The Advanced Hydrocarbons team is comprised of industry veterans that are driven to catalyze and foster innovation activities to improve the lives of Albertans economically, environmentally, and socially. Advanced Hydrocarbons’ staff support the innovation ecosystem with targeted funding programs, facilitation of initiatives, connecting members of the ecosystem together to achieve common goals, and supporting complementary programs at similar agencies (for example, Emissions Reduction Alberta, Natural Resources Canada, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and more). 

The Advanced Hydrocarbons portfolio is divided into two Programs, which are then further broken into a total of five Sub-Programs: 

Team Contacts

Michael Kerr

Executive Director, Advanced Hydrocarbons


Shunlan Liu

Director, Partial Upgrading   


Claude Ghazar, P.Eng.

Director, Recovery Technologies  


Paolo Bomben, PhD, P.Chem.

Senior Manager, Clean Technology Development


Bruce Duong

Senior Manager, Recovery Technologies


Mohammad Chowdhuri, PhD, P.Eng.

Senior Business Partner, Advanced Hydrocarbons


Liyan Zhao, Ph.D.

Senior Business Partner, Advanced Hydrocarbons