Craig Spurn is a partner in Osler's Corporate Group in Calgary and Co-Chair of Osler's Energy Practice Group. He practices corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on energy transactions, projects, procurement, energy contracts and joint ventures. Craig’s transactional experience includes all facets of the energy sector including upstream oil and gas, gas plants and gathering systems, pipelines, LNG projects, oil refineries and in power generation and renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass and cogeneration). Craig’s clients include senior, midsized and junior Canadian and foreign energy and resource companies, service and technology providers, private capital firms and other investors.
Areas of Expertise
Representative Work
- Energy Transfer Canada
Energy Transfer Canada in connection with Pembina Pipeline Corporation and KKR’s joint venture to merge Western Canadian processing assets
- KKR
Acting for KKR and AIMCo in their joint acquisition of a combined 65% equity interest from TC Energy in the $6.8B Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project
- SemGroup Corporation
SemGroup in its $5 billion acquisition by Energy Transfer LP
- SemCAMS Midstream ULC
SemCAMS Midstream ULC in its 50/50 joint venture with TransAlta Corporation to develop Kaybob South Cogen Facility
- SemCAMS Midstream ULC
SemCAMS Midstream in its $1.3 billion agreement with Keyera to build Canadian Liquids Pipeline System
- SemCAMS
SemGroup in its $1.8 billion joint venture with KKR including acquisition of Meritage Midstream from Riverstone
- Husky Energy Inc.
Husky Energy Inc. in its proposed acquisition of MEG Energy Corp. for $6.4 billion
- Shell Canada in its C$11.5 billion disposition of 50% interest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Project and 100% of its interest in the Peace River Complex in-situ oilsands assets to Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and concurrent US$2.5 billion co-acquisition with CNRL of Marathon Oil Canada Corporation
- Spartan Energy Corp. in its C$700 million acquisition of southeast Saskatchewan upstream assets from ARC Resources Ltd.
- Tamarack Valley Energy Ltd. in its C$408 million acquisition of Spur Resources Ltd.
- TC Energy’s 900 megawatt Napanee Generating Station project agreements
- Biomass power plant acquisition, project financing and subsequent disposition
- Black Diamond Group in its acquisition from Shelter Modular of its rental unit fleet of manufactured modular building and office units
- Heritage Oil Plc in its US$1.55 billion acquisitions by Energy Investments Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of Al Mirqab Capital SPC
- Secure Energy in its $107 million acquisition of Predator Midstream’s business and assets including 3 transloading rail terminals and fleet of 278 rail cars
- Harvest Energy Trust‘s $1.6 billion acquisition of the Come-By-Chance Crude Oil Refinery from Vitol
- Sinopec International‘s $105 million acquisition and $4.5 billion partnership with Synenco Energy in the Northern Lights oil sands project
- Canoe Financial‘s $185 million acquisition of the EnerVest group of fund management companies
- Acquisition and privatization of Thunder Energy Trust by Aston Hill Financial and Infra-PSP Canada
- Acquisition of Latin American based crude oil marketing business
- International oil and gas joint ventures in Albania, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and Tanzania
- Structuring, creating and capitalization of energy asset-based private mutual fund trust
- Surge Energy in its C$430 million disposition of high quality, light oil assets to TORC Oil & Gas Ltd.
- Black Diamond Group Limited in its divestiture of its Construction Services Operation to Northern Frontier Corp
- Grafton Asset Management in its $250 million investment in a $500 million Notikewin/Falher and Cardium joint venture
- Osum Oil Sands in it $325 million acquisition of the Orion Oil Sands Project from Shell Canada
- Sunshine Oilsands in its $250 million definitive joint operating agreement with Renergy Petroleum for Sunshine’s Muskwa and Godin area oil sands leases
- Spartan Energy in acquisition of southeast Saskatchewan light oil asset for consideration of $98 million
- Storm Resources in its C$87.9 million acquisition of Montney assets
- Elkwater Resources in its C$30.5 million acquisition of assets in East Central Alberta and its C$83.3 million acquisition of assets in West Central Alberta
- Grafton Energy’s $244 million joint venture with Bellatrix Exploration in the Willesden Green and Brazeau areas of Alberta
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation’s $602 million CBM acquisition and joint venture with Encana Corporation
- Penn West Energy Trust‘s $250 million disposition and related $800 million Cordova shale gas joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation
- Harvest Energy Trust‘s $440 million acquisition of Birchill Energy
- Harvest Energy‘s $526 million acquisition of upstream oil and gas assets from EnCana
Energy Transfer Canada in connection with Pembina Pipeline Corporation and KKR’s joint venture to merge Western Canadian processing assets
Acting for KKR and AIMCo in their joint acquisition of a combined 65% equity interest from TC Energy in the $6.8B Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project
SemGroup in its $5 billion acquisition by Energy Transfer LP
SemCAMS Midstream ULC in its 50/50 joint venture with TransAlta Corporation to develop Kaybob South Cogen Facility
SemCAMS Midstream in its $1.3 billion agreement with Keyera to build Canadian Liquids Pipeline System
- SemCAMS
SemGroup in its $1.8 billion joint venture with KKR including acquisition of Meritage Midstream from Riverstone
- Husky Energy Inc.
