pipeline news september 2011

CAODC Sees CAODC Sees Blue Skies AheadBlue Skies Ahead

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PIPELINE NEWSSaskatchewan’s Petroleum Monthly Canada Post Publication No. 40069240

September 2011 FREE Volume 4 Issue 4

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Yorkton-based Crusader Drilling Corp. is now building its third rig designed for resource plays. Don Rae, left, is president of Crusader, while Clark Kovar is rig manager of Crusader Rig. 2. See story on Page B9. This high dynamic range photo by Brian Zinchuk is a combination of ve exposures taken within one second.

A2 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011

NewsNotes

Briefs courtesy Nickle’s Daily Oil Bulletin

Rig activityTwo thirds of drilling rigs were active in the

Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin as of Aug.

24, according to Riglocator.ca.

Saskatchewan peaked at 122 on Aug. 19, top-

ping its record of 116 active rigs in Saskatchewan

set just two weeks before.

For much of August, Saskatchewan has been

running in excess of 108 active rigs. Th at’s ap-

proximately one-quarter more than the number

of active rigs during August 2010, and more than

double the same month in 2009.

A total of 533 rigs, or 66 per cent, were active

in Western Canada on Aug. 24.

Operators licensed 1,341 wells in July, up 11

per cent or 135 wells from July 2010, with about

54 per cent of the permits for horizontal wells.

Over the fi rst seven months of 2011, the well

count stands at 10,388, up 20 per cent over the

January to July period last year and the highest

tally since 2008, when 12,606 wells were approved

by governments across Canada.

A record 5,204 of the permits issued to the

end of July this year were for horizontal holes, 50

per cent of the total. In 2008, almost 16 per cent of

the well authorizations were for horizontal holes.

Th e operators securing the most horizontal

permits to the end of July were: Canadian Natural

Resources Limited (357 licences), Penn West Pe-

troleum Ltd. (265), Crescent Point Energy Corp.

(240), Husky Energy Inc. (188) and Encana Cor-

poration (182).

Th e most frequently licensed total depth

zones for horizontal wells were the Viking (745

licences), the Montney (556 permits), the Car-

dium (545 licences), the Bakken (359 authoriza-

tions) and the McMurray (198 permits).

Of the seven-month total, 2,756 of the oil

permits were in Saskatchewan (up from 1,766 last

year), while 3,562 were in Alberta (up from 2,380

last year). In Manitoba, operators obtained 324 oil

permits to the end of July, one less than the total

for January to July in 2010.

Horizontal wells are the majority

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You face enough challenges....equipment shouldn't be one of them.

By Geoff LeePipeline News

Lloydminster – Mark Bacon from Champion

Technologies will deliver the opening remarks to

guests and delegates at the 18th annual Heavy Oil

Technical Symposium Sept. 14-15 in two offi cial

languages – English and heavy oilspeak.

Bacon is vice-chairman of the Lloydminster

chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)

that is hosting the symposium at the Lloydminster

Stockade Convention Centre.

His job will include welcoming the lineup of

presenters and their topics laced with technical and

scientifi c titles.

Topics such as Formulation of an Emulsifi ed Th er-mal Acid Blend for SAGD Applications in Eastern Al-berta and Characterizing and Identifying Origins of

Natural Gas and Waters Using NRG Forensics may

challenge SPE hosts, but they meet the industry fo-

cus organizers look for in planning the itinerary.

Bacon said choosing topics for the event boiled

down to relating presentations to what the focus is of

the industry is in the Lloydminster area to maximize

professional interest and attendance.

Th e complete itinerary and registration forms are

posted online at the Lloydminster.spe.org website.

Bacon said some of the topics that were rejected

dealt with issues such as waxing problems which are

not signifi cant to most Lloydminster heavy oil op-

erations.

“We were looking at areas that would be a little

more interesting for the people who would be at-

tending,” he said.

Page A6

Steve Brand, who manages thermal production at CSS (cyclic steam stimulation) and SAGD (steam assisted gravity drainage) operations for Husky, was one of last year’s keynote presenters at the Heavy Oil Technical Symposium in Lloydminster. Husky will be represented at this year’s event on Sept. 14-15 by Karl Miller, a reservoir engineering specialist on a new panel discussion of heavy oil recovery methods.

Lloyd symposium to key on oil recovery

PIPELINE NEWS September 2011 A3

NewsNotes

Briefs courtesy Nickle’s Daily Oil Bulletin

By Geoff Lee

Calgary, Alta. – It’s a good time to be in the oil

and gas drilling business, particularly in Saskatch-

ewan.

Th e provincial drilling rig utilization hit a hit a

high of 79 per cent on Aug. 19 with 122 rigs active –

a snapshot of what lies ahead for the rest of 2011 in

Western Canada.

Th e good news in-

cludes a pending wage

hike for rig crews of

approximately 10 per

cent eff ective Oct. 1

for members of the

Canadian Association

of Oilwell Drilling

Contractors based in

Calgary.

“Th e industry,

particularly on the

drilling and the ser-

vice rig side, is very

healthy right now,”

said Mark Scholz who

took over as president

of CAODC on Aug.

1.

“We are seeing

strong activity both

in Saskatchewan, and

really right across

Western Canada. Sas-

katchewan certainly

would be one of the

leaders in terms of

overall utilization.

“Th e week of Aug.

23, we were already

sitting at around 67

per cent utilization in

Saskatchewan. Th at’s

very high.”

Scholz attributed

the current drilling rush in Saskatchewan to drier

conditions following weeks of record rainfall that

swamped oilfi elds in the southeast corner of the

province earlier this year.

“What we are hearing is that things are starting

are starting to dry up. With that comes the opportu-

nity to continue the work that was planned prior to

the rain,” said Scholz.

Scholz said service rig companies were among

the hardest hit by the wet weather that kept vehicles

and crews from getting on to lease sites.

“Ninety-nine per cent of our service rigs are mo-

bile, so it makes it very diffi cult to get on a lease and

get on some of those back roads and secondary roads

when roads are washed out or bridges aren’t in good

shape,” he said.

“On the service rig side in particular, it was a

little bit of a challenge for sure, just from a mobility

issue alone.

“I don’t think anyone had any relief from the

weather, but the service rig guys took a dispropor-

tional hit, I think,”

Scholz said.

With drier

weather ahead,

COADC is stick-

ing with its 2011

forecast for a 65 per

cent rig overall utili-

zation in the fourth

quarter in Western

Canada with Sas-

katchewan among

the leaders.

“I would prob-

ably say Saskatch-

ewan would be one

of the benefi ciaries

of that higher utili-

zation forecast,” said

Scholz.

“What we are

seeing is that activi-

ty will continue into

the fourth quarter, if

not get stronger.

“Alberta is a lit-

tle bit lower. We are

seeing a lot of inter-

est in the heavy oil

side there – in Sas-

katchewan there is

a lot of appetite for

that Bakken play.

“ C e r t a i n l y

with the commod-

ity prices with the way they are with oil hovering

around the $85 mark, it still makes it very economi-

cal to continue with those oil projects,” he said.

Wages and utilization trends are both on the

agenda at a fall CAODC annual general meeting

Sept. 8 in Calgary.

“Basically, what we will be introducing is going

over the recent wage recommendations that we are

coming out with for the crews – that along with a

general discussion about where the industry is going

in terms of utilization,” said Scholz.

Page A7

CAODC president Mark Scholz says high drilling rig uti-lization rates currently in effect in Western Canada will continue throughout 2011. CAODC will also take further steps to develop a labour recruiting and retention strat-egy this fall for rig crews.

CAODC sees blue sky ahead for drilling

Dodsland wells average

80 boepdPenn West Petroleum Ltd., said it is in full

development mode in many parts of its Colorado

Viking play and drilled 54 net wells in the fi rst half

of 2011. In the main development area at Dod-

sland/Avon Hills, production per well is averaging

approximately 80 boepd for the fi rst month. Th e

company said that low capital costs per well make

these rates highly economic.

In the second half of 2011, the company plans

to continue development in the Dodsland/Avon

Hills/Kerrobert areas of western Saskatchewan

and continue appraisal of the Alberta side of this

large play trend. It expects to drill 35 to 40 addi-

tional net wells this year.

Wet conditions challenge Enerplus

Extremely wet weather conditions in key produc-

ing regions across Western Canada and the U.S. pre-

sented challenges for many oil and gas producers during

the second quarter of 2011, including Enerplus. Access

to leases in Saskatchewan and North Dakota was lim-

ited due to fl ooding and road bans, which impacted the

company's ability to move rigs and equipment and, in

some areas, its ability to truck oil. Th ese weather condi-

tions delayed the execution of the company's drilling

program by one to two months in these areas.

Enerplus invested $145 million of capital during

the quarter drilling 14.1 net wells. Approximately 60

per cent of spending was directed to oil projects, pri-

marily in the Bakken and 33 per cent in the Marcellus.

Non-operated partners continued to be active in the

Deep Basin area of Alberta and at Taylorton in south-

east Saskatchewan.

As a result of the unusually wet weather conditions

in the Williston Basin, the company experienced a sec-

ond consecutive quarter of lower than anticipated activ-

ity in its Bakken/tight oil resource play.

Th e company participated in the drilling of 1.6 net

wells at Taylorton, Saskatchewan.

Mission Statement:Pipeline News’ mission is to illuminate importance of Saskatchewan oil as an integral part of the province’s sense of community and to show the general public the strength and character of the industry’s people.

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Fax: 1.306.634.3934

Editorial Contributions: SOUTHEAST

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A4 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011 EDITORIAL

So often we hear about how technology has re-

ally opened up Saskatchewan’s oilpatch in recent years,

bringing life to fi elds like the Bakken and Lower Shau-

navon that were long known, but not easily exploited.

Everyone from CEOs to cabinet ministers and pre-

miers will include a reference to technological advances

in their speeches. Usually, they are talking about hori-

zontal, multi-stage hydraulic fracturing.

What doesn’t get a lot of press, but is revolutionary

in its own way, is the sharp end of the drilling rig – the

drill bit.

In recent years, the polycrystalline diamond cut-

ter (PDC) bit has come to the fore, even if it has been

around for decades. Its impact on effi ciency is wide-

spread, but little noticed.

For the longest time, the tricone bit was king. With

three carbide or tooth-encrusted rotating cones, it

would grind away at the rock.

Th e PDC cuts, rather than grinds, the rock. Instead

of rotating cones, it has blades, usually for four to six,

with numerous industrial man-made diamonds brazed

onto them. While some people may refer to packers

and frac ports as a “string of jewels,” these drill bits have

more diamonds than a Hollywood star on Oscar night,

just not as pretty. More importantly, they drill like crazy.

We noted this in a 2009 story on Panther Drilling:

One of the biggest improvements in drilling in the Bak-ken is also very recent, according to toolpush Brian Honig, salesperson Bernie Bjorndalen, and well site supervisor Greg Sawatzky. Th e switch from older tri-cone style bits to polycrystalline diamond Cutter (PDC) bits has had a tremendous impact.

Th e build section, where the directional drilling transi-tions the wellbore from vertical to horizontal, used to take two or three bits to complete, including tripping out to change the bit. Each bit would get about 30 drilling hours, according to Sawatzky. “Now we’re drilling everything in 20-25 hours in the build section with one PDC.”

“We’re one of the fi rst rigs to consistently do it. We’ve never looked back.”

Th at, and other improvements, have led to a dramatic shortening in how long it takes to drill a Bakken well.

Th ey can now gamma log and drill to the kick off point, logging the last 200 m of true vertical depth. Th is provides the ability to see formation tops on the way down.

Honig said, “When we fi rst started, they were over two weeks. Now, they are down to 7, 8 days, from spud to rig release.”

Since then, PDC bits are now used in the vast, vast

majority of cases in the southeast, according to Baker

Hughes bit salesperson Rob Somerville. Drilling time is

about half of what it used to be.

Two drilling company presidents pointed out to us

that while the switch to PDC bits is important, so too

has been advancement in mud motors, diff erent styles of

muds and their properties. Th ey have had a tremendous

impact, almost as much as the PDC bit.

Th e reduced drilling time, in turn, means that oil

companies can drill just about twice as many holes in

the same amount of time, meaning they can produce

that much more. Th e province, and freehold mineral

rights holders end up collecting more royalties.

Everyone in the drilling supply chain gets a shot in

the arm. If rigs can drill in half the time, they need to

be moved twice as much, a boon to the rig movers. Th e

mud suppliers have that many more holes to take care

of. Truckers need to bring out twice as much pipe. And

pipeliners now have more wells to fl owline.

Imagine if we could double productivity or effi -

ciency in other areas of our life – like being able to haul

twice as much on a load.

Th e PDC drill bits may not have opened up new

oilfi elds like hydraulic multi-stage fracking has, but it

they made the economics for nearly all wells better.

Perhaps that should be mentioned in a few speech-

es, too.

Biting into technology

Editorial


PIPELINE NEWS INVITES OPPOSING VIEW POINTS. EDITORIALS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME.

Email to: [email protected]

Opinion

Brian Zinchuk

From the top of

the pile

Geoff Lee

Lee Side of Lloyd

At the end of a federal and provincial ministers’

energy conference in Kananaskis, Alberta in July,

Ontario couldn’t agree with language in a confer-

ence communiqué that calls the oilsands a “respon-

sible and major supplier of energy to the world.”

While Ontario should be lauded for its eff orts

towards replacing coal-fi red energy plants with so-

lar and wind power to reduce greenhouse gases, it is

a fact that its own economy is now not sustainable

without the equalization payments it receives from

oil-rich Alberta and Saskatchewan.

A little bit of recognition of the fact is due.

Th e same day the energy conference ended,

there was a report in the National Post noting On-

tario is the second largest recipient of equalization

payments that will total $2.2 billion this year, thanks

largely to the energy sector in Western Canada that

they criticize.

Only Quebec, which takes in $7.8-billion in

such payments, receives more than Ontario.

Federal equalization payments to Ontario have

risen 534 per cent in the two years since the prov-

ince received its fi rst payment.

Which province then does not have a sustain-

able or responsible economy?

Time after time, oil companies, particularly in

Alberta, report that the industry is one of the most

stringently regulated in the world.

Although there are major environmental issues

to be resolved in the oil sands, oil will continue to

drive the economy of every province for years to

come.

Fort McMurray, where all that “dirty tarsands”

comes, from doesn’t have smog days like Ontario.

Perhaps Alberta and Saskatchewan should

lobby Ontario to shut down its “dirty unsustain-

able cities and highways” and quit buying gasoline

from the west and see how far wind will carry the

economy.

Th e Canadian Wind Energy Association re-

ports that as May 2011, total Canadian wind power

generating capacity is only 4,588 megawatts or two

per cent of the national electrical demand.

Improvements in cleaner forms of energy take

time and at the moment there is no emerging com-

petitor to a gasoline-driven economy.

Th e Alberta government is investing hundreds

of millions of dollars into cleaner oil extraction

and production methods and technology, as is Sas-

katchewan, a fact that gets conveniently lost in the

“tarsands” smearing that goes on.

If Ontario had signifi cant oil, they would be

pumping it at the same rate and pride as Saskatch-

ewan and Alberta do, to generate revenue that will

benefi t the rest of Canada. (Canada’s initial oil

strike was at Petrolia, Ontario, by the way, which

still produces a tiny amount of oil.)

It would also mean Saskatchewan and Alberta

would have more of their own money to spend on

improving the lives of their own citizens.

Th e fact that Alberta and Saskatchewan have

huge reserves of oil should be a matter of national

pride that will enable Ontario and other have-not

provinces to build up their economic engines once

again.

Biting the hand that feeds you is never a good

idea, especially since Albertans are still smarting

from the big bite that the Trudeau government tore

out of the provincial oil and gas economy with their

National Energy Program in the early ’80s.

Who knows, one day Ontario could be arguing

for a national green policy too, once they get wind

of the fact Saskatchewan and Alberta are two of

windiest and sunniest provinces as well.

In the meantime, the energy answer blowing in

the wind is oil.

Ontario smog nothing to be smug about

While writing a story about Fast Trucking this

month, I had an opportunity to see what they do

from a slightly diff erent perspective – in their he-

licopter, several hundred feet above.

Indeed, we covered a fair bit of ground that

day, starting in Estevan, going to Carnduff , a rig

move south of Gainsborough, and another rig

move north of Stoughton before returning to Es-

tevan.

When you’re a company as big as Fast, with up

to seven rig moves going on simultaneously across

southeast Saskatchewan and southwest Manito-

ba, the utility of having a helicopter quickly be-

comes apparent.

I would like to thank Fast Trucking for the op-

portunity to see southeast Saskatchewan from the

air. It really opened my eyes.

It just so happened that on this day, Nickle’s Rig Locator (riglocator.ca) recorded a whopping 122 ac-

tive drilling rigs in Saskatchewan. Th at’s signifi cant,

because two weeks earlier, Nickle’s Daily Oil Bulletin

(dailyoilbulletin.com) reported that a record had

been set for Saskatchewan at 116 that week. You

might notice that number come up a few times in

my stories this month because, frankly, it’s impor-

tant.

Let’s put this into perspective: for the last two

years, Saskatchewan’s total rig fl eet has been run-

ning around 120. If it had stayed at that level this

year, we would be at 100 per cent utilization. We’re

not, however, because 20 to 30 rigs migrated to Sas-

katchewan in 2011. So now we’re running utiliza-

tion rates around 75% or higher on any given day.

I was surprised to hear this month that the

rig companies I spoke to had been able to activate

all their rigs. Th ey

might be a bit

short of people,

but not as

short as I

expected.

During our fl ights we fl ew over numerous ac-

tive rigs, at least a dozen. In one place there were

two side-by-side. I think that was close to Kisbey.

I got pictures of most of them, although I missed

my chance to get a photo looking down the crown

as we passed almost directly over one. Th at was a

sight to see.

Th ere were so many, you couldn’t swing a dead

cat out there without hitting a rig.

What was also evident was the need for rig mat-

ting. Many of the leases we fl ew over were nearly

completely matted, and for good reason. Th e rig we

visited in the morning during a move was close to

the defi nition of a soup hole, yet it had been largely

dry for over a month. Th ere’s a reason Fast Trucking

has those really big trucks. And it also explains why

mat companies like Lougheed Welding & Fabrica-

tion, whom my colleague Geoff Lee wrote about

this month, has their phone ringing off the hook.

Many of those calls were from the Estevan area,

and I believe it.

Th ere are still many wells surrounded by water.

We fl ew over one right of way that initially looked

like a canal. Some roads are still submerged as well,

two-thirds of the way into August.

Th e area west of Lampman still looks like a

lake, at least as much as I was able to see.

We fl ew over pipeline crews at work, lease

builders putting a lease back, and a seismic crew

working just north of Estevan. Th e level of activ-

ity was amazing.

It also reminded me of how important the oil-

patch is for jobs compared to farming. I saw an

awful lot more people out there in Nomex running

heavy equipment or rigs than I did on tractors or

sprayers.

Yes, folks, things are hopping out there. From

nearly everyone I talked to, they will be until at least

spring breakup. As one person put it, the next days

off are when it rains, or Christmas Eve.

