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The Government of Canada is supporting an initiative that will help improve the international competitiveness of Canada’s oil and gas industry, while creating job opportunities, by facilitating the development of new solutions for energy production and transportation.

Today, Mike Lake, Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced a federal investment of $680,000 towards C-FER Technologies to expand and upgrade its testing facility.

“Our Government’s investment in this initiative will support C-FER Technologies in continuing to meet the growing demand for innovative technologies, materials, and processes that enable companies to more efficiently develop oil and gas resources across Canada,” said MP Lake. “Through investments such as this, our Government is working to create jobs and opportunities for economic growth.”

C-FER’s expanded laboratory space is expected to strengthen its capacity to support companies in the design and qualification of pipelines and oil well equipment that are used in extreme conditions, including deepwater off-shore, the arctic, and the Alberta oil sands.

“Over the last few years, C-FER has seen a dramatic increase in the range of challenges and the size of the equipment in the energy industry,” said Dr. Francisco Alhanati, Acting Managing Director of C-FER Technologies. “This investment by Western Economic Diversification Canada will help C-FER provide the engineering and testing services required by industry.”

In addition to helping C-FER work with large firms to introduce new technologies and processes in the oil and gas sector, the expansion project will also support C-FER’s collaboration with local technology developers and smaller firms to commercialize new products and services for the energy sector.

With approximately 15 per cent of C-FER’s revenues resulting in sub-contracts to local businesses, the project is expected to help generate spin-off benefits and jobs for several industries in the Edmonton region.

C-FER Technologies is a not-for-profit applied research corporation that helps operators, equipment manufacturers and service companies mitigate the risks associated with the introduction of new technologies. This includes carrying out independent full-scale qualification testing of large components before field implementation. Its testing facility is unique in Canada and is one of only a few similar facilities in the world. C-FER clients include more than 600 companies located throughout Canada and internationally.

Western Economic Diversification Canada works with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy, coordinates federal economic activities in the West and advances the interests of western Canadians in national decision making.

For additional information contact:

Donna Kinley
Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Tel: (780) 495-6892

Paula Kreba
Marketing Coordinator
C-FER Technologies
Tel : (780) 450-3300