Geoscience BC Welcomes New Technical Advisory Committee Members

Vancouver, BC – March 29, 2021 – The appointment of four new volunteers to Geoscience BC’s Oil & Gas and Minerals Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) will help to further widen the expertise of groups that identify, plan, develop and review our independent, relevant and public earth science research in British Columbia.

Colin Frostad (Tourmaline Oil Corp.), Dr. Brendan Galloway (PETRONAS Canada) and Chris Wilcox (Ovintiv Inc.) join the Oil & Gas TAC, and Dr. Shaun Barker (University of British Columbia’s Mineral Deposit Research Unit – MDRU) joins the Minerals TAC.

The Oil & Gas TAC members have been appointed following a call for applications in the fall of 2020. Dr. Shaun Barker joins the Minerals TAC representing the MDRU following the departure of former MDRU Director Dr. Craig Hart. We thank Dr. Hart for volunteering his time and expertise over the years.

Colin Frostad has served as the Vice President, Exploration of Tourmaline Oil Corp. since November 2019. Prior thereto, he was Exploration Manager of the Company’s NEBC and PRH operating areas, and Senior Geologist at Tourmaline, since February 2009. Prior to joining Tourmaline, Colin served as Geologist at Duvernay Oil Corp until its acquisition in 2008. Colin holds a Master of Science (Geology) and Bachelor of Science (Geology) from the University of Calgary and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia and the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists.

Dr. Brendan Galloway joined PETRONAS Canada in November 2016 and is currently the Senior External Affairs Advisor. He is focused on understanding how changes in energy policy impact business operations. Prior to that, he worked for Royal Dutch Shell for almost nine years supporting their Canadian unconventional gas, wind energy, and mineable and in-situ oilsands operations. Brendan also held the position of Environmental Scientist while at Golder Associates consulting from 2004 to 2008. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Society of Unconventional Resources.  Brendan holds a Ph.D. (Environmental Biology), M.Sc. (Biology) and B.Sc. (Marine Biology) from the University of New Brunswick.

Chris Wilcox has spent the last 20 years in the Oil and Gas Industry most notably the last 15 years with Ovintiv Inc. (Encana legacy) working various technical and management positions including: Reservoir Characterization, Geology & Geophysics, Development and Operations, including the last nine years working with NEBC assets. Chris has directly influenced the development of over 900+ Montney wells in both BC and Alberta. Chris has guided many of the current technical files for Ovintiv’s Montney development including: Induced Seismicity, H₂S, Water Source and Disposal, Sour Gas Disposal and Community engagement. Chris graduated from University of Calgary in 1998 with a B.Sc. Geology and M.Sc. in Energy Management from University of Colorado in 2012 and is an active member of both Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta and Geoscientists and Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.

Dr. Shaun Barker was appointed as Director of MDRU in January 2021. After completing his Ph.D. at the Australian National University in 2007, Shaun worked for five years as a postdoctoral research fellow at MDRU, developing novel tools for vectoring towards Carlin-type gold deposits, and new stable isotope methods suitable for the mineral exploration industry. In 2012, he joined the University of Waikato in New Zealand as a senior lecturer in Earth Sciences, conducting research on low-sulfidation epithermal gold deposits at Waihi. Shaun subsequently joined the Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences (CODES) at the University of Tasmania in Australia as an Associate Professor in Economic Geology.

“We are excited to welcome Colin, Brendan, Chris and Shaun to our Technical Advisory Committees,” said Geoscience BC President and CEO, Gavin C. Dirom. “Their expertise and experience will add to our TACs’ knowledge of geoscience and research needed in British Columbia.”

View Technical Advisory Committees Page

About Geoscience BC

Geoscience BC generates independent, public geoscience research and data about British Columbia’s minerals, energy and water resources. This advances knowledge, informs responsible development, encourages investment and stimulates innovation. Our collaboration with the resource sectors, academia, communities, Indigenous groups and government develops and shares unbiased and credible earth science research and data. Geoscience BC is a not for profit society incorporated under the BC Societies Act. Visit www.geosciencebc.com or follow us @GeoscienceBC to find out more.

For more information, please contact:

Richard Truman

Geoscience BC

604-662-4147/778-929-1662

truman@geosciencebc.com