Pipeline Online Podcast

Paul Colborne is the 2026 Oil Person of the Year, and will be honoured as such on June 3 at the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn. His lengthy career includes Husky Oil, Wascana Energy, Startech Energy, founder and initial president and CEO of Crescent Point. And now he's president and CEO of Surge Energy. Register for the awards banquet at oilshow.ca.  Paul talks a lot about how technology developments have led to growth in the oilpatch.  As a side note: see all the pumpjacks in the intro? He was involved in most of those wells. And the pumpjack that's part of the Pipeline Online logo was Astra Oil, which is now owned and operated by Surge.  

Dr. Stuart Smyth is a professor with the College of Ag and BioResources at the University of Saskatchewan. There's a lot of interactions between the ag and energy worlds, including the Clean Fuel Regulations.

Ron Wallace and Tammy Nemeth join the Pipeline Online Podcast. Wallace is a former member of the National Energy Board, and Nemeth is an energy analyst, originally from Saskatchewan but now based in the UK. Why does Canadian-produced oil and gas need to be decarbonized, but imported oil and gas, or product from Newfoundland, does not? That’s a really good question…

Dr. Grant Isaac, President and COO of Cameco, on Pipeline Online Podcast Ep. 31Saskatchewan is looking at building large-scale 1,000 megawatt reactors. One of the companies who builds reactors that size is Westinghouse. And in 2023, Cameco bought 49 per cent of Westinghouse. We will ask Grant Isaac, President and COO of Cameco, why Saskatchewan should buy the AP1000 reactor. Please note, there were technical glitches that arose during the live recording. We hope to do another episode with Mr. Isaac in the near future to go further in depth on this important decision.

Saskatchewan is currently in the process of selecting a technology for large scale nuclear reactors in the future. That basically means picking a model. And there are two models in particular in leading contention - the AtkinsRealis CANDU Monark, and the Westinghouse AP1000. This podcast is part of Pipeline Online's in-depth coverage into which reactor Saskatchewan should choose. If we do go ahead with large nuclear, it will be the most expensive thing this province has done to date, and among the most impactful.  Mike Harris was premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002. As nuclear power generation is key to keeping Ontario's lights on and industry running, it was an important part of his administration. In this podcast, he talks about some of the issues he had to face, and why Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta should choose the CANDU reactor design for large-scale reactors. Harris and former Prime Minister Jean Chretien were active in creating "Canadians for CANDU."

Should Saskatchewan buy the CANDU reactor when it comes to building large-scale nuclear in this province? Carl Marcotte Senior Vice-President, Marketing & Business Development at CANDU Energy, part of AtkinsRealis, makes the pitch. Building large reactors will only be the largest, most expensive decision made by this province for generations. 

Senator Pamela Wallin was once Canada's Consul General in New York, so her perspective on the ongoing trade wars is a good one to hear. The discussion includes the China EV/Canola deal, PM Mark Carney's speech in Davos, Trump's response, and upcoming CUSMA negotiations. 

Calgary Lawyer Gerald Chipeur, KC, is originally from Saskatchewan. He's honorary counsel for South Korea in the province of Alberta, and has a unique perspective on the potential for trade between our two nations. Basically, they'll buy all the energy we can sell them, even if we double or even triple our output. Trade with China and the US are also touched on, as well as what happened in Venezeula and how it impacts Canada. He's also a director of Harvest Oil. 

Herb Pinder is a Saskatoon businessman and lawyer whose career includes sports agency and private equity, with a large focus on early stage energy companies. He's also a columnist with Western Standard, and has a lot of opinions on anthropogenic climate change and western independence.  

Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre go over 2025 energy stories that affected Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe joins the Pipeline Online Podcast in his annual year-end interview. Moe agrees the coal decision is one of the most significant energy decisions this government has made in years. The discussion digs into that, Saskatchewan's move into nuclear, carbon capture, interties to Alberta's grid, and the Alberta-Canada MOU.  The multilateral well program, oil production goals, Saskatchewan's new energy and resources minister, lithium and hydrogen are also discussed. Recorded on Dec. 16. 

Estevan is the Energy City. This year saw the revival of its core industry - coal-fired power generation. That could eventually lead to more carbon capture, utilization and storage in the oilfield. Estevan is the chosen location for Saskatchewan's first planned nuclear power reactors. There's also a solar plant under construction, and an intertie to the US. Estevan is also spearheading a coal-to-graphite project and coal-to-hydrogen project.

Donny Duncan is president and CEO of Millennium Land, one of the prominent land agencies operating in Saskatchewan. He's a real, honest-to-God landman. You may have seen one on TV! We talk about the differences between what you might have seen on TV, and the very important role land agents have in resource development. 

