Environmental Coordinator

About Us

The Orphan Well Association (OWA) is an independent non-profit organization that operates under the delegated legal authority of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). Our mission is to decommission Orphan oil and gas infrastructure in the Alberta oil and gas sector and reclaim the land to its original state in a safe, principled and cost-efficient manner.  Orphan properties are wells, pipelines, facilities and associated sites that have been left behind by defunct or insolvent companies and that have been designated as orphans by the AER.

Since beginning operations in 2002, the OWA has decommissioned more than 7,300 wells with about 2,100 sites reclaimed.  This work has allowed municipalities, farmers, ranchers and recreational users to reconnect with what the landscape has to offer.

About the Role

The Environmental Coordinator is an integral part of our Operations team, with responsibility for successfully coordinating and project managing a portfolio of assessment, remediation and reclamation sites in Alberta.  As a seasoned Environmental Coordinator, you will have a passion for the work that we do, and a talent for working with prime contractors, engineers and other professionals to ensure that all relevant environmental regulations are met during the closure activities.

This position will report to our Environmental Lead and will be located in the Calgary office.  Some field travel will be required.

Key Duties:

• Manage a portfolio of sites within the environmental group of the OWA
• Coordinate, plan and maintain records of assessment, remediation and reclamation activities for an assigned portfolio of sites, with a goal of achieving closure in a safe, principled and cost-efficient manner
• Manage an assigned project budget by work scope, geographic area, and prime contractor resources
• Participate in the OWA’s safety program by:
  Demonstrating safety leadership;
  Ensuring OWA safety expectations are clearly communicated and commitment to OWA safety policies is adhered to by consulting firms (prime contractors);
  Managing safety with prime contractors for the environmental coordinator’s projects;
  Conducting safety visits in the field to assess prime contractors for safety and technical ability;
  Following up on safety incidents with prime contractors.
• Monitor and evaluate prime contractor performance for safety, operational reporting, technical report writing and cost tracking
• Provide input for negotiating vendor rates, reviewing bid evaluations, and improving project cost efficiencies
• Review technical environmental reports and OneStop submissions (such as Environmental Site Assessments, Record of Site Condition submissions, and Remedial Action Plans)
• Review and update remaining closure cost estimates based on available information
• Ensure appropriate and adequate stakeholder contact and communication is upheld by the prime contractor
• Track, record, and report on operational activities and expenditures
• Work planning with prime contractors including scheduling and kickoff meetings
• Timely review, coding, dispute resolution and approval of invoices
• Support development and compliance with internal processes and operational management system

Experience Required

• At least five to ten years of experience in the oil and gas industry with extensive experience in surface reclamation, environmental assessment, remediation, and project management
• Subsoil Salinity Tool (SST) expertise is valued
• Several years of field experience completing Phase 1 ESAs, Phase 2 ESAs, remediation, reclaiming of wellsites, detailed site assessments for soil and vegetation
• Experience managing reclamation and remediation operations and resolving environmental technical and field issues during operations
• Knowledgeable about regulatory requirements for the oil and gas industry, particularly Alberta Environment & Parks, AER and OH&S regulations
• Working knowledge of Excel, Outlook and GIS based software
• Record of Site Condition development/review and submission is an asset
• SiteView experience is an asset

Skills

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with others
• Ability to work with vendors, communicate expectations clearly and to follow up with performance concerns
• Organized, detail oriented, able to set priorities, complete assigned work and document work in a timely manner
• Able to identify gaps in processes and to step in to help address them
• Able to promptly review environmental reports, assign the next phase of work in a timely fashion, and update information in the OWA’s database (SiteView)

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in environmental related field (e.g., BSc Eng., B.Sc.) is required
• Professional designation is required