The Canadian Gas Association has had a long-standing awards program to recognize its members’ leadership and commitment to safety and innovation. In 2022, CGA has enhanced this program to honour its members’ work in areas such as customer care, and environmental stewardship.
Another new award category is focused on young business leaders in the industry. In this issue of ENERGY Magazine, we interviewed the five candidates of this award to get their perspectives on working in the natural gas industry and what the future holds for the sector.
The nominees for CGA’s 2021 Young Business Leader are:
- Alireza Kohandehghan, Pacific Northern Gas
- Ana Villarreal Escudero, P.Eng., TC Energy
- John Salazar, TC Energy
- Lindsay Drozdiak, P.Eng., TC Energy
- Ryan Organ, Enbridge Gas Inc.
Alireza Kohandehghan, Pacific Norther Gas
Alireza Kohandehghan is an Asset Integrity Engineer at Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (PNG). He has extensive experience in pipeline and facility integrity management processes, engineering assessments, risk assessments and probability of failure, remaining-life assessments, welding and metallurgical assessments, stress analysis, and simulation and modeling. He is an active member of several industry proceedings and working groups. Alireza always strives for knowledge-sharing across the industry, promotes a culture of excellence, and promotes strategic thinking. He has demonstrated initiative by tackling challenges, solving problems, developing systems, processes, and procedures, and brainstorming ideas to provoke critical thinking. Alireza’s addition to the PNG organization has significantly accelerated PNG’s overall understanding and management of pipeline system and facility integrity and has quickly positioned PNG to be a future leader in the integrity management sphere within the CGA member companies.
1. What motivated you to join the energy industry?
The constant changes and challenges in the energy industry present themselves as rewarding opportunities for leading-edge developments that have direct positive impacts on all our lives. These motivated me to be part of the solution to the growing demand for more environmentally-friendly and more sustainable energy and a more reliable supply of energy in the world.
2. What excites you most about the future of Canada’s natural gas industry?
What excites me the most about the future of the natural gas industry in Canada is one of the biggest emerging challenges the world, and Canada will face over the next few decades. This includes ensuring a sustainable and reliable energy supply for a growing population, managing the reliable energy supply through aging infrastructure, and developing and utilizing new and efficient carbon-reduction strategies. This energy will be in the form of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and varying blends of natural gas and hydrogen.
3. In your opinion, how do you see the role of natural gas infrastructure changing in the next 30 years?
Based on completed energy supply modeling studies, natural gas is predicted to be the primary energy source in North America for the next 30 years. During this period and beyond, the natural gas replacement by zero-carbon gaseous fuels will still require infrastructure similar to the existing natural gas systems for efficient delivery to markets and end-users. The natural gas infrastructure will play an immense role in that energy transition. This underlines the importance of integrity and health management and maintaining the existing infrastructure to ensure affordable serving at the time of the energy transition.
4. What advice would you give to young professionals today who are interested in joining the energy industry?
According to the history of our industry, the challenges that the energy industry will face could be overpowering at times. My advice for young professionals would be to remain persistent and motivated. Regular participation and contribution to knowledge and lessons-learned-sharing working groups and sessions are one of the most effective ways to tackle the common challenges to allow the industry to brainstorm innovative solutions on more leading-edge opportunities.
Ana Villarreal Escudero, P. Eng., TC Energy
Ana Villarreal Escudero has been working in Canada’s energy industry for the last seven years, lending her expertise in mechanical design to champion sustainable low-emission facilities. Her career has spanned areas of facility integrity and reliability, commissioning and capital expansion in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Most recently, Ana has led the development of emissions reduction strategies in the Canada Gas business unit at TC Energy with a focus on methane reduction and management. Recognizing that young professionals have the drive and passion to catalyze positive change in the energy industry, Ana joined the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada (YPAC) where she served as co-chair for the Calgary Chapter. In this capacity, she has channeled her passion for connection and transformative change to create spaces where young professionals are empowered to think big and think bold. As part of the Avatar Program, Ana is bringing her tenacity and ambition to continue developing innovative solutions for the energy ecosystem.