There's been major developments this year in the mining portion of the energy sector. Saskatchewan is going to refurbish its coal fleet instead of shutting it down in four years. Major things are happening on the rollout of new nuclear reactors, meaning more uranium will be needed. New mines are in the works. Pam Schwann, president of the Saskatchewan Mining Association, joined the Pipeline Online Podcast to talk about it all. 

Estella Petersen is a member of Cowessess First Nation and is a heavy equipment operator for a large operator in the oilsands. She speaks of how she got there, and the opportunities for First Nations people such as herself. We don't have a lot of people who wear a hardhat all day, so her perspective is a little different. 

Grant Greenslade has spent many years in the junior producer space, first with a family oil business in southwest Saskatchewan and then through the first three Spartan companies. He's also a former councillor and mayor of Shaunavon, providing a southwest Sask perspective we don't get to hear a lot. 

Eric Anderson is the executive director of the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association, or SIMSA. They are holding an Energy Suppliers Forum in Regina on Oct. 8. SIMSA has also been tasked with puting together a supply chain for nuclear power development in Saskatchewan. 

Retired lawyer Andrew Roman joins the Pipeline Online Podcast to talk about the recent trend in climate change activist lawfare to use children as their frontmen and Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Roman has been around major project law going back as far as the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, and he just may have been the person to introduce the term "No More Pipelines Act." You might have heard of it. 

Dr. Chris Keefer is a leading nuclear power generation advocate in Ontario and President Canadians for Nuclear Energy. He's also a Toronto Emergency Room physician. As Saskatchewan is looking seriously at nuclear power, Ontario has long led the way.

Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Economy and Jobs Aleana Young is also the critic for SaskPower. She discussed the NDP's response to the Saskatchewan Party government's plan to rejuvenate its coal-fired power fleet. The discussion also went into the NDP's plans for nuclear power, "From rock to reactor." It's a lively discussion. 

While there's been a lot of talk about shipping out of Hudson Bay, most of that has focused on Churchill. But a competing project is in the works, with a terminus at Port Nelson. It's called NeeStaNan, which means "All of us" in Cree. The idea would be to build a brand new port close to where one was attempted unsuccessfully over 100 years ago, at the mouth of the Churchill River. This new port would be built offshore, and could be used for a variety of commodities, including LNG and potash. But surprisingly, this podcast revealed that the First Nations backers are not keen on an oil pipeline, which premiers from Saskatchewan and Alberta are eager for. 

The massive Northern Ontario critical minerals develoment known as the "Ring of Fire" has been years in the making, and is still many more years to go. Federal government overregulation is a key issue, according to guest Greg Rickford, Ontario Minister for Ring of Fire. Are there parallels to be drawn here with oil and gas pipelines? Is the Ring of Fire another example of "Can'tada?" At the end, Bronwyn Eyre and Brian Zinchuk discuss those broader implications, including the possibility of using a port on Hudson Bay for exports. 

Minister of Crown Investments Corp. and SaskPower Jeremy Harrison explains how Saskatchewan will indeed proceed with rebuilding its three coal-fired power stations and run them for years as a bridge to eventual baseload nuclear power generation. This is the most significant energy policy decision Saskatchewan has made in a decade, and likely for years to come. It also lends to the possibility of adding more carbon capture, and using that CO2 to greatly expand CO2-enhanced oil recovery. 

Dr. Tammy Nemeth is an energy analyst, originally from southern Saskatchewan now based Oxford, UK. She does a lot of work on the "energy transition" that is being forced upon our society, and how unrealistic that is. Originally broadcast June 9, 2025.

Ken From is former CEO of SaskEnergy, TSASK, PTRC and oil company Prairie Hunter. The discussion goes over Saskatchewan natural gas reserves and production, LNG, and the Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal he was a member of. The second have focuses on From's keynote address to the recent Williston Basin Petroleum Conference. It was called "Humanity, we have a problem." Originally broadcast on May 26, 2025.

E. Craig Lothian has founded 11 oil companies in Saskatchewan over the years under the Keystone and Villanova names. He is the CEO of Lex Capital Corp. The federal election, Trump's trade war, Alberta's demands, growing Saskatchewan oil production and more are discussed.

Mark Scholz has been with the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors more than 17 years and has been CEO for around a decade. He's one of the leading voices of the Canadian energy industry, and we spoke to him on election day. This has been an election where energy has been centre stage. 

Saturn Oil & Gas has grown from a few hundred barrels of oil production per day to around 42,000 bpd. Most of that is in Saskatchewan. And John Jeffrey has led the way. We talk about Saturn's phenomenal growth for the first part of the podcast, then get into the trade war and federal election for the second half.

Saturn Oil & Gas has grown from a few hundred barrels of oil production per day to around 42,000 bpd. Most of that is in Saskatchewan. And John Jeffrey has led the way. We talk about Saturn's phenomenal growth for the first part of the podcast, then get into the trade war and federal election for the second half.

