Regulated Public Consultation

Regulated public consultation requires us to inform and engage individuals and groups about specific projects. Consultation may include any person, organization or group potentially impacted by a specific project. Regulated consultation must be completed to the satisfaction of the regulator before they will consider an application for approval.

We recognize the public consultation guidelines established by regulatory authorities are minimum guidelines; effective consultation and engagement can often be more involved. To improve consultation and engagement with public stakeholders, we are developing a cross-disciplinary approach to engagement. In all parts of our business, from a geologist identifying a potential drilling location, to negotiating access with a landowner, to drilling and operating a well, building the right relationships with the community is considered. This is particularly important in areas where our projects may be located near a public facility. We have developed an enhanced process for engagement and consultation around those projects which we will be piloting through 2010.

An Inclusive Approach

ConocoPhillips Canada engages with stakeholders who may impact our business or who have the potential to be impacted by our business. Our goal is to earn the respect, trust and co-operation of all stakeholders through inclusive engagement. Stakeholders have told us we should step up our efforts to effectively engage broader groups throughout the development process. In 2008 and 2009, we have responded by broadening and deepening our engagement efforts.

Engagement in Long Range Planning

Our goal is to start our conversations with stakeholders far in advance of development. That’s why we changed our long range business planning process in 2009 to include considerations of stakeholders’ issues and interests. The inclusion of stakeholder priorities and concerns in our planning process recognizes the important role stakeholders play in our business.

Identifying stakeholder interests early in the process allows us to take the time we need to work with the communities that may be impacted by our activities and move toward mutually beneficial solutions. For example, in 2009 we presented our development plans for the upcoming year to the Mayor and Town Council of Beaverlodge, Alberta, so we could better understand the community’s plans for development. Insights gleaned from this meeting helped to inform our longer range plans and we are actively working with the community to ensure that future development is in line with the town’s plans and community vision.

Elevated Consultation

ConocoPhillips Canada adopted a collaborative and proactive approach of early engagement with stakeholders near Tomahawk, Alberta based on the extent of public concern with proposed developments in their area. We worked with other operators in the area to develop an elevated consultation program.

In early 2008, meetings were scheduled with Parkland County, the Capital Health Authority, the Parkland School Division and the Alberta Emergency Management Agency to discuss our proposed development, provide information, answer questions and address broad community issues. We also engaged and consulted with stakeholder groups like the West Parkland Liaison Committee. We worked closely with these groups, listened to their views and took this feedback into consideration before submitting our applications for regulatory approval.

This approach assisted us in developing an effective and efficient participant involvement program supporting the Alberta Energy Resources and Conservation Board’s Directive 056 on consultation and notification requirements and Directive 071 on emergency response requirements.