Basil Botha, president and CEO, Cash Minerals

Basil Botha, president and CEO, Cash Minerals, Vancouver, BC, will speak on using gasification technology to process Canadian oilsands and his company's efforts to take advantage of the energy-sector opportunity for alternative fuels by using the coal-to-liquids (CTL) process to produce synfuel that is rapidly becoming a popular alternative to increasingly expensive petroleum. An International Energy Agency report projected energy demand to grow over 50% by 2030 and sufficient funds will not be invested in time to keep energy markets from having supply shortages. Botha believes that oil prices will continue to rise until increasing demand is met with an additional supply. He intends to position Cash Minerals to take advantage of the ensuing oil shortage. Clean coal energy has been proposed to help replace more than 75% of US oil imports from the Middle East by 2025. Cash Minerals is an emerging energy resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange with 60 million shares outstanding and its activities are primarily focused on developing its significant base of Yukon coal and uranium assets. The company is working with Sasol to convert the firm's Yukon coal resources using the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process to produce sulfur-free gasoline, diesel and propane. The company is also preparing a conceptual study on producing FT fuels at a 50,000-b/d-minemouth CTL plant near the city of Manzhouli in China's Zhalainuoer district.

Paul Koppel, Vice President of Process Engineering, Fluor Canada

Paul Koppel, vice president of Process Engineering for Fluor, is currently assigned to Fluor's Calgary office. He came to Canada in 1997 to work on the Shell Athabasca Oil Sands Project in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta as the Process Manager for the primary process units. Upon completion of the Shell project he accepted the dual role of Process Manager for the OPTI Canada/Nexen Long Lake Project's Upgrader and Lead Process Engineer for the Asphaltene Gasification Unit (ASU) Engineering on Long Lake is now complete. After serving as Project Manager for the Scoping Phase, Paul is now Process Manager for the Sturgeon Upgrader in the Fort Hills Oil Sands Project. In addition to his prominent positions on these three Alberta mega projects, he has been involved with numerous studies and provided consulting for several of the other operating and planned oil sands projects. His involvement with gasification spans more than 30 years dating back to his thesis, Computer modeling of a Coal Gasifier. Since then he has been involved with numerous gasification projects and studies, including Process Manager on the Shell Pernis Unit which has been successfully operating for nine years. Prior to his assignment in Calgary, Paul worked in Fluor's California and Dutch offices on a myriad of refining, energy and petrochemical projects. Before joining Fluor, he spent 15 years working for Stone & Webster in Boston. Paul earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and Masters and Engineers Degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Clark Grue, Vice President of Investments and Trade Development

Clark's role at CED encompasses assisting the Calgary Region to attract new businesses from other parts of the continent and the world, and to help local companies succeed in the international marketplace. This includes developing the international relationships of the city through its Sister Cities' partnerships as well as other associations. Clark's investment and trade team actively seeks opportunities for Calgary companies to expand into new markets and targets companies to attract to Calgary. Creating this position is a fresh strategy for Calgary Economic Development. It involved developing new leadership and a new direction to facilitate the continued success and further growth of existing businesses, helping businesses take the next step, and marketing the Calgary Region's competitive advantages. Focused on six priority sectors (Energy, Logistics, ICT, Manufacturing, Business Services and the Creative industries), CED is actively addressing challenges facing businesses. Some of these issues include real estate development, skilled labour shortages and market intelligence. CED is the cities' key organization looking at economic issues. Prior to joining CED, Clark was selected to operate the first British Trade Office in Calgary in 1999. This was the first non-diplomatic operated trade office for the British Government in the world. As Director of the British Trade Office, Clark was responsible for trade, investment and partnering opportunities for British companies. While his expertise and focus was on the oil and gas sector, Clark was responsible for all sectors in Alberta. Clark was recently honored by being selected as one of the members of Calgary Inc. Magazines' Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2005. He was selected because of the success he has had in his career, the contributions he has given back to the Calgary community, and the impact he has had in raising Calgary's profile. Along with his wife Cheryl and 4 daughters, Clark is actively involved in the community of South Fish Creek. Key interests are sports and other family activities such as music and camping.

Scott Jones, General Manager, Lloyd's Register

Scott is the General Manager of Lloyd's Register Capstone, Inc. and has over twenty five years experience in the oil and gas and downstream process industry. The past fifteen years have been dedicated to the development, implementation, management, and evaluation of Risk Based Inspection and Mechanical Integrity systems. LR Capstone is the industry leader providing Risk Based Inspection, Asset Performance Management, and Materials Engineering Consulting services to the petroleum and chemical industry.

Tim Cornitius, analyst, Zeus Development Corporation, editor, Syngas Refiner

Tim Cornitius, editor of SYNGAS Refiner and Local Content Report, is a principal in the Zeus Development Corporation's global energy practice, bringing more than 20 years of experience in covering such areas as natural gas markets, petrochemicals, lubricants and coal. His experience includes analyzing supply and demand for Exxon Coal USA, compiling data on fuel use and mileage for the U.S. Marine Corp, conducting and maintaining energy statistical surveys and databases for major energy research firms. Cornitius earned a BA degree from the University of Houston in 1981.

Don Allan, VP Business Development & Engineering, P.R.O. Upgrading Inc. Alberta

Mr. Allan has a lengthy career in upper management, business development, financial analyst and marketing. Mr. Allan has a diverse range of Canadian and international financial industrial experience and holds a number of technical trade tickets and has work as a mechanical engineer. He has played General Manager roles in a number of world-class top manufacturing companies, and brings international management and marketing experience.

Mr. Allan has also sat on a number of committees and boards, some which include President of the Forestry Capital of Canada, seven years as the President of the Northern Alberta Forestry Show, which was one of North America's largest forestry show. He has been directly responsible for a number of manufacturing and innovation awards, as well as some personal milestones, such as Canada's youngest Big Brother.

Mr. Allan has spent his life in Alberta and has lived in the area where the upgrader will be built. He will bring the technical background and the ability to work with engineers, project mangers, trades people, consultants, marketing companies as well as the local government.