About Us

Our Strength

Aurora has a strong safety record and delivers client-focused alternatives with value added services including drone technology, GIS/Geodesign service, Remote Sensing and Regulatory expertise. Our people have experience from within regulatory agencies, upstream oil and gas and consulting.

Our People

Aurora has a highly qualified staff of Professional Agrologists, Foresters, Biologists, Qualified Wetland Science Practitioners (QWSP, QAES), Wildlife Biologists, GIS and Remote Sensing Specialists, and Geologists that can maximize efficiency and provide true cradle to grave services.

Our Mission

Aurora demonstrates leadership in Land and Environmental services by prioritizing ethical integrity and regulatory compliance, and consistently delivering client satisfaction. Each of Aurora’s highly skilled team members are driven to achieve excellence in their work, completing jobs safely, on time and within budget.

Our Vision

Aurora aims to be a driving force within its industry, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and striving for continual improvement. No matter the size or complexity of the project, exceptional results are delivered by Aurora’s experienced professionals.

Our Values

Aurora’s principal value is its relationships to its clients and team. Our foundational values are:

  • Safety
  • Quality
  • Integrity
  • Service Excellence

Our Team

Sean Fuller

President

Meridith Ball

Vice President

Anhua Wei

Biophysical Manager

Manuel Oppel

Well Services Manager

Devin Mielke

Regional Liability Manager

Environment: By The Numbers

Aurora has successfully completed over 1000 wetland, wildlife and GIS projects, 2000 Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), 500 Phase II ESAs, 100 Phase III ESAs, 300 small to large reclamation jobs, 2500 abandonment scouting, gas migration and surface casing vent flow tests, and 800 Detailed Site Assessments (DSAs) and reclamation applications throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan since 2017. List of projects Aurora has completed successfully includes:

  • Execution of large Phase II ESA programs in Alberta and Saskatchewan
  • Execution of large wellsite reclamation scopes within forested and cultivated land uses throughout Alberta
  • Execution of large DSA programs in Saskatchewan and Alberta
  • Execution of large well testing programs within cultivated lands to remote areas throughout Alberta
  • Approvals for conventional drilling programs
  • Approvals for new pipelines and line replacement programs
  • AUC regulated natural gas pipelines and transmission corridors
  • Culvert design and replacement
  • Wetland restoration planning and design
  • Watershed analysis

Major Project Highlights

  • 116 km pipeline in the fox creek region that Aurora completed all of the regulatory applications pertaining to land and environment to obtain licensing on crown land. Licensing was achieved within a 6-month time frame allowing the client to begin construction in the same calendar year. The scope of work included all AER OneStop applications, wetland desktop review, mapping and field verification, and wildlife assessment.
  • Aurora has worked closely with their clients and the provincial regulators within Alberta and Saskatchewan to execute on large Phase I, II and III ESA programs (100-200 annually) and large DSA programs (300-500 annually) including AOR and reclamation certificate applications successfully and safely. Our client first approach and willingness to work with landowners and regulators has allowed our clients to address their liabilities in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Community Involvement

More than just land services, Aurora Land and Environmental is also about people. Sharing a place in the community enriches lives and the team at Aurora Land Consulting believes in leading initiatives and taking part in activities that promote a healthy community for all. Staff and management believe in supporting local and national charities and participating in events which help others and foster a healthy and sustainable community.

Aurora has been involved with numerous worthy causes
  • CIBC Run for the Cure
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation
  • Boyle McCauley Health Centre
  • Hay Lakes Preschool Program
  • Northern Haven Support Society (Women’s Shelter)
  • Santa’s Anonymous
  • Supporter of Local 4H Clubs
  • Canadian Cancer Society’s Jail-N-Bail
  • Kindred Hearts for Cambodia
  • Homeless Connect Edmonton
  • Local Sports Teams

Aurora is a proud member of the following organizations:

Sean Fuller

President, Environmental Services

Sean Fuller has twenty years of oil and gas industry experience and fifteen years of environmental and executive management under his belt along with expertise in reclamation, remediation, environmental planning, environmental compliance, permitting, and drilling waste management. He has overseen environmental programs ranging in size from small single well cleanups to large scale reclamation, remediation, drilling waste and environmental planning programs. Sean has successfully overseen projects involving regulatory bodies throughout Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Meridith Ball

Vice President, Environmental Services

Meridith Ball has twenty years of oil and gas industry experience 15 of which has been with Husky Energy overseeing teams of up to 200 field and office personnel for abandonment, reclamation and remediation programs in Western Canada. Meridith has experience with oil sands developments including OSE programs as well as pipeline planning and regulatory approvals. With a Bachelor’s degree in Soils and Biotic Geography together with Project Management training and experience, Meridith is able to deliver results on a variety of projects from pre-development to site closure. Meridith also has experience developing and implementing many best management practices for Upstream Oil and Gas and has 10 years of compliance and environmental auditing experience with federal and provincial jurisdictions as well as corporate and industry best practices.

