This episode we are joined by Mr. Mike Backus - CEO of Outwest Energy - a startup oil & gas company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

Mike Backus has over 25 years of experience in a variety of engineering, operational, finance and executive roles. 

Prior to founding Outwest, Mike was a member of the executive teams at Kiwetinohk Energy Corp and Painted Pony Energy where he was the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the Development and Operations prior to the corporate sale of both companies. 

Most of his career was spent with Nexen Inc. (now CNOOC International) where he was most recently the VP of Operations for Canada and the UK North Sea businesses. Mike has held various positions during his career, including working both conventional and unconventional Canadian gas and power assets, oilsands, offshore North Sea, Middle East and West Africa. 

Mike holds both a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, both from the University of Saskatchewan. 

He is a registered Professional Engineer in Alberta (P.Eng) and holds his Corporate Director designation (ICD.D). 

Among other things we learned about Starting From 0 Bbl/d: Building Outwest Energy.

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve
Astro Oilfield Rentals

-

*This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. Please do your own research, and consult professionals directly before making any investment decisions.

Support the show

This episode we are joined by Mr. John Forgeron - CEO of Compass Energy Systems - a compression, processing, and power systems company with revenues of ~ $1 billion.

Mr. Forgeron is also Chairman of Northbase Finance - a specialty finance company in the energy business. 

Also, Mr. John Forgeron would like to dedicate this episode to Phil Ness. In January of 2026 Compass lost a founding partner. Phil’s impact lives on through Compass' people and facilities, and they are grateful for all he has done for the Compass team.

Mr. Forgeron joined the company in 2005 and founded several privately funded oilfield rental companies, which united under the banner of Compass Compression three years later. The company’s success continued over the next ten years and evolved beyond gas compression to become Compass Energy Systems. 

In 2020, Mr. Forgeron and his partners further strengthened the company’s position in North America by acquiring Exterran Corporation’s US compression assets. This strategic move brought with it a remarkable legacy of talent, facilities, and compression history, solidifying Compass as a global leader in compression, gas processing, and power systems.

In 2020, Mr. Forgeron was behind the start of an affiliate of Compass – Northbase Finance – which offers clients flexible capital solutions for essential operating assets.

Mr. Forgeron is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta and holds a mechanical engineering degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He started his career in gas compression in 1991 and is a recognized industry expert. Before joining Compass, Mr. Forgeron held positions at Enerflex Systems and Toromont Industries.

Mr. Forgeron and his partners shared helped Compass win Canada’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011.

Among other things we learned about 400MW — Building North America's Power Infrastructure.

Enjoy. 

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Warren Valve

-

*This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. Please do your own research, and consult professionals directly before making any investment decisions.

Support the show

This episode we are joined by Mr. Bevin Wirzba - CEO of South Bow - a TSX listed infrastructure company with a market cap of ~$10 billion. 

Mr. Wirzba was an integral part of the TC Energy Executive Leadership Team. He oversaw the strategy and corporate development teams and led TC Energy’s Canadian Natural Gas and Liquids transportation businesses. 

During his time at TC Energy, Bevin was responsible for the successful mechanical completion of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project, in addition to his many contributions to the company’s strategy and corporate development efforts. 

Before joining TC Energy, Mr.Wirzba served as Senior Vice-President, Business Development and Capital Markets of ARC Resources Ltd., was Managing Director of RBC Dominion Securities, and served in multi-disciplinary roles across North America and internationally with Chevron Corp. 

Mr. Wirzba holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business Administration from the Edinburgh School of Business. 

Mr. Wirzba is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and sits on the Board of Directors for STARS. 

Among other things we learned about Reviving Keystone: ~1M BBL Prairie Connector.

Enjoy. 

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve
Astro Oilfield Rentals

-

*This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. Please do your own research, and consult professionals directly before making any investment decisions.

Support the show

This episode we are joined by the co-founder of Doomberg – an independent publication that provides a lateral-thinking approach to topics in energy, finance, geopolitics, and the broader economy.

Doomberg has grown to one of the top paid finance newsletters on Substack, with ~375,000 subscribers. 

Among other things we learned about The Strait of Hormuz is Closed — What It Means for Canadian Pipelines.

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve

-

*This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. Please do your own research, and consult professionals directly before making any investment decisions.

Support the show

This episode we are joined by Mr. Neil Roszell - Executive Chairman of Headwater Exploration - a TSX listed energy company with a market cap of ~$3 billion. 

Mr. Roszell has been a founder/executive member of Raging River Exploration Inc., Wild Stream Exploration Inc., Wild River Resources Ltd., Eagle Rock Exploration Ltd., Prairie Schooner Petroleum & Great Northern Exploration Ltd. 