Husky Energy Inc. in its proposed acquisition of MEG Energy Corp. for $6.4 billion
- Shell Canada in its C$11.5 billion disposition of 50% interest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Project and 100% of its interest in the Peace River Complex in-situ oilsands assets to Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and concurrent US$2.5 billion co-acquisition with CNRL of Marathon Oil Canada Corporation
- Spartan Energy Corp. in its C$700 million acquisition of southeast Saskatchewan upstream assets from ARC Resources Ltd.
- Tamarack Valley Energy Ltd. in its C$408 million acquisition of Spur Resources Ltd.
- TC Energy’s 900 megawatt Napanee Generating Station project agreements
- Biomass power plant acquisition, project financing and subsequent disposition
- Black Diamond Group in its acquisition from Shelter Modular of its rental unit fleet of manufactured modular building and office units
- Heritage Oil Plc in its US$1.55 billion acquisitions by Energy Investments Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of Al Mirqab Capital SPC
- Secure Energy in its $107 million acquisition of Predator Midstream’s business and assets including 3 transloading rail terminals and fleet of 278 rail cars
- Harvest Energy Trust‘s $1.6 billion acquisition of the Come-By-Chance Crude Oil Refinery from Vitol
- Sinopec International‘s $105 million acquisition and $4.5 billion partnership with Synenco Energy in the Northern Lights oil sands project
- Canoe Financial‘s $185 million acquisition of the EnerVest group of fund management companies
- Acquisition and privatization of Thunder Energy Trust by Aston Hill Financial and Infra-PSP Canada
- Acquisition of Latin American based crude oil marketing business
- International oil and gas joint ventures in Albania, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and Tanzania
- Structuring, creating and capitalization of energy asset-based private mutual fund trust
- Surge Energy in its C$430 million disposition of high quality, light oil assets to TORC Oil & Gas Ltd.
- Black Diamond Group Limited in its divestiture of its Construction Services Operation to Northern Frontier Corp
- Grafton Asset Management in its $250 million investment in a $500 million Notikewin/Falher and Cardium joint venture
- Osum Oil Sands in it $325 million acquisition of the Orion Oil Sands Project from Shell Canada
- Sunshine Oilsands in its $250 million definitive joint operating agreement with Renergy Petroleum for Sunshine’s Muskwa and Godin area oil sands leases
- Spartan Energy in acquisition of southeast Saskatchewan light oil asset for consideration of $98 million
- Storm Resources in its C$87.9 million acquisition of Montney assets
- Elkwater Resources in its C$30.5 million acquisition of assets in East Central Alberta and its C$83.3 million acquisition of assets in West Central Alberta
- Grafton Energy’s $244 million joint venture with Bellatrix Exploration in the Willesden Green and Brazeau areas of Alberta
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation’s $602 million CBM acquisition and joint venture with Encana Corporation
- Penn West Energy Trust‘s $250 million disposition and related $800 million Cordova shale gas joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation
- Harvest Energy Trust‘s $440 million acquisition of Birchill Energy
- Harvest Energy‘s $526 million acquisition of upstream oil and gas assets from EnCana
Latest Insights
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Osler Update Feb 8, 2023
Corporate opportunity waivers make their way to Canada: Implications for private equity and venture capital investments
Alberta is the first jurisdiction in Canada to permit a corporate opportunity waiver in its articles or unanimous shareholder agreements - we discuss...
Read more
Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
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Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Energy:Oil & Gas (Transactional)
- “Craig Spurn is described as having a “great legal head and great business head” by market sources.He frequently acts for companies of all sizes engaged in the energy and natural resources sector on commercial transactions. Clients seek him out for the “depth and breadth” of his knowledge of the space.”
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Corporate Commercial Law; Energy (Oil & Gas); Calgary’s leading oil and gas lawyers in 2021
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Energy Law; Natural Resources Law; Oil & Gas Law
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Who’s Who Legal: Recognized in Energy: Top Ten Thought Leaders in North America; Canada: Energy; Leading Practitioner, Oil & Gas
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IFLR 1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms: Recognized in M&A (Highly Regarded)
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Expert Guides: Recognized in Expert Guides: Energy Law in Canada
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Legal 500: Recognized as a Recommended Lawyer; Corporate and M&A; Energy and Natural Resources: Power; a Leading Individual in Oil & Gas
Media Mentions
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Osler News Sep 25, 2023
22 Osler lawyers recognized in Lexpert Special Edition: Energy 2023
Osler is proud to announce that 22 of our lawyers are featured in the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy 2023, recognizing leading lawyers in the oil...
Read more -
Osler News Jun 7, 2018
Osler welcomes new partner Craig Spurn to Calgary office
Osler is pleased to welcome Craig Spurn as a partner in our Energy Practice Group, based in our Calgary office.
Read more
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
- Canadian Blockchain Consortium, Alberta Trade Mission
Speaker, Energy Day, July 10, 2024
Published Work
- Canada Chapter, The Oil and Gas Law Review, 2015-2017, Law Business Research
- Honour Among Businesspeople: The Duty of Good Faith and Contrasts in the Energy Sector, Alberta Law Review, Volume 53, No. 2 (December 2015)
- The 2007 CAPL Operating Procedure, Alberta Law Review, Volume 46, No. 2 (April 2009)
Credentials
Education
- University of Alberta, LL.B.
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Canadian Petroleum Law Foundation
- Law Society of Alberta