Brian Zinchuk is editor of Pipeline News. He can be reached at [email protected].

Southeast Saskatchewan from the air


Mike McIntosh, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Lloydminster chair-man, is turning over the task of opening remarks at the upcoming 18th an-nual Heavy Oil Technical Symposium in Lloydminster Sept. 14-15 to SPE vice-chair Mark Bacon.

File photo

Got heavy oil? Page A2

“Traditionally in this area, it would the CHOPS, the cold heavy oil produc-

tion with sand, that we usually have the focus on.

“Th e idea is to be a more focused conference. Th is one, we are trying to make

all of the topics applicable to the Lloydminster area.”

Th e 2011 symposium will also be the fi rst to feature a panel discussion on

methods to increase the current heavy oil recovery rate.

SPE chairman Mike McIntosh said the idea for a panel came up during an

SPE evening meeting that turned into a discussion on recovery rates.

“We got talking about it and said that might be a good discussion for the

symposium. Th at’s where it’s kind of grown from,” he said.

“Each participant is going to bring their own idea to the table and present

it.”

Th e industry trend toward the use of thermal applications to boost oil pro-

duction is also refl ected in the itinerary with a presentation titled, Changing the Paradigm: An Assessment of the Use of Steam Injection Control Devices in Canadian Th ermal Heavy Oil Recovery Operations.

“Th ere is only so far you can get with CHOPS,” said Bacon, who is a thermal

products sales and service rep for Champion in Lloydminster.

“I think they can get about six per cent recovery whereas, once you switch

over to a thermal project, you can get up to 60 per cent, so thermal is inevitable.

You have to switch to it eventually if you want to keep producing a reservoir at

some point.

“Th e panel discussion should be very interesting for that. Mike (McIntosh)

managed to get a few experts in the fi eld on the panel. I will be very curious. It’s

the fi rst time we’ve done that. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

“I suspect most of the guys will be pro thermal or adding heat to the reser-

voir somehow – whether that’s with a fi refl ood or steam fl ooding or whatever,”

Bacon said.

Th at focused panel discussion on heavy oil recovery is likely to spill over into

a new “beer and chat” networking social that replaces the former banquet at the

end of the fi rst day.

“It’s like anything you go to,” said McIntosh. “Th ere’s a set presentation and

once it’s done, you see smaller groups break off into more of a social networking

type of environment and continue to discuss the previous discussion.

“Th at’s part of the reason we positioned the panel discussion just before the

networking event.”

McIntosh expects 150 to 200 people to attend this year’s symposium that he

hopes will be the best one way yet with the theme Got Heavy Oil?

“You always hope to,” he said he during an Aug. 15 interview. “I think there

are some really interesting topics here, so hopefully other people see it the same

way, but you never know what the turnout is going to be until it actually hap-

pens.

“We had some e-mail issues that we just sorted out in the last week, so reg-

istrations are really just starting to come in now due to issues on our end.

“Historically, a large number of the registrations don’t start coming in until

the last week of August and the fi rst week of September.”

Asked if he was getting excited with time ticking down he said, “Now it’s

crunch time and there’s all the little details that we still have to take care of.”

Th e SPE executive will huddle at least once more before the event to help

Bacon write his opening remarks and assign tasks to other committee mem-

bers.

“Mark will do the opening remarks and after that we will break it down into

other board members,” said McIntosh.

“Th ey will take a role and do introductions. I hope everyone on the board

will be able to participate in some way.”

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Saskatchewan is seeing strong drilling rig utilization this summer. The day this photo of two rigs south of Moose Mountain was taken Aug. 19, there were 122 active drilling rigs in the province. For the month of August, Saskatchewan’s number of active rigs has been roughly one quarter higher than August 2010, and over double August 2009. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Page A3“Th ere is going to be an increase around 10 per

cent, give or take, for the various positions. It will be

an increase that will be certainly welcomed in the

fi eld for sure.”

Th e wage increase is part of a developing strat-

egy by CAODC to attract and retain new rig crews.

Th e oilfi eld services sector downsized 13,000 to

15,000 positions during the last downturn – more

than any other sector, according to a 2011 petroleum

labour market report by the Petroleum Human Re-

sources Council of Canada.

Many skilled rig workers failed to return when

the economy picked up in 2010 due to the seasonal

nature of oil and gas drilling.

“I think wages are only one piece of an over-

arching strategy of attraction and retention,” said

Scholz.

“I think it would be expected given the health of

the industry, that some of that good economic health

of the industry be passed down to the workers, and

we’re seeing that. Th at’s what will happen on Oct. 1.

“Th ere are other issues that have to be looked

at to address the labour shortage. You can increase

wages all you want, but if you don’t have the people,

it’s still going to a be a struggle to fi nd people,” he

said.

“Recruiting is the No. 1 issue. Th at’s what we are

hearing from the fi eld and from our board of direc-

tors. Labour recruitment is a challenge.”

Th e CAODC board will hold a strategic plan-

ning session in October with a long term plan for

labour recruitment and retention in Western Canada

up for discussion.

Scholz says a labour strategy would include

wages, temporary foreign workers, and what he calls

“load leveling.”

“A big one for us is ‘load leveling’ – that has to be

a discussion with the operators,” he said.

“What I mean by load leveling is we work in

a very cyclical industry where we ramp up really

quickly and then spring break hits, and everybody is

not working for several months.

“So that causes some challenges with respect to

retention. Guys want to work year round.

“We are competing against industries like the

construction industry and Fort Mac and the oil-

sands. Th ey don’t have those interruptions that we

do in the conventional oil drilling industry. Th ere are

many things that are going to be on the table for

discussion.

“Wages, load levelling and foreign work recruit-

ment are just part of the picture we will have to look

at as part of the longer term strategy,” Scholz said.

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Story and photos by Geoff Lee

Nisku, Alta. – A rainy spring and

summer in the Western Canadian oil-

fi eld has triggered a fl ood of rig mat

manufacturing and sales at Lougheed

Welding & Fabrication based in Ni-

sku, Alberta.

Company president, Donna Harp,

said the demand for steel frame rig

mats they make at Lougheed Welding

was already strong before the onset

of rain and fl ooding in southeastern

Saskatchewan sent sales orders and

manufacturing into overdrive.

“It’s tremendous. It’s really good,”

said Harp about the demand for mats

this year.

“Even without the rain, the call

for matting has really increased with

the activity that is going to happen

this year with drilling.

“With all the rain, that’s brought

on some unforeseen business. We are

going fl at out. I expect it will be the

same for the rest of the year.

“I am hoping for the next two or

three years, we are going fl at out –

wheels coming off ,” Harp said.

Lougheed Welding custom builds

steel framed mats to any width and

length using high quality steel I-beam

on the outer and inner frame to sup-

port 6-inch by 6- inch spruce timbers.

Th ey also make what’s called a

crane mat or a dig mat in a four-by-20

format using 12-by-12 fi r timbers

bolted together without a steel frame.

Interlocking mats are made in a

similar fashion to steel framed rig mats

but they hook together at the ends.

Harp said most of the mats are

heading to Estevan and some of the

surrounding areas and into fl ood rav-

aged parts of North Dakota.

“Th ey were in terrible trouble

down there, and there is quite a de-

mand for them here too because of the

wet areas up north, but Saskatchewan

seems to be our newest best friend.

“In Saskatchewan, it’s mostly

small companies that we are dealing

with – the guys that are growing.

“Most of the time we can’t pro-

duce mats right away because we have

a waiting list, but we have been able to

come up with satisfactory time periods

for them.

“Th e matting that we are selling

there is not matting that links togeth-

er. Th ey are all individual mats.”

Rig mats are typically used to sup-

port a variety of equipment at a lease

sites, construction sites or for pipeline

crossings and agricultural applica-

tions.

Page A9

Blocker Jesse Burghardt ts a cut piece of spruce timber between two steel I-beams on the rig mat frame. Rig mat manufacturing is a labour in-tensive operation that takes place outdoors year round.

Lougheed ooded with rig mat orders


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Page A8

Lougheed Welding

has an outdoor manufac-

turing facility down the

road from its main offi ce

under the direction of

Harp’s business partner

and general manager,

Jeff Symes.

Symes refers to the

types of steel frame mats

that make at the yard as

a three runner or four

runner (number of I-

beams used) in all diff er-

ent widths and lengths.

In a nutshell Symes

said, “We make a steel

frame with a six-by-six

wood blocking that runs

the length of it.”

Lougheed Weld-

ing’s competitive niche

is the steel frame that

Symes says won’t bend

or break and is made to

be opened up to replace

worn or broken spruce

timbers.

“I know that we put

a little more time and

eff ort into the frame it-

self,” said Symes, who

looks after a staff of nine

welders and half a dozen

labourers.

“Our feeling is that

we will make you the

strongest frame that can

be made. If anything is

going to be sacrifi cial,

it’s going to be the wood.

We are going to make it

easy to repair the wood.”

Th e two-acre yard

is divided into various

open air work stations

including a wood saw

area next to an assembly

area where workers in-

stall cut spruce into the

frame.

Th ere is also a weld-

ing tent and three-sided

shed where Symes su-

pervises the frame as-

sembly and the patch

cuts in the frame to slot

in the timbers.

Th e frame patches

are re-welded and in-

spected on both sides

and ready for shipment

in another open air area.

“When you are

welding with a stick,

air quality is a concern,”

said Symes, who says the

outdoor workshop is an

effi cient operation de-

spite being subjected to

the elements.

“We grew up out-

doors. We played out-

doors. I’ve worked out-

doors all my life. It’s a

not a big deal,” he said as

a thunderstorm was roll-

ing in from the west.

Symes says the rainy

weather and the strong

demand for mats this

year is keeping his crews

busy with some overtime

weekend work, but that’s

OK by him.

“Anyone who knows

the oilpatch knows it’s

feast or famine,” he said.

“It’s hurry up and go. Th e

market predicts what

you are going to have to

do. Right now, it’s fairly

busy.”

Two years ago,

Lougheed Welding laid

off staff in the downturn.

Th at was when when

Harp said the company

saw a business need to

diversify.

Th e four-acre yard at

the main offi ce is rented

to Saxon Energy Ser-

vices that manufactures

drilling rigs, and the sign

on the door alerts visi-

tors to a spinoff business

called Nisku Security

Patrol Inc.

“We do mobile pa-

trol services here in the

park and all over,” said

Harp. “We do stationary

guards, and we started

doing quite a few events

like rodeos.”

In fact, Harp and

her personal partner, Jim,

have a half section of

land east of Wetaskiwin

where they raise Texas

longhorns and compete

in the Canadian Senior

Pro Rodeo circuit in

roping competitions.

Th is year, she can’t

ride her horse across the

Battle River that runs

through her property

due to high water levels

and strong currents.

Th e fl oodwaters that

hit the Estevan area ear-

lier this year also caused

her to pause and refl ect

on memories of her early

days in Regina and Este-

van where she attended

Grade 1.

“Oh my goodness,”

she said. “I didn’t recog-

nize anything there, of

course, because every-

thing looked so tragic.

It’s just unbelievable,

isn’t it?

Asked if she could

visualize her rigs mats

in those TV images of

fl ooded oilfi elds, Harp

laughed and said, “No,

I didn’t have a visual of

that,” but she revealed

that’s when her phone

starting ringing off the

hook.

“We are working

with some new custom-

ers there. It’s always nice

to have new customers

that you are servicing

and making them happy.

“Th at’s one of the

things I really like about

this business. People are

happy to be calling you

and happy to get their

product.”

Harp and Symes

bought the company in

2005 from founder and

friend, Al Lougheed,

who had mats for rent at

Harp’s Coyote Oilfi eld

Rentals business that she

started.

“I had three or four

diff erent manufactur-

ers’ rig mats, and the

Lougheed was by far

the toughest mat,” said

Harp.

“It was the easiest to

repair if it was damaged.

Th e steel virtually never

gets damaged. Th ey just

don’t get bent or twist-

ed.”

Harp says buying

the company was a good

fi t for her because she

knew the product and

the customer base was

similar to her oilfi eld

rental business.

“I knew the industry,

so it worked out well for

me,” she said.

Harp moved with

her parents from Loui-

siana to Regina in the

mid-’50s and to Estevan

in 1956 when her dad

was transferred to Cana-

da by Hunt Oil, followed

by a move to Calgary in

1957.

When her dad start-

ed his own company,

Harp Oilfi eld Rentals

in Nisku, she moved

there to help manage it.

Her dad retired in 1982,

and joined her at Coy-

ote which was sold to

Newalta in 2005.

Th e rest is history.

Liked the mats so much they bought the company

Company president, Donna Harp, says Lougheed Welding is having a banner year with increased drilling and wet weather across Western Canada. In her spare time, Harp competes in the Canadi-an Senior Pro Rodeo in roping events and raises Texas longhorns on her ranch.


Lloydminster – Husky Energy Inc.

nearly quadrupled its second quarter

profi ts compared to the same period in

2010 with higher production coming

from its emerging oil and gas plays in

Western Canada.

A higher proportion of heavy oil

production in the Lloydminster area

is expected to come from new thermal

projects with less reliance on primary

production with sand.

Th e Calgary-based company re-

ported net earnings of $669 million in

the quarter compared with $179 million

a year earlier.

Production also jumped to an aver-

age of 311,600 barrels of oil equivalent

per day from 283,900 during the same

quarter in 2010 despite forest fi re and

pipeline disruptions in the Slave Lake

region of Alberta that reduced vol-

umes.

Th e company closed a $1.2 billion

share off ering in the quarter to fi nance

its growth strategy that includes plans

to maintain heavy oil production levels

with accelerated thermal projects in the

Lloydminster area.

Construction of the 8,000 bpd

South Pikes Peak thermal project east

of Lloydminster is on schedule and on

budget with fi rst production expected

in mid-2012.

Th e 3,000 bpd Paradise Hill thermal

development northeast of Lloydminster

is also on schedule to be in operation in

the third quarter of 2012.

More thermal production is planned

as Husky says these projects have lower

fi nding and development costs than

some new CHOPS wells (cold heavy

oil production with sand).

“Currently our overall heavy oil

production is in the range of 100,000

barrels per day with the vast majority

coming from the Lloydminster region,”

said Rob Peabody, chief operating offi -

cer during a conference call on July 27.

“Our current thermal production is

the range of 18,000 to 20,000 bpd.”

“With these projects coming on-

stream in the next fi ve years we are look-

ing to increase our thermal production

into the range of about 40,000 bpd.

“Th at will be off set by some decline

in CHOPS production because as we

are moving toward the edge of the res-

ervoir and on some of the chops wells F

& D costs are rising.

Page A11

This drilling rig could be found working some of Hus-ky’s recently acquired Oun-gre properties in August. The company Husky acquired 11,500 acres in the Bakken formation in south central Saskatchewan, adjacent to its Oungre oil resource lands. According to Riglocator.ca record, two rigs were work-ing in the area for Husky.

Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Husky warms to thermal, emerging plays


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Husky expands Bakken lands in southeast Page A10

“By bringing on

these thermal projects,

we actually help drive

our F & D and cost back

down.”

In other heavy oil

news, the Lloydminster

Husky Upgrader will

undergo a minor turn-

around in September

and October to allow for

an inspection of equip-

ment.

During that period,

the upgrader will oper-

ate at 70 to 80 per cent

capacity.

More conventional

oil and liquids-rich gas

production is expected

in Western Canada as

Husky steps up the de-

velopment of its grow-

ing resources properties

in Saskatchewan and

Alberta and British Col-

umbia.

Husky has a Western

Canada oil resource land

base of approximately

500,000 acres.

“From a big picture

standpoint, we plan to

invest about $250 mil-

lion through 2013 to

develop our emerging

oil resource plays and we

have a strong pipeline

of projects in develop-

ment,” said Peabody.

“We expect we will

be able to grow into a

30,000 barrel a day busi-

ness by the end of the

planned period.”

In the second quar-

ter, Husky acquired

11,500 acres in the Bak-

ken formation in south

central Saskatchewan,

adjacent to its Oungre

oil resource lands.

Husky now holds

18,700 net acres in this

light oil play. Current

production from four

producing wells is ap-

proximately 600 bpd

and two additional wells

have been drilled and

will be completed once

wet conditions recede.

Given the positive

results from the fi rst

Oungre Bakken wells,

Husky has committed

additional funds to ac-

celerate the drilling and

completion of 10 addi-

tional wells in the sec-

ond half of 2011.

Husky continues to

develop its opportuni-

ties in the Lower Shau-

navon zone in southern

Saskatchewan, the Vi-

king zone in southwest

Saskatchewan and cen-

tral Alberta, and in the

northern Cardium re-

source trend at Wapiti

and Kakwa in west cen-

tral Alberta.

Spring breakup and

extended wet conditions

delayed drilling and

completion plans in the

second quarter, however,

Husky plans to acceler-

ate its activities in the

second half of the year.

Two wells were also

drilled at Husky’s central

Alberta Viking oil re-

source project in the sec-

ond quarter, following a

six well drilling program

in the fi rst quarter.

A total of 11 Viking

wells have been placed

on production from this

area along with another

three from the south-

western Saskatchewan

Viking oil resource proj-

ect.

Husky continues

to build its gas resource

portfolio in Alberta and

British Columbia, with

approximately 16,000

acres of new land ac-

quired in the quarter,

adding to an existing

base of approximately

800,000 acres.

“On the gas resource

side, we also plan to in-

vest about $250 million

through 2013 to develop

our liquids-rich gas as-

sets,” said Peabody.

“Much of those ef-

forts will be focused on

our Ansell play where we

have a land base of about

150,000 net acres.”

Husky drilled 21

wells in the liquids-rich

Cardium formation

wells at Ansell in west

central Alberta in the

second quarter and an-

other 12 Cardium and

nine deeper multi-zone

wells are planned in the

second half of the year.

Th e company is cur-

rently constructing ad-

ditional offl oad capacity,

which will increase total

production capacity at

Ansell to 56 mmcf/day

and over 2,000 bpd of

liquids.

Husky also reports

Phase 1 of the Sunrise

Energy oilsands project

located 60 kilometres

northeast of Fort Mc-

Murray continues to

progress on schedule to-

wards planned fi rst pro-

duction in 2014.

Drilling was com-

pleted in the second

quarter on the fi rst

12 SAGD horizon-

tal well pairs, as part of

49 planned initial well

pairs.

SAGD drilling costs

are trending on budget

and on schedule, with

the full drilling program

forecast to be completed

in the third quarter of

2012.

“Soon more than

1,700 contract work-

ers will converge on the

Sunrise Energy project

site,” said Peabody.

“In preparation for

that heightened activity,

Husky recently held a

Sunrise Safety Summit.

“Th e summit was

designed to help key

sunrise leaders under-

stand our safety goals

and expectations and to

develop and employ a

comprehensive health

safety and environmen-

tal program for the Sun-

rise project.

“We are building a

very strong safety culture

at sunrise and we are

making it clear to every

worker and contractor

employed at the site that

the highest standards

and best safety practices

will be required,” said

Peabody.

Conceptual devel-

opment engineering for

subsequent phases of the

Sunrise project has been

initiated and a full fi eld

development plan is ex-

pected to be completed

by the end of 2011.

