Canadian North Sea Energy Limited (CNS) was founded in May 2007. The ethos was a company that embodied the best of Canada and the North Sea, hence the name of the company. 
The clear focus is on shareholder value growth, initially in the UK North Sea, primarily by acquiring and executing appraisal and development projects.
The company was founded by three experienced and proven energy industry players: one British based in Canada, one Canadian in Canada and one British in the UK.
The company was incorporated in Scotland in June 2007 and started up its Aberdeen, Scotland office in July 2007.
In the intervening months, significant progress has been made by CNS. A Board of six highly qualified industries professionals has been assembled, two executive directors and four non-executive directors. CNS also has two extremely well qualified strategic advisors, in the areas of finance and business development. See the biographies of CNS’s Board of Directors and Strategic Advisors.
CNS has secured the services of key professional advisors: Stronachs (legal services), Meston Reid (accounting), Pricewaterhouse Coopers (financial audit, tax advice) and HSBC (banking).
Key technical advisors include Senergy, Ikon Science, Hannon Westwood and Wood MacKenzie.
CNS currently has 25 shareholders, through two private financing rounds. Shareholders are located roughly equally between North America and UK. Just over 20 million CNS shares have been issued on a fully-diluted basis (share plus share options). CNS’s shareholders are themselves senior players in the energy and financial sectors, on both sides of the Atlantic.
CNS has also made significant progress with its business development activities. More news will be made available in this area as soon as possible, once agreements are signed and government approvals have been obtained.
As well as completing these agreements and regulatory approval, CNS is now moving ahead with institutional financing to allow it to proceed with planned acquisitions and to provide funds for a future drilling campaign.
CNS is a private company. A public markets listing (IPO) is notionally planned in 2010. Opportunities for private investment are likely to arise before the IPO, provided investors qualify for such private share placings under the regulations in their local jurisdiction.