Shale gas, omnipotence, and bad management

Written by Bernard Brault on 26/01/2011

Errors, lies, false transparency, the half-baked presentation from some important leaders destroyed it somehow for several decades.

The shale gas is a collective wealth for Québec. And it could help Québec for ensuring at least the financing of the Health Sector. But, this energy locked up in stones is hard to release and, obviously, the technology hasn’t been perfected yet.

But, some promoters were too hungry, too quickly. Could the former PM Lucien Bouchard, now leading the lobby for the shale gas, make a difference? The ecological groups see him more as a “new salesman” employed by this industry. Will Mr. Bouchard be able to restrain the ravenous appetite of the directors of companies who have no idea of what environmental Sound Management means?

A tolerant governance

The industry claims to know how to manage the risks. But what is the risk level for these companies and for the people? As long as they comply with the minimal rules of the law, a catastrophe could most certainly constitute the reason of some legal actions that might go on for decades. Once harm has been done and a bunch of lawyers have inhibited any responsibility claims on behalf of the managers, the immunity will get settled in, in exchange of some token monetary compensation.

If the directors of companies manage the risks as in a casino, there may be other oil slicks. Have you already forgotten? It happened less than 10 months ago, on April 20, 2010, when an explosion caused a fire that destroyed a BP oil platform at about 80 km away from Louisiana shoreline, triggering the most extensive oil slick in the history. Negligence and irresponsibility, the game wasn’t worth the candle for all those who had hoped to get rich.

Environmental Sound Management

The OAAQ published 15 years ago a chapter almost forgotten of the Compendium of the GASMP. Chapter 6 of the compendium of Sound Management principles gives responsibilities to the governance regarding the environmental Sound Management. Part of the same 41-cell matrix, the environmental vocabulary is very similar to the obligation of Sound Management. But, today, who cares about that anyway?

In spite of the little interest of the new directors of companies trained in elite schools, the Sound Management Institute comes with a short excerpt of the GASMP in order to guide towards a RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE of the shale gas, without fearing that the capitalist system may collapse.

These are the excerpts of a chapter very well organized and in conformity with the Sound Management rules and model.

Transparency

6.3.5 (1)　The administrators have to disclose, to the authorities and the people concerned, all the necessary information about the environment, as well as the presence of the contaminants in the environment as soon as they are aware of it. This is for all the situations when the law imposes it or when the lack of communication can expose a person to some unacceptable risks.

Organise and Continuity

6.4.2 (5)　The administrators have to make sure that the company is capable of covering financially the affirmative remedies necessary as a result of an environmental accident of which they could be considered responsible.

6.4.4 “Continuity”: A characteristic that ensures the availability and quality of the environmental resources in time. Related to the Continuity principle defined in chapter 2, the environmental heritage must survive those who use its resources.

“Regeneration”: It’s a procedure consisting in recreating the character and the qualities of a subject, recreating what’s been damaged or destroyed. In the environment field, the regeneration is measured by the capacity of recreating the initial conditions.

“Restoration”: It’s a procedure consisting in restoring the resources to their initial state so that they can be used as new. In the environment field, the restoration of a resource is measured according to the degree of its restoration to the initial state and to the existence of the favourable conditions for the environment as well as for the people’s quality of life.

Norms

6.4.4 (1)　The administrators have to predict the opportunities for the restoration of the resources necessary to achieve the operations and they should also create the favourable conditions for this restoration, as long as it is reasonable.

6.4.4 (2) The administrators have to predict the opportunities for the restoration of the sites and the environment in general since these generate the necessary resources for the accomplishment of the activities within organizations. This is favourable for the ecological maintenance in a harmonious environment similar to the original one, and as long as the restoration process can be a reasonable one.

6.4.4 (3) The administrators have to manage the reasonable opportunities for the restoration of the resources, sites, and the environment in general, then they should act in consequence without waiting for other public authorities to guide them in this approach.

Efficiency

6.4.3 “Environmental Efficiency:” Quality of the environmental resources of being both effective and economical.

The Sound Management of the environment demands adequate means that have to be in conformity with the necessity and utility, thriftiness in use of the resources, concern about the restoration process, and finally recycling of the resources taken from the environment.

This gives food for thought to managers, SERIOUS and IMPORTANT directors of companies.

Bernard Brault, F. Adm.A., FCMC

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by C Tremblay at 01/29/2011

Juste pour en rajouter un peu M Brault : Le Devoir aujourd’hui
29 janvier 2011: “C’est la multinationale Talisman Energy, une société qui a reçu des avis d’infractions du ministère de l’Environnement dans le cadre de ses opérations au Québec, qui rémunérera Lucien Bouchard lorsqu’il prendra la tête de l’Association pétrolière et gazière du Québec (APGQ). C’est d’ailleurs cette entreprise basée à Calgary qui avait suggéré le nom de l’ancien premier ministre au comité chargé de trouver un successeur à André Caillé.”

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