CSPG Strategic Plan
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Introduction
Over the last decade, our industry and profession have experienced an unprecedented and accelerating rate of change. To highlight but a few of these changes, we can cite:
- Focus on "resource" plays
- Substantially increased Heavy Oil production
- Retreat from high risk, high reward plays (Paleozoic)
- Commodity price
- Resource ownership
- Company demographics (loss of Cdn-owned mid-size, proliferation of juniors)
- Rise of the royalty trust
- Non-conventional plays (CBM)
- Digital environment
- Harvest mentality
At the same time the demographic of our profession and membership indicates that an alarming proportion are nearing retirement age. What does the combination of industry changes and our demographic profile, mean for the current and future health of the CSPG? How can and how should our Society appropriately respond?
Given this situation, the CSPG Executive decided in 2004 to embark on a new strategic planning process. The purpose of this planning is to ensure that the CSPG continues to meet the needs of its members while adapting to foreseeable changes in the industry and in our profession.
The Process
The strategic planning process was formally initiated in the spring. In order to provide a basis for the planning background, three existing documents were first reviewed:
- 2004 CSPG Membership Survey
- Strategic Human Resources Study of the Upstream Petroleum Industry (Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada)
- AAPG Strategic Plan
A facilitator was hired to lead us through the process. At a brainstorming session with the Executive, a number of questions and issues were raised and these became the basis of questionnaires which were sent out to a variety of stake holders. Those stake holders included a representation of members, oil and gas executives, university geological departments, government, other industry associations and geoscience students. The feedback received from those stake holders was compiled and used for a second working session. The issues and comments arising from the stake holder survey fell into the following major categories:
- Demographics
- Legislation/Regulation
- Global Business/Economic Climate
- Science/Technology
- Social Values/Politics
- Other/Miscellaneous
The above became the background for a second working session which, in addition to members of the Executive, included a representation of the membership.
At the second working session Goals and Objectives were developed and these were subsequently prioritized by the Executive. They are now presented here for review and comment by the general membership.
Strategic Direction for the Future
In order to address anticipated demographic challenges to the profession and to the Society, the board determined that for the foreseeable future the strategic direction for CSPG will be:
- 50% Ensuring the sustainability of the Society through serving the membership well and adapting to the ebb and flow of external conditions.
- 50% Supporting the sustainability and advancement of the profession.
15 Year Planning Horizon: Mission and Vision
Vision: The Society will be nationally recognized as the premier technical organization supporting the petroleum geosciences in Canada.
Mission: The Mission of the Society is to advance the science of petroleum geology, foster professional development and esprit de corps of members, and promote community awareness of the profession.
Our Goals (not in order of importance):
- Advance the professional development of members;
- Foster the spirit of scientific inquiry;
- Advocate a positive national image of our profession emphasizing the role and contributions of petroleum geoscientists to society;
- Nurture a sense of pride and community for all Canadian petroleum geoscientists;
- Become indispensable to petroleum geoscientists and employers in Canada; and
- Inspire the petroleum geoscientists of the future.
Our Guiding Principles
We promote environmentally sustainable exploration
and production of petroleum and petroleum-related fossil fuels; and
We collaborate with other relevant organizations to maximize positive
benefits for our members and society at large.
Goals, Strategic Objectives and Strategies
To achieve these goals strategic objectives were developed for each. Tactical strategies were also developed for each objective. These strategies were prioritized by the members of the Executive and can be divided into:
High
Priority: Implement immediately or within 1 year
Medium
Priority: Implement in 2 to 5 years
Low Priority: Implement
in >5 years or do not implement
GOAL: Advance the professional development of members
Strategic Objectives:
Promote professional development and competency
High Priority Tactics:
- Technical lunches
- Field trips
- Seminars<
- Conferences, mini-conferences
- Publications
Medium Priority Tactics:
- Increase informal networking
- Mentoring
- Experts listing
Provide networking skills training and opportunities
High Priority Tactics:
- Social events
- Technical lunches
Medium Priority Tactics:
- A new graduate program
- "Guru's" corner to enable young geoscientists to meet with experienced geologists
- Women of Geoscience initiative
- Young geoscientists forum
Contribute to the specific and significant development of junior members
High Priority Tactics:
- University liaison (through Student Chapters)
Medium Priority Tactics:
- Link established members to the universities of which they are alumni
- Create a mentor program utilizing retirees for summer students and new graduates
- Develop a list of courses of interest to students
- Create guidebook for undergraduates regarding specific training
Low Priority Tactics:
-
Link companies to universities
- Help link those companies who are recruiting with good geoscience programs
- Work with provincial governments to create opportunities
Foster communication and understanding between different disciplines engaged in the petroleum sector
High Priority Tactics:
Create quarterly Executive meetings between relevant
Societies
Partner to present joint conventions, events
Medium Priority Tactics:
Create joint publications
Foster cross-discipline articles in the Bulletin
Provide joint courses
Low Priority Tactics:
Support specific advanced degrees, i.e. provide scholarship
for double majors
Consider merging Societies
Encourage retired members to publish non-refereed papers/pass along their knowledge
Medium Priority Tactics:
- Establish a retirees group "Mentors without Borders," "Oldies but Goodies"
Low Priority Tactics:
- Provide technical tools at the CSPG office
- Move the GPDC to the CSPG office to facilitate ease of access to training (note: not recommended)
- Summer student support
GOAL: Foster the spirit of scientific inquiry.