Centre for Energy Asset Management Studies
CEAMS and Energy Asset Management: The Beginning, Who, What, Why, When and Where We Are Now
Beginning
In the fall of 2002, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Land Administration (CAPLA), recognizing that the competencies and skills required by land administration personnel were changing dramatically, wanted to develop and offer new courses to meet the changing needs. CAPLA contracted SAIT to conduct a skills analysis for the Mineral, Surface and Land Contracts functions.
Upon completion of the skills analysis, a CAPLA Five Year Education Plan was developed. The plan was presented to the CAPLA Board of Directors and Advisory Council in May 2004. They recommended that a committee be formed to explore the various options to implement the plan. In September 2004, the CAPLA Education Initiative Committee recommended the plan be expanded to include the other key disciplines involved and a separate organization be formed for implementation.
In October 2004, a steering committee was struck to manage the process of establishing the new organization. It was determined there would be two phases. Phase I, funded by CAPLA, included the development of a high-level strategic plan; Phase 2, funded jointly by industry and CAPLA, included the development of the governance structure, bylaws, detailed business and corporate fund raising plans. CEAMS was formally established on September 1, 2005.
After an extensive search for an education partner, the Institution Selection Committee of the CEAMS Board selected SAIT Polytechnic as the institution best suited and most qualified to develop and deliver the envisioned Energy Asset Management (EAM) program.
Who Is CEAMS?
The Centre for Energy Asset Management Studies (CEAMS) is an independent, registered non-profit organization, established to influence and promote Energy Asset Management skills development for and within the energy sector.
Our Vision – Setting the standard for the creation, understanding and implementation of Energy Asset Management as a profession.
Our Mission – Drive the enlightened understanding and acceptance that the integrated, multidiscipline approach taken by Energy Asset Management is a very productive, effective and efficient way to conduct the business of energy.
What Is Energy Asset Management?
EAM is the integrated multi-discipline approach to meeting regulatory, compliance, contractual and financial obligations pertaining to the energy industry.
EAM is made up of the following disciplines: Land (surface, contracts and mineral), Joint Ventures, Production Accounting, Operations Accounting, and Well/Facilities Asset Management (Regulatory Compliance).
EAM is a new way of working. It removes the silos in which each of the above disciplines have operated historically and integrates them into an operating team where the role of each discipline is understood by the other members/disciplines in the team and information of common interest is shared. This approach will dramatically reduce duplication of effort, costly errors and chances of being in non-compliance.
Why CEAMS & Energy Asset Management?
In good times but particularly in tough times, everyone’s focus shifts more and more to G&A and the bottom line. The integrated multi-discipline approach of EAM drives bottom line benefits by reducing operating costs, integrating business processes, recovering lost revenue and improving compliance.
In the planning stages of EAM in the 2005 timeframe, the expectation was that many in the five disciplines, mostly baby-boomers, were going to be taking early retirement and there would be nobody sufficiently well trained to take over. Well, 2008 brought a rapid halt to that exodus, which has backed up the retirement cycle and slowed down the hiring. In addition, the companies are now demanding greater and greater efficiency out of their employees.
Three years of graduates, many of whom are working for the Founding Partner companies, are now in the field. Those who have hired and work with these grads are actually finding out first hand exactly how flexible and well trained these people are. Although they may have one specific discipline that really gets them excited, they are equally proficient in ALL five of the disciplines that make up EAM. This proficiency really does prove the accuracy of our positioning line: “Five Disciplines. One Great Asset!”
A recent demographic survey internal to one of the majors determined that in the land department alone, 47% of the staff is over 60 years of age. Combine that with improving share values and the prospect of more retirements over the next five years increases dramatically (assuming the economy continues to improve; no guarantees there!).
Over the last seven or eight years, the regulatory and compliance environment has changed dramatically. With the AER replacing the ERCB and continuing to up the ante with regard to penalties for non-compliance, the penalties are so high they can longer be considered the “cost of doing business.” In fact, they are now so high that the only solution is to ensure that the people managing the regulatory/compliance aspects are well trained in, and understand the interconnectivity of, ALL the disciplines that can potentially impact compliance.
Where Are We Now?
- 56 students graduated at the end of April 2014
- As of the end of April 2014, we have approximately 220 EAM graduates
- Student intake for Sept 2015 will remain at 64.