Cabot Martin
President and CEO
Deer Lake Oil and Gas Inc.

Mr. Martin is a graduate of Memorial University, B.Sc. and Queen’s University, LLB.  He has been a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1969.  In 1969 to 1970, he worked as in-house counsel for a major U.S. pipeline company and a major U.S. oil producer in Calgary.  From 1970 to 1971, he studied marine law and science at the University of Miami at Coral Gables and the Rosentiel Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.  From 1972 to 1979 he became Legal Advisor to the Minister of Mines and Energy, Newfoundland and Labrador with special responsibility for offshore oil and gas matters. In 1979 he became Senior Policy Advisor to the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Mr. Martin has served as Newfoundland and Labrador’s representative at the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference and on the Province’s Hibernia Negotiating Committee.  Since 1985, Mr. Martin has been in private practice and business.  In 1991, he co-founded Vinland Petroleum Inc. and in 1998, he founded Deer Lake Oil & Gas Inc.

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Denis Lavoie
Co-Editor, Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Geological Survey of Canada, GSC-Q

Denis Lavoie is a research scientist for the Geological Survey of Canada. He graduated as a geological engineer from Laval University in 1982 and received a Ph.D. in 1988 in sedimentary geology and carbonate geochemistry from the same university. Since 1989, for the Geological Survey, he has carried out various research projects on Cambrian to Carboniferous sedimentary basins in eastern Canada and published over 50 research papers on fundamental and applied aspects of these basins, including in 2001, the first appraisal of the hydrocarbon potential of the Silurian-Devonian successions of the Gaspé Peninsula. Dr. Lavoie currently leads a federal-provincial research project that aims at providing the very first quantitative evaluation of hydrocarbon resource potential for the onshore-offshore Paleozoic basins of eastern Canada. His personal research interest resides in the understanding of Ordovician-Silurian-Devonian hydrothermal dolomites in this entire area. His expertise is regularly requested by Canadian and International oil and gas exploration companies interested in the evaluation of the conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential of these Paleozoic basins. D. Lavoie is also associate professor at Laval University and the University of Quebec and he is currently editor-in-chief for the Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology and associate editor for the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences and Geoscience Canada.

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John P. Martin, Ph.D.
Senior Project Manager, Research and Development-Natural Gas Program
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

In 1993, John created the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Natural Gas Program.  Since then, he helped develop and fund over 100 projects with total funding of more than $35 million.  NYSERDA is now one of the leading natural gas research groups and participates with other states, US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gas Technology Institute, NYS Department of Environment and Conservation, universities, public utilities and energy companies.  In addition to the Natural Gas Program, he has developed and managed wind, solar, geothermal and environmental projects.

Prior to his position at NYSERDA, he worked as a researcher and consultant in economic development.  John holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Studies, a M.S. in Economics and a B.S. in Geology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  He holds a M.B.A. from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

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Harold J. Klassen, P. Geo
Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB)
St. John’s, NL

Mr. Klassen holds a B. Sc. in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan and a Management Certificate from the University of Calgary.  He has more than 35 years exploration and development experience in the petroleum industry covering many of the basins in Canada:  Newfoundland and Labrador, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Beaufort Sea, Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia.  He is currently an exploration geologist with the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB).  He has worked for Amoco Canada Petroleum Co. Ltd., Norcen Energy Resources Limited and Kerr-McGee Canada Ltd. He is a member of several associations:  Professional Engineers and Geoscientist of Newfoundland and Labrador (PEG-NL), Newfoundland and Labrador Section of the Geological Association of Canada, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG), and a Life Member with the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA).

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Karen Azmy
Associate Professor, Reservoir Characterization
Memorial University, St. John’s, NL

Dr. Azmy received his BSc Honors in double major geology and chemistry in 1983, from Ain Shams University, and worked as a research scientist in the Egyptian Petroleum Institute and National Research Center in Cairo (Egypt). He had his MSc in 1992 in carbonate geology and low temperature geochemistry from University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and his PhD in geochemistry in 1997 from University of Ottawa. He has extensive experience in genesis of porosity, particularly microporosity, in reef reservoirs.
 
He worked in different positions related to teaching and research in carbonate diagenesis and the application of geochemistry in the reconstruction of burial history of sediments and in high-resolution stratigraphy of successions with poor biostratigraphic controls. In 2003, he established a stable isotope lab and a graduate program in the Institute of Mineralogy and Petrography at Basel University, Switzerland. He joined Memorial University of Newfoundland in January 2005 as an associate professor (reservoir characterization). Dr. Azmy is a well reputed researcher and has numerous publications in top international scientific journals.

