Checking In With The Oil Crowd

- David Gray-donald

I’m searching for the low-carbon energy transition, and I’ve either ended up at the exact right or wrong place.

Six weeks ago, Briarpatch received a generic invite letter to the 50th annual Global Petroleum Show, “NORTH AMERICA’S LEADING ENERGY EVENT,” and my curiosity got the best of me. As someone who’s reported on climate justice for years, I decided to make a trip into the belly of the beast to see what the oil business is doing to propel the low-carbon energy transition, or to hinder it.

So now I’m at the Calgary Stampede grounds, on Treaty 7 territory, trying to make sense of what the people gathered here believe is next for their industry – and, by consequence, our planet. The conference guidebook tells me we’re here “CELEBRATING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY.” Excuse my skepticism.

On the first morning of the three-day conference, I wander the red carpets at the entrance. A maze of booths lines the exhibition space, hawking everything from valves to technology companies to countries. Xylem: “Let’s Solve Water.” Energyn: “The Extreme Process Equipment Manufacturing Company.” State of Louisiana: “Louisiana Is Energy.” The hundreds of booths continue on like this through one football fieldsized room, through a corridor, and into another football field-sized room.

What I came for, though, is the smaller, more exclusive Business & Technical Conference, where executives and politicians are giving keynotes and sitting on panels discussing the future of the industry. Entry costs $795 for the three days.

In my application for a media pass, I included a