management Team

Chief Executive Officer  

Mr. Hoffman is a professional engineer with over 29 years of diverse technical and leadership experience, with a proven track record of delivering superior results in unconventional plays from the exploration phase to full field development. He has experience with resource identification, reservoir/exploitation engineering, production, operations, drilling and completions, capital/operating budgeting, M&A activities, and deal execution.

Dustin is currently the CEO of Parallax Energy, and prior to this Mr. Hoffman was the COO and interim CEO at Pipestone Energy Corp., and previously held several senior management roles at Encana Corporation and its predecessor companies in different operating areas such as Deep Basin, Peace River Arch, Montney, and Duvernay. Dustin Hoffman is a member of Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta (1993).

Chief Financial Officer  

Mr. van Kessel is a finance professional, with over 15 years of diverse M&A, financing and evaluations experience focused on the Canadian energy industry.

Dan is currently the CFO of Parallax Energy, and prior to this he was VP Corporate Development for Pipestone Energy Corp., responsible for leading business development, financing, marketing and risk management activities. Prior thereto, Mr. van Kessel worked in Calgary at an energy-focused private equity firm, as well as at a global investment bank. Dan van Kessel holds an Honors Business Administration (HBA) degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University (2010).

Chief Operating Officer  

Mr. Baffa is a professional engineer with 23 years of diverse energy industry experience, including 11 years leading large multi-disciplinary teams in the Duvernay and Montney unconventional plays in Canada. Mr. Baffa has a proven history of delivering superior results through the development of high performing teams and the application of cutting edge operational and development strategies. He is an authentic and visionary leader with exceptional communication skills who effectively unites cross-functional teams and stakeholders to safely deliver on goals and targets, with a focus on sustainable and scalable solutions. Tony holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary (2003).

Vice President, Business Development

 Mr. Fraser is a professional engineer with over 12 years of diverse experience spanning technical roles as well as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures within the Canadian upstream energy sector. Before joining Refraction Energy, Mr. Fraser spent the first eight years of his career in technical roles at exploration and production companies, where he focused on operations, exploitation, and reserves evaluations across plays in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the Williston Basin.

Over the past five years, Mr. Fraser worked at a global investment bank, playing a key role in the execution of over $30 billion of successful M&A transactions within the Canadian upstream oil and gas industry. Eric is a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with Distinction from the University of Alberta (2013).

Manager, Geosciences

Mr. Blackwell brings over 10 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, spanning both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Throughout his career, he has held diverse roles within geological operations, development, and exploration—focusing primarily on the Canadian energy sector. Before joining Refraction, Ian served as a Senior Geologist with Ovintiv, where he was responsible for the characterization and development of the company’s Montney assets. He is recognized for his drive for continued performance improvements and for his keen eye on exploration opportunities. Ian holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a specialization in Geology from the University of Alberta (2015).