Alan Harvie has practised energy and environmental/regulatory law since 1989 and regularly deals with commercial, operational, environmental and regulatory issues, especially for the upstream oil and gas, energy, waste disposal and chemical industries. He is a member of the the firm's environmental law practice group and a member of the firm's energy department. Mr. Harvie also has significant legal experience in acting for the oil and gas industry in commercial transactions and regulatory matters, including common carrier and processor applications, forced poolings, downspacings and holdings, rateable take, and contested facility, well and pipeline applications. He has also dealt extensively with commercial, environmental and regulatory issues concerning thermal and renewable power plants, electrical transmission and distribution lines, tourism and recreation projects, forestry, mining, commercial real estate, industrial facilities, sewage plants, hazardous waste landfills and treatment facilities and water storage reservoirs.
Mr. Harvie has appeared before the Alberta Courts, the Energy Resources Conservation Board, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, the Natural Resources Conservation Board, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board, the Municipal Government Board and various other environmental, regulatory and municipal bodies. He assisted the government of British Columbia in reforming the regulation of oil and gas activities in the Province, and advised the regulatory authorities in Colombia on developing rules for the exploration and development of coal bed methane resources.
He has led environmental and regulatory legal due diligence teams on a significant number of merger and acquisition, commercial, securities and financing projects, including recently acting for Petro Canada in its C$55 billion merger with Suncor Energy and numerous other transactions involving large natural resource industry players. Mr. Harvie has a comprehensive understanding of regulatory and tenure systems governing exploration and development of Canada's vast oil sands deposits.
Mr. Harvie has recently developed practical experience in the embryonic field of carbon capture and storage, and worked on a number of carbon emission reduction and credit trading projects, including landfill gas capture, energy efficiency and agricultural offset projects.
Mr. Harvie has been involved with regulatory and policy issues with respect to water rights in Alberta for over 20 years. He has successfully completed projects involving the trading of water rights, worked with ecological and hydrological experts on instream flow assessments and participated in major irrigation and hydropower projects. He has a deep understanding of water resources laws and Fisheries Act issues.
Selected client work
Matters in which Mr. Harvie has recently acted include:
ˇ Advising Whitecap Resources Inc. in its $450 million acquisition of Midway Energy Ltd., a publicly traded, light oil-weighted energy company with primary operations in the Garrington area of Alberta
Publications
ˇ Carbon Capture and Storage Statutes Amendment Act, November 2010
ˇ Alberta Clarifies Coalbed Methane Ownership, October 2010
ˇ Article, The Wild West Water Market: Developing Rules for Water Rights in Alberta, Canadian Water Treatment and Magazine, September/October 2009 edition
ˇ New EUB Public Consultation Requirements, March 2007
ˇ Update: Meeting the Legal, Regulatory and Environmental Challenges of Coalbed Methane Development in Alberta, November 2006
ˇ Update: Meeting the Legal, Regulatory and Environmental Challenges of Coalbed Methane Development in Alberta, October 2002
ˇ Class Actions for Environmental Claims, February 2002
Speaking engagements
ˇ "Carbon Capture and Storage: The Canadian Experience," March 2012
ˇ "Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada's Toward Clean Energy Production-Managing CO2 for Enhanced Oil Recovery and Carbon Capture and Storage: Update on Legal and Regulatory Issues," November, 2010
ˇ "The Alberta Stewardship Act It's Coming! So What is it? And How Will it Affect the Oil and Gas Industry?" (co-presenter)
ˇ "Navigating the Emerging Regulatory Issues Around CCS Liability," January 2010
ˇ "Environmental Law & Regulation North of 60°, Climate Change Compliance and Beyond: Applying the Regulatory Framework to Commercial Activities and Transactions North of 60°," November 2009
ˇ "Environmental Due Diligence: Paying Due Care and Attention," 13th Annual Federated Press Due Diligence, November 2009
ˇ "Understanding the New Federal Guidelines," 6th Annual Clear Coal Symposium, October 2009
ˇ "WaterTech 2009, Buying and Selling Alberta Water Rights: Legal and Regulatory Requirements and Challenges," May 2009
ˇ "Carbon Capture and Storage: The Canadian Experience," 12th Annual EUEC Energy & Environment Conference, February 2009
ˇ "CO2 Capture and Storage Conference, Legal and Regulatory Considerations," February 2009
Media highlights
ˇ Quoted in Canadian Lawyer, "New Fuel for the Fire," (August 2011)
Rankings and recognitions
ˇ Best Lawyers, 2012 in the area of Environmental Law
ˇ Best Lawyers, 2011 in the area of Environmental Law
ˇ Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2011, Repeatedly Recommended in the area of Environmental Law
ˇ PLC Which Lawyer? 2011 (Canada) in the area of Environment
ˇ The International Who's Who of Environment Lawyers 2011
ˇ Who's Who Legal: Canada 2011 in the area of Environment
Memberships and activities
ˇ Law Society of Alberta
ˇ Canadian Bar Association - Alberta Branch
ˇ Member & Past Chair, CBA Environmental Law Subsection
ˇ Canadian Water Resources Association
ˇ Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
ˇ International Emissions Trading Association
ˇ Petroleum Joint Venture Association
ˇ Highwood-Little Bow Public Advisory Committee
ˇ Past Chair, Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Environment Policy Sub-Committee
Directorships
ˇ Founding Director, Western Sky Land Trust Society
ˇ Former President, Trout Unlimited Canada
Related News
Supreme Court Raises The Bar For Environmental 'Scoping'
Alan Harvie shares his expertise with Air Water Land concerning a significant Supreme Court of Canada decision regarding mining projects.
22/01/2010
The Wild West Water Market - Developing rules for water rights in Alberta
Alan Harvie writes an article for Canadian Water Treatment Magazine exploring the growth of a water rights trading market in Alberta.
01/10/2009