PREMIER TO PROMOTE ENERGY AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN CALGARY

Premier Brad Wall and Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd will be in Calgary next week to speak to investment audiences and oil and gas industry leaders about energy and investment opportunities in Saskatchewan.

Wall will address a sold-out luncheon meeting of the CFA Society of Calgary (Chartered Financial Analysts) on Monday, January 21 and speak at a Saskatchewan government hosted reception for oil and gas industry leaders the evening of Tuesday, January 22. The premier and Boyd will also hold individual meetings with various energy companies and industry associations during the two-day trip.

"My message to the industry is simple and direct: consider the many opportunities that are available for investing in what is emerging as a leader in the New West," Wall said. "Alberta is seen as a good place to invest, however now the New West as a whole is offering better and better investment opportunities - we will be telling the Saskatchewan story in Calgary. In fact, Saskatchewan exports more oil to the United States each day than some countries like Kuwait."

"In Calgary, we will talk about our competitive business climate, about the importance of promoting research and development within the industry, about bringing Saskatchewan's labour relations climate more into line with the rest of Canada, the cutting-edge work that is being done at the Petroleum Technology Research Centre in Regina and other opportunities to lead in enhanced oil recovery."

The Premier added that Saskatchewan has an energy diversity that no other Canadian province can match due to the fact that in addition to oil and natural gas, we also have uranium. To a significant extent, Saskatchewan's incredible economic performance has been driven by the energy sector.

"Oil and gas is the number one industry in the province and we are confident that Saskatchewan's energy potential is only beginning to be realized," Boyd said. "Vast areas of the province remain largely unexplored, or have seen only limited exploration activity. The potential for investment in the development of resources, like the Bakken Formation in southeast Saskatchewan and oilsands potential, is huge, and that's the message Premier Wall and I will be bringing to oil and gas leaders in Calgary."

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For more information, contact:

Bob Ellis
Energy and Resources
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1691
Email: rellis@ir.gov.sk.ca