03 Jun 2020, Q&A's, SFC Academy

An SFC Energy Q&A with: Marc Godin, Director of Technology at PTAC

Simark Q&A with PTAC

These days, a little help from our friends is even more welcome than usual. That’s why we’re grateful for organizations like PTAC that provide a platform for connection and knowledge sharing in the energy industry. We asked Marc Godin, PTAC’s Director of Technology for a quick rundown on PTAC’s mandate and the role of green energy solutions in the future of oil and gas extraction.

What is PTAC’s role in the energy industry?

We facilitate the introduction of new technologies into the oil and gas sector in Canada.

What kind of events do you promote through PTAC’s channels?

We hold conferences, workshops and lunch-and-learns and these days, with the COVID-19 situation, webinars and online events. The focus for these is on market opportunities and on the challenges faced by the industry and the potential solutions to solve those challenges with technology innovation.

How does PTAC determine the focus of its programming?

We’re market facing, so we respond to the needs of/ the guidance from our members. It’s the challenges and the solutions that are indicated by our members that set the priorities for PTAC. We’re not an advocacy organization or an engineering firm that does analysis and provides recommendations. We work through the consensus of our members.

What are the challenges and solutions that members want PTAC to help them address?

Our focus is on providing new technology solutions or innovation solutions, broadly, to address the current challenges in the oil and gas industry. And the current challenges tend to be environmental; the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and methane intermissions as well as the reduction of operation costs through efficiencies with IOT and digital technologies.

What are the challenges and solutions that members want PTAC to help them address?

EFOY methanol fuel cells…provide a source of renewable energy to power remote well sites. If we go back 10 to 20 years, the way to power equipment at these remote well sites was through pneumatic equipment that uses natural gas as the as the source of energy …That creates methane emissions which are a significant source of greenhouse gas. In the last 10 years or so, we’ve been moving to the electrification of those well sites. The source of the power tends to be solar panels, fuel cells…energy efficient remote power solutions. These reduce emissions of methane and lower greenhouse gas counts, so that’s an environmental benefit to the oil and gas sector.

Interested in learning more about EFOY Energy Solutions?

Join us for our FREE EFOY Pro for oil and gas SIMARK Academy webinar

Interested in learning more about PTAC and their industry initiatives?

Visit their website here