Progress continues

at the Tucker Oil Sands

project as Husky en-

hances its understanding

of how to develop the

reservoir.

Production averaged

6,400 bpd during the

quarter and Tucker ex-

ited the quarter in excess

of 7,000 bpd.

Husky Energy is accelerating the development of its emerging oil and gas portfolio in Saskatch-ewan, Alberta and British Columbia and relying more on thermal projects to maintain heavy oil production in the Lloydminster area.

Photo submitted


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By Geoff LeeLloydminster, – Kudos to Kudu Industries. Th e

Calgary-based company that provides progressing

cavity pump solutions to the oil and gas industry is

spreading the word it has secured Canadian and U.S.

patents for its proven Top Tag system for heavy oil

applications.

Top Tag is marketed as a product to increase

pump life, improve wellbore agitation and decrease

the number of burnt pumps among its list of benefi ts

and advantages for heavy oil producers in a global

market.

Kudu has completed more than 3,000 installa-

tions of the Top Tag system on PC pumps in the

Lloydminster area since the product hit the market

in 2007.

“Having that patent in hand now just confi rms

that we have designed and engineered something

that is new and unique to the marketplace,” said Kris

Kykkanen, sales manager for Kudu in Lloydminster.

“It’s just another innovation that Kudu brought

to the marketplace and enables producers to enhance

their oil recovery,” he said.

Th e Top Tag system is the industry’s fi rst engi-

neered PC Top Tag (PC pump), allowing users to

locate the rotor inside the stator without using the

standard tag bar that is prone to pump intake plug-

ging.

“We are able to reduce interventions, reduce

fl ushing and reduce loading, and the frequency of

burnt pumps because we no longer have an intake on

the stator that will plug,” said Kykkanen.

“Intake is always open to the annulus. Any fl uid

that comes into the annulus can be agitated by the

paddle rotor to access the pump intake.”

Th e exposed rotor in the annulus also generates

more mixing of sand and oil while increasing gas

breakout through the annulus instead of the stator.

Th e Top Tag reduces rotor breakage too, since

the rotor is never run in compression on a tag bar.

“Th ey’ve been a great success story for Kudu in

Lloydminster,” said Kykkanen, who noted the prod-

uct is applicable to PC pumps in vertical and hori-

zontal heavy oil wells.

“It was something that was essentially brought

out locally. We had a number of internal stakehold-

ers and some producers who came to us and men-

tioned that they had problems with these types of

things.

“It’s good to be able to bring something to the

market that customers wanted, recognized a need

for, and now recognize the benefi ts of it, “said Kyk-

kanen.

“We are looking to help producers save money

and produce more. Th at’s what every shareholder

wants – to see an increase in production and a drop

in costs. Th is is technology that allows them to do

that.

“We thought by removing anything below the

stator was going to be a benefi t to us,” said Kykkanen

about the initial development stage.

“Th e tag bar really had two functions – to pro-

vide a pump intake and to provide a locating device.

“We took that locating device and moved it from

the bottom of the pump to the top of the pump, and

that enables us to have unlimited access to our in-

take.”

Kudu’s Top Tag also costs less to purchase than

a standard tag bar, and it lowers operating costs with

fewer well interventions needed.

Th e intake always stays open with the Top Tag

system and increases fi llage because the fl uid can ac-

cess the pump intake.

Page A13

Kudu Top Tag system boosts bottom line

A paddled rotor, part of the Kudu Top Tag system for PC pumps, directly agitates the uid within the casing rather than being limited to the uid entering a tag bar.


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This diagram show the Top Tag installation on a PC pump that eliminates plugged pump intake problems among its many bene ts to heavy oil pro-ducers. Image submitted

Increased accessibility of coil

Page A12

“We also get bet-

ter agitation of the sand

that is inside the well-

bore,” said Kykkanen.

“We get better mixing

action with that sand to

try to dilute that content

as it enters the pump.”

Th e Top Tag sys-

tem can be removed

and easily installed on

a replacement stator. A

worn Top Tag plate can

be replaced instead of

the entire collar bar.

“With a Top Tag

you can run coil right

down through the pump

and have access to the

sump because there is

no other tag bar there to

run a coil through,” said

Kykkanen.

“We have increased

the accessibility of coil

to clean out a sump.”

Kudu’s PC pump

solutions are supported

and serviced by industry

specialists and incorpo-

rate unique designs for

a variety of well condi-

tions.

“Th e Top Tag is just

part of our success sto-

ry,” said Kykkanen.

“Kudu is also able

to look at the complete

system. Whether it’s the

drivehead, a power unit,

the tubing, the rods,

the pump, the well and

accessories – all these

things have to work in

conjunction together to

create production.

“If any of those com-

ponents break down,

then you’ve got an issue.

You may have to service

or intervene within that

wellbore with a fl ush or

coil tubing.

“We take pride that

we can off er unique

solutions such as Top

Tag, but also we provide

good technical support

for any other issues pro-

ducers may be having,”

said Kykkanen.

Kudu has more than

13 locations throughout

Alberta and Saskatch-

ewan and an endless

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Vermilion – Tony’s

Convoy for Hope is prov-

ing to be good medicine

for cancer survivors and

oilfi eld trucking compa-

nies that take part in the

annual fundraiser for the

Cross Cancer Institute in

Edmonton.

More than $29,000

was raised to fi ght cancer

with 28 trucks making

the trip from Vermilion

to Lloydminster on July

23.

A year ago, the in-

augural event called the

Convoy for the Cure,

raised approximately

$17,600 with a convoy of

35 trucks.

It’s the larger fund-

raising amount that

means the most to orga-

nizers Tom Jack, and his

wife, Janice King, who

own and operate Tom

Jack Trucking.

“Truckers’ schedules

change by the minute,”

said Jack who hauls oil,

water and condensate for

W-K Trucking in Mun-

dare, Alberta.

“Th e oilpatch is

busy, but the people who

couldn’t make it still gave

money.”

Th is year’s convoy

was named in honour

of Jack’s brother in-law,

Tony Rossi from Toron-

to, who died of cancer

shortly after last year’s

event.

“Everyone’s got their

own story on why they

are here,” stressed Jack.

“We give them an outlet

to honour a loved one or

a family member that has

battled cancer.”

Next year, Rossi’s

wife, Pat, who is also

Jack’s sister and a breast

cancer survivor, plans to

be in the convoy.

One of the most

touching moments of

the event was the sight

of Dale Winnacott writ-

ing the names of cancer

survivors and those who

died from the disease on

the windows of a bus he

drove to the event for his

Tibear Coaches in Lash-

burn.

His sister, Pat Pierce,

held open the pages of

a book to read out the

names of each person

being remembered on

the bus – including some

members of Winnacott’s

own family stricken by

cancer.

“Th e ones that I

have just put on are the

four that have passed and

one that is a survivor. We

have seven or more in

our family that have died

with cancer,” said Win-

nacott.

Winnacott off ered

seats for sale as a fund-

raiser for people to name

either a cancer survivor or

a member of their family

who has died from can-

cer.

Leftover seats were

given to Big Brothers Big

Sisters of Lloydminster.

Winnacott oper-

ates an executive coach

owned by PWM Steel

in Lloydminster that is

used by their sponsored

hockey teams.

He also busses oil-

fi eld employees to and

from Christmas par-

ties with three buses in

Lashburn and two in

Saskatoon.

Allan Wruth, owner

of AK Oilfi eld in Ver-

milion rolled, into the

staging area at the Ver-

milion Stadium Arena in

a truck limousine from

Black Magic Limo Ser-

vice in Lloydminster

with nine employees on

board.

Wruth operates a

fl eet of pressure trucks,

vac trucks and steam-

ers in the Vermilion area

and says he didn’t want

to miss the opportunity

to support a good cause,

especially with the con-

voy starting in his home

town.

“I was going to be

in it and I fi gured the

money is going to go to

a good cause and stay in

Alberta,” he said.

“I’ve be hearing

about the convoy for the

last couple of years, and

I fi gured this would be

a good opportunity for

myself and my family to

represent AK Oilfl eld.”

Rick Young is the

owner and driver of the

Black Magic limo who

was glad to make it avail-

able for the day.

Young was also

in the convoy as the

owner of Rick’s Hauler

in Lloydminster with

his fleet of two semis

and three fluid haulers

serving the oilfield.

“I met Tom ( Jack)

down at Chauvin and

we got to know each

other a little bit and

I decided we can do

something for him,”

said Young about how he

got involved in the con-

voy.

Page A15

Looks like we Looks like we got us a convoygot us a convoyTom Jack, a.k.a. Trucker Tom, hopped on the deck on an Action Tow-ing truck to address the crowd at start of the Tony’s Convoy for Hope cancer fundraiser. This year, 28 trucks made the trip from Vermilion to Lloydminster.

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Cancer convoy good medicine for allCancer convoy good medicine for all Page A14 “We gave them $1,000 and my

daughter is driving one of my semis and she raised

about $2,000. Everybody’s supporting and that’s

what we need.

“My mother-in-law and my aunt have both had

breast cancer so anything that helps fi ght cancer is

good for us.”

Participating in Tony’s Convoy for Hope also

tugged at the heartstrings of Bob Clarke, area man-

ager for Gibson Energy in Lloydminster.

“We were invited to join in the convoy last year

by one of other service vendors that works with us,”

said Clarke. “It’s a good cause, and a great event to

promote a bit of pride back in trucking.

“I am a cancer survivor so it’s a little near and

dear to my heart. Last year, we raised over $1,000,

and this year we are hoping to double that.

“I think it’s a tremendous event for industry as a

whole. I don’t know if anybody isn’t aff ected by can-

cer.

“If you ask anyone in Canada, they have some-

body in their family that’s aff ected by cancer. It’s go-

ing to be a good day.”

For the second year in a row, John Buhnai and

his wife Ginette from Action Towing near Kitscoty

brought their Tow Mater to the convoy, arguably the

largest tow truck in Western Canada.

“Tom called us a couple of years ago and told us

he was organizing this convoy,” said Buhnai.

“We donate to every other cause around – base-

ball games and hockey teams and curling teams, and

this time it was something to do with trucks, so we

got onboard right away last year. Page A16

Tom Jack decorates his re engine red Western Star truck that led off a convoy of 28 trucks from Vermilion to Lloydminster.

John Buhnai, owner of Action Towing near Kitscoty, pins a cancer ribbon on his shirt after arriving for Tony’s Convoy for Hope in his Tow Mater tow truck.

Cancer survivor Bob Clarke, area manager for Gibson Energy in Lloydminster, displays a can-cer ghting banner to attach to his Gibson Driver Simulator truck entered in the convoy for hope.


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Page A15“It’s a real good

cause all the way around.

My wife had some can-

cer. I have a sister right

now in Brandon General

Hospital that’s just had

a cancer operation. My

mom passed away a few

years back in 1994. She

had cancer, so I have got

lots of cancer in our fam-

ily.”

One of the biggest

cheerleaders of the con-

voy is Brooke Rose, event

promotion specialist

for the Alberta Cancer

Foundation, who came

out to thank Jack and

the truckers who get in-

volved.

“I have had the plea-

sure of working with

Tom Jack over the last

few months,” said Rose.

“It’s a huge privilege for

us to come out and thank

him properly, and all of

the drivers, truckers and

participants that are all

involved in such an in-

credible event.

“Th ey all have very

busy schedules. Th ey

drive all over the coun-

try on a day-to-day basis.

For them to be coming

in one location to be a

part of this is something

special.

“Th ere are actually

46,620 Albertans living

with cancer, so each one

of us will know a family

or a friend or a neigh-

bour touched by cancer

and pushed to do some-

thing.

“I know that all the

truckers have their names

and signage plastered on

the side of their trucks,

so hopefully everyone

will be able to recognize

a few, and these gentle-

men and ladies can truly

get the recognition they

deserve.”

Rose says all the

funds go the Cross Can-

cer Institute “for research,

prevention and screening

as well as to enhance pa-

tient care to make sure

the 16,000 Albertans

that are being diagnosed

this year have the best

treatment and care pos-

sible.”

Impact is wide spreadImpact is wide spread

Dale Winnacott, owner of Tibear Coaches in Lashburn, writes the names of cancer sur-vivors on the window of his bus with help from his sister, Helen Pierce, who spells out the names from a me-morial book.

Right: Brook Rose, left, from the Alberta Cancer Foundation, poses with Janice King, the wife of lead event organizer, Tom Jack, with the event banner in the background. Tony’s Convoy for Hope raised about $29,000 for the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton.

ree

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By Geoff LeeEdmonton, Alta. – Read this story on Alberta’s new distracted driving law

with your vehicle in park.

Th e new law goes into eff ect Sept. 1 and prohibits the use of hand-held

cellphones for talking or texting, the use of other electronic devices, as well as

reading, writing and personal grooming while driving.

Th e new law is billed as the most comprehensive distract driving legislation

in Canada and gives law enforcement agencies in Alberta an additional tool to

help make roads safer.

“We are sending an extremely strong traffi c safety message to motorists

across the province: When you’re in your vehicle, your focus must be on driving,”

said Frank Oberle, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security.

Drivers can still use cellphones or radio communication devices, but only if they use them in a hands-free or voice-activated manner.

Th is means the device is not held in the driver's hand and is activated by

voice or a single touch to the device.

Drivers may use a hand-held citizen’s band (CB) or two-way radio when

escorting oversized vehicles, to contact their employer, or when participating in

search, rescue and emergency management situations.

To help Albertans prepare for the new law, the government is running a

public education and awareness campaign that will provide information about

the distracted driving law and how to comply with it. Advertising will run in

newspapers, radio and online.

“During my 25-year career with the Calgary Police Service, I saw countless

collisions and the often devastating consequences,” said Art Johnston, MLA,

Calgary-Hays and sponsor of the bill.

"I have been advocating for this legislation and am pleased to see Alberta's

new distracted driving law come into eff ect. I would like to thank law enforce-

ment and our traffi c safety partners for their support."

Several international studies show that 20 to 30 per cent of all collisions

involve driver distraction, and distracted drivers are three times more likely to be

involved in a collision than attentive drivers.

“Th is legislation is an example of Alberta’s fi rm commitment to driver safe-

ty,” said Verlyn Olson, minister of Justice and Attorney General.

“Th is legislation will raise awareness about the importance of distraction

free driving, making roadways safer for all Albertans.”

New law to focus drivers in Alberta

Passport's - 29 stage fracPassport Energy Ltd. said on

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Th e company said the information

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Th e 4-16 well was currently be-

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Regina – Th ere was no sizzle or worry about the

August summer sale of Crown petroleum and natu-

ral gas rights in Saskatchewan generating just $21.7

million revenue.

Th e low revenue for the August sale and low

numbers predicted for the next sale in October are

considered par for the course as oil and gas compa-

nies shift into a drilling mode after months of record

land acquisitions.

Th e focus on drilling over acquiring new explo-

ration rights is what Paul Mahnic, director of pe-

troleum tenure, said would occur following the June

land sale of $40.9 million.

“At the end of the day, it’s the drilling that

counts,” said Mahnic in the July Pipeline News.“We get back normally about 80 per cent of the

land that we sell.

“Industry knows that they are paying for some-

thing that they may not able to get to within the

time of the term.

“Th ey know that’s the clock ticking. Th ere are

two years on exploration licences and fi ve years on

leases. Five years goes pretty quick in our business.

“Th at’s not a lot of time if you’ve racked up hun-

dreds of thousands of hectares of land that you have

to drill.

Th ose comments by Mahnic earlier this year

echo the sentiment of Energy and Resource Minis-

ter Bill Boyd who was surprised by the smaller sale

in August after two years of massive land acquisi-

tions by industry.

“Th e sale numbers demonstrate continuing and

sustained interest in our oilpatch, but I believe what

we’re also seeing now is an evaluation by companies

of the properties they currently have, plus a budget-

ary focus on co-ordinating drilling programs in ar-

eas that had been aff ected by the wet conditions this

year,” said Boyd.

Page A20

A focus on drilling land already acquired may have impacted land sales this month, according to Minster of Energy and Resources Bill Boyd. This Partner Drilling rig, seen near Stoughton on Aug. 19, was one of 122 drilling rigs working in the province that day.

No sizzle in August land sale


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August drilling hot, land sales not Page A19

“Drilling continues to be ahead of last year, with

a record number of rigs working in the province. And

clearly the industry has confi dence in Saskatchewan,

as evidenced by our province’s number one invest-

ment ranking for Canada in the Fraser Institute’s

2011 Global Petroleum Survey,” Boyd said.

Th e August sale included 186 lease parcels that

attracted the $21.7 million in bonus bids. Th e Wey-

burn-Estevan area received the most bids with sales

of $11 million.

Th e Lloydminster area was next at $5.7 million,

followed by the Swift Current area at $2.8 million

and the Kindersley-Kerrobert area at $2.2 million.

Th e highest price for a single parcel was $1.1

million. Prairie Land & Investment Services Ltd.

acquired this 518-hectare lease parcel southwest of

Estevan.

Th e highest price on a per-hectare basis was

$8,889. Highrock Energy Ltd. and Villanova Oil

Corp. cost-shared a bid of $779,911 for an 88-hect-

are lease parcel between Manor and Redvers.

Th e next sale of Crown petroleum and natural

gas and oil shale dispositions will be held on Oct. 3.

Weyburn-Estevan areaTh e top purchaser of acreage in this area was

Prairie Land & Investment Services Ltd. who spent

$3,281,047 to acquire eight lease parcels.

Th e top price paid for a single lease in this area

was $1,130,758 by Prairie Land & Investment Ser-

vices Ltd. for a 518 hectare parcel situated 17 kilo-

metres southwest of the Tableland Winnipegosis, 26

kilometres southwest of Estevan.

Th e highest dollar per hectare in this area was

received from Highrock Energy Ltd and Villanova

Oil Corp. (50/50 partners) who paid $8,889/hect-

are for a 88 hectare parcel located 3-km east of the

Manor Lower Watrous-Alida Beds Pool, 22 kilome-

tres west of Redvers.

Lloydminster areaTh e top purchaser of acreage in this area was

Scott Land & Lease Ltd., that spent $1,723,593 to

acquire 12 lease parcels.


was $678,852, paid by Scott Land & Lease Ltd. for

a 210 hectare parcel situated twp kilometres east of

the Turtlelake Colony and Waseca (Oil) Pools, six

kilometres northeast of Edam.


received from Contiguous Resources Ltd., who paid

$6,738/hectare for a 16 hectare parcel located within

the Manito Lake Sparky Sand (Oil) Pool, fi ve kilo-

metres southwest of Marsden.

Swift Current areaTh e top purchaser of acreage in this area was

Windfall Resources Ltd., who spent $2,066,589 to

acquire fi ve lease parcels.


was $722,245, paid by Windfall Resources Ltd. for a

259 hectare parcel situated adjacent to the Beverley

North Cantuar Oil Pool, 35 kilometres west of Swift

Current.


received from Windfall Resources Ltd., who paid

$6,389/hectare for each of three parcels located ad-

jacent to the Covington West Upper

Shaunavon (Oil) Pool, 11 kilometres south of

the town of Gull Lake.

