Michael Atkin is a professional engineer, project manager, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience leading large-scale energy, infrastructure, and digital transformation initiatives across North America. He combines deep technical expertise in oil & gas, utilities, and industrial operations with a proven ability to design and implement technology-driven solutions that optimize performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and unlock new business value.

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Michael began his career in natural gas distribution engineering with SaskEnergy, where he scaled the System Improvement Capital Program from $12M to $55M annually by developing modular, repeatable engineering solutions. He went on to deliver multi-million-dollar transmission, facility, and utility projects with FortisBC, including complex urban pipeline relocations and large-scale capacity upgrades. His portfolio spans LNG, petrochemical, carbon capture, renewable energy, and heavy industry projects, where he has overseen every phase of delivery from concept through commissioning.

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In 2020, Michael transitioned into operations consulting, focusing on training and competency assurance programs for LNG, petrochemical, and carbon capture facilities. He managed cross-functional teams of SMEs, technical writers, and operators to develop Training Competency Assurance Programs (TCAPs) and standard operating procedures that strengthened compliance and improved operational efficiency. This included projects with organizations such as Lotte Chemical and Carbon Engineering. In 2023, he partnered with Maverick Natural Resources to lead a Total Safety Culture transformation, driving a dramatic reduction in the company’s Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) from 1.8 (industry worst) to 0.3 (best-in-class) — a measurable achievement that demonstrated how cultural and procedural change could directly improve safety outcomes and operational performance.

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As founder and CEO of FRDM Consulting and co-founder of multiple SaaS ventures, including WorkSync (WellOps, SafeOps, PipeOps – a Work Service Management Platform) and Tchippa (a marketplace platform), Michael applies his technical and operational expertise to digital transformation. He has led several transformative initiatives, including:

• MavOps – an operational prioritization system that unified data models across the enterprise to optimize resource allocation and drive operational focus.
• PNG Hydraulic Modeling Automation – reduced hydraulic modeling cycle times for large integrated municipal systems from ~180 hours to ~2 hours, a breakthrough in geospatial and data automation efficiency.
• Total Safety Culture programs – embedding safety leadership and behavioral change into upstream oil and gas operations, creating lasting cultural transformation and industry-leading safety performance.

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Respected as a systematic operator and trusted advisor, Michael is known for candid communication, strategic foresight, and a collaborative leadership style that empowers multidisciplinary teams. He is a registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and speaks Spanish well from his time growing up in LATAM.

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Core Expertise:

• Capital project management & contracting strategy
• Pipeline & facility engineering (distribution, transmission, facility)
• Operations consulting & training competency assurance programs (LNG, petrochemical, carbon capture, O&G production)
• Operation transformation initiatives (MavOps – unified data model for resource allocation; PNG Hydraulic Modeling Automation – reduced model time from 180 hrs → 2 hrs; Total Safety Culture – TRIR reduced from 1.8 → 0.3)
• AI/technology-driven operations optimization (WellOps, OPS simulator, SafeOps, PipeOps)
• Regulatory compliance (DOT OQ, Texas RRC, BC OGC)
• Corporate governance, strategy, and venture growth

Founder & CEO, FRDM Consulting / WorkSync, Canada, 2021–Present

• Founder and executive lead for FRDM Consulting and co-founder of WorkSync, a Work Service Management Platform (WellOps, SafeOps, PipeOps) built to transform oil & gas field operations.
• Accountable for product vision, client delivery, and corporate growth.
• Designed and launched the MavOps operational prioritization system, which unified data models to optimize resource allocation, and the PNG Hydraulic Modeling Automation program, which reduced cycle times from ~180 hours to ~2 hours.
• Responsible for corporate governance, venture strategy, and developing SaaS solutions that connect frontline operations with corporate strategy, delivering measurable operational and safety outcomes.

Operations Consultant – Total Safety Culture, Maverick Natural Resources, USA, 2021–2022

• Led a cultural transformation program for a leading upstream oil & gas producer, embedding safety leadership and behavior-based practices across field operations.
• Accountable for program design, implementation, and frontline engagement strategy.
• Achieved a step-change improvement in safety performance, reducing Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) from 1.8 (industry worst) to 0.3 (best-in-class).
• Role included executive coaching, hazard identification programs, workforce training, and integration of safety practices into daily operational workflows.

Project Manager – Training & Competency Assurance Programs, Capstone Industrial Training Services, Canada/USA, 2020–2021

• Delivered training and competency assurance programs for LNG, petrochemical, and carbon capture facilities.
• Accountable for developing scope, mobilizing SMEs, and managing program execution through to operations onboarding.
• Key projects included Lotte Chemical’s ethylene production facility (Lake Charles, LA) and Carbon Engineering’s direct air capture plant (Squamish, BC).
• Developed Training Competency Assurance Programs (TCAPs) and standard operating procedures that ensured regulatory compliance, reduced certification timelines, and enabled safe scaling of new technology.