hot, about 75 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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n addition to warmer weather, spring brings a plethora of holidays: Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the beginning of wedding season. What better way to celebrate everything spring brings than with a meal! To celebrate the season, invite your family and friends over for brunch. Not only does brunch give you the chance to sleep in, but it’s a great opportunity to whip up a mid-morning meal to indulge your taste buds. Here are our suggestions for a fun, fresh, and fantastic brunch this spring.
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SUNTERRA BRUNCH BASICS Because brunch combines breakfast and lunch, menu options are virtually limitless. But before you get too scattered, think about brunch staples. Breakfast favourites such as waffles, bacon, eggs, and fruit are a good place to start, but don’t forget to include lunch options as well! Carved ham, asparagus and seafood will add delicious variety to your meal. HForRF For balance, a good rule of thumb is to select items from each of the four food groups: Grains Artisan bread and bagels, Hot oatmeal, Granola Proteins Bacon, Sausage, Ham, Smoked salmon, Eggs Dairy Yogurt, Cheese, Milk with cereal Fruits & Vegetables Seasonal vegetables like artichokes, asparagus, peas, radishes, as well as fruit like apricots, melons, strawberries, cherries, kiwi While the Canada Food Guide suggests sticking to these food groups, remember that brunch is a rare treat, so you have to take advantage of it while you can. Croissants, crepes and eggs Benedict are all worth adding to your menu. LIVEN IT UP If you want to wow your guests, add something unexpected to your event with a food station. Live stations are a fun way to make your brunch interactive. Hire a chef (or bribe a family member) to make omelettes or crepes. Anyone with dietary restrictions will be especially grateful for the opportunity to tailormake their own meal! If you want something a bit more low-key, offer build-your-own yogurt parfaits (complete with two to three yogurt flavours, granola, shredded coconut, fresh berries, and honey) or a cereal buffet (cold and steamed milk, four or five cereals, raisins, sliced bananas and strawberries). When setting up a food station at your brunch, take a moment to consider traffic flow. Place the station table
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in an open area with a clear entry and exit path. Creating easy flow through the station is important to avoid a bottleneck as your guests fill their plates. DRINKS Champagne at 10 a.m. is yet another reason to love brunch! Mimosas are a classic brunch beverage, but don’t be afraid to expand your bar offerings. Rejuvenate a glass of grapefruit juice by adding 2 oz. of vodka for a Greyhound cocktail, or pay homage to Calgary with a local concoction – the Caesar. If hot beverages are more your cup of tea (pun intended), warm up your meal with a blueberry tea by adding 3/4 oz. of Grand Marnier and 3/4 oz. of amaretto to a mug of hot orange pekoe tea. Or add a
At no other meal could you combine waffles, ham, and champagne kick to black coffee by adding 1 oz. amaretto, 1 oz. cognac and a whipped cream topping for a Cafe Amore. For the guest at your table with a sweet tooth, offer fruity sangria or iced wine to compliment the sweeter food options. Don’t forget to offer non-alcoholic options for your guests as well; cranberry juice, orange juice, and club soda make a delicious Madras mocktail. Whether you’re celebrating warmer spring weather, holidays, the beginning of a life together or simply a day off from the office, bring your family and friends together with a brunch. At no other meal could you combine waffles, ham, and champagne, which is a reason to celebrate on its own! By Kendra Keating SUNTERRA CATERING MANAGER
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THE YOGA MOVEMENT
DOWNWARD
FACING
DOG (ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA) WHY WE SHOULD PRACTICE IT
NEUTRALIZE & ELONGATE SPINE
CONTRACT PELVIC FLOOR & CORE MUSCLES
PRESS SHOULDER BLADES FIRMLY ONTO BACK OF RIBCAGE
RELAX HEAD & NECK
SPREAD FINGERS & PUSH FORWARD
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ENERGIZE TAILBONE UPWARD
INTERNALLY ROTATE THIGHS
STREACH HEELS DOWNWARD
ur bodies are often tired, tight, and stressed. Downward-facing dog is a fundamental pose to any yoga practice, because it helps alleviate these ailments. Even if you’re not an everyday yoga-goer, it’s worth considering adding “down-dog” to your daily regime to reap the following benefits: Down-dog helps fight mental fatigue and build concentration. Your body is in a fight against gravity in this pose. Therefore, the brain is focused on consistently sending messages to all of the muscles that need to activate in order to avoid collapsing. This heightened traffic in mental signals can bring you into a more alert state of mind. Try practicing this pose instead of drinking a cup of coffee in the morning. Practicing proper alignment in down-dog can reduce or eliminate shoulder tension, upper back stiffness, and sciatic nerve pain. By outwardly rotating the shoulders, the shoulder blades become compressed against the back of the ribcage. This alignment can help reverse the poor postural habits that create stiffness in the shoulders and upper back. Over time, down-dog tones the arms and upper body. This strength makes it possible to maintain proper posture throughout the day, so muscles are less likely to accumulate tension in the first place. In addition, down-dog encourages length in the backs of the legs. Elongating these muscles can help minimize sciatic nerve pain. Hold the pose for ten long breaths to get some relief from being hunched over a desk all day. Continuously incorporating down-dog into your routine can help improve circulation and regulate blood pressure, which counteracts the effects of stress. This makes it particularly beneficial for those with hypertension. When your head is below your heart, your heart rate slows, which sends a physical feedback loop to the brain to calm the nervous system. Enter the pose anytime you need to take a break throughout the day. Take a few moments in the pose to slow things down both mentally and physically, and you’ll come out feeling refreshed. By Alexa Kelly OilfieldPULSE | APRIL 2015
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ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
PIDDLEING IN THE
DARK
CAN HERBAL REMEDIES HELP MEN WITH NOCTURIA OR PROSTATITIS?
