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Oil Patch Insider Insider this week: Alberta on its way to OPEC? Former Phillips executive still missing
For three decades, the oilmen of Alberta have often squirmed as the rest of Canada has portrayed them as Blue-Eyed Sheiks, with strong overtones of getting rich at someone else’s expense.
Now, rather than fight the label, they have been invited to cross the divide and take an observer’s seat at OPEC.
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries President Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, who is also Qatar’s oil minister, said July 10 in Calgary he would “be happy to see Alberta” take its place alongside other observers: Russia, Mexico, Oman and Argentina.
He said Alberta, as one of the world’s top 10 hydrocarbon producing regions, would be welcomed by the cartel.
If it happens, it would culminate years of flirting with world oil politics by Alberta, starting in 1989 when the province attended a session of OPEC and non-OPEC producers.
That ruffled feathers in the Canadian government, which controls external relations, but had no prior knowledge of Alberta’s intention to join the discussions.
Federal anger was exacerbated when OPEC leaders suggested Alberta might joint the cartel in restraining production to prop up oil prices, but the province carefully backed away from output quotas.
Gradually, that storm abated, but was stirred up again four months ago when Alberta — enraged by the federal government’s arbitrary imposition of the Kyoto Protocol and by Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal’s anti-American comments — said it was exploring an observer role at OPEC.
Energy Minister Murray Smith said it would be “important and beneficial for Alberta and Canadians to know as much as they can about their competition,” while also seeking greater recognition for its oil sands potential.
Smith had no immediate response to OPEC’s apparent willingness to roll out the welcome mat. OPEC president visits Alaska, Texas, New York Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries President Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah’s swing through North America reportedly also took him to meetings in Alaska, Texas and New York City.
Anyone in those locals willing to share what was discussed? Former Phillips executive still missing Still missing after almost one year is oil company executive David Rockey, who vanished along Highway 75 between Bartlesville and Tulsa, Okla. in August.
Rockey left home Aug. 26 to deliver his resume to a company in Skiatook, Okla. He was last seen heading south on Highway 75 by a friend.
Rockey never arrived at his destination and has not been seen since.
His car, cell phone and briefcase were found the next day at the Tulsa Airport. No car rental records or airline tickets matching his name or description were found. Rockey’s last industry position was as Phillips Petroleum’s manager of Worldwide E&P Support in Bartlesville. He worked for the company, now ConocoPhillips, for 28 years.
Rockey is 6’2” tall, weighs 195 pounds, wears glasses, and has brown eyes and brown-grey hair. A flyer with his photo is available on line at www.wtgs.org.
Anyone having any information concerning his whereabouts should contact Investigator Steve Birmingham of the Bartlesville Police Department, (918) 338-4017.
Oil Patch Insider is compiled by Paula Easley, Kay Cashman and Steve Sutherlin with news coming from a variety of sources, including news tips and press releases from readers. Petroleum News writers in Anchorage, Calgary, Vancouver, Fairbanks, Houston and Washington, D.C. also supply news leads and briefs. If you have a news tip or press release for Oil Patch Insider, please email [email protected], phone (907) 245-2297, or fax (907) 522-9583.
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