Kindersley-Kerrobert areaTh e top purchaser of acreage in this area was

Ranger Land Services Ltd., who spent $837,688 to

acquire fi ve lease parcels.

Th e top price paid for a single lease was $405,622,

paid by Cavalier Land Ltd. for a 259 hectare parcel

situated adjacent to the Salvador Mannville Sands

(Gas) Pool, two kilometres south of Denzil. Th is is

the highest dollar per hectare in this area at $1,566/

hectare.

Invicta completes Viking light oil programInvicta Energy Corp. reports that it has suc-

cessfully completed its eight-well Viking light oil

horizontal drilling program in the Kindersley area of

Saskatchewan during the past June and July.

All eight wells have now been completed, with

up to 12 multistage fracs per well, and placed on pro-

duction.

Each of the eight wells is being equipped with

pumping units and pipelines are being surveyed for

construction to conserve the solution gas through

third-party facilities.

Invicta has also constructed a treating facility at

a central location in order to treat its own oil. Th is

facility will enable the company to reduce overall op-

erating expenses and increase netbacks.

An additional eight to 10 drilling locations will

be prepared for drilling later this year. With this re-

cent round of drilling, Invicta said it has delineated

the Viking reservoir over a larger area and is confi -

dent of its Kindersley area drilling inventory of over

80 locations.


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Lloydminster –

Fundraising for a new

$30 million power engi-

neering and oil and gas

training facility at the

Lloydminster campus of

Lakeland College is off

to a great start thanks to

$4.9 million in capital

funding from the Al-

berta government.

Plans call for a two-

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oil operations technician

(HOOT) program at

the Lloydminster cam-

pus in July.

“Th is funding com-

mitment from the Al-

berta government is very

important. I believe it

will help us leverage ad-

ditional public and pri-

vate fi nancial support

for this project,” said

Charlesworth.

“We appreciate the

investment the Alberta

government has made

in oil and gas training at

Lakeland.

“We still have a lot

of doors to knock on to

secure all of the funding

we need for this proj-

ect, but we’re optimistic

we will soon have the

money in place to start

construction.”

A new power engi-

neering lab and expand-

ed facility will enable

Lakeland to increase

seat numbers in its over-

subscribed HOOT pro-

gram.

It will also allow the

college to transition the

program from a one-

year certifi cate program

to a two-year program to

enable students to grad-

uate with a diploma and

a third-class power engi-

neering certifi cate.

Th e facility will also

enable Lakeland to off er

more customized oil and

gas programming in-

cluding petroleum man-

agement training and

short-term, just-in-time

courses to address spe-

cifi c industry needs.

“Alberta’s future

depends on our skilled

workforce and meeting

the needs of industry,”

said Greg Weadick, min-

ister of Alberta Advance

Education and Technol-

ogy.

“Th is program will

allow students from

smaller centres to be a

part of Alberta’s world-

renowned oil and gas in-

dustry.”

In Phase 1 of the

project, Lakeland will

expand the northeast

wing of the campus to

incorporate a power

engineering lab with a

water testing room and

an operations control

room plus a heavy oil

operations lab that has

a maintenance section, a

simulation lab and a gas

process lab.

Classrooms, lecture

theatres, a computer lab,

a student lounge and fac-

ulty offi ces will be added

during the second phase

of the project.

“Th is project is about

addressing needs and

creating opportunities,”

said Charlesworth.

Lakeland is located

in a petroleum rich re-

gion and we must off er

programming that pre-

pares people not only

from this region but

beyond to keep the oil

and gas industry moving

ahead,”

Lakeland currently

off ers numerous pro-

grams and courses rele-

vant to the oil and gas in-

dustry including HOOT,

gas process operator,

fourth-class power en-

gineering, pressure truck

operator, vacuum truck

operator, and electrician,

instrument technician,

steamfitter-pipefitter,

and welding pre-em-

ployment programs and

apprenticeship training.

A new HOOT se-

mester began Aug. 30 at

the Lloydminster cam-

pus.

Lakeland College

also works with a con-

sortium of oil and gas

companies led by Keyera

Energy to off er one of

the largest petroleum in-

dustry certifi cation pro-

grams in Canada.

Lakeland targets $30M for HOOT labLakeland targets $30M for HOOT lab

Lakeland College is fundraising to build a new $30 million power engineer-ing oil and gas training facility at the Lloydminster campus. Pictured in the existing heavy oil lab is Heavy Oil Operations Technician program (HOOT) student Jock Ockerman who graduated in July.

Photo submitted


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Lloydminster –

Homework paid off

for Owen Baker, chief

inspector and manager

of integrity and capa-

bility development for

Calgary-based Keyera

Corp., one of the largest

natural gas midstream

businesses in Canada.

Baker was pre-

sented with an honor-

ary Bachelor of Applied

Business degree during

graduation ceremonies

at the Lakeland College

Lloydminster campus in

June.

Th e degree was

presented by Lakeland

president and CEO,

Glen Charlesworth in

recognition of Baker’s

work developing and

implementing Keyera’s

Competency Manage-

ment Development Sys-

tem (CMDS).

CMDS is a training

and education program

designed for people

working in either oil and

gas fi eld collection or

plant processing capaci-

ties.

“Owen has worked

diligently to promote in-

novative post-secondary

learning opportunities

that help the oil and

gas sector, said Charles-

worth.

“His commitment to

education and providing

fl exible learning oppor-

tunities is why our col-

laboration with Keyera

has been so successful.

He’s very deserving of

this honorary degree.”

Keyera’s business

consists of natural gas

gathering and processing

as well as the processing,

transportation, storage

and marketing of natural

gas liquids (NGLs) and

crude oil midstream ac-

tivities.

Participation in

CMDS ensures oil and

gas employees have the

necessary skills and

knowledge to operate

safely and eff ectively.

It also provides them

with the supervisory ex-

pertise to ensure that

they can move forward

in their chosen careers.

Employees' current

skills are assessed by a

third party validator and

then, primarily through

e-learning, the employ-

ee takes only the course

or courses needed to

ensure he or she has

the necessary technical,

workplace and interper-

sonal skills needed to be

successful.

Since the collabo-

ration began 10 years

ago, Lakeland College

has awarded more than

1,800 petroleum indus-

try certifi cates to people

who have successfully

completed training in

one of 13 areas, includ-

ing gas distribution,

safety leader, oil and

gas instrumentation

technician, and pipeline

construction supervisor.

Lakeland and Key-

era’s latest project is

the development and

delivery of a petroleum

management diploma.

Th e fi rst 18 gradu-

ates of the diploma

program were also rec-

ognized at the gradua-

tion ceremony.

Th ese students com-

pleted 10 courses that

were delivered through

face-to-face classes plus

online assignments.

Diploma courses in-

clude leadership, man-

agement, employment

relations, petroleum

safety management,

regulatory compliance,

emergency response

planning, process op-

timization – fi eld and

plant, environmental

stewardship, plant turn-

around and fi nancial ac-

counting.

Lakeland College president Glenn Charlesworth, left presented an honorary degree to Owen Baker from Keyera Energy in Calgary for his work in creating a Competency Management Development System. CMDS trains and educates people working in either oil and gas eld collection or plant processing capacities. The presentation took place during the Lloydminster campus graduation ceremonies earlier this summer.

Photo submitted

Lakeland fetes Keyera energy partner


Lloydminster – You can burn rubber with a semi.

Th at’s the word from Greg Schwenk, owner of G Force Diesel Service in

Lloydminster, during his company’s dyno competition on Aug. 8 to determine

which truck produces the most horsepower in stock and modifi ed divisions.

A total of 10 drivers from all over Western Canada paid the $150 entry fee

for a trip on the G Force truck chassis dynamometer with horsepower bragging

rights on the line and prizes for the top three winners in both divisions.

“We’ll do a competition running semis on our chassis dyno to see what

kind of horsepower they are putting out,” explained Schwenk minutes before the

competition began.

“It will give them an idea of the horsepower output of that truck.”

G Force also uses the dyno to break in new engines and complete driveline

diagnostics as part of their one stop parts, service and maintenance operation for

heavy duty trucks and trailers.

“Th ere’s a stock division for the semis, the ones that are not modifi ed at all,

and a modifi ed division with some guys pushing it up to 1,250 hp or so. We’ll

see who shows up today,” said Schwenk.

“Even stock trucks from the dealerships can come over so they can tell their

customers what their stock truck is going to put out.”

Th e event doubled as an opportunity for G Force to promote their status as

the Western Canada distributor of performance diesel products from Perfor-

mance Diesel Inc.

Sales reps were on hand from the U.S. - based company to support the com-

petition and explain the performance and fuel economy features and benefi ts of

PDI aftermarket products.

“G Force is one of our big distributors up here in Canada,” said Shaun Bar-

ney, PDI sales manager from Saint George, Utah.

“Th ey do a lot of business back and forth with us. Th ey have a dyno competi-

tion today, and we came up to support it.”

Th e PDI product website lists everything from high performance ECM

(electronic computer module) tuning, manifolds, turbos and cams to radiators,

muffl ers and clutches.

“Th ese parts increase the power of the truck and increase the economy, and

save truck drivers some fuel money, but also give them the performance they are

looking for,” said Barney.

“A lot of guys around here drive off -road, so they look for more fuel economy

and more power and saving some downtime.” Page A25

G Force burns rubber at dyno event

G Force parts manager Gary Shiach displays the dyno competition T-shirt to mark the company’s stock and modi ed divisional dyno horsepower competition.


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Page A24 Some of the PDI products available for installation at G-Force

include programmed ECMs, high-fl ow exhaust manifolds, larger turbos, high-

fl ow fuel injectors, FASS fuel systems, vibration dampers and Lipe clutches.

Part of the lure of the dyno competition was the opportunity for discount

rates on PDI product installations and programs.

“We’ve got trucks coming from all over Western Canada – guys coming in

from all over the place whether it’s a stock truck or a modifi ed semi, coming in

to see the products we sell and some of the technology we have, and also take in

the PDI discounts on the dyno runs,” said Schwenk.

Darryl Layden, owner of PRO-N2 Ltd., an oilfi eld hauler from Innisfail,

Alberta, took the top honours in the modifi ed division with his 2003 Peterbilt

that topped out at 863 hp loaded with PDI products.

“It’s got the ECM, a diff erent turbo and a manifold,” said Layden after the

dyno test. “It’s got propane injection on it as well.”

“A lot of our trucks use the modifi ed products from PDI. We’ve got 32

trucks. We started with this one. Th ere’s probably eight of them that we’ve done

so far.”

“We haul liquid nitrogen and liquid CO2, and we also haul propane and

anhydrous ammonia.”

PRO-N2 is a PDI sub dealer for G Force and Layden said the event was

an opportunity “to come up and meet the guys and check out a couple of trucks

that have the products on.”

Th e drive up was worth it as Layden won a 2,400 ft. lb. Lipe clutch with

clutch product rep owner Joe Pacquette who on hand for most the day.

Pacquette says the Lipe clutch has the highest torque rating (2,400 ft. lb)

and biggest plate load (4,400 lb.) of any heavy duty truck clutch on the market.

“It’s easy to adjust. You don’t have to turn the motor over,” he said. “You can

adjust it no matter where the motor stops at. One man can do it. You don’t need

someone else to hold the clutch pedal down for you.

“It’s a very, very good clutch. Th e springs don’t push at an angle; they push

straight so you get the even release and engagement on it. It doesn’t jump on you.

It’s very smooth.”

Second place in the modifi ed division went to Rob Schultz whose truck

recorded 736 hp on the dyno printout. Shultz won a surround sound system

donated by Fort Garry Industries.

Summit Trucking fi nished third with 629 hp and took home a chrome light

bar donated by Trux Accessories.

Redhead Equipment in Lloydminster took top spot in the stock division

with a Mack Titon that powered up to 517 hp.

Th at reading earned them a free ECM upgrade from PDI, but Redhead

opted for a cash donation to a young cancer patient from Marwayne to help with

her medical costs.

Second place went to Black Sheep Trucking at 441 hp and received a tool-

box prize donated by Midway Distributors.

Triple 7 Transport took home the third place position at 421 hp and earned

a portable barbecue donated by Accurate Machining.

Th ere were also a slew of door prizes, giveaways and competition T-shirts.

Shop foreman Syd Cox, right, checks the horsepower reading on a PRO-N2 truck entered in a dyno competition on G-Force’s truck chassis dyno. PRO-N2 took top spot in the modi ed division at 863 hp.


System FeaturesMONTORING EVERYTHING ON ONE SCREEN• Recording of up to twelve sensors simultaneously (i.e. pressure, temperature, fl ow, tanks levels, etc.)• Real time monitoring with single graph and two digital sensor displays or up to six digital sensor displays with out a graph.• Change any data display box to read any of the sensors in multiple units of measure.COMPANY DATABASE• For each job, choose the company by name, location, contacts and/or LSD numbers.PDF JOB REPORTS• After completing a job, a job report can be created in PDF format and stored on the system hard drive for future reference.JOB REPORT TO USE MEMORY STICK• The job report can also be copied to any USB memory stick with the touch of a button.• Your Clients can take a copy of their job report before the truck leaves the site.• Email direct to customer and/or internal staff.

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Edmonton, Alta. – Projected revenue gains from higher oil prices and near-

record land sales have helped to lower Alberta's expected 2011-12 defi cit to $1.3

billion, a decrease of 60 per cent from budget.

Alberta has generated more than $2.2 billion in revenue from the sale of pe-

troleum and natural gas rights this year (up to Aug. 10) including a record $841

million from the June sale.

“With a strengthening economy, more Albertans working and a smaller

defi cit forecast, the province is in good shape,” said Premier Ed Stelmach in a

news release.

“We put the Way Forward plan into action in 2009, and this plan has served

Albertans well through the recession and recovery.

“We continue to manage our spending, have made carefully considered in-

vestments in infrastructure and key priority programs, and will use our savings

in the Sustainability Fund to cover the defi cit until we return to balanced bud-

gets.”

Revenue is projected to be $2.7 billion higher than forecast at budget due to

strong land lease sales and higher oil prices. Investment income is also forecast

to be higher.

Expense is forecast to increase $650 million from budget, with the majority

($456 million) related to disaster and emergency funding, including for forest

fi re-fi ghting and assistance to Slave Lake.

Operating spending is up slightly by $62 million, with nearly half the in-

crease going towards increased lump sum payments for employees of commu-

nity-based agencies that provide care on behalf of government for children and

people with disabilities.

Th e defi cit will be covered by Alberta’s savings account, the Sustainability

Fund. Th e government built up this account with money from its past savings

to help fund priority public programs and services, maintain signifi cant capital

spending and keep taxes low during diffi cult economic times.

Th e Sustainability Fund is forecast to end the year with $9.7 billion in assets,

an increase of $4.4 billion from the budget estimate. Th e increase is due to the

lower defi cit, cash transferred to the account from last fi scal year's results and

positive changes in capital or other cash adjustments.

Petro dollars cutAlberta’s projected de cit by 60 per cent

Husky’s new of ce building in Lloydminster is starting to resemble the artistic concept prior to the start of construction in 2010. The building is due for completion by spring of 2012. Photo by Geoff Lee


we are the people of

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heavy oil production.

www.bakerhughes.com

Baker Hughes artificial lift solutions offer an expanded line of progressing

cavity pumping and electrical submersible progressing cavity pumping

systems specifically designed to provide longer run time, lower

intervention costs, and increased production in heavy oil wells.

Our specialty chemical programs further enhance heavy oil production

by improving fluid lift efficiency and minimizing production disruptions

downhole and at surface processing facilities. We have a wide range of

chemicals and additives that eliminates emulsions, scale, and corrosion;

reduces fluid viscosity; lifts sand and fluids; and allows you to manage

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To learn how we deliver the right

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contact your Baker Hughes

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© 2011 Baker Hughes Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 32532


”“Within the next month we

will install a downhole pump and commence oil

production.- John Festival, president and CEO of BlackPearl

Calgary, Alta. – Th e second quarter results of

Calgary-based BlackPearl Resources Inc. came load-

ed with current news about plans for its core heavy

oil prospects at Onion Lake, Saskatchewan and its

Mooney and Blackrod projects in Alberta.

Th e company fi led an application in July with

regulatory authorities for a 10,000 bpd steam assist-

ed gravity drainage (SAGD) project at Onion Lake

as it makes the switch from conventional heavy oil

production to thermal development.

“To assist in the transition from conventional

to SAGD development, we will have to ‘pre-spend’

some capital by drilling the horizontal wells that will

be used in the SAGD operations,” said John Festival,

president and CEO.

“Th is will ensure that we are not drilling in ar-

eas that have been partially depleted or disturbed by

conventional drilling.

“We expect to drill up to 20 horizontal wells by

the end of 2012. Th ese wells will not be put on pro-

duction until we begin SAGD development.”

Festival says BlackPearl will “slow down our

planned conventional drilling at Onion Lake” until

some of the new horizontal wells are drilled.

BlackPearl is also is evaluating the potential of

building its own oil processing battery and pipeline

tie-in at Onion Lake to reduce reliance on third par-

ty processors.

“In addition, we believe it is advantageous to

own the infrastructure in our core areas to ensure we

retain more control over the entire operation,” said

Festival.

“A decision on this proposal will be made later

this year when the feasibility study is completed and

we have cost estimates fi nalized.”

BlackPearl drilled 63 wells at Onion Lake in

the second quarter with most of the wells being put

on production this summer following wet spring

weather.

Additional drilling at Onion Lake is planned for

the remainder of 2011.

BlackPearl is currently building a new oil treat-

ing and water disposal facility at one of its non-core

properties at Druid in southwest Saskatchewan.

Th e facility at Druid will allow the company to

re-activate several wells in the area which were previ-

ously shut-in due to lack of water disposal facilities.

Th e company expects to produce 200 to 400 bpd

when the facilities are complete.

BlackPearl plans to drill an additional fi ve to 10

horizontal wells at its John Lake fi eld in central Al-

berta if production from two new two horizontal

wells drilled in the second quarter is good. Th ose

wells will be put on production this summer.

Th e company achieved initial production rates

in excess of 100 bpd from its fi rst horizontal well

at John Lake in 2010 after acquiring the property

from another operator who drilled vertical wells

with modest success.

BlackPearl completed the construction of

SAGD pilot facilities at its Blackrod thermal

project in Alberta in the second quarter.

Th e company expects to fi le an application for

a 40,000 bpd commercial project with regulatory

authorities in the fi rst half of 2012.

“We are in the warm-up phase of the pilot

whereby steam is injected into both the injector

and producer horizontal wells,” said Festival.

“Initial observations indicate that the reser-

voir is accepting steam as anticipated, and we are

achieving uniform heat distribution from the heel

to the toe of the horizontal wells, both very good

indicators for future production and operating re-

sults from the SAGD well pair.

“Within the next month we will install a

downhole pump and commence oil production.”

Spring forest fi res in the Slave Lake area

slowed the construction at Mooney of new ASP

(alkali, surfactant, polymer) facilities for conven-

tional heavy oil production during the second

quarter.

No facilities were damaged by the fi res; but

construction and all production activities were

halted for about three weeks.

Th e facilities have since been completed, and

chemical and water injection commenced in early

July.

“We expect production response from the

fl ood will take six to 12 months,” said Festival.

