About Syncrude Canada Ltd.
Syncrude Canada Ltd. produces about 350,000 barrels of oil daily from the Athabasca Oil Sands. This represents 15% of Canada's crude oil requirements. Since startup in 1978, we have produced about 1.7 billion barrels of oil from the oilsands.
Syncrude mines oil sand from two locations in the Athabasca deposit, extracts the bitumen and upgrades it to a light, sweet crude oil near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Syncrude operates on behalf of its Joint Venture Participants (Canadian Oil Sands, Imperial Oil, Petro-Canada, Conoco-Phillips, Nexen Inc., Murphy Oil and Mocal Energy).
Syncrude employs about 4500 people and procures about $1.5B of materials and contracted services annually in support of its operations. We are the largest industrial employer of Aboriginal people in Canada - about 9% of our workforce.
Syncrude has recently completed Stage 3 of a phased expansion program. Future expansion phases could bring Syncrude's daily production to 500,000 barrels per day.
About Rick Nilson, General Manager, Central Maintenance & Supply Services.
Rick was born and raised in Edmonton and is now living in Fort McMurray with his wife and two children. He holds two degrees, both from the University of Alberta; a B.Comm(1977) and LL.B(1981). Rick is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and a Past Member of the Law Society of B.C. Currently, he serves on the Board of Governors for Keyano College as the Chair, Finance Committee and the Chair, HR Committee. Rick is currently with Syncrude Canada Ltd.
1995 - 2001 Syncrude, Manager, Business Development
1992 - 1995 Syncrude, Manager, Facilities Management
1991 - 1992 Syncrude, Acting General Manager, Materials & Services
1988 - 1991 Syncrude, Manager, Contracting Services
1986 - 1988 Practiced Law, Vancouver, B.C.
1985 - 1986 Westar Mining Ltd., Corporate Counsel, Vancouver, B.C.
1981 - 1985 Syncrude, Corporate Counsel, Edmonton/Fort McMurray
1984 - 1985 Keyano College, Sessional Lecturer, Business Law
1982 - 1984 University of Alberta, Sessional Lecturer, Business Law.
