case studies

the challenge

EnCana, Canada’s largest energy producer is constantly reinventing itself. Formed in 2002, EnCana needed to quickly establish a corporate culture that would bridge the somewhat divergent cultures of its two predecessor companies.

the solution

In 2002 the Brainstorm team worked to create a series of visual tools that would brand the new company. We interviewed senior executives and employees about their vision for the company. We followed the management team as they launched trading of the stock in New York and Toronto. Together with E=MC2 and Enslin Associates, we created a launch breakfast that featured live satellite links across North America, a live base in Calgary and both pre-recorded and live elements to officially kick off the creation of EnCana. The resulting event reached approximately 8000 people.

Since then, EnCana has defined the unconventional resource play, continuing to amass strong land holdings in North America. To compliment this implementation of strategy, brainstorm worked with EnCana’s corporate communications team to create DVD based stakeholder engagement tools (Life of a Well) as well as resource play specific tools to educate both internal and external audiences. (Understanding SAGD).

Weyburn:

When the Weyburn field celebrated 50 years of production, brainstorm was there. We created a piece to celebrate the longevity of the field and the innovative technologies that have allowed that to happen. Almost immediately the Weyburn team realized the value of video and we worked with that team to create a virtual “tour” of the site. For years Weyburn has been injecting CO2 as part of an enhanced oil recovery program. This same program also reduces the amount of CO2 that is dispersed in the air. The pilot study gained world attention and requests for tours were starting to overwhelm staff, who after all, had to still run the business.

We created a DVD based virtual tour that explained the history of the play, how CO2 injection works, and why it makes long terms sense. The program tells the story using 3D animation as well as video and Weyburn based on camera hosts. The Weyburn virtual tour has been distributed internally and has handily met its communication objectives.

Life of a Well:

EnCana, like many energy producers in Canada, relies on strong relationships with landowners and stakeholders. As drilling programs increased in the beginning of this century, a new tool was needed that helped provide an overview of the energy industry, and specifically, the drilling process. “Life of a Well” was created to explain the process to both external and internal audiences. Hundreds of copies of the program have been distributed, and Life of the Well has quickly became an industry standard for video based communication tools.

Understanding SAGD:

With the increased activity in Northern Alberta’s oil sands, EnCana recognized a communications opportunity. Many people were not aware that EnCana’s oil sand activity was insitu, meaning it did not require the heavy machinery and open pit mining that some other oil sands operations do require. In fact, EnCana had been quickly pioneering SAGD technology (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) and in the process had made significant inroads in terms of water recycling and reduced their environmental footprint.

The word needed to get out, so “Understanding SAGD” was created. Using sophisticated 3D technology to tell the story, the program again has achieved great return on investment. You can view “Understanding SAGD” on the EnCana website.

In Conclusion:

Brainstorm has enjoyed a long and solid working relationship with EnCana. We’ve been able to react to changes, and create tools that tell stories that are of interest to both employees and citizens. As the energy industry changes, new tools will be required. We hope to be a part of that strategy today and into the future.