“Production from Phase 1 of the ASP fl ood is

expected to be in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 bar-

rels of oil per day.

“During the second half of 2011, we will be

expanding the existing heavy oil battery to process

the incremental oil and water production.

“Th e battery expansion is designed to handle

all of the production of Phase 1and 2S of the ASP

fl ood. Th is will allow us additional fl exibility in

timing the expansion of the ASP fl ood.”

BlackPearl also plans to drill up to 10 new

horizontal wells on its expansion land at Mooney

this fall. Th ese wells will be produced convention-

ally at fi rst then included in an ASP fl ood.

BlackPearl going thermal at Onion LakeBlackPearl going thermal at Onion Lake


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Calgary, Alta. – Emerge Oil & Gas Inc. is one of many junior oil and gas

companies in Western Canada to report their second quarter drilling expecta-

tions dampened by a wet spring – with rain continuing to infl uence summer

drilling operations.

Th e oil-weighted company is actively producing heavy oil in the Lloydmin-

ster area in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and Viking light oil in the Battlebend

area of east-central Alberta – weather permitting.

Th e company reports production volumes this summer have been aff ected

by wet weather conditions in certain fi elds, where higher than normal rain has

prevented them from servicing existing wells and from bringing recently drilled

wells onto production.

“Completion, equipping and tie-in activities have been delayed in recent

weeks on both our heavy and light oil drilling programs,” said Th omas J. Gresch-

ner, president and CEO, in a news release on Aug. 15.

“Current oil sales are averaging between 5,400 and 5,600 barrels of oil

equivalent per day, with eight new drills to bring on production as soon as drier

conditions permit.

“We anticipate these wells will be on production within the month of Sep-

tember, at which time Emerge plans on releasing revised production guidance

for 2011 incorporating the Viking well rates.”

Th e Calgary-based company reported they were awaiting drier lease condi-

tions to complete and produce two cased heavy oil wells drilled in the Lloydmin-

ster Alberta area since July.

Drier weather was also needed to complete one heavy oil well drilled earlier

this summer in the Dulwich area, east of the company’s core Silverdale, Sas-

katchewan property.

Emerge said it was awaiting drier conditions to continue drilling in the

Lloydminster area.

Emerge plans to drill approximately 15 to 20 heavy oil wells in the Primate,

Freemont and Silverdale/Furness areas of Saskatchewan for the remainder of

2011.

Primate has become a focus of new development for Emerge.

Following a discovery well of 135 barrels of oil equivalent a day at Primate

in the fi rst quarter of 2011 and a successful second quarter step-out oil pool de-

lineation phase, the area now has fi ve wells producing approximately 450 boepd

oil.

Emerge is currently acquiring additional mineral lands and has shot 52 ki-

lometres of 2D seismic to further delineate the play.

Th e company also expected drilling to get underway in mid-August on its

fi fth and fi nal horizontal well in the Viking light oil play in the Kirkpatrick

Lake area of central Alberta as part of a farm in agreement with a development

partner.

Drilling operations have gone smoothly with completion and fracturing op-

erations occurring in mid-August.

Each well was drilled with a horizontal section of 900 to 1,100 meters in

length with liners. Th e horizontal sections will undergo a planned multi-stage

warm water frac stimulation consisting of 18 to 20 stages, at 15 tonnes per

stage.

Emerge planned to commence tie-in activities in late August with initial

rates expected to be announced once production rates have been established.

Th e company has access to 34 sections of high working interest and operated

prospective Viking land through a combination of owned and farm-in acreage.

Production during the second quarter was aff ected by downtime related

to spring breakup conditions, as certain well sites were inaccessible due to wet

leases.

Due to wet weather the company was unable to truck sales oil out of some

wells and was unable to perform service work on certain wells that required

workovers.

Most of these wells were serviced and re-started in July with production

rates returning to their pre-downtime levels by mid-August.

Emerge didn’t commence its 2011 drilling program until late May 2011 due

to wet weather, but they drilled seven (6.7 net) wells during the quarter with 100

per cent success.

Two of these 100 per cent net wells were completed and on production by

the end of the quarter with the remaining wells awaiting completion services.

Emerge also reduced its second quarter operating costs to $20.10 per boe

from $24.05 boe in the fi rst quarter of 2011 with a goal to cut operating costs to

$18 to $20 per boe by the end of 2011.

Wet and rainy weather conditions slow down Emerge drillings


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Edmonton, Alta. – Logan Oil Tools, a

wholly-owned subsid-

iary of Logan Interna-

tional Inc., is better able

to meet the demand for

its downhole products

in Western Canada with

the opening of its new-

est sales and warehouse

facility in Edmonton.

Th e new facility

gives the company an

additional 7,800 sq.-ft.

of space for sales and

distribution of their re-

trieving tools, stroking

tools, surface tools, re-

medial tools and related

products with drilling on

the rise following a wet

spring.

Th e new complex

offi cially opened on

Aug. 1 and will work in

conjunction with Lo-

gan’s existing sales and

distribution location in

Calgary.

“Logan Oil Tools

continually invests in

its facilities, technol-

ogy, and people. We are

very excited to expand

both our investment and

our local involvement

in the Edmonton area,”

said David S. Jones, se-

nior vice-president and

chief operating offi cer

for downhole tools in a

news release.

Th e construction of

the Edmonton complex

follows purchase by Lo-

gan International last

May of Source Energy

Tool Services Inc., a de-

veloper of industry lead-

ing downhole equipment

in Lloydminster.

Source invented the

proprietary MultiStim

Fracture Isolation sys-

tem widely used by oil

and gas producers for

the fracturing of hori-

zontal wells.

Th e purchase allows

Logan to market the

downhole technology in

the U.S. and internation-

ally through its existing

network and business

relationships.

Logan Oil Tools,

based in Houston, Tex-

as is one of the world’s

largest manufacturers of

downhole fi shing and

intervention tools for

the oil and gas industry.

In addition to 11

sales offi ces/stores locat-

ed throughout the U.S.,

Logan Oil Tools has in-

ternational distribution

facilities in Aberdeen,

Scotland; Dubai, United

Arab Emirates; and Sin-

gapore — to maximize

delivery needs.

Logan International

is based in Houston,

with Canadian head-

quarters in Calgary and

more than 470 employ-

ees worldwide.

Logan opens new distribution facility


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Bonnyville, Alta. – Comm Words Ink, a com-

munications, printing and design company in

Bonnyville, is helping oil and gas companies in Al-

berta to be compliant with regulations by designing

and printing industry forms.

Th e company is also beginning to venture into

safety training and safety audit documentation.

Th e main focus of Comm Words is the design-

ing and printing of everything from multi-part car-

bonless forms for regulatory safety, fl uid hauling, and

time reports to basic business needs like letterhead

and business cards.

Comm Words also generates marketing and sig-

nage products such as banners, postcards and bro-

chures.

“Primarily what we work with is all of the safety

forms, fl uid haul tickets, daily hazard assessment

tickets – all of those multi-part carbonless forms

that are needed every day in the patch,” said owner

Dave Hutton.

“We print hard copies and we provide customers

with the books and do all of the binding, and deliver

them right to the offi ce.”

Hutton manned a booth at the Bonnyville &

District Oil and Show Gas in June where he held

court with clients and reporters asking the basic

who, what, why, when and how questions about his

business.

His response to a question about the demand

for his company’s services and products was “pretty

strong” around Bonnyville.

Page A33

Dave Hutton, owner of Comm Words Ink, set up a booth at the Bonnyville Oil Show in June to promote their oil eld forms printing and safety training and documentation services.

Photo by Geoff Lee

Comm Words generates compliance forms


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Page A32“Th ere are so many independent service companies that are contracted for

fl uid haul and vac service – for a whole number of diff erent elements in the in-

dustry that all require those forms,” he said.

“It’s all part of being compliant and meeting with the parameters that com-

panies are contracted to require.”

Asked about his market area, Hutton said, “Our market reach is primarily

this Lakeland region (Bonnyille/Cold Lake area) although we have expanded as

far down as Red Deer, and I am producing forms for the Grande Prairie area.”

Hutton recently partnered with his brother to branch out into helping com-

panies meet their safety training and audit requirements for COR (certifi cation

of recognition) safety status.

“We are doing audits and all of that. It’s sort of a one stop shop. It goes hand

in hand with printing,” he said.

“So if we to go in and identify their needs vis-à-vis the forms, we can also

produce them in hard copy and do them digitally as well.

“Th e oilpatch is busy and people hate paperwork. Our goal is to help them

get it organized, keep it in a readily accessible place, so they can complete and

have their full package together.”

Comm Words works with oil and gas companies to create their required

COR documentation and forms such as an MSDS (material safety data sheet)

required for any products with chemicals in them.

“We will go in and inventory and show them the things they need to do,”

said Hutton. “We can develop a program where they can go online and follow

through step-by-step the things they need to do under a particular facet.

“Th ey can click through the diff erent tabs. It’s got a drop down menu, and

they can go through it and click it off . It actually ‘green lights’ them to the next

stage.”

Hutton says his competitive business niche is his 30 years in the printing

business and fi ve years as the publisher of the Bonnyville Nouvelle newspaper.

“I understand the oilpatch. I have many friends in there who work in the

business,” he said.

“I am probably one of the only ones that actually delivers. I save them time

and that’s part of the whole deal. I become part of that of that company’s team

as it were. I go and help them identify a problem, solve it, and design a system

that works for them.

“We do the same thing with our safety side. Th ere are lots of advantages I

bring to a company.

“I have a safety training background. I am a registered train the trainer and

WHMIS and TDG (transportation of dangerous goods) and so on.

“We have lots of balls in the air so we will bring on people who are fully

certifi ed who will sit down and teach them.”

Company assists with COR documentation ad MSDS


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Kitscoty, Alta. – Adam and Lori Th or are making

hay while the sun shines.

Th e entrepreneurial couple took over Th or

Oilfi eld Engine Service Ltd. in April. Th ey have a

new shop under construction to manufacture safety

guards for the Arrow oilfi eld engines they repair and

service along with other makes at their farm west of

Kitscoty.

Th or Oilfi eld specializes in the service and re-

pair of single cylinder engines used on pumpjacks

and screw pumps including Arrow, Lister, Kubota,

Chevy and Ford engines on location or at the com-

pany shop.

“We service all makes of oilfi eld engines and hy-

draulics – you name it, we do it. If it’s broke, we’ll fi x

it,” said Adam who also has a fl eet of mobile service

trucks.

“Th ere are a lot of screw pumps in this area and

a lot of pumpjacks going too. Our big business is the

Kitscoty and Lloydminster area. We go as far north

as Red Earth and south to Brooks.

“We’ve sent engines all over Alberta, B.C. and

Saskatchewan.”

Th e Th ors entered a company fl oat in Kitsoty’s

centennial parade on Aug. 20 to let everyone know

they have taken over the business that Adam’s dad

started in 1991, and are going in a new direction.

“It was Dad and myself and now Dad has re-

tired, so it’s me and my wife, but I am looking to

expand,” said Adam who described his role as chief

cook and bottle washer.

“Lori takes care of all of the books and she’s been

known to pull the wrenches too,” he added.

“We have a shop at our farm just west of Kitscoty

and we are just in the process of putting up another

one.

“We’ve gone into some manufacturing as well as

repair. We also do some parts sales so we are always

looking at new and exciting adventures.

“We’ve been expanding since day one. We’ve

built our own fl ywheel guards. We make guards for

the single cylinder motors. It’s a safety thing.

“We also make back guards as well that cover

the back side. It’s a new safety thing that companies

want. We have done well with them,” he said.

Th eir guards specifi cally for Arrow engines are

distributed by CE Franklin in Edmonton.

“I’ve sent guards to Sarnia Ontario and to B.C.

and northern Alberta and all over the place,” said

Adam.

“Basically anything safety in the oilfi eld – that's

a big business right now. If you can fi nd a way to do

something safer and keep guys safe out there then

everyone’s for it.”

Adam and Lori Thor were delighted to put a oat in the Kitscoty centennial parade on Aug. 20 to let everyone know they have taken over Thor Oil eld Engine Service from Adam’s dad and are branching out into manufacturing.

Kitscoty couple parades new oil business


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Calgary, Alta.–

Petrobank Energy and

Resources Ltd. contin-

ues to advance and fi eld

test its THAI or toe to

heal air injection heavy

oil project and expan-

sion at Kerrobert, Sas-

katchewan.

Petrobank owns 15

sections of petroleum

and natural gas rights in

the Kerrobert channel

trend.

Th e Calgary based

oil and natural gas ex-

ploration and production

company is fi eld-dem-

onstrating its patented

THAI heavy oil recov-

ery process at Kerrobert

and Conklin in northern

Alberta.

A THAI demon-

stration project is also

slated to begin at Daw-

son in northern Alberta

in the fourth quarter of

2011.

THAI is an evolu-

tionary in-situ combus-

tion technology for the

recovery of bitumen and

heavy oil that integrates

existing proven technol-

ogies.

Th e company’s sec-

ond quarter results re-

leased on Aug. 15 note

that that eight of the

10 Kerrobert expansion

well-pairs have complet-

ed the pre-ignition heat-

ing cycle (PIHC) and

are on air injection and

in the initial production

phase.

Th e fi rst expansion

well-pair was placed on

air injection and pro-

duction in the middle of

May, with an additional

four well-pairs placed on

air injection by the end

of the second quarter.

Th e PIHC for the

remaining fi ve well-pairs

began at the end of the

second quarter. As of

Aug. 15 three of those

well-pairs were on air

injection, with the re-

mainder expected to be

on air injection by Sep-

tember.

“Our operating

procedures continue

to evolve, said Chris

J. Bloomer senior vice

president and CEO,

Heavy Oil.

“We have been able

to reduce the dura-

tion of the PIHC from

a planned eight weeks

to approximately four

weeks.

“Following the

PIHC, the vertical wells

commence air injection

at low rates and the hor-

izontal production wells

are brought on produc-

tion with a progressive

cavity pump. Th e initial

clean-up fl uids consist

of water, including con-

densed water from the

PIHC steam injection,

and some native oil.

“As these fl uids are

produced, the combus-

tion gas volume increas-

es, the temperature in

the horizontal well be-

gins to rise and the well

begins to produce an oil

and water emulsion at

low rates.

“Well bore tempera-

tures will increase and

combustion gas, along

with some native oil

and occasional upgraded

THAI oil, will be pro-

duced.

“As we measure the

combustion gas com-

munication and rising

well bore temperatures,

we will increase the air

injection in stages to

facilitate the combus-

tion zone development,”

Bloomer said.

Production at Ker-

robert was limited to 40

bpd in the second quar-

ter due to down time

from pump changes,

decommissioning of the

original Kerrobert facili-

ties, and delayed tie-in to

a new central processing

facility.

Petrobank expects

to begin drilling in the

fourth quarter of 2011 at

its demonstration proj-

ect of THAI at Dawson

in northwest Alberta

with regulatory approval

in hand.

Th is project will

consist of two THAI

well-pairs plus associ-

ated surface facilities.

“We expect that one

well-pair will be drilled

during 2011 and the

second will be drilled in

2012,” said Bloomer.

“In the second quar-

ter of 2011, we drilled

two stratigraphic evalu-

ation wells. We are cur-

rently decommission-

ing the surface facilities

from our fi rst two wells

at the Kerrobert project

and will begin mov-

ing the facilities to our

Dawson project in the

third quarter of 2011.

“Civil work has be-

gun and it is expected

that drilling will com-

mence in mid-Septem-

ber,” he said.

Drilling activities

for the remainder of

2011 at Dawson will

include completing an

observation well, an air

injector, drilling a water

disposal well, an obser-

vation well and one hor-

izontal production well.

PIHC is planned

to start in the fourth

quarter of 2011, and air

injection is expected to

commence before year-

end.

An environmental

assessment and regula-

tory application for the

Dawson 10,000 bpd

project are expected

to be submitted in the

fourth quarter.

“With our Kerrob-

ert and Dawson projects

both moving forward,

we are now evaluating

options for the Conklin

demonstration project

to become predomi-

nantly a fi eld scale test-

ing site for future tech-

nology enhancements

to the THAI process,”

said Bloomer.

Kerrobert Toe to Heel AirInjection (THAI) project continues

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Bonnyville, Alta. – Safety Buzz Ltd., a

Bonnyville-based safety

services training com-

pany is opening its new-

est hive of operations in

downtown Lloydminster

with classes starting on

Sept. 6.

Business owner,

Amy Zuk, who also runs

a safety training outlet

in Medicine Hat, chose

Lloydminster for her

latest expansion due to

its close proximity to

Bonnyville and an estab-

lished client base in the

border city area.

“It seems that there

is demand is in the area

for some extra training

professionals,” said Zuk.

“One of our previ-

ous employees moved to

Lloyd, so we felt it would

fi t really well to have her

onboard again.”

Th at employee is

Kathryn Brown who

will share the manage-

ment role with Zuk and

instruct a full menu of

oilfi eld safety courses in

a classroom setting at

the new location on 50th

Street just east of the

TD Bank.

Safety Buzz off ers

new workers and es-

tablished oilfi eld clients

with classroom instruc-

tion in everything from

H2S, fi rst aid and WH-

MIS to confi ned space

and transportation of

dangerous goods.

Instructors can also

travel to remote or fi eld

locations for training

courses to teach such

things as defensive driv-

ing and to conduct re-

spiratory fi t testing.

Zuk said her com-

pany’s mission is become

the No. 1 training pro-

vider in Alberta and Sas-

katchewan through their

empowering approach

to safety and customer

service.

“We are a group of

safety training profes-

sionals with the vision of

creating the culture that

safety lives with you 100

per cent of the time,”

said Zuk.

Her marketing plan

is focused on a strategy

“where we go out and

meet clients’ staff ” at

their workplace.

“I think what some

people defi nitely like

too, is the fact many of

our instructors are fe-

male instructors which

puts a neat little twist on

things.

“Th e majority of us

do have some type of oil-

fi eld experience. I have

quite a bit. I worked as

a fi eld operator and in

construction, so I have

quite a few years of oil-

fi eld experience behind

me,” Zuk said.

Zuk established

Safety Buzz in 2005 in

Bonnyville and has seen

the business grow in pace

with the safety training

needs of the booming

oil and gas industry in

Western Canada.

Safety Buzz now has

more than 4,000 sq. ft.

for training and equip-

ment at its Bonnyville

headquarters.

“Th e safety business

is driven by new regula-

tions and the expansion

of the oilfi elds,” said

Zuk. “Th ere are a lot

more people being hired,

so there’s a lot more

training needed.

“Th ere is growth

potential a little bit ev-

erywhere. North of

Bonnyville is expanding

like crazy – Saskatche-

wan is too. Th at’s part of

the reason for our Lloyd

satellite offi ce.

“Even around Med-

icine Hat – the Shau-

navon area is really busy,

and all over Alberta

there’s a lot picking up.”

Zuk is already

thinking out loud about

further expansion into

Shaunavon. “We will see

what happens,” she said.

In the meantime,

Zuk is planning a grand

opening for the Lloyd-

minster offi ce sometime

in mid-October or No-

vember.