Anhua Wei

Biophysical Manager

Anhua Wei has fifteen years of experience and education in the fields of aquatic and terrestrial ecology, statistics, GIS, and remote sensing. He obtained his Masters of Science and Ph.D in Wetland Ecology, and a GIS Specialist Certification from McMaster University. Anhua is a member in good standing of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists and is a member of the wetland practice area committee. Anhua has a wealth of experience in academic, industrial, and public sectors. He has worked as a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow with McMaster University in Hamilton, NSERC Visiting Fellow with Canada Centre for Remote Sensing in Ottawa, Geospatial Analyst/GIS Specialist with Environment and Natural Resources, the Government of Northwest Territories in Inuvik, and Wildlife Research Biologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in Peterborough. Within the oil and gas industry, Anhua has experience with Cenovus Energy in Calgary where he was a Senior Environmental Advisor working on a range of land, wildlife, and wetland issues. Anhua is the Team Lead for Aurora’s environmental planning group providing technical expertise in relation to wetland, watercourse, wildlife, culvert design for fish passage, aquatic and GIS environmental services.  Read Anhua Wei’s peer-reviewed research papers

Manuel Oppel

Well Services Manager

Manuel Oppel brings over 10 years of experience in the upstream oil and gas industry with a focus on gas migration, surface casing vent flow and packer isolation testing as well as drilling waste disposal. Manuel is a Professional Engineer with APEGA with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with Environmental Engineering option from the University of Alberta. During his career, Manuel has worked with Drilling, Production and Abandonment groups to characterize casing integrity throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. He is actively involved with the Well Integrity & Abandonment Society, a community dedicated to designing and maintaining wellbore integrity, and also APEGA’s Elementary Science Nights to promote engineering and geoscience to elementary students.

Devin Mielke

Regional Liability Manager

Regional Liability Manager based out of our Lloydminster office. Devin brings with him a wealth of expertise, gained over the past 20 years during his tenure at Husky Energy. While at Husky, Devin held numerous supervisory positions related to minimizing liability through construction, reclamation, remediation, acquisitions and divestitures. Devin is also a Professional Agrologist and licensed Land Agent, skilled in stakeholder engagement, area based closure programs and contractor management.

Kerri Eckstadt

VP of Admin Services

Vice President of Administration Services, Kerri Eckstadt has 25 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry and has been with Aurora since 2005. Kerri has extensive experience in all aspects of Crown and Freehold Land Acquisition including Oil Sands Exploration programs in Northern Alberta, with a large focus on large scale linear pipeline projects throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan since 2013. Kerri possesses a vast amount of knowledge and demonstrates exceptional leadership skills.

Josh Vass

VP of Business Development

Josh Vass has fourteen years of oil and gas industry experience and over nine years of managing major linear pipeline projects. Josh has successfully overseen projects involving regulatory bodies, both federally and provincially, throughout Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan and has managed over 3,100 km of pipeline projects. An experienced leader with demonstrated success in directing land times for major pipeline projects and integrity & operations projects in Canada.

Corey Nordin

VP of Field Services

Corey Nordin has 25+ years of oil and gas industry experience, 15 years of that with Aurora Land. Corey has extensive experience in Freehold and Crown Acquisition. He has focused on Crown acquisition through the province whether it be an OSE program, Thermal Padsite or Major Linear Project to ensure clients are compliant and get approvals in a timely fashion. He works closely with clients, surveyors & environment teams to place/route projects to meet clients’needs and regulatory requirements. He has close ties to AER, ACO & AEP where he has been part of Industry Groups to develop systems and guidelines. Corey is team player that enjoys a challenge and working to complete a task.

Lainie Nordin

Vice President

Lainie Nordin has over 22 years’ experience in surface land administration and project coordination. Her resume includes all aspects of freehold and Crown acquisition with regards to conventional oil & gas, Oil Sands Exploration projects, as well as the larger Linear Projects. Her current contract role as a Crossings Analyst has helped round out her vast experience with third party request reviews and issuance. With this she has gained a great working knowledge in both the technical and legal review of all crossings related requests.

Shane Nordin

President

Shane Nordin is Aurora Land Consulting’s fearless Leader. Shane started his career as a Land Agent in 1997, joined Aurora in 2005 and bought the company in 2007 with his wife Lainie. Shane has been the face for our clients in the Field, with a keen ability to establish and nurture relationships based on trust and shared values with landowners, municipalities, regulators and special interest groups alike. As a Leader, he trusts in, and is loyal to his team, acting with integrity and respect in all things. Aurora’s growth under Shane’s Leadership has seen the company expand exponentially, serving more clients, project teams and industries in Western Canada today than ever before.