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A
s men grow older, many experience prostate health issues that significantly affect their lifestyle and well-being. One of the most common conditions affecting the prostate gland is Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH). This condition involves swelling of the prostate gland. The enlarged gland can lead to symptoms, such as increased urinary frequency, weak urinary stream, and difficulty initiating urination. There are many supplements on the market claiming to reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life for men. For centuries, men have used herbs, such as Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens), Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), and Pygeum (Pygeum africanum bark extract) to treat the symptoms of BPH. Is there any evidence supporting these commercial claims?
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This herb has a long history of use as a treatment for BPH and has undergone extensive clinical testing A lot of men turn to herbal remedies containing Saw Palmetto as a treatment of the symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). This herb has a long history of use as a treatment for BPH and has undergone extensive clinical testing. This herb is also used to treat chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, to stimulate hair growth, and to prevent complications during transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The body of evidence on Saw Palmetto for treating symptoms of BPH is unfortunately inconsistent. Several clinical trials have shown it provides mild to moderate improvement in urinary symptoms, such as frequent urination, painful urination, hesitancy, urgency, and perineal heaviness. Other studies also showed it decreases nocturia, improves peak and mean urinary flow, and lowers residual urine volume in patients with BPH.
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ALTERNATIVE HEALTH Several clinical trials have compared Saw Palmetto to pharmaceutical drugs. Some studies suggest Saw Palmetto is comparable in efficacy to finasteride (Proscar) and that the herb is better tolerated. Other clinical data suggests it might have a positive effect on sexual dysfunction associated with BPH. However, Saw Palmetto does not reduce prostate size or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Alphaadrenergic blockers, such as prazosin (Minipress), are more effective than Saw Palmetto for relieving some symptoms of BPH. Stinging Nettle is used frequently in Europe in the treatment of symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Several case studies and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated an improvement in symptoms. The body of evidence for
A clinical study found lycopene supplementation slowed disease progression in BPH
the use of Stinging Nettle, alone or in combination with other ingredients, for improving symptoms of BPH is also inconsistent. Some studies suggest taking Stinging Nettle daily for 6-24 months improves urinary tract symptoms in a greater percentage of patients with BPH compared to placebo. Other studies show no beneficial effects of this herb. Stinging Nettle is probably best suited for the alleviation of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with stage I or II BPH. Taking a combination of Stinging Nettle and Saw Palmetto twice daily for 6 to 12 months significantly improved urinary tract symptoms in men with BPH. The effect may last at least one year after treatment. This combination seems to be comparable to finasteride, a pharmaceutical drug, for relieving symptoms of BPH and may be better tolerated than the drug. Pygeum has been observed to improve urinary
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symptoms associated with enlargement of the prostate gland or prostate inflammation. Numerous controlled trials in humans report Pygeum significantly reduces the number of nighttime urinary episodes (nocturia), urinary hesitancy, urinary frequency, and dysuria (pain with urination) in men who experience mild-to-moderate symptoms. However, Pygeum does not reduce the size of the prostate gland or reverse the process of BPH. Lycopene is a red pigment, found most abundantly in tomatoes, but it is also present in watermelon, apricot, green peppers, carrots, rose hips, guava, pink grapefruit, and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate). The most important sources of lycopene in the human diet include: tomatoes (3mg/100g in fresh tomatoes, 10mg/100g in canned tomatoes), ketchup, pizza, tomato sauce, tomato paste (30mg/100g), and salsa. Lycopene has been studied clinically to assess the effects of lycopene intake on risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A clinical study found lycopene supplementation slowed disease progression in BPH. An epidemiological study found no link between dietary lycopene intake and the development of BPH. Bottom line, herbal remedies have a long history of use for the treatment of BPH. These remedies may be effective and help manage the symptoms in some men. Despite the conflicting clinical evidence, the overall body of evidence suggests many men will obtain significant clinical benefits for the treatment of BPH. Talk to your health care practitioner prior to taking any of these remedies if you are suffering from BPH or another prostate-related condition. As with all herbal remedies, consult your pharmacist about any potential drug-herb interactions prior to taking any herbal remedies. Also, let your health care professional know what products you are taking, so they can adequately monitor your health condition and any potential risks associated with the remedies. By Guy Chamberland, M.SC., PH.D., MASTER HERBALIST, HEALTH PRODUCTÂ CONSULTANT CONTACT HIM AT GUYCHAMBERLANDMASTERHERBALIST@LIVE.CA.
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