Steven J. Hinds, M.Sc, P.Geo
Hydrocarbon Resources Geologist
Department of Natural Resources, New Brunswick
Geological Surveys Division

Mr. Hinds began his geology career walking the shores and collecting rocks of the Minas Basin in Nova Scotia during his childhood. In 1993, he completed a B.Sc. (Hon) thesis on igneous petrology at Dalhousie University. In 2002, he completed a Master’s Degree in structural geology at the University of Calgary.   Mr. Hinds’ employment in geology is varied, from gold exploration in Nova Scotia, mapping and computer GIS in the GSC Calgary and Halifax offices, gold exploration in Mongolia, to his present career in petroleum geology, New Brunswick. His publications include various geologic maps of Alberta and New Brunswick.  Mr. Hinds’ goal is to make a positive contribution towards the hydrocarbon industry of the Maritime Provinces.

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Michael Enachescu, P Geoph (AB) and P Geo (NL and NWT)
Department of Earth Sciences
Memorial University, St. John’s, NL

Dr. Michael Enachescu is a postgraduate of the University of Bucharest, Romania. He worked for over 35 years in research organizations and exploration companies in Europe, USA and Canada. He was a Geophysicist during 1981-1984 for Sun Oil and Suncor/Trillium in the Eastern Canada offshore, the Arctic and Mackenzie Delta. During 1984-2003, he was employed as an exploration specialist and geophysics team leader in Husky Energy International and Frontier Department and was a member of multi-company teams that discovered and delineated several offshore large fields in Atlantic Canada (Terra Nova and White Rose) and Northwest Territories (Amauligak). During 2003-2007 Michael was Husky Energy Senior Fellow in Exploration Geophysics and an Associate Professor at Memorial University. Michael is now a Geoscience Advisor to MGM Energy Corp and GNL DNR, an Adjunct Professor at Memorial University and a consultant to seismic companies and investment groups. Michael published and made numerous presentations on structural and tectonic framework of Canadian Frontier basins, rift tectonics, 3D seismic interpretation, use of seismic attributes and new exploration plays. Dr Enachescu is a member of SEG, AAPG, CSPG, CSEG, EAEG, GAC and is a P Geoph with APEGGA and a P Geo with PEGNL and NAPEGG. Michael has received several best paper awards, is a recipient of CSEG Meritorious Award (1998), was selected as CSEG first ever Distinguished Lecturer (2006) and received the 2007 Newfoundland Oil Industry Association (NOIA) Outstanding Award for contributions to the development of Newfoundland and Labrador oil and gas industry.

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Ian Knight, Ph.D.
Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John’s, NL

Ian Knight was born in Wales and immigrated to Newfoundland in 1969 where he has lived ever since.  He received a Ph.D. in Geology from Memorial University and has worked at the Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador as a project geologist since 1974.  In more than 30 years with the survey, he has mapped a considerable part of the Lower Paleozoic rocks that underlie Western Newfoundland from Cape Anguille in the south to Cape Norman in the north and logged more than 30,000km walking through its woods and mountains.  He has also studied the geology of the Ramah Group in the Torngat Mountains of Labrador with the Greenland Survey and a year as a consultant to the oil exploration companies at the time of the Port au Port oil discovery.

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Noel James, Ph.D.
Department of Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering
Miller Hall, Queens University

Noel James has been at Queen's University for ten years, where he teaches about carbonate rocks, petroleum and the geology of North America. Much of this teaching is field based, using localities in the eastern part of the continent and in the Caribbean. He devotes much of his research to understanding the origin of carbonate rocks. This research is a combination of field study, sedimentology, marine geology, stratigraphy, petrography, paleontology and geochemistry.

In the past he has worked principally on the paleoecology, sediment dynamics and early diagenesis of warm-water platform carbonates, especially reefs, throughout the geological record. He helped pioneer the use of research submersibles to study reefs and platform margins, established the importance of seafloor cementation, detailed the critical attributes of paleokarst, worked out early Paleozoic platform evolution in the northern Appalachians and documented many of the oldest metazoan reefs. He has authoured and co-edited five books on various aspects of carbonate sediments and the modelling of sedimentary deposits.

