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At Best Startup Canada we track over 100,000 Canadian startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Alberta based COO’ operating in the Oil and Gas space. If you think a COO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.ca.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Graham Janega
Chief Operating Officer of Canbriam Energy
Graham was appointed Chief Operating Officer in January 2019, leading all operational and subsurface functions at Canbriam Energy. Graham joined Canbriam in 2013 as Drilling & Completions Engineer responsible for completion design and optimization of over-pressured Montney wells. He became Completions Manager in 2015 and was appointed Vice President, Subsurface in 2017. Graham’s career includes progressive operational roles focused on production optimization, unconventional oil and gas resource development, reservoir engineering and project management at Pengrowth Energy and Shell Canada. Graham holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Calgary.
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About Canbriam Energy: Canbriam Energy Inc. is a private intermediate exploration and production company.
David Schmunk
Chief Operating Officer of Wolf Midstream
Prior to founding Wolf, David was founder, principal and, COO of Mistral Energy Inc. David has also held positions with Taylor NGL Limited Partnership (COO) and, TransCanada Pipelines, where he served as VP Operations in addition to other engineering roles involved in the design, construction, commissioning and operation of gas plants in Western Canada. David has overseen multi-million dollar pipeline and gas plant expansions and has been responsible for the execution of all aspects of regulatory, public consultation, engineering, operations, and administration for the projects. David holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan (1982) and, holds a professional engineering designation in the province of Alberta.
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About Wolf Midstream: Wolf Midstream is a private company based in Calgary dedicated to building, owning, and operating energy infrastructure.
Grant Rabe
COO of Vesta Energy
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About Vesta Energy: Vesta Energy is a privately owned oil and gas company focused on the development of commercial shale oil properties.
Pablo Borgnino
Chief Operating Officer of Syncrude
As COO, Pablo is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Syncrude operation. Reporting directly to him are the Vice Presidents of Production (Mining and Extraction/Upgrading), Maintenance and Technical (Engineering Services and Operations Support) and the General Manager, Safety Health Environment. In 1988, Pablo joined Esso in Argentina as a Process Engineer and assumed increasingly senior roles during his career. That includes serving as the Refinery Manager for the Campana Refinery in Argentina and most recentlyTorrance, California. His education includes a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Argentina’s Universidad del Litoral and a Master’s degree from Spain’s Industrial Management EOI.
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About Syncrude: Syncrude is a largest operators in Canada’s growing oil sands industry.
Leon Zupan
Chief Operating Officer of Enbridge
Leon Zupan was appointed COO Liquids Pipelines in May 2013 with responsibilities for Operations, Engineering, Integrity, Pipeline Control/Leak Detection and Assets Management for Liquids Pipelines North American assets. Since joining Enbridge in 1987 as part of the Engineering group, he has held increasingly senior management positions in Sarnia and Edmonton in Operations, Shipper Services, and IT. In 2000 he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Development and Services, based in Calgary. Prior to his current role, Mr. Zupan was President Gas Pipelines located in Houston, Texas with responsibilities for Gas Gathering and Processing, as well as on-shore and off-shore gas pipelines. Mr. Zupan is active in his community and has served as the 2008 Campaign Chair for the United Way Alberta Capital Region and Vice Chair of its Board of Directors. He is the President of the Board of the Alberta Chamber of Resources and sits on the Board of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association. Mr. Zupan graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Physics.
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About Enbridge: Enbridge is a energy distribution company that provides distribution, gathering, processing and storage of natural gas.
Richard Wade
Chief Operating Officer of Forent Energy
Mr. Wade is a Professional Engineer registered in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree from the University of Regina. Mr. Wade has extensive experience in the energy industry in various capacities including field operations management, drilling and completion operations, oil and gas reserve evaluation, as well as acquisition/divestiture evaluation. Mr. Wade has held positions of increasing responsibility from major international firms to grass root start up organizations including Mobil Oil Canada, Elk Point Resources, Calver Resources, Western Gas Resources, Lario Oil and Gas Company and Central Global Resources ULC. His roles have included functional engineering duties for drilling, completion, facility specification & design, emergency response, senior management and board of director responsibilities.
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About Forent Energy: Forent Energy is a junior oil and natural gas producer focused on near-term growth.
Rene LaPrade
Senior Vice President and COO of Lightstream Resources
Mr. LaPrade has served as Lightstream’s Senior Vice President Operations since the company’s inception after serving in the same role at Petrobank since April 2008. Previously, Mr. LaPrade was President and Chief Executive Officer of Mirage Energy Ltd. from October 2006 to February 2008; Prior thereto, Vice President Operations of Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. from July 2002 until September 2006; Prior thereto, Manager Operations of Barrington Petroleum Ltd. from May 2001 until September 2001; Prior thereto, Vice President Operations of Petrorep Energy Resources Ltd. from June 1991 to May 2000. Mr. LaPrade is a Professional Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas business.
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About Lightstream Resources: Lightstream Resources Ltd., formerly PetroBakken Energy Ltd., is a Calgary, Alberta-based oil exploration and production company.
Thomas De Haas
COO of Interface Fluidics
Mr. de Haas leads operations and the development of Interface’s automated nanotechnology platform. He is a pioneer in oilfield nanofluidics and continues to successfully achieve new limits on the platforms’ capabilities for oil and gas applications. Mr. de Haas brings practical experience having worked at a large operator, developing and applying new technologies to improve business outcomes across steam extraction processes, piping, and pressure vessel design. He earned a Masters of Applied Science specializing in microfluidics for energy applications from the University of Toronto and a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Victoria.
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About Interface Fluidics: Interface Fluidics is an international technology company offering innovative reservoir fluid analysis services.
Setayesh Afshordi
Chief Operating Officer of Proton Technologies
Setayesh Afshordi is the COO of Proton Technologies Canada.
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About Proton Technologies: Proton Technologies produces hydrogen with zero emissions and keep the carbon in the ground.
Shane Hopkie
Chief Operating Officer of Strad Energy Services
Shane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Manitoba and has over 20 years experience as a leader in successful organizations. Prior to moving into the oil and gas industry, Shane spent 13 years in the consumer packaged goods sector working with Nestle and General Mills. In 2007, he changed industries and joined Strad as the Sales & Marketing Manager before being promoted in 2008 to an ever expanding role in operations as a General Manager. By 2011, he was promoted to Vice President of Drilling Services Canada and then advanced again in 2012 to the Senior Vice President role to oversee Canadian operations. In 2014, Shane was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. With the pattern of being promoted again and again into higher roles and harder challenges, Shane’s determination has achieved exponential growth for every business unit and team he has worked with at Strad. Shane and his family are active members in their community and volunteer with Inn from the Cold and Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.
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About Strad Energy Services: Strad Energy Services is a provider of energy services and solutions.
Rick Walsh
Chief Operating Officer of Osum
Rick Walsh leads the Company’s day-to-day operations, having over two and a half decades of broad energy industry experience weighted heavily to oil sands. Prior to joining Osum, he provided leadership in senior operational roles at Suncor Energy’s Upgrader and in managing several large (upgrading and thermal) capital projects. Rick Walsh is a member of the Canadian Heavy Oil Association and a practicing member of APEGA.
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About Osum: Unlocking Canada’s unrealized bitumen resource potential
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