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NOIA Golf Tournament
Thursday, 16 Sep 2010
  
5th International Symposium on Oil and Gas Resources in Western Newfoundland
Wednesday, 22 Sep 2010
  
Maritime Human Resource Conference
Tuesday, 28 Sep 2010
  
Networking Social
Thursday, 28 Oct 2010
  
Member Christmas Reception
Thursday, 9 Dec 2010
  Lorneville Mechanical Contractors
  Martin Industrial Group
  Spatial Energistics Group Inc.
  Tailwinds
  Weatherford Laboratories
 
News
Dr. Jim Wright to receive NOIA’s Outstanding Contribution Award for 2010

NOIA’s 2010 Outstanding Contribution Award has been awarded, posthumously, to a teacher, researcher, entrepreneur and volunteer who devoted 40 years of his life to the oil & gas industry in Newfoundland & Labrador, Dr. James Wright.

Dr. Wright came to the province after accepting a faculty position at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1969. He held the position of Professor in the Earth Science Department until his retirement in 2009, and was appointed Head of the Department and Director for the Centre for Earth Resources Research in 2000. Dr. Wright made significant contributions to teaching and research while at Memorial, including playing a pivotal role in the development of the Oil & Gas Development Partnership (OGDP). The OGD Partnership established the Master’s programs in oil & gas studies and in oil & gas engineering, attracted significant amounts of research and infrastructure funds, including the establishment of the Husky Energy Chair in Oil & Gas, the creation of the leading-edge 3D Landmark Graphics Visualization Centre and development of PanAtlantic Petroleum Systems Consortium (PPSC).

Dr. Axel Meisen, former President of Memorial University explained Dr. Wright’s contributions to Memorial this way, “Without Dr. Wright, Memorial University’s contribution to the development of the oil & gas industry in Newfoundland & Labrador would have been far smaller and less focused on meeting the thriving industry’s needs. Dr. Wright tirelessly promoted the province’s oil & gas sector (as well as Memorial University) in the rest of Canada and the world.”

As an oil & gas entrepreneur and pioneer, Dr. Wright focused a great deal on developing Newfoundland’s West Coast oil & gas potential through investing, directing or leading companies, including Ptarmigan Resources (now Ptarmigan Energy) which he co-founded in 2004. He also advised many junior oil companies active both onshore and offshore in the Deer Lake, Anticosti and St. George’s Basins. Dr. Wright’s involvement in Western Newfoundland has left a legacy of enhanced knowledge of the petroleum systems of these basins through the application of modern geoscience acquisition and analysis techniques. Dr. Wright traveled extensively on his own time to promote awareness of the region’s potential around the world.

Dr. Wright was also a significant contributor to research and development in the private sector. Understanding the importance of directional drilling technology to modern petroleum production wells, Dr. Wright contributed to the development of instrumentation used by the earliest directional drilling tools. This prototype was patented and later acquired by Sperry Sun. Even after his retirement, Dr. Wright continued to work with R&D companies and was working on the development of new seismic receiver arrays and seismic source designs at the time of this tragic death.

John Henley, Chair of the 2010 Outstanding Contribution Award Selection Committee, said “The NOIA Outstanding Contribution Award was conceived to recognize the individuals who influence the course of our oil and gas industry through their work and lives. In every capacity, Dr. Wright has been a true ambassador for the Newfoundland & Labrador oil & gas industry.

Dr. Wright will be honoured at NOIA’s Oil and Gas Week Luncheon on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at the Holiday Inn, St. John’s.

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NOIA (Newfoundland & Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association) is Canada's largest offshore petroleum association and has been headquartered in Newfoundland and Labrador since its founding in 1977. With some 500 members in this province and around the world, NOIA is the information hub of the province’s oil and gas industry. NOIA members provide products and services for the petroleum sector; associate members include petroleum companies, trade associations, and government bodies and agencies.

For additional information
Deborah Inkpen Director, Communications & Policy
Tel: 709-758-6617/Cell: 709-691-2208
deborah.inkpen@noianet.com
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