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Management Team

Biagio Mele, P. Eng., President

A senior energy professional with an entrepreneurial, passionate, and creative mindset. 30+ years of leadership, exploitation, acquisition, and reservoir engineering experience working for major and junior companies. Founded, lead, and propelled Blaze Energy in 1995, an early stage private oil and gas company into an enterprise with a portfolio of midstream, upstream, and gas storage assets in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Completed acquisitions totaling $163 million and dispositions totaling $316 million, illustrating an ability to identify, negotiate, close, and successfully integrate assets. Previous experience from Dome, Opinac, Cimarron, Northern Reef, and Berkley Petroleum.

David Tian, M. Sc., Geologist – V.P. Exploitation

30+ years of petroleum geology experience and 20 years of management experience. Excellent expertise and track record in by-passed pay exploitation, over 85% economic success rate; Co-founder of Canflame Energy, Darkhorse Oil & Gas, and Canstar Energy which realized 400% net rate of return within 18 months. Previous experience with CNPC Canada and Bearspaw Petroleum whose F&D cost is only 10% of industry average and grew the company from 1,500 to 4,000 BOED between 1997-2002 through the by-passed pay exploitation. Payout record is 10 days and the best oil well drill reached 1 MMBBl cumulative oil.

Mark Ross, P. Eng., V.P. Operations

30+ years of operations engineering experience started with Mobil Oil in 1981 and worked in various locations such as Rainbow Lake, SE Sask., and Drayton Valley, as a production engineer until 1992. Then founded Ross Energy Services which focused on providing well drilling and completions consulting to junior oil companies until 2015. He was instrumental in growing Houston Oil & Gas Ltd. from 150 BOED to 3,000 BOED during 2015 to 2017 through distressed asset acquisitions and optimization.  Was a co-founder of Darkhorse Oil & Gas and Longbow Energy.

Clifton Gillam, V.P. Downstream & Supply Chain

An oil and gas professional with 17+ years experience in the industry with an entrepreneurial mindset. Skilled at forging lasting partnerships and cultivating strong ties in the community, the service industry, and the local Enoch Cree Nation. Clifton has expertise in gas-to-power operations, cryptocurrency mining operations, pipeline design/construction, as well as project management, worksite safety, and team leadership. Co-founder of Meridian Pipelines, CEO of Acari Resources Ltd., and stakeholder in Whitehot Energy Ltd. 

Patrick Amantea, Chief Financial Officer

Chartered Accountant with a diverse oil and gas background. 15+ year experience with financial and operational reporting, IFRS, budgeting & forecasting, leading people, internal controls, full cycle accounting, and business advisory services. Has worked for both private and public companies; increasing roles of responsibility which included financial reporting, joint venture accounting, production accounting review, human resources, risk management, IT management, M&A advisory, payables, and system accounting.

Board of Directors

David Tian, Chairman

Biagio Mele

Mark Ross

Clifton Gillam