Industry veteran Robert Reid hired for Mackenzie aboriginal pipeline post

Gary Park

Petroleum News Calgary correspondent

Backed by more than three decades of pipeline work, Robert Reid has been chosen as first president of the Aboriginal Pipeline Group, which is seeking a one-third Native equity stake in the planned Mackenzie Valley gas line.

Aboriginal Pipeline Group Chairman Fred Carmichael said Reid has “unsurpassed knowledge and background in the pipeline industry which will ensure strong representation in the project and realization of our financial opportunity as owners in the Mackenzie Valley pipeline.”

Reid spent 36 years working for TransCanada in a wide range of jobs, rising to senior vice-president of northern development which included evaluating the economic viability of the Mackenzie project. Over the last three years he has been an executive associate with Ziff Energy Group, a Calgary-based consulting firm.

TransCanada has become the key pipeline player in the Mackenzie venture by agreeing in June to lend C$80 million to the Aboriginal Pipeline Group, while negotiating an option to take a 5 percent ownership position in the pipeline if the Mackenzie Delta producers agree to reduce their stake.