Aboriginal Relations |Coal and Mineral Development | Communications | Conventional Oil | Electricity | Human Resources | Information Technology Business Unit | Legal Services | Natural Gas Development | Oil Sands | Organizational Effectiveness | Petrochemical Development | Policy, Planning and External Relations | Resource Land Access | Tenure
The Department of Energy team contributes to the social and economic well being of Albertans. This team is respected for their competence, knowledge, skill and dedication in guiding the development of Alberta's non-renewable resources. Albertans own the province's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources. The Department of Energy manages the sustained development of these resources in a responsible manner that maximizes long-term benefits to the province. More information can be found in the Our Business section of this website.
Aboriginal Relations
The Aboriginal Relations Business Unit addresses the impact of Aboriginal issues on the business of Alberta Energy. This activity encompasses legal, land claim and Crown lessee issues, as well as promoting good industry relationships with Aboriginal communities and encouraging the positive involvement of Aboriginal people in the resource economy.
Coal and Mineral Development
Coal and Mineral Development manages the exploration and extraction of Alberta's solid minerals - coal, metallic minerals, salt, diamonds, ammonite shell and various stone and rock resources such as gravel and limestone. Coal and Mineral Development plays a role encouraging industry to responsibly explore and develop Alberta's coal and mineral resources.
Communications
The Communications Branch coordinates government dialog to and from Albertans on key policies and programs. Communications provides the Minister of Energy and the department personnel with access to skills and services including strategic communications planning, issues management, media relations, writing and production.
Conventional Oil
The powerful image of a drilling rig on the prairie is a critical part of Alberta's past, present and future. The conventional oil sector has been a perennial driver of the Alberta economy for more than 50 years, and the Oil Development Business Unit has its sights set on ensuring that this valuable resource sees another 50 years of contribution to our province. The Conventional Oil Business Unit promotes and encourages exploration and development of reserves, calculates and collects royalties from producers and markets Crown's share of crude oil production through private sector marketing agents.
Electricity
In Alberta's electricity market, competitive forces - the laws of supply and demand - guide decisions by developers regarding investments in new generation and the delivery system. To ensure Albertans of a long-term, reliable supply of competitively priced electricity the Electricity Business Unit develops and monitors the framework for encouraging competitive electricity markets and efficient delivery systems.
Human Resources
Human Resources is responsible for developing strategies and providing facilitation and consultation to line managers in areas including employee attraction and retention, building leadership capacity, performance management, classification, employee relations, employee compensation and rewards. The role of Human Resources is also to ensure a healthy, positive and safe work environment where staff can develop their potential and excel.
Information Technology Business Unit
The Information Technology Business Unit (ITBU) delivers service excellence through a skilled, knowledgeable workforce utilizing new and existing technologies. ITBU employees contribute to an efficient, reliable and secure infrastructure for the Department of Energy business units - a critical foundation to a successful technological environment. The ITBU provides stakeholders with secure access to timely information and works with Department of Energy business units to provide reliable and cost effective IT solutions ranging from desktop support to custom applications.
Legal Services
Legal Services offers analysis and advice to the Department of Energy on a range of legal and regulatory matters. The business unit monitors and promotes Alberta's interests in energy transportation and transmission. The Business Unit also ensures fair and objective handling of appeal and dispute resolution processes for industry and objections about royalty calculation.
Natural Gas
Gas Markets and Utilities
The Gas Markets and Utilities Business Unit (GMU) provides advice to the Minister of Energy regarding the competitive natural gas market in North America, and natural gas supplied to Albertans, including regulated utility service, customer choice and gas rebates. Currently, GMU is managing a cross-government regulatory review and external consultation concerning the development of Natural Gas in Coal (NGC). This business unit is also responsible for market analysis and forecasting the price of natural gas for the provincial budget, to ensure Albertans can benefit to the greatest extent from resources development.
Gas Development Business Unit
The Gas Development Business Unit is responsible for the administration and design of Alberta’s gas royalty framework. This includes calculating, invoicing and collecting natural gas royalties. The Unit evaluates Alberta’s business climate for natural gas development, to ensure Albertans receive fair value from the development of their natural gas resources.
Oil Sands
The Oil Sands Development Business Unit is responsible for the overall management of the Crown’s oil sands interests, from issuing oil sands leases, facilitating development, collecting royalties, to closing and reclaiming of leases, with the objective of developing the oil sands industry in a manner that provides a fair return to Albertans, the owners of the resource.Organizational Effectiveness
Organizational Effectiveness enables and facilitates the achievement of corporate goals by providing expertise in financial services, information management and business continuity, scenarios and forecasting, business services and facility management, and compliance and assurance.
Petrochemical Development
Alberta is Canada's leading petrochemical producer and home to the world's two largest ethane-based processing plants. The Petrochemical Development Business Unit works with stakeholders to identify their concerns and to assist in securing and expanding feedstock supplies so that the industry can continue to grow. This Business Unit works with Alberta Economic Development to promote and advocate sustainable energy resource development opportunities in the petrochemical sector for Alberta.
Policy, Planning and External Relations
Providing leadership and strategic support to all areas of the department in interdepartmental and intergovernmental relations, energy policy, and business and strategic planning are just some of the exciting activities in Policy, Planning and External Relations.
Resource Land Access
The Resource Land Access Business Unit, ensures fair and timely access to Alberta's resources and provides expertise in resolving mineral ownership issues. Resource Land Access Business Unit provides geological and engineering expertise for resource development initiatives and helps to address access to resources located in environmentally sensitive areas.
Tenure
Tenure is the process of leasing and administering petroleum and natural gas (P&NG) rights owned by the Province of Alberta. Companies are granted the right to explore for and develop P&NG resources, in exchange for the value to Albertans that flows from development in the form of royalties, bonus bid payments and rents.