Safety Buzz opens training hive in LloydSafety Buzz opens training hive in Lloyd

Kathryn Brown will be the lead oil eld safety instructor at a new Safety Buzz Ltd. location in downtown Lloydminster opening on Sept. 6. Safety Buzz offers a full range of classroom safety instruction along with available remote or on location training and respiratory t testing.

Photo submitted

Safety Buzz owner Amy Zuk points to her com-pany logo of a “cute bee” as she calls it, wearing a hard hat at the company’s 4,000 sq.-ft. head-quarters in Bonnyville. The logo will be installed at the new location in downtown Lloydminster that opens on Sept. 6. Safety Buzz also has a training outlet in Medicine Hat.

Photo submitted


George Phillips teamed up with his fellow Shriners from the Lloydminster “Oil Patrol”to ride in the Kitscoty centennial parade.

AK Oil eld Services decked out this truck to keep pace with the party mood throughout the parade that included dozens of oats in the Kitscoty centennial parade.

Kirkland Jeffery, left, and Deryk Venance lower a “time capsule” into a hole during Kitscoty’s cen-tennial celebrations. The plastic capsule made by Hobblestone in Lloydminster will be opened in 19 years when Alberta turns 125.

Kitscoty resident Rick Hutchinson wore this “udderly” funny cow get-up to generate sales of a “cow pie drop” raf e during Kitscoty’s centen-nial celebrations.

KitscotyKitscotycelebratescelebratescentennialcentennialin stylein style


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Tempco adds new top drive rig

Eric Lang, general manager of Tempco Drilling in Nisku, took delivery of this new 1000 hp mud pump that will replace a 500 hp pump on one of the company’s top drive drilling rigs. The new pump can handle larger volumes of uid and higher pressures.


Nisku, Alta. – Th e upside of a wet spring and summer according to Eric

Lang, general manager of Tempco Drilling Company at its Nisku, Alberta rig

manufacturing shop, is that farmers don’t have to water their crops.

Lang’s dad works a family farm in the Kindersley area where rain has

drenched fi elds and washed away some of Tempco’s drilling profi ts at its busiest

summer oilfi eld in Saskatchewan.

“We’ve had wet springs and summers before over there,” said Lang.

“We weren’t as busy as we are now, but it cuts into our profi ts a little bit when

you have to shut down every week waiting on weather and sending guys home

and getting everyone back to work again.”

Tempco’s two top drive units, Rigs 6 and 7, just got back to work drilling

shallow horizontal wells near Kindersley on July 29, the day Lang provided a

snapshot of his early summer drilling operations.

“We’ve been down for a week for a rain down there. It’s been kind of hit and

miss,” said Lang about the Kindersley area.

“Whatever we get in Edmonton, we end up getting there the next day. It’s

not too bad for that area. We’ve been able to keep moving, but it’s very soft, and

rig moves are taking forever to plow things in through the mud.”

Tempco is also drilling for Rallyemont Energy Inc. at Prince, north of the

Battlefords with Rig 1, a single rig – weather permitting.

Rig 1 will also drilled for All Star Petroleum on the Red Pheasant

First Nation south of North Battleford this summer before re-

turning to Prince to do

more drilling in early

August.

Lang is not authorized to disclose what type of oil wells they are drilling for

clients, but he did say they started drilling for Rallyemont at Prince last year and

moved up there again in July.

“We’ve got some stuff going down Manitoba way – Melita,” he said. “We

are planning on sending a rig down there in the next week or so – as long as it

dries up down there.

“We are also in the Lloydminster area on the Alberta and Saskatchewan

sides, bouncing back and forth.

Tempco’s Rig 3 and 4 are operating in that provincial border area drilling

heavy oil vertical wells and some directional wells for various oil companies.

Lang says the Kindersley area where he grew up is a drilling hotspot for

Tempco and will remain that way for the foreseeable future.

“Usually in the summer it’s pretty wide open down there, and then in the

wintertime it’s all northern stuff – Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray,” he said.

“Right now, the focus is Saskatchewan. It’s always been good for us over

there.

“Th ere’s lot of shallow stuff that’s going on in Kindersley. It looks like it’s

going to stay for a while,” Lang said.

Rig 6, a top drive built last year, and Rig 7, the newest top drive delivered in

June, are specifi cally built to drill the shallow 1,500 to 1,600 metre horizontal

wells popular in the Kindersley oilfi elds.

“Th e reason we are beefi ng them up is we can go to 2,500 metres. Th e top

drive is just a fl avour of the century I guess,”

said Lang. Page B2

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B2 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011

Page B1 “It’s just so much more effi cient to drill a horizontal well. Th e

wells are a lot more high tech than just drilling a straight hole in the ground.

You’ve got to keep your mud moving constantly and your drill string constantly

to keep from getting stuck in the hole.

“With the top drive, you can keep everything moving all the time – for just

a half a minute at a time that you have to stop pumping to make a connection

– and you are back going again. It’s been very well proven, the speed and every-

thing of a top drive rig.

“We are working on another top drive right now. We are starting to put

pieces together and we hope to have it ready for spring of next year.”

Rig 5 was parked on a lot next to the Nisku manufacturing site due to wet

weather the day Pipeline News paid a visit, and Rig 2 was in the shop for a retrofi t

of some of its older equipment.

“We are getting it ready to go for this fall, and for next winter up in the

tarsands,” said Lang.

“Th ere’s lots of work going to happen up there. Everything’s contracted to

go. As long as we can fi nd people we’re going to keep them running.

“Rig hands are in big demand. We are into mid-summer and we’re out of

people where we should be seeing this in January. Right now it’s tough to fi nd

quality help and qualifi ed guys with experience.

Lang said having a diversifi ed fl eet of drilling rigs enables Tempco to work

their rigs in Saskatchewan and Manitoba during the summer, and head up to

northern Alberta in the wintertime.

“What really ramps up there is coring and testing wells and SAGD type

wells,” he said.

“Th ey have to fi nd all the zones and know where they’re at. Th at’s why you

do all these test wells and core wells to see what the zones are there.

“We are a little more diversifi ed with our rigs to drill heavy oil in Saskatch-

ewan, and move up and do core wells and whatever type of wells they want to

do up there.

“Diversifi cation in rigs is big time to keep our people. If we can’t keep them

200 to 300 days a year, then we won’t have them either. We don’t want to go back

in every winter and retrain everybody.”

Lang said core drilling in Alberta requires the use of a diff erent kind of pipe

but the same style of rig from a conventional single to a Range 3 top drive type

rig.

“You’ve got what they call a core package on a rig where they wireline re-

trieve the cores, so it’s actually quite quick to core using that type of equipment,”

he explained.

Asked to describe the potential for heavy oil in the Prince area, Lang says

there is good potential for oil but advised one should ask Rallyemont about they

want to reveal about their drilling fi nds.

“Th ere are a couple of other guys drilling in the area they have production.

It’s a fairly new fi eld. It’s looking good for the future,” he added.

Rallyemont has acquired 79 sections of west central Saskatchewan heavy oil

land in two main focus areas at Prince and Bagration with the main focus on

Prince which is currently in the delineation stage.

Bagration is the secondary focus area and is currently in the exploration

phase.

Rallyemont has more than 46 contiguous sections of land at Prince acquired

from both Crown and freehold mineral rights owners.

Shop hand Cindy Brown threads a union together inside the rig manufacturing shop.

Welder Winston Yaremy laughs at a joke made by gen-eral manager Eric Lang at the completion of a small weld-ing job on a rig component at the Nisku shop.

Top drive system proves to be much more ef cient

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PIPELINE NEWS September 2011 B3

By Geoff LeeNisku, Alta. – If Eric Lang, general manager of Tempco Drilling Company,

had to pick his poison between this year’s wet spring and summer or a dried up

labour pool, rain would win out over not having enough rig hands to operate his

seven drilling rigs.

An eighth rig is currently under construction at the company’s rig manufac-

turing base in Nisku where want ads are popping up like daisies in a booming

energy market.

“You name it - from the swampers to the welders, CNC operators – every-

body’s looking for somebody,” said Lang who is in the market for experience rig

hands fi rst and foremost.

“We are into mid-summer and we’re out of people where we should be seeing

this in January. Right now it’s tough to fi nd quality help and qualifi ed guys with

experience.”

Tempco is currently drilling in Saskatchewan at Prince and Red Pheasant

First Nation at sites near the Battlefords, the Kindersley area and both sides of the

border in Lloydminster with plans to drill in Melita, Manitoba later this summer.

Th e company has also lined up lots of winter drilling contracts at Lac La Biche

and Fort McMurray where Lang hopes he won’t face a labour crunch at a time

when drilling is picking up in the oilsands.

“It’s held a lot of people back from getting rigs to work,” he said about the

manpower shortages facing the entire industry like it did in the last upturn.

“Th ings are booming again in the oilpatch, so we hoping it stays for three or

four more years longer. It can only boom to the amount of people we’ve got to run

it.

“Th ere’s a few of our competitors I was talking to, and they’ve got rigs sitting

because they have no guys to put on the rigs.

“I am hearing it from the truckers also. Th ey’ve got trucks in the yard. Th ey

can’t get enough trucks out there to move everything because they haven’t got driv-

ers for them. Everybody is hurting on the qualifi ed side.”

Lang said the oil and gas drilling industry is also losing workers to service

companies, coring companies and consulting companies.

“Companies are running more consultants per rig than they used to years ago,”

explained Lang.

“You run into two consultants per rig on some of the more critical wells – the

horizontal wells and some of the deeper stuff . So that’s really cutting into our

qualifi ed people that we need.”

Asked what Tempco is doing to retain and attract new shop workers and rig

crews, Lang said they are paying a little more than industry rates in wages and they

have been since last fall.

“Th at’s brought a few more guys in and kept our guys from looking over the

fence – for now,” said Lang.

“I am thinking there is going to be a good wage increase this fall.

“We have had a lot of people leave the industry because of the last downturn.

Th ey got starved out and just don’t want to come back,” Lang said.

“Money makes ev-

erybody talk, and we are

just trying to advertise

more throughout Cana-

da looking for people.

“Th ere is not much

you can do than adver-

tise and get signs up. Of-

fering incentives is prob-

ably the only way to steal

from the other competi-

tors – off er them a better

bonus.”

Lang said plans to

import foreign workers

from cold climate countries will help, but he says the industry’s biggest problem is

communicating eff ectively with foreign workers.

“Having people to come over here and work in the Canadian elements, it’s

tough to get people to do that,” he added.

On a related matter, Lang said he attended meetings in Calgary recently where

the talk was about using rig matting for late summer and early fall drilling in the

Fort McMurray area to boost utilization rates in an area where rigs can usually

work just three months a year.

“It's got to the point where some of the areas are drier up there, but it’s pretty

hard to keep a rig around for three months out of the year, and have them available

for the guys that are just doing oilsands stuff ,” said Lang.

“So you are having to pay these big dollars – so every winter we come along

with a big boom – everybody and anything that can burn diesel is up there and

trying to man it up in a month – and in three months it’s all over again.

“If they can possibly get in and stretch it out to hopefully six months out of the

year, then we could stabilize it a little more with equipment and men.”

Lang said Tempco’s competitive niche is having a diversifi ed drilling rig fl eet

to drill all types of wells including the coring and test wells and steam assisted

gravity drainage (SAGD) wells taking place in the Alberta oilsands.

Tempco is also drilling core wells for Rallyemont Energy Inc. at Prince about

20 kilometres north of North Battleford.

“We work our rigs on the Saskatchewan and Manitoba side in the summer,

and when winter comes these guys cut back down here in the Prairies, and then

we head north,” said Lang.

“We are a little more diversifi ed with our rigs to drill heavy oil in Saskatch-

ewan and move up and do core wells and whatever type of wells they want to do

up there (northern Alberta).

“Diversifi cation in rigs is big time to keep our people. If we can’t keep them

200 to 300 days a year, then we won’t have them either. We don’t want to go back

in every winter and retrain everybody,” Lang said.

Tempco Drilling Company, is in an industry-wide battle to retain and attract new rig crews.

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Story and photos by Brian ZinchukEstevan – A newer

style of drilling bit has

rocked the world of drill-

ing in recent years, if you

consider 1976 new. Th at’s

when Baker Hughes put

its fi rst polycrystalline

diamond cutter (PDC)

bits in the oil fi eld.

“Th e biggest revolu-

tion is the PDC,” said

Rob Somerville, fi eld

sales representative with

Baker Hughes drill-bit

product line in Estevan,

when asked about the

biggest changes in re-

cent years.

“Over the last fi ve

years, PDCs have grown

to 75 per cent of our

market, and they’re still

growing.”

Asked why, he said,

“Time. Th e rate of pen-

etration (ROP), or how

fast we can drill, is very

important to drillers. It’s

their primary concern.”

It’s common for

drill-bit companies to

present customers with

plaques to congratulate

them on outstanding

performance. In recent

years, Baker Hughes

has given out a lot of

awards.

One listed an entire

362 metre build section

drilled in 20.5 hours,

achieving an ROP of

17.7 metres per hour.

“Th ree years ago,

this used to take two bits

and three days. A tricone

would have been six to

seven metres per hour

in the same section,”

Somerville said.

Compared to tri-

cone drilling, the same

rig can now drill almost

two holes in the time it

once took to drill one.

Polycrystalline dia-

mond cutters use man-

made industrial dia-

monds. Th ey vary in size,

but are generally cylin-

ders that are about the

size of an AA battery cut

to one-third its length.

Th ey sure don’t look like

gemstones.

Each PDC bit has a

number of blades, usual-

ly from four to six, each

with its leading edge en-

crusted with these dia-

monds. Five blades are

fairly common, accord-

ing to Somerville. While

some bits have seven

blades, they are not com-

mon.

Th e confi guration

of each bit depends on

its application and the

formations it is drilling

through. Th e bit is com-

posed of several blades

framed by small rounded

PDCs.

Between the blades

are wide gaps, known as

junk slots, which allow

the rock to be cleared

away from the end of the

bit. Th ere are a number of

jets sunken into recesses

in the frame, which al-

low drilling mud to fl ow

through and clean the

bit as it drills.

Some models have

a second series of dia-

monds, known as backup

cutters, positioned just

behind the initial cut-

ters. Th ey may be on the

shoulder, or right across

the blade in some cases.

Backup cutters improve

on the cutting and can

add to the durability

of the bit, particularly

useful in “high dam-

age areas,” according to

Somerville.

One of those high

damage areas is the

Lodgepole formation.

And as luck would have

it, that’s the formation

that directly overlays

the much-sought after

Bakken shale, making it

a big hurdle for drillers,

and drill bits. It’s the for-

mation through which

the build section must

pass, where the well is

steered 90 degrees from

a vertical well to a hori-

zontal, and therefore it’s

the toughest to drill.

Page B5

PDC now king of the bits

Rob Somerville, Aren Miller, Jeff Carlisle and Ryan Meshke handle bit sales for Baker Hughes in Estevan. Here Somerville displays a polycrystalline diamond cutter bit.


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Page B4“Th is is, without a doubt, our toughest forma-

tion in the province,” Somerville said. It varies from

30 to 60 metres thick in places, and its chert can run

from two to 45 per cent.

(According to Geology.com, “Chert is a micro-

crystalline or cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock ma-

terial composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2). Early peo-

ple took advantage of how chert breaks and used it

to fashion cutting tools and weapons. Dark varieties

of chert are common and are often called ‘fl int.’”)

Typical Bakken wellAsked what a typical Bakken well that is 1,800

metre true vertical depth would use for bits, Somer-

ville explained it usually now takes four bits.

Usually one bit is used for the surface hole. It

is 349 mm or 13.7 inches across. Th is is usually a

tricone bit, with either steel teeth or carbide inserts.

Steel-toothed bits are usually retipped between

holes. Th is bit will be used from the surface to about

200 metres.

Th e next bit is the main hole bit, 222 mm, or

8-3/4 inches across. It generally drills from 200 to

1,500 metres in depth. Th is is most commonly a fi ve-

blade PDC bit with a 16 mm cutter.

“It gets you to the kickoff point,” he said.

Th e next stage, the build section, is where the

PDC has really made a diff erence. “You should be

able to achieve your entire build section, 85 per cent

of the time, with one bit,” he said.

Th is build section bit will have 13 mm cutter.

“You have more diamond volume on the bottom of

your hole,” he said. “Diamond volume management

is the engineering term. It allows for a smoother cut

and more control for steerability. Th is is key for di-

rectional drilling. “Companies need to achieve a cer-

tain build rate.”

Th e build rate is how quickly the hole is steered

from vertical to horizontal. Th is is because horizon-

tal wells can only draw oil from within 100 metres of

the property line in Saskatchewan. If the build rate

is not fast enough, the well “lands” further within

the allowable area, and thus does not maximize the

amount of horizontal wellbore available to draw oil

from. Essentially, if the build rate is too slow, your

useable horizontal well bore is shortened.

Wells are typically drilled on the surface on the

opposite side of the property line (usually the grid

road) from where the horizontal well will be. Th is

means that clients usually have 200 metre of hori-

zontal space to turn that

wellbore from vertical to

horizontal. Depending on

the drilling position, there

may be more space, but

sometimes it is tighter, as

little as 150 metres.

Somerville explained that if the build rate is not

fast enough, “You could end up below your pay zone,

and you lose pay zone.”

Some geometry also comes into play. You can

only build 2.38 degrees per section of pipe. “More

than that, and you may break it off ,” he said.

Th e fourth section of the well, the horizontal

lateral, is done after the drillers pull out of the hole

and run casing.

“In the lateral, we’ll drill with smaller tools and a

smaller bit,” he said.

In this case, the size of the bit is now 159 mm, or

6-1/4 inches. It may also be 156 mm, or 6-1/8 inches.”

In the case of a monobore well, in which a liner

is installed right to the end of the horizontal section

known as the “toe” and then cemented, they will drill

with a 222 mm bit, or go with a 200 mm (7-7/8 inch)

bit.

Th ere are several varieties of well types. In the

Waskada, Manitoba, area, where the shallower

Spearfi sh formation is the goal, the driller may drill

with a 200 mm bit the whole way after the surface

casing. In these cases, it is possible to do an entire

horizontal well, right to the toe, with just two bits—

the surface bit, and the second bit. Page B6

The black bumps on the ridges, or blades, of the business end of a six-blade PDC bit are man-made diamond cutters. The dark holes between the blades are jets for mud to ow through.

Drilling time cut nearly in half


Page B5

While it’s common to see used tricone bits as

lawn ornaments, you won’t fi nd that with PDCs.

“All our PDC bits are repaired; they are sent to

Edmonton where they are serviced. All of our PDC

bits in Canada are rented, not sold,” Somerville said.

While PDCs are so important in the market,

tricones have some advantages. Th ey provide better

rock sample quality for geologists, for instance, and

have better steerability. In Midale and Frobisher for-

mations, a lot of companies still use tricones.

“It’ll roll over and crush the rock, whereas the

PDC actually sheers it,” Somerville said.

Asked about situations where more bits may be

required, Somerville said, “Damage is the primary

reason you change out a bit. Th e secondary reason is

build rates. Bit design and the direction of the for-

mation may aff ect build rates.”