His principal study areas in the modern realm are now in the Southern Ocean. In conjunction with colleagues in the department, he also has a major research interest in unravelling the principles of Proterozoic carbonate deposition and early diagenesis. These studies are ongoing in the high Arctic, the Cordillera and northern Australia.

He has always had his own research projects with colleagues worldwide, but also carries out research in the same areas with graduate students at the MSc. and PhD. level and with Post-Doctoral Fellows.

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Andrew (Andy) Gustajtis
Dominick & Dominick Securities Inc.
Mississauga, ON

Andy Gustajtis graduated with Honours Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Waterloo in 1972 and Master of Science in Geology from Dalhousie University in 1978.

From 1975 to 1978 he was one of the founding research scientists of the Centre for Cold Ocean Resources Engineering (C-Core) at Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland. In 1978 he joined Wood Gundy Inc. in Toronto, ON as an Oil & Gas Analyst which led him to an active participation in the Canadian investment business for over 30 years.  For the last 10 years he has focused primarily on investment banking.

His reputation has been recognized in the Canadian Market Place where he is known as a Specialty Investment Banker working closely with companies to raise the necessary funds to achieve their objectives and more importantly to increase their profile within the investment community.

Approximately two and half years ago Andy Gustajtis along with his partners acquired control of their own Investment Dealer Firm formerly known as Dominick & Dominick Securities Inc. (Canada).  Currently he is a Vice President and Managing Director of D&D Securities Company.

Andy Gustajtis has served on the Board of Governors of the University of Waterloo  in the early 1980’s and was a Director of two public Canadian oil and gas companies:  United Rayore Gas Ltd.  and Scimitar Hydrocarbons Inc.

He is married to Gabriele (Gabi) Gustajtis for 35 years and has two sons. He spends his leisure time between his homes in Mississauga, ON and Smith’s Cove, NS.

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Larry Hicks, P. Geo.
Senior Petroleum Geologist
Department of Natural Resources-Energy Branch
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Mr. Hicks, former resident of Corner Brook, has 24 years of experience in the field of geoscience (geologist).  Ten of these years have been with the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources.  He was a formation Evaluation Geologist with Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador and a Petroleum Research Geologist with Petro Canada, Calgary.  Mr. Hicks spent ten years of field seasons within the Mineral Exploration sector in Newfoundland and Labrador with a variety of companies.  He was employed for 11 years with the College of the North Atlantic in various capacities from Coordinating Instructor in the Mineral Technology and Petroleum Technology Programs.  Mr. Hicks developed the highly successful, government sponsored, two week Prospectors Training Course while at College of the North Atlantic and continued to instruct the course for 17 years.  He has a strong interest in all aspects of NL petroleum and mining history.

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Patrick J. Laracy, B.Sc. LL.B.  P. Geo.
Chair and President
Vulcan Minerals Inc.

Mr. Patrick J. Laracy holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in geology from Memorial University (1981) and a LL.B. from the University of Calgary (1988).  He has worked in the oil and gas business for twenty-five years in various capacities, as an explorationist, lawyer and corporate executive.

His experience includes the exploration and assessment of numerous petroleum basins worldwide.  He has worked for multinational companies, crown corporations, government agencies and junior companies.  As Chairman and President of Vulcan Minerals Inc. Mr. Laracy has been one of the pioneer explorers and wildcatters in Western Newfoundland. 

Vulcan Minerals has taken on the ultimate challenge for an independent junior exploration company by exploring in Western Newfoundland because the area is unproven with all the operational, engineering and geological risks associated with rank frontier exploration.  He strongly believes the exploration effort will ultimately be rewarded with significant benefits for the region.

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Charles Hurich, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Earth Sciences Department
Memorial University

Dr. Charles Hurich is an Associate Professor for the Earth Sciences Department at Memorial University. Dr. Hurich is also an exploration seismologist with interests/expertise in a wide range of geophysical and geological problems. Some of these problems include:
            - seismic characterization of reservoir heterogeneity using the scattered wave field
            -  time-lapse evolution of the scattered wave field
            - numerical and physical modeling of heterogeneous geologic systems
            - digital signal processing
            - new approaches to seismic source technology
            - development of advanced seismic techniques for minerals exploration
            - geometry and evolution of magmatic plumbing systems
            - the evolution of collisional orogenic systems
            - acoustic monitoring for vibration assisted drilling

Dr. Charles Hurich experience includes Exploration Geophysicist for CONOCO Inc.; a PhD. at the University of Wyoming; a Senior Research Associate at the University of Bergen, Norway and a Faculty member at Memorial University.