1. What motivated you to join the energy industry?
Working in the energy industry, there is a strong sense of social responsibility because the work that you do plays an important role in the way energy is delivered and used in society. I was attracted to the energy industry because of this sense of responsibility and the wide variety of opportunities and diversity of experiences one can have in this sector. Working in this industry, you can have a real impact in how energy develops and that is what motivates me to continue to be a part of it.
2. What excites you most about the future of Canada’s natural gas industry?
Canada is a leader when it comes to the responsible and sustainable operation of natural gas systems. I am excited by how this sector will continue to evolve and improve its practices to ensure that the gas is produced, transported, and delivered in the most sustainable and low-carbon way possible.
3. In your opinion, how do you see the role of natural gas infrastructure changing in the next 30 years?
There is no question that the existing natural gas infrastructure in Canada is a huge asset and I think these assets need to evolve to help achieve our country’s net-zero goals. What I think will be interesting is seeing how this infrastructure will adapt to transport products other than natural gas, like hydrogen, hydrogen blends or carbon. Changes like these would leverage the existing infrastructure and processes to build a strong foundation for new types of fuels and energy needs.
4. What advice would you give to young professionals today who are interested in joining the energy industry?
My advice would be to bring your passion, bring your ideas, bring your drive and commitment. The energy industry needs young professionals who are driven and ready to tackle challenging, multi-disciplinary problems that will contribute to a net-zero future. There is such a wide range of opportunities that will touch everything from the application of new technologies to policy development to meaningful partnerships with communities to achieve a common goal. There has never been a more consequential time to be part of the energy industry.
John Salazar, TC Energy
John was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Calgary in 2001. He spent his career in various facets of the Energy Industry, from research and development, facility and pipeline design, project management and operation. He is a registered Professional Engineer (APEGA) and Project Management Professional (PMI). Today, John serves as a Board Director for both Progressive Assistance Canada Charity and SOLAR Hope, leads a team of skilled trades men and women to deliver large volumes of energy to homes and businesses safely and reliably, and passionately participates in conversations about building high performance teams and the future of Energy.
1. What motivated you to join the energy industry?
My grandfather was an engineer and he led a team that built and operated the water sanitation and delivery infrastructure in the Philippines. My father is an engineer who led the team who designed, built, and maintained all the mechanical systems necessary for the delivery of electrical energy throughout the Philippines. I was inspired by and driven to continue our multigeneration lineage of builders and leave a legacy of building the infrastructure necessary to fuel our daily lives, connect our communities, and explore our future — Energy is at the root of all of that.
2. What excites you most about the future of Canada’s natural gas industry?
The global commitment to a more sustainable future has incubated a future of energy that inspires current and future Energy professionals to challenge the norm, therefore, accelerating the pace of transformation. What were mere ideas only a decade ago has become our reality today, and it’s inspiring to know that we are part of the community that will build a future that is still waiting to be imagined and discovered.
3. In your opinion, how do you see the role of natural gas infrastructure changing in the next 30 years?
Billions of people still have no access to clean, sustainable, and affordable sources of energy today. As we continue to advance our knowledge and technology, the composition of the natural gas in our system may change, but the role of the Canadian natural gas infrastructure will continue to grow in ensuring energy access equity around the world, while leading the advancement of technologies towards a net zero future.
4. What advice would you give to young professionals today who are interested in joining the energy industry?
The energy industry is one of the most dynamic industries out there. You will collaborate with some of the most passionate and creative individuals, learn about unique cultures and its people, and be part of an industry that is necessary to fuel our daily lives. We are in an unprecedented time of significant transformation and joining the industry today means you get to meaningfully participate in one of the most important conversations of our generation, today, for our tomorrow.
Lindsay Drozdiak, P.Eng., TC Energy
Lindsay started her career in the natural gas industry in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where she relocated after graduating from Mechanical Engineering at Queen’s University. Lindsay experienced firsthand the challenges associated with keeping our natural gas infrastructure running through the hot Alberta summer days and cold winter nights. She has since moved back to her hometown of Calgary to join TC Energy, where she has held various technical and project management roles within their Canada Gas Business Unit. Lindsay works to shape the future of the industry through her volunteer work with the Young Pipelines Association of Canada (YPAC).
1. What motivated you to join the energy industry?
I joined the industry because of the vast opportunities and advancing career path I saw for myself. I was drawn in by the new graduate programs that many energy companies provide, allowing for rotational opportunities for young professionals that would increase my exposure to different roles within the industry.