If insuffi cient build rates are being achieved, the

drilling string may be tripped out and the angle of

bend on the directional drilling mud motor or bit

may be changed.

Since the whole apparatus is already out of the

hole, it’s common to simply put a new bit on rather

than go back in with the old one, especially if there

is visible damage to the bit. Th is is also the case if the

tools break down, like the mud motor.

“We recommend if there’s any damage, change it

out,” Somerville said.

Somerville pointed to continual changes and en-

gineering in Baker Hughes drill bits, and vast sums

of money spent on research and development.

“Th ere isn’t a month that goes by that there isn’t

a change to one of our bits,” Somerville concluded.

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By Brian ZinchukYorkton – About 80 miles from the nearest oil well, Yorkton is not the fi rst

place you’d look to fi nd a drilling company that works primarily in southeast

Saskatchewan. Yet tucked in a small strip mall behind the SuperStore and a

block over from the Harley Davidson dealer, you will fi nd Crusader Drilling

Corp.

Th at won’t be for long, however, as the relatively recent entrant into the drill-

ing market is expanding to the point where they will soon need a new headquar-

ters. However, it will still be in Yorkton.

Th e question of why the heck a driller would choose Yorkton as a home base

is one company founder, president and CEO Don Rae fi elds frequently.

“It’s my home,” he said. “My wife Iris is originally from here. We were ex-

pecting a little guy in 1999, and picked Yorkton as home base.

He would spend a lot of time fl ying to Calgary, from Regina, in those

years.

A long-time drilling consultant, he used to head up a substantial consulting

business called DLM Oilfi eld Supervision Ltd., based in Carievale, which was

Rae’s hometown. Th ey had up to 25 consultants at their busiest point, operating

in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Mon-

tana, Wyoming and New York state.

“We had that company for 19 years,” he said. “Two of my fi rst guys I hired

bought me out. Th ey are now Impact Oilfi eld Management Team out of Carlyle.

Th ey’ve done very well.”

Th e former partners are Greg Fischer and Steve Lobreau. “Th ey were with

me from day one,” he said.

“I’ve been in the oilpatch my whole life. I started roughnecking in 1968

when I was 16. I spent two summers on service rigs, and was on drilling rigs ever

since.”

He also ran a junior oil company too, from 2003 to 2006. It was known as

Waveform Energy. “We were one of the fi rst players in the Bakken southeast of

Estevan,” Rae said.

Origins“My son, Larrie, a drilling consultant, kicked

around the idea. He works with Impact in Carlyle.

He came up with the name and logo. He was run-

ning my consulting company when I was running

the oil company.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind to form

a drilling company,” Rae said. “I love the industry,

the people, the challenges. For me, it’s not work, it’s

a passion.” Page B8

Driller chooses Yorkton for home base

Colt Ross, Ryan Vandersteen and Cody Garry make a connection on Cru-sader rig 2.


Page B7

He made up his

mind to raise the money

and build a drilling rig.

At 59 years old, it seems

that Rae knows nearly

everyone in the southeast

Saskatchewan oilpatch.

Th at helped in getting

funding.

“We started rais-

ing our money through

a lot of local guys who

are success stories in the

southeast,” Rae said. A

substantial number of his

investors in Crusader are

successful oilmen in their

own right, and have been

profi led in Pipeline News over the years.

“We raised money

from two funds, Sask-

Works and Apex.”

Both funds are man-

aged by PFM Capital

Inc. in Regina. Rae said,

“Th ey’ve been in on ev-

ery rig so far.”

Th e last tranche of

funding was raised by

Linkgate Capital from

Calgary as a convertible

debenture with a 12 per

cent coupon attached.

Th e company is now

working on it’s third rig.

Construction started

on Rig 1 in June, 2008,

when oil was around

$120 a barrel. However,

oil would soon plummet

and hit the high $30s the

following spring, right

when the new rig was

ready to roll.

“Coming right out

of the gate with it, there

wasn’t another rig in

sight. Th ey were all laying

fl at,” Rae recalled.

How did they sur-

vive?

“It was low over-

head and tight budgets.

We were ready to drill in

April of 2009, and there

was no place to go. We

spudded our fi rst well

in June for Tetonka Re-

sources Inc.”

An early project was

for a potash company,

Karnalyte, at Wynyard.

Th ey drilled three test

wells. Th e job came as

a result of connections

with Rae’s old consulting

company.

Rae noted their fi -

nancial institution, York-

ton-based Cornerstone

Credit Union, was very

supportive. “Our bank

was great.”

Rig 1 was built by

Do-All Metal Fabricat-

ing in Estevan. Rig 2 was

built by Ja-Co Welding

and Consulting in Ni-

sku. Ja-Co is doing most

of the building for Rig 3,

but the substructure and

derrick were built on spec

by the Rig Shop Ltd. in

Nisku, while Do-All is

doing the drawworks and

skid.

Rising costs and

higher capacity equip-

ment have impacted the

fi nal price tag of each rig.

Rig 1 cost $6.3 million,

while Rig 2 came in at

$7.5 million and Rig 3 is

projected at $8.5 million.

Page B9

Two is one, one is none

Cody Gary is fast on his feet while on the drilling oor.

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Page B8 Th ere are plans for two more rigs, with Rig 4 slated to start con-

struction in the fi rst quarter of 2012. It is expected to take six to eight months to

build, due to how busy the industry is. “Rig 5 is probably right behind Rig 4,” Rae

forecast.

At that point, it’s time to look for an exit strategy for the investors.

He noted day rates have improved in recent years.

Rig 1 works for Tundra Oil and Gas, working on both sides of the Saskatch-

ewan-Manitoba border over the last two years. Rig 2, commissioned in November

2010 has been working for PetroBakken.

Rig featuresTh e rigs are all telescoping doubles. “Th ey are designed to move and rigup

faster than previous designs. Th at’s what everyone wants now,” Rae said.

“I knew this Bakken play was a resource play, so you build specifi c for it,” he

said.

Characterizing the Bakken as a long-term play, he wanted to target both it and

the Cardium, which has taken off again in recent years.

“Our Rig 2 drilled out there all winter for PetroBakken,” Rae said of the Car-

dium in Alberta. Th at rig is now working in southeast Saskatchewan.

Elements of Crusader’s rig design follow a philosophy common in the mili-

tary: two is one, and one is none.

Th ey went with big pumps for long reach horizontals and high torque mud

motors. “We specifi cally went with 1,000 horsepower pumps. It’s done us well,”

he said.

Note that “pumps” is plural. Rig 2 and now Rig 3, under construction, have

two mud pumps. Th ey can run together or separately. “On the Cardium, we were

running two pumps on the build section,” he said. “If one pump craters on you, you

can kick the other in, and the customer doesn’t lose an hour.”

Along the same lines, you will fi nd two generators in the combination building

of Rig 2, and two shaker tables. Rig 3 will have the same.

Hydraulic catwalks are standard. “Th ere’s a safety factor involved. It’s easier on

tubulars, too,” Rae said. “We’re moving fairly quick. Our catwalk can be run right

from the fl oor.”

“We went with bigger fl oor motors for the drawworks – 880 horsepower Cum-

mins, for faster tripping.

Rig 3 will be even more powerful than Rig 2, with two 1,300 horsepower mud

pumps powered by two 1,350 horsepower Cummins diesel engines. Rig two uses

two 1,000 horsepower mud pumps.

“We buy all our engines from Southern Industrial in Weyburn,” he said. All

three rigs have two-speed Rouse Industries clutches.

(Rouse Industries and Southern Industrial and

Truck are sister companies. Southern Industrial as-

sembles engine packages, while Rouse Industries

makes clutches and transmissions for drilling rigs.)

Mud tanks on Rigs 2 and 3 have roofs on them.

People “Your people, your services, that’s what makes you

successful. My offi ce staff , fi eld supervisor, rig manag-

ers, all the way down to the roughnecks I’ve got great

crews. Th ey do great work, and that’s what makes us

successful.

“It’s not about me. It’s about all my people,” he said.

Th e fi eld supervisor is Mark Kovar. His brother Clark is rig manager on Rig 2,

while Ron McIntosh is rig manager for Rig 1. Th e rig manager for Rig 3 has not

yet been named.

Dale Miller is the company’s chief fi nancial offi cer in Calgary, while Joanne

Perkins is the Yorkton-based controller. Colleen Bramall is the safety co-ordina-

tor.

“My three oldest kids or their husband are all in the oilpatch,” Rae said. “Larrie

is a well-site supervisor, Lindsay does sales for a specialty tool company and son-in-

law, Durwin, is a lease construction supervisor. My daughter Monica has worked

with me at my consulting company in the past. Steven is in university in Regina,

and the youngest, Jordan, is going into grade six at St Paul’s school in Yorkton.”

Th e colours of Crusader’s rigs are a tribute to Rae’s father, who was a John

Deere salesman. Th e rigs are painted John Deere green with yellow accents.

“We’re blessed in southeast Saskatchewan to have some of the best companies

and support services there is,” Rae concluded.

Third Crusader rig under construction


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Alida - Th ree Star

Trucking Ltd. got a se-

rious boost in July, with

Provident Energy Ltd.

purchasing a two-thirds

interest in the long-time

family company.

Th ree Star was

founded by patriarch

Jim Boettcher, and is

now operated by sons

Ken and Tim Boettcher.

Th e deal was reached

on July 11.

Th e transaction is

valued at approximately

$20 million, comprised

of about $8 million in

cash, 945,000 Provident

shares, and approxi-

mately $4 million of

assumed bank debt and

working capital.

“Th e acquisition of

this two-thirds interest

in Th ree Star expands

Provident’s logistics

footprint in the Bakken-

area, one of the most

exciting resource plays

in North America, and

creates a strong part-

nership with a highly

regarded and growing

player in the industry,”

Doug Haughey, presi-

dent and chief executive

offi cer of Provident, said

in a news release.

In addition to build-

ing a strong presence in

crude oil hauling, the

transaction will also

provide Provident the

opportunity to further

expand its NGL and

diluent logistics service

businesses.

Provident will retain

the option to purchase

the remaining minority

interest in Th ree Star af-

ter three years from the

closing date.

Th e acquisition will

be immediately accretive

to both cash fl ow and

earnings on a per share

basis, Provident said in

the release.

Ken and Jim

Boettcher sat down with

Pipeline News in their

Alida headquarters on

Aug. 12 to discuss the

sale.

“Th ey came to us

last October,” Ken said

of the origins of the

deal.

Asked if this was

an exit strategy for the

family, he responded,

“In time. It shows I can

retire at some point.”

Jim, 73, piped up,

“Retirement isn’t quite

what it’s cracked up

to be unless you’ve got

something to do. You’ve

got to have a purpose.”

Ken is 52, while

Tim is 45.

Mary, Jim’s wife and

Ken and Tim’s mother,

has been offi ce manag-

er since the company’s

inception, and is still

involved in administra-

tion.

Th e sale of two-

thirds of the company

follows a trend in re-

cent years of long-time

family operations in the

southeast Saskatchewan

fl uid-hauling business

either selling outright or

selling majority shares

in their businesses.

“It’s like playing

cards. You have to know

when to hold the, and

when to fold them,”

Jim said, adding a larger

company attracts more

attention.

“Th ey (Provident)

weren’t the only ones in-

terested,” Ken said, not-

ing there were at least

fi ve or six other expres-

sions of interest in buy-

ing the company.

“Th is is the best by

far,” Jim said. “When we

sat down with them at

the board table, they’re

fi rst class.”

Page B11

Provident buys 2/3 of Three Star Trucking


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Page B10

Th e two sons will still

retain one-third owner-

ship. Jim and Mary are

out in regards to own-

erhip, but remain active

with the operations. Jim

will remain on the board

of the company, and

Mary is still in adminis-

tration. Ken is vice-presi-

dent of operations, taking

care of supervision, pric-

ing and sales, while Tim

is the vice-president of

operations looking after

purchasing and leased

trucks.

Ken stressed, “Our

sign is not changing. Our

accountant in Regina,

he’s staying too.”

“As of now, nothing’s

changing. Th eir strategy

is to leave us running.

Th eir strategy of keeping

us was for us to keep one

third.”

Th e company was

founded in 1962, and

incorporated in 1969. It

will be 50 years old next

year.

“We run everything,

the same as before,” Ken

said. “We have someone

to answer to, but we run

it as we had. Th ey like

that we’ve always shown

a good profi t, and they’d

like that to continue.

Th ey’re looking at a long-

term investment.”

Th ree Star’s forte is

fl uid hauling. Th at in-

cludes a lot of emulsion

transfers, crude oil move-

ment, saltwater trans-

fers and service work.

Ken said of Provident,

“Th ey’re going to broad-

en our horizons.”

Jim added, “Th ey

wanted to double the

size.”

Th at would be spread

throughout Western

Canada.

Th ree Star currently

operates 180 trucks, 90 of

which are their own, and

the remainder are leased

operators. Th ey’ve added

quite a few recently. Th e

staff is now approximate-

ly 260. Th ree Star is hir-

ing three to four people

a week, with several ori-

entation sessions going

on each week. Th ey are

adding an average of six

trucks a month.

“We’ve got a lot of

people coming in from

Manitoba and various

other parts of western

Canada,” Ken said.

Th ree Star princi-

pally operates in south-

east Saskatchewan and

southwest Manitoba, but

it also does work in Al-

berta, North Dakota and

Montana.

Indeed, a substan-

tial portion of its busi-

ness is running Bakken

oil from North Dakota

to Enbridge terminals

in Saskatchewan, where

it then is pipelined to

Cromer, Manitoba. From

Cromer it fl ows through

the Enbridge mainline

back down to the United

States.

Page B12

Three Star to get into NGL hauling

Adding frac tanks has meant adding frac heaters. In front of one here is Ken Boettcher, left, and Jim Boettcher. The two of them, along with Tim Boettcher, are the senior management team for Three Star Trucking.


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Page B11“It’s down from what it was. We’re still doing 12,000 to 13,000 barrels per

day. At one time, it was 18,000 barrels per day..

“We have about 70 trucks designated for the U.S. run,” Ken said. Most of

that is from the Stanley and New Town areas of North Dakota, running up to

the Steelman and Alida terminals in Saskatchewan. Th e majority goes to Alida.

Th e wet spring and fl ooding conditions caused a few hiccups, especially since

Highway 39 running to the 24 hour border crossing at North Portal was closed

to truck traffi c for a while. “It closed our 24-hour port, so we only had a 14 hour

window to haul through,” Ken said.

Lasso Rig 2 was sighted drilling north of Estevan in mid-Au-gust. This is a high dynamic range photo, a combination of ves exposures taken in one second. Photo by Brian Zinchuk


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Estevan – Just two

months after their fi rst

rig drilled its fi rst hole,

Vortex Drilling Ltd. is

hard at work assembling

Rig 2.

“We’re well over

half-done now,” Vor-

tex vice-president Jason

Geysen said on Aug. 17.

“Th e generator is in.

Th e pump is on its way.

Th e mud tank and boiler

are getting painted right

now.”

Vortex Rig 1 went

to work on June 4, and

by mid-August had

completed six holes.

Th ere have been no

diffi culties in commis-

sioning their fi rst rig,

Geysen reported. “No

down time at all.”

He noted that in-

stalling a 1,000 horse-

power mud pump over

a more common 800

horsepower pump has

made a “huge diff er-

ence.”

Th e building of

Vortex Rig 2 started

right after Rig 1. Gey-

sen, Harvey Turcotte

and some of their men

started assembly on July

25.

Dennis Day is now

rig manager of Rig 1.

Th ey have most of the

crew lined up for Rig 2.

“Quite a few re-

sumes fl y in now,” Gey-

sen said. Th e plan is to

have Rig 2 go out in the

fi rst half of October.

Th e rig is being built

by Do-All Metal Fabri-

cating of Estevan, with

some components com-

ing out of their Glen-

burn, North Dakota

shop. As is typical of rigs

built there, the crews of

the drilling company are

taking an active part in

its assembly.

Like Rig 1, Vortex

Rig 2 is a 3,500 metre

rated telescoping dou-

ble.

Harvey Turcotte,

Vortex president, said,

“I’m hoping to see us

building Rig 3 maybe

in June, if things are

good. It’s like anything,

I guess.”

“Th e move time on

this Rig (Rig 1) is ex-

ceptional. We’re really

competitive on move

time,” he said.

In three hours, the

rig can be completely

torn down and you can

be in your truck on the

way home, according to

Geysen.

It takes about one

and a half hours to rig

up with two crews, he

said.

With the electrical

design there are fewer

electrical connections to

be made, and “way less

problems,” according to

Geysen.

Th e company will

be moving people up

as it grows. “Training

green people is a good

thing,” Turcotte said. “If

they start with us they

are more likely to stay

long term. You have to

be willing to train peo-

ple, its benefi cial to the

company.”

Vortex already working on Rig 2Driller Ryan Neilson, left, and tool push Jeremy Wilson bolt down the gen-erator for Vortex Drilling Rig 2.

Vorted Drilling Rig 1 went to work in June.


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By Brian ZinchukEstevan – After four

and a half years in op-

eration, Estevan-based

Independent Pump Co.

needed more space.

Th e company builds

and services subsurface

rod pumps. All their

parts come from third

party sources, and are

then assembled in their

shop. Th e company also

carries sundry items

needed on a day-to-day

basis, from stuffi ng box

packing to rod collars.

“We knew we need-

ed to expand into a new

shop,” said Cary Wock,

general manager, who

owns and operates the

fi rm with Jeremy Mack

and Mike Gervais.

“We basically dou-

bled our size, from just

over 5,000 square-feet

to over 10,000. We add-

ed another set of work

vises and have a third

set to put in as well.”

“We can do quite a

bit more work in a day

now, probably half as

much more.”

Th e new location

on Mississippian Drive

puts it within a stone’s

throw distance of all

the major oilfi eld supply

stores in town. Th at was

strategic thinking on the

part of the owners.

“We wanted to be

in town still, close to all

the supply stores. We

wanted to be centrally

located to them,” he

said. Truckers can pick

up sucker rod nearby,

then get their pumps.

“We invested a lot

into this shop and its

equipment. It is basically

a state-of-the-art facility

for fi xing pumps,” noted

Wock.

Page B15

New home for Independant Pump Co

Right: This work-ing model shows how an insert rod pump works. The inset photo shows a close-up of what is happening at the end of a stroke.

Cary Wock shows one of the pump displays to be used for pump schools, offered in their new boardroom and training facility.


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Big Sky Drilling, operating out of Oxbow, Saskatchewan, has the largest rig eet in Saskatchewan.

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Phone: 634-5519 or 634-734124 Hwy. 39 E. Estevan

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CHAD FROESE OFFICE: 306-388-2941

Page B14

Th ere is a massive

water-base parts washer,

a sandblaster, and a huge

compressor to run all the

air tools.

Th e company has

gone from being open

fi ve days a week and an

on-call system during

off hours to seven days

a week operations. “Now

we’ve got guys here all

the time,” Wock said.

“In the last year, we

pumped our staff from

eight to 12. We’re still

looking for two more.

It’s hard to fi nd people.

“We’ve got a lot of

good guys in the shop.