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Kelly Batten Hender
Project Geologist
PDI Production Inc.

Kelly Batten Hender joined PDI Production in 2007 as a project geologist, working in exploration, development, and assessment of new prospects. A specialist in carbonate sedimentology, Kelly has broad experience working on projects ranging from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin  to Proterozoic carbonates in northern Canada.  She recently completed a Ph.D. in geology at Carleton University in Ottawa with research focused on the Ordovician Lourdes Formation on the Port au Port Peninsula, which includes some of the oldest known fossilized coral reefs. 

Kelly is a member of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, the Geological Association of Canada, and the International Association of Sedimentologists.  A committed community volunteer, she also serves on the Board of Directors of Girl Guides of Canada – Guides du Canada.

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Francois Gauthier, P. Geol.
President & CEO
NWest Energy Inc.

Mr. Gauthier’s experience includes more than 30 years of developing drilling and exploration programs in varying environments domestically and internationally. Mr. Gauthier most recently served as Vice President and Resident Manager for Anadarko in Algeria where he played a key role in the inception and management of the company’s exploration program, including the discovery and exploitation of more than 3 billion barrels of oil in the Sahara. Mr. Gauthier has also worked closely with the investment community, local governments and regulators in implementing exploration and development programs. Mr. Gauthier is a graduate of McGill University (BSc, Geol) and a member of CSPG, AAPG (Reg Prof Geol), APPEGA (P. Geol), Registered Professional Geologist of Texas, EAGE, Geol Soc (UK) and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. 

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Jim Keating
Vice-President Business Development
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

Mr. Keating received his B. Eng. (Civil), in 1993 and a MBA in 2000 from Memorial University of Newfoundland.  He has 15 years experience in the oil and gas industry.  He was appointed Vice-President Business Development at Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro in December 2005.  He is responsible for expanding Hydro’s portfolio beyond the traditional electricity generation and transmission business into other energy sectors including oil and gas and other alternative renewable energy sectors such as wind power.  Mr. Keating was formerly Norsk Hydro Canada Oil & Gas Vice-President of Field Development and Operations.  He holds several board memberships including Board of Regents at Memorial University, the Energy Council of Canada and the Bull Arm Site Corporation.  He is a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geosciences of NL.

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Anton Ziolkowski
Chief Scientist
PGS EM

Anton Ziolkowski is Chief Scientist of PGS EM and holds the chair of Petroleum Geoscience at the University of Edinburgh.  Anton invents and develops new geophysical methods for oil exploration.  He co-founded MTEM Limited, a 2004 spinout from the University of Edinburgh, and was MTEM’s Technical Director until the company was bought by Petroleum Geo-Service in 2007.  He was Headquarters Geophysicist to the National Coal Board and then consultant to the British National Oil Corporation before embarking on an academic career in 1982 as Professor of Applied Geophysics at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.  He moved to the University of Edinburgh to the new chair of Petroleum Geoscience in 1992 and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1995.  Many of his former students in Delft and Edinburgh now hold distinguished positions in academia, in oil companies, and in the oil-services sector, including PGS. 

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John B. Maher
President and Chief Executive Officer
Leprechaun Resources Limited

Mr. Maher is President and CEO of Leprechaun Resources Ltd., a company actively engaged in oil and natural gas exploration in Atlantic Canada. He is also a director of Greywolf Exploration Inc. and is president of Polaris Resources Ltd. an exploration Company drilling in British Columbia. From 1992 to 1996, Mr. Maher was industrial advisor to the Federal Ministers of Energy and Mines of Canada where he was the Alberta representative. Prior thereto, Mr. Maher was a founder and President of Polaris Petroleums Ltd. and Polaris Offshore Ltd. During his tenure, these companies discovered a number of hydrocarbon pools in Western Canada and participated in an Eastcoast discovery offshore Nova Scotia at Banquereau. From 1976-1979, Mr. Maher served as Chief Geologist of Sceptre Oils Ltd., a private oil and gas company that conducted exploration activities in various locations around the world. Mr. Maher also held various exploration positions with Amoco in Canada and the United States from 1971 to 1976, where his work led directly to several large natural gas discoveries. Mr. Maher holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Geology and a Masters degree in Geology from Memorial University. Mr. Maher is a member of, and a past president of, the 3000 member Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta.

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