The many development opportunities I have been provided have given me the tools and confidence to speak up and challenge the status quo. I feel that I have a voice in this industry, and that my voice is being heard.
2. What excites you most about the future of Canada’s natural gas industry?
I am excited by the number of opportunities that our industry has, due to the high level of expertise we hold. The industry is at a pivotal point where we have abundant young energy entering the industry, as well as significant senior expertise that is eager to share their knowledge. We must ensure that we are facilitating knowledge transfer down to the young professionals who can channel their energy into building upon the great foundation that exists and creating the innovative solutions that we all want to see in the years to come.
3. In your opinion, how do you see the role of natural gas infrastructure changing in the next 30 years?
We will always depend on the safe and reliable energy infrastructure that we have today. As it is becoming increasingly difficult to build new energy infrastructure, our existing infrastructure becomes immensely more valuable and will be depended upon by a growing population. In response, the ways in which we operate and maintain our infrastructure will have to evolve. We must continue to challenge our ways of thinking and increase our efficiency in order to solidify natural gas as a preferable energy form in the future energy mix.
4. What advice would you give to young professionals today who are interested in joining the energy industry?
Always continue learning. Strive to understand the basics; this will give you the foundation you need to be able to innovate and continue advancing the industry.
Get involved! There are so many great young professional associations and online webinars you can participate in to expand your knowledge and network.
Don’t forget about how the industry got to where it was. Although there are a lot of new and exciting areas to get involved in, it is critical that the industry pass down the generations of knowledge and skills they have developed.
Ryan Organ, Enbridge Gas Inc.
Ryan Organ was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia and graduated from Saint Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance. In 2007, Ryan moved to his wife’s hometown of Chatham, Ontario and began his career at Enbridge Gas Inc.
Ryan is on the Board of Directors of the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce, recently joining their executive as Chair-elect. Ryan also supports various charity events, most recently joining the planning committee for a charity pickleball tournament.
Ryan has three young daughters with his wife, Justine, and enjoys spending time with friends and family, skiing, golfing, boating, and getting outdoors.
1. What motivated you to join the energy industry?
I was very fortunate to land a job at a bank after university. It was a great start, and a path that I thought I would continue in most of my career.
Then something unexpected happened: I discovered an opportunity in the energy industry that allowed me to grow personally, develop professionally, and contribute to the quality of life and the economic prosperity of our customers, our province, and our country. I would be learning from some of the brightest minds and strongest leaders in the industry.
It wasn’t a hard sell, and it was the best decision I could have made.
2. What excites you most about the future of Canada’s natural gas industry?
There is a lot to be excited about!
We are in a unique position to not only support our customers through the energy transition, but to help shape what it looks like. Our industry meets the needs of our customers who rely on natural gas to fuel their quality of life while also finding innovative solutions that meet the needs of tomorrow.
I am extremely proud to be a part of the natural gas industry and I’m excited about all the opportunities on the horizon.
3. In your opinion, how do you see the role of natural gas infrastructure changing in the next 30 years?
2052 isn’t that far away in the grand scheme of things.
I think the role of natural gas infrastructure will always be to meet the needs of our customers, but how we use those assets, the makeup of the energy they deliver, and the level of interconnection with other energy infrastructure will evolve.
I see changes in our supply mix, relying increasingly on renewable natural gas and hydrogen. I see carbon capture, utilization and sequestration playing an important role. By 2052, many of the initiatives that we consider leading or bleeding edge today will be part of a well-established, highly integrated and automated energy system.
4. What advice would you give to young professionals today who are interested in joining the energy industry?
First: energy transition will bring significant change and opportunity.
It will provide young professionals the opportunity to flex their creativity, the opportunity to dive into new and exiting initiatives, and the opportunity to help shape the energy industry for the coming decades.
Second: where you go in this industry might surprise you.
This industry has a rich diversity of roles that can lead to a very exciting career mosaic. I’m fortunate to have worked in forecasting, regulatory, gas supply, sales, business development, and policy and sales support. It’s a rewarding career; I’ve learned a lot from the incredibly talented team at Enbridge and I’ve only scratched the surface.