Mr. Roszell graduated from the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Systems Engineering, and is also a Professional Engineer(P.Eng.) designation holder. 

Among other things we learned about 8x Reserve Growth: Building Value Through the Drill Bit.

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve
Kinsted Wealth
Astro Oilfield Rentals

-

*This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. Please do your own research, and consult professionals directly before making any investment decisions.

Support the show

Greetings & welcome back to the podcast.
 
This episode we are joined by Mr. Eric Nuttall - partner and senior portfolio manager with Ninepoint Partners, and the Ninepoint Energy Fund - Canada's largest energy fund with ~$2 billion under management.

Mr. Nuttall's views on energy are frequently sought after by BNN Bloomberg, CNBC, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and other media organizations.

Mr. Nuttall also earned a Bachelor of International Business degree (High Honours) from Carleton University.

Among other things we learned about $200 Oil – A Looming Energy Crisis.

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve
Kinsted Wealth
Astro Oilfield Rentals

-

*This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. Please do your own research, and consult professionals directly before making any investment decisions.

Support the show

Greetings & welcome back to the podcast. 

This episode we are joined by Mr. Ryan Bushell - CEO of Newhaven Asset Management - an investment firm with ~$500 million under management. 

Ryan Bushell joined Newhaven in 2018 from one of Canada’s longest tenured Investment Managers, where he was co-head of the investment team responsible for meeting investment objectives for private and institutional clients. 

Mr. Bushell holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Canadian Investment Manager (CIM) designations. 

Mr. Bushell has a Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies specializing in Finance from the University of Western Ontario, and is a member of the CFA Society Toronto. 

Among other things we learned about Capital Preservation – Dividend Investing & Energy Infrastructure. 

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve
Kinsted Wealth

Support the show

Greetings & welcome back to the podcast. 

This episode we are joined by Mr. Chris Carlsen - CEO of Birchcliff Energy - a TSX listed energy company with a market cap of ~$2 billion.

Mr. Carlsen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Birchcliff and is responsible for the overall strategic direction and financial and operational performance of the Corporation. 

He is a Professional Engineer with over 20 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry, including in the areas of executive leadership, engineering, operations, finance, acquisitions and divestitures, business development, marketing and sustainability. 

Mr. Carlsen is also a director of the Corporation. Mr. Carlsen joined Birchcliff in 2008 and has been a member of the Corporation’s Executive Team since 2013, serving as the President and Chief Operating Officer from January 2022 to December 2023 and as the Vice President, Engineering from July 2013 to December 2021. 

Prior to joining Birchcliff, Mr. Carlsen was the Senior Engineer at Greenfield Resources Ltd. and held various engineering positions at both Encana Corporation and PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd. 

Mr. Carlsen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. 

He is also a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the board of governors of the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada and a member of the Business Council of Alberta. 

Among other things we learned about 20 Years in the Montney – Infrastructure, Growth & Discipline. 

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve
Kinsted Wealth

Support the show

Greetings & welcome back to the podcast. 

This episode we are joined by Mr. Doug Bartole - CEO of InPlay Oil - a TSX listed energy company with a market cap of ~$500 million. 

Mr. Bartole has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation since November 2012; prior thereto, Mr. Bartole was the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vero Energy Inc., a public oil and gas company, from September 2005 to November 2012. 

Mr. Bartole was also previously Vice President, Operations of True Energy and held management and engineering roles at Husky Energy Inc., Renaissance Energy Ltd. and PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd. He was also a director of Invicta Energy and other private corporations. 

Mr. Bartole is a member of APEGA, the Institute of Corporate Directors and is a governor of CAPP. Among other things we learned about Developing the Cardium in 2026.

Among other things we learned about Unlocking the Cardium in 2026.

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve

Support the show

Greetings & welcome back to the podcast. 

This episode we are joined by Mr. George Armoyan - Executive Chairman of G2S2 Capital Inc., President of Armco Capital Inc., and Executive Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Clarke Inc. 

Mr. Armoyan is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in real estate and various industries. 

Since 1982, Mr. Armoyan has successfully founded and grown numerous businesses, created shareholder value at several public companies through restructuring operations by applying a commonsense approach to business. 

Mr. Armoyan also serves on the board of Clarke Inc. (TSX:CKI), Calfrac Well Services (TSX: CFQ), Ag Growth International (TSX: AFN), and Morguard Corporation (TSX: MRC). 

Among other things we learned about 50 Years of Investing: Lessons from Energy & Real Estate. 

Enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Without their support this episode would not be possible:

Connate Water Solutions
ATB Capital Markets
Bunch Projects
Warren Valve

Support the show