Imperial stories

A YWE Award winner’s journey on International Women’s Day

• Imperial’s Nathalie Carson has been recognized with a Young Women in Energy Award for her role overseeing tailings operations at Kearl.
• Nathalie, the only woman at her leadership level in mine operations, credits curiosity, clarity and strong mentorship for helping her navigate rapid career growth.
• Marking International Women’s Day, she encourages young women to “go before you’re ready,” noting that discomfort is key to development.

• Imperial’s Enhanced Thickened Tailings (eTT) technology received up to $12.8 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta to advance toward commercialization.
• The eTT process speeds water recovery and improves tailings drainage and supports better water reuse and long‑term reclamation at Kearl.
• Developed by a cross‑disciplinary team starting in 2017, the technology proved successful in lab and pilot trials with larger‑scale testing planned ahead of a potential 2027 deployment.

Cue the stick taps for our new Esso Community Arena

• Imperial announced a new partnership with the Calgary Flames that includes the creation of the Esso Community Arena to support community hockey.
• The 1,000‑seat downtown Calgary arena will prioritize community access while also serving as a practice facility for the Flames, Hitmen and Wranglers.
• This new partnership will lead Imperial into a century of supporting hockey across Canada at all levels of achievement.

• Esso Minor Hockey Week marked its 46th anniversary in Calgary from January 9 to 17, with 650 U18 teams competing in nearly 900 games.
• The nine-day tournament, hosted by Hockey Calgary, drew about 12,000 players and featured a kickoff event with local hockey personalities and the Calgary Flames’ Harvey the Hound.
• This year Imperial and Esso are celebrating 90 years of supporting hockey in Canada, reinforcing their deep ties to the sport and the community.

Imperial supports programs that connect classroom learning to life in the Sahtú Region

• Mackenzie Mountain School in the Sahtú Region of the Northwest Territories uses STEM to solve real-world challenges like watershed health and caribou migration, integrating local knowledge with classroom learning.
• Themes such as “Water” and “Robotics and Coding” guide hands-on lessons that build problem-solving skills, confidence and career readiness for remote communities.
• Imperial supports STEM education with funding for teacher development, technology and student showcases, strengthening community engagement and learning outcomes.