Andrew Scheer, one of the leading members of Pierre Poilievre's Conservative team, joined Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for Episode 6 of the Pipeline Online Podcast, originally broadcast on March 31. The podcast was recorded just a few hours after Poilievre announced the party's energy policy, revolving around a national energy corridor. There's a lot of discussion about the trade war, tariffs, and pipelines, national unity and more. Scheer is former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and former Speaker of the House. This is his eighth election.

Andrew Scheer, one of the leading members of Pierre Poilievre's Conservative team, joined Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for Episode 6 of the Pipeline Online Podcast, originally broadcast on March 31. The podcast was recorded just a few hours after Poilievre announced the party's energy policy, revolving around a national energy corridor. There's a lot of discussion about the trade war, tariffs, and pipelines, national unity and more. Scheer is former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and former Speaker of the House. This is his eighth election.

Sonya Savage, former Alberta energy minister, joined Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for Episode 5 of the Pipeline Online Podcast, originally broadcast on March 18. There's a lot of discussion about the trade war, tariffs, and pipelines.

Sonya Savage, former Alberta energy minister, joined Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for Episode 5 of the Pipeline Online Podcast, originally broadcast on March 18. There's a lot of discussion about the trade war, tariffs, and pipelines.

Saskatchewan Minister of Crown Investments Corp and SaskPower Jeremy Harrison joined hosts Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre on Jan. 24 to discuss the future of power generation in this province. In mid-January Harrison visited Coronach and Estevan and told about 1,000 coal workers that instead of shutting down our coal-fired power generation fleet by 2030, according to federal regulations, instead a serious look would be taken at rejuvenating that coal fleet and operating it for decades to come. If carried out, this will be one of the most consequential policy decisions made by the provincial government in decades. It will have local, provincial, national and international consequences. The discussion goes deep into why the provincial government is looking at something that was considered all-but-dead until this announcement. 

Chris Simeniuk of PayScore.ca joined Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for Episode 4 of the Pipeline Online Podcast, originally broadcast on Feb. 24. The discussion focused on slow-pay and no-pay of accounts receivables. Check it out at https://payscore.ca/ (c) 2025 Pipeline Online Ltd. https://pipelineonline.ca/

Chris Simeniuk of PayScore.ca joined Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for Episode 4 of the Pipeline Online Podcast, originally broadcast on Feb. 24. The discussion focused on slow-pay and no-pay of accounts receivables. Check it out at https://payscore.ca/ (c) 2025 Pipeline Online Ltd. https://pipelineonline.ca/

Saskatchewan Minister of Crown Investments Corp and SaskPower Jeremy Harrison joined hosts Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre on Jan. 24 to discuss the future of power generation in this province. In mid-January Harrison visited Coronach and Estevan and told about 1,000 coal workers that instead of shutting down our coal-fired power generation fleet by 2030, according to federal regulations, instead a serious look would be taken at rejuvenating that coal fleet and operating it for decades to come. If carried out, this will be one of the most consequential policy decisions made by the provincial government in decades. It will have local, provincial, national and international consequences. The discussion goes deep into why the provincial government is looking at something that was considered all-but-dead until this announcement. 

Saskatoon energy lawyer Chad Eggerman joins Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for an in depth discussion on wind power generation. Landowner rights are a key consideration for Eggerman, who has represented both landowners and renewable power companies. While a lot of people are saying no to wind projects, Eggerman feels landowners should have the right, and ability, to say yes, as he does for other energy projects. If wind projects get turned away, will pumpjacks be next?

Saskatoon energy lawyer Chad Eggerman joins Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre for an in depth discussion on wind power generation. Landowner rights are a key consideration for Eggerman, who has represented both landowners and renewable power companies. While a lot of people are saying no to wind projects, Eggerman feels landowners should have the right, and ability, to say yes, as he does for other energy projects. If wind projects get turned away, will pumpjacks be next?

Pipeline Online is Saskatchewan's Energy News. This is the inaugural episode of the Pipeline Online Podcast, hosted by Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre, former Saskatchewan Minister of Justice/Attorney general and Minister of Energy and Resources. The guest is Eric Cline, former Saskatchewan Minister of Finance, Minister of Industry and Resources, and author of Squandered: Canada's Potash Legacy. The topic is royalties, particularly for potash, but also oil and lithium. Should they ever be changed to get a better deal? And what happens when you do mess with the formula? 

Pipeline Online is Saskatchewan's Energy News. This is the inaugural episode of the Pipeline Online Podcast, hosted by Brian Zinchuk and Bronwyn Eyre, former Saskatchewan Minister of Justice/Attorney general and Minister of Energy and Resources. The guest is Eric Cline, former Saskatchewan Minister of Finance, Minister of Industry and Resources, and author of Squandered: Canada's Potash Legacy. The topic is royalties, particularly for potash, but also oil and lithium. Should they ever be changed to get a better deal? And what happens when you do mess with the formula?