We need guys to drive

trucks. We have three or

four trucks on the road

every day, running from

Manitoba to Bengough

to Kenosee. It’s two

hours every way but

south.”

“We’re picking up

more and more busi-

ness,” Wock said.

As for what drives it,

he said, “People, service.

Service is huge in the

industry. Better service

and people is what keeps

clients coming back.

“We do a lot of

hands-on with the cus-

tomers, day-to-day, try-

ing to fi nd new, innova-

tive ways to keep their

pumps pumping longer.

“All of our pumps

are built to meet and ex-

ceed API standards.”

Th e new offi ce’s up-

stairs boardroom is set up

for training on pumps,

with cut-away displays

and a working plexi-

glass model. Th e facility

is meant to run pump

schools for clients.

“Customer learning

tools is my biggest focus

for this year,” Wock said.

While the company

will continue to look at

diff erent areas, “Right

now, we are keeping our

focus here. Our main

focus is bottom hole

pumps.

People, service drives growth

The staff of Independent Pump Co. keeps grow-ing. Back row, from left are Reece Donovan, Ryan Wock, Jackie Olsen, Darren Olsen, Thomas Glab and Jeff Austin. Front row, from left, are Tanya McLenehan, Cameron Donovan, Mike Gervais, Cary Wock and Jeremy Mack.

B16 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011 B17

Swayze Concrete Ltd.Swayze Concrete Ltd.Dennis • 861-1186Dennis • 861-11861531 Railway Ave., Weyburn, SK1531 Railway Ave., Weyburn, SKFax: 306-842-0414Fax: 306-842-0414Ph: 306-842-6558Ph: 306-842-6558

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421-8158421-8158

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Estevan – When

you’re putting together

casing for a well, you

need a little oomph.

Th at’s where the power

tong hands come in.

Power tongs are

hydraulically powered

tongs with the ability to

torque casing connec-

tions to the proper spec

before it goes down hole.

Th eir usage is an impor-

tant part of the assembly

of the casing or frac liner

of a well.

Gilliss Power Tongs

has been active in the

business in southeast

Saskatchewan for nearly

two decades. Originally

based on an acreage near

Lampman, in 2008 It

moved to a new, larger

facility just a few miles

north of Estevan on

Highway 47.

Dean Gilliss is the

founder of the company,

and until last month, the

manager. He’s stepping

back in September to a

semi-retired role while

his son Dylan takes over

the management reigns.

“I’ll be phasing my-

self out totally over the

next six months,” said

the aff able Dean over a

coff ee at the shop.

Dean’s wife, Bonnie,

is retired from the busi-

ness as well. Logan, the

younger son, is a tong

hand, and will be mov-

ing into the sales posi-

tion vacated by Dylan.

“We run surface, in-

termediate, production

casing and frac liners on

drilling and service rigs,”

Dean explained. “We

provide power tongs and

the expertise to run them.

We supply the operator

for the tongs. We’re not

a rental company.

“My customer is the

oil company.”

Th eir primary prod-

ucts are conventional

power tongs and integral

tongs, which have an ad-

ditional set of tongs as a

backup to keep the bot-

tom joint stationary. Th e

only diff erence between

power tongs used on a

drilling rig and service

rig is the size.

“Th e bigger the tong,

the more work they can

do,” Dean said.

“On a drilling rig, if

it’s not drilling pipe, they

use third party tongs,”

Dylan said.

About 70 per cent

of their business is with

drilling rigs, the remain-

der is on service rigs.

“Drilling has been

the bread and butter,”

Dylan said. “Up to three

years ago, we never did

service rig work. Now we

do four or fi ve service rig

jobs a day.”

A recent addition to

the lineup has been air

slips for both drilling and

service rigs. While com-

mon on service rigs, they

are not at all common on

drilling rigs. Gilliss Pow-

er Tongs started carrying

them as a way to reduce

the physical strain on the

workers.

Th e move to air slips

was instigated after one

of their staff essentially

wore his back out. Now,

if you’re getting Gilliss

Power Tongs to do the

work, expect the air slips

to be part of the pack-

age.

Dylan said, “We

bought one set, and we

had to buy more, because

everybody wanted them.

We have enough to run

them on every job we

do.”

It’s a way to engi-

neer-out hazards. Th e

result is much easier on

staff , and helps with re-

tention.

Typical wellOn a typical Bakken

well, the tong hands will

be present three to four

times.

First, they will run

the surface casing, which

is 9-5/8 inches in size.

Th en they will come back

to run the intermediate

casing for the build sec-

tion, usually seven inches

in size.

Th e frac string will

then run 4-1/2 inches,

followed by the tie-back

string, also 4-1/2 inches

in size.

A monobore well

will see surface casing at

8-5/8 inches and produc-

tion casing running from

the surface casing to the

toe of the well at 5-1/2

inches. Monobores are

more common in Mani-

toba.

Cemented liner wells,

which have been gaining

in popularity, will have

a centralizer installed

between joints to insure

proper centralization be-

tween the liner and well

bore for a proper cement

Making the casing connection

This is an open set of drilling rig power tongs.

Power tong hands are at a premium. Photo submitted

job.

Dylan explained,

“We’re out there at the

start of the hole after

midnight on a move day.

It takes about an hour to

run 15 joints of surface

casing. Four to six days

later, we’ll run the inter-

mediate casing, which

takes four to 12 hours to

do.

“Another four to six

days later, we come back

and run the frac liner. If

there’s a tieback on the

drilling rig, it’s roughly

12 hours after you fi nish

the frac string.”

When it comes to

hiring tong hands, Dean

said, “We like to have

someone with drilling ex-

perience, mostly rough-

necks, motorhands and

even derrickhands.”

“Th ey have a general

idea of a drilling rig, so

that they only have to

worry about the tongs.

He then has more time

to concentrate on what

he should be doing,” Dy-

lan said.

Th eir trucks are set

up with two 100-ft. hy-

draulic hoses to operate

the tongs, powered by the

power take-off on their

trucks.

Th e tongs on a drill-

ing rig can only move a

small fraction of a turn

at a time, whereas power

tongs are much, much

quicker, and apply a spe-

cifi c torque.

Asked why drill-

ing rigs don’t run their

own power tongs, Dylan

said it comes to skill and

maintenance. “If screwed

up, there is the potential

to lose the well over it,

which is why it’s a skilled

task,” he said.

Tong hands are at

a premium, and paid a

premium wage based on

a guaranteed salary and

commission. Dean said

the work is more stable

than working on a drill-

ing rig, because the work

is spread out among sev-

eral drilling rigs.

But while the pay

is good, there are draw-

backs, too.

“You’re expected to

be on call 24/7, and you

can never be more than

half an hour away from

the shop,” Dean said,

noting it’s a very restric-

tive lifestyle.

Tong hands are en-

sured six days off a month.

Otherwise they work on

a fi rst-in, fi rst-out rotat-

ing basis.

“Rigs are running

shorthanded. Everybody’s

running shorthanded.

We could use three more

guys, maybe four,” Dylan

said.

Staff have to be will-

ing to relocate to Estevan,

he noted.

Service rig work re-

sults in more normal days,

as they typically get their

jobs done in one day, and

during the day. It aff ords

more of a life for the tong

hands.

Ups and downs

“In the spring of ’08

we decided we couldn’t

stay in the old shop. We

bought a home in Este-

van and set up a new shop.

Everything was done on

time,” he said. “We went

from a 40 x 40 ft. build-

ing to 60 x 120 ft.”

Th e company has had

ups and down over the

years. In 2008, they had

six trucks. “Now we have

11,” Dean said.

“We started Dec. 1,

1992,” Dean said. “When

I started, there were only

12 rigs running in south-

east Saskatchewan. It just

kind of grew, and we grew

with it.”

By 1996, there were

50 to 60 rigs working in

the region, and now that

number has climbed to

about 70 in southeast

Saskatchewan and an-

other dozen in southwest

Manitoba.

“In 1997 I had eight

trucks, but in 1998, it all

came to a ‘Whoa!’ It got

down to just me, and I

sold off some equipment,”

Dean said.

Th e company was

sold three years ago to

Steve Halverson from

Dickinson, North Da-

kota, a man who has been

in the tong business since

1975, and has hundreds

of employees.

Page B18


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Page B17While the sale was for 100 per cent of the com-

pany, the Gilliss family still runs it, and is very active

in supporting the local community. Pipeline News photographed both Dean and Dylan cooking up

lobster at the Weyburn Oil Show this past spring,

for instance. Staff were dispatched to Roche Percee

to assist with sandbagging eff orts during the fl ood.

At 52, Dean is retiring from the tong company,

but has another venture. “My wife and I own Gilliss

oil tools. It’s a tool to pick up tubing and casing on

a drilling or service rig, but predominantly service

rigs.”

Good pay, but on call constantly

The blue portion of the air slips, seen in motion here, reduces the potential for back injuries.

Dean Gilliss, left, is retiring, while Dylan Gilliss is taking over the manager position.


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Estevan – AGAT Laboratories

fi rst established a presence in Estevan

two years ago this September. Now it

is adding staff and depots and making

a name for itself.

Nathan Scott, general manager

of chemistry operations for Western

Canada, said the primary reason for

their growth in Estevan is oil and gas

testing.

“We do hydrocarbon sampling

and have a collection depot for envi-

ronmental samples and used oil,” he

said.

AGAT Laboratories provides

analytical laboratory solutions for the

energy, environmental, mining, trans-

portation, industrial, agri-food and

life sciences sectors.

Jim Slaven is the Estevan fi eld

tech supervisor. He established the

Estevan location two years ago.

“Th is branch has grown quite a bit

with more clients and more staff ,” he

said.

Slaven noted that as new wells

are drilled, the oil companies require

samples of the oil and gas. It’s also re-

quired for determining how to dispose

of used drilling mud.

“We test the mud and see if it’s

environmentally safe, based on local

regulations,” Scott said. “If non-toxic,

and the salinity is good, it can be land-

spread.”

“When the consultant is going

to landspread it, they check the soil

where they’re going to spread the

drilling waste, before it is spread,” he

said. Th is is to provide a baseline be-

fore the addition of the drilling, just in

case issues arise later.

“Usually the drilling consultants

want [the results] as soon as possible,

typically less than 24 hours. In mud

testing, salt content, hydrocarbon

content and toxicity are the big ones,”

he said. “If they are looking to landfi ll,

there’s a set of landfi ll regulations that

need to be met.”

Th e company’s environmental lab

has extended its hours to seven days a

week. Instruments are loaded during

the day and run overnight, providing

results the next morning.

In mid-August, Saskatchewan hit

a record number of active drilling rigs,

fuelling more demand for sampling.

Once a well is up, it’s time to get

samples of its production. “Usually

about a week after the well has been

fl owing, they’ll take samples of the oil

and gas,” Slaven said.

Items tested for include density,

sulphur content and API for oil. For

gas, it’s always a “routine gas sample,”

which includes tests for the seven

main hydrocarbons: methane, eth-

ane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane,

heptane, as wells as nitrogen, hydrogen

sulphide, carbon dioxide, and helium.

“We also do produced water test-

ing for pH, resistivity and ions which

identify the formation that the water

is coming from,” said Scott.

Frac operations also require test-

ing. “After a frac, they want to see

what changed,” he said.

Th e company has mobile labs for

on-site monitoring of the frac gas,

usually either nitrogen or propane.

AGAT Laboratories added a sec-

ond fi eld technician this past spring.

Stacey Loew joined the team in May,

having worked for a local mud com-

pany before that.

“It’s been good. Basically I go

out into the fi eld and get oil and gas

samples,” she said during the open

house.

Th ey now have four people work-

ing out of Estevan, covering south-

east Saskatchewan and southwest

Manitoba. Th ey also assist in the

Shaunavon area when needed.

It was there Pipeline News heard

high praise for AGAT Laboratories

from one of their largest clients in the

region.

A network of satellite depots has

been established, including Oxbow,

Stoughton, Virden and most recently,

Weyburn. Th e locations vary from oil-

fi eld service companies to convenience

stores.

“Th ey take care of the packag-

ing, making waybills and sending it,”

Slaven said.

Jim Slaven cooks up burgers and sausage at the AGAT Laboratories open house in Estevan.

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Oxbow – A few months ago incessant rain had

kept Oxbow-based Ensign Big Sky Drilling large-

ly, and frustratingly, idled. With some warm, dry

weather, that has turned around in a big, big way.

“We’re at 100 per cent active rigs,” said Rick

Mann, operations manager for Big Sky. Th e compa-

ny is looking at full utilization until spring breakup,

2012.

“Th ere’s a lot of catch-up to do. Everyone’s try-

ing to make up for the three months we lost due to

weather.”

“You’ll see more rigs move into the area,” added

Darryl Maser, general manager for Ensign Drilling

Partnership’s Champion Drilling and Big Sky Drill-

ing divisions.

Maser noted the activity level is dependent on

the economy and price of oil. Under $70 a barrel, and

things slow down. Above that level, things stay busy.

“Anything that pops open on windows is easy to

fi ll,” he said. A “window” is a window of opportunity

when a rig that is normally booked by one company

is able to squeeze in a hole for another company be-

fore returning to its original contracted employer.

“If a well gets rained out, a rig will have a win-

dow to do one or two wells,” Mann said.

Everybody is clamouring for rigs, they agreed.

Th e largest driller in southeast Saskatchewan,

the company has 20 drilling rigs listed with the Ca-

nadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors

(CAODC), plus one labour contract working in

solution potash mining and two delisted rigs also

working in potash.

“We’ve been doing that quarter since 1986,”

Mann said about the eff ort to control fl ooding at the

Mosaic potash mine at Esterhazy.

“Th ere’s lots of work in heavy oil,” said Maser.

Th at has resulted in a number of Champion rigs

fi nding work in the Lloydminster region, as well as

Viking horizontals near Kindersley. One Champion

rig has even found its way into southwest Manitoba.

As of Aug. 18, six Champion rigs were working in

Saskatchewan.

“Th e Viking play has been a good play at Kinder-

sley and Kerrobert,” Maser said, adding the number

of Champion rigs in Saskatchewan could soon rise

to eight.

Th ree of Ensign’s new ADR (automated drilling

rig) are at work in the play. Using an electric top-

drive on top of massive hydraulic cylinders, the de-

sign gets rid of most of the muscle work on a rig.

Another ADR rig will be coming to southeast Sas-

katchewan.

“We’re building an ADR designated for Big Sky

for delivery before the end of the year,” Mann said,

adding for the most part, new rigs from Ensign are

ADRs. Page B21

Big Sky fully booked until breakup 2012

Crew members of Ensign Big Sky Rig 37 secures the kelly for transport.


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Ensign to offer directional drilling Page B20

“Automated is the

way of the future.”

Th e majority of the

work these days is in-

fi eld drilling, with not

as many tight holes as

before.

During the middle

of last winter, a discus-

sion with the same Big

Sky representatives fo-

cused on the shortage

of workers available. Yet

now the division is run-

ning with all its rigs ac-

tive. Where did they fi nd

the people?

“We do recruiting all

over the world,” Mann

said.

“Prior to breakup,

utilization was 100 per

cent. It’s getting those

people to come back,”

Maser added.

Lots of workers

have come from Mani-

toba, Mann said, along

with British Columbia,

northern Saskatchewan,

and even other compa-

nies.

With rigs work-

ing close to Regina, it’s

easier to draw hands

for those rigs, he noted.

Th ere are lot of rig hands

from Regina and Saska-

toon.

Th e majority of their

rigs have swing crews.

For those that don’t, a

couple of days break

may take place between

wells.

If utilization stays

high, you can keep

steady hands, according

to Mann. After the long

breakup, everyone was

itching to get back work.

Th eir last rig to be ac-

tivated, Rig 72, went to

work in mid-August.

“It was hard on

people. Th ey had no-

where else to go. It was

so widespread,” Maser

said of the spring and

early summer slowdown.

Western Canada had

slowed down “big time.”

Mann had plenty of

calls from men looking

to go to work.

Accommodations

have been a serious issue

in southeast Saskatch-

ewan, and will likely be

even more pressing with

the strong activity levels

anticipated this winter.

“It makes it diffi -

cult to bring people in,”

Mann said.

Big Sky person-

nel will often use open

camps and hotel rooms

if needed, but it’s an em-

ployee’s decision where

they lay their head. “We

leave it up to them,” he

said.

Directional drillers“We’ve expanded

our Ensign Atlantic Di-

rectional Drilling into

southeast Saskatchewan.

It’s really new. A few lo-

cal guys have come to

work down here,” Mann

said. “Th ere are fi ve guys

so far with intentions to

expand.”

Th e directional drill-

ers will be based out of

Oxbow. Th ey started

work after road bans

were lifted.

Ensign purchased

Atlantic Directional Inc.

in early January. At the

time it operated 14 di-

rectional drilling systems

in the Western Canadian

Sedimentary Basin, ac-

cording to Nickle’s Daily Oil Bulletin.

United Way fundraiserTh is fall Big Sky will

be launching its annual

fundraiser in support of

the United Way. Last

year the company raised

$96,000 for the Estevan

United Way, including

Ensign’s matching do-

nation. Th e project will

begin in mid-September

with a kick-off commu-

nity barbecue.

Rick Mann, left, Big Sky’s operations manager, and Darryl Maser, right, general manager for Ensign Drilling Partnership’s Champion Drilling and Big Sky Drilling divisions.


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Calgary – Precision Drilling Cor-

poration expects orders for its contract

drilling service to spike for the remain-

der of the year with pent-up customer

demand from a wet spring in Western

Canada and active oil and gas drilling

in the United States.

Precision expects to have an aver-

age of approximately 124 rigs com-

mitted under term contracts in North

America in the third quarter of 2011,

an average of 110 contracts for the

fourth quarter, and 87 for the fi rst

quarter of 2012.

Th e growing demand for oil and

gas liquids is being met with the on-

going delivery of 39 new Tier 1 Su-

per Series drilling rigs including nine

from a 2010 new build program and

30 slated this year.

“While Precision’s Canadian activ-

ity was frustrated by an exceptionally

wet spring, our U.S. operations con-

tinued to deliver strong results during

the second quarter,” said Kevin Neveu,

Precision’s president and chief execu-

tive offi cer in a second quarter news

release on July 22.

“Indications from our customers

are highly encouraging; demand for

Precision’s services in Canada and the

United States will continue the up-

ward trend of the last several quarters

as oil and gas liquids drilling and well

servicing activity continues to grow.

“Th e customer drilling programs

delayed by the wet Canadian spring

have served to further enhance de-

mand for the second half of the year as

the weather improves.”

Th e strong demand for Precision’s

high performance Tier 1 and Tier 2

rigs is refl ected by increasing day rates

and interest in new build Super Series

rigs.

Of the 21 rigs booked during the

second quarter, 18 of those are fully

contracted and a further two new

builds were contracted in the fi rst three

weeks of July, increasing the company’s

2011 new build program to 30.

Precision reports that 16 of the 30

new build rigs are scheduled to be de-

ployed in the Canadian market and 14

in the U.S. over the next 12 months.

“Th e 39 new build Tier 1 Super

Series rigs announced over the past 12

months confi rms our customers’ confi -

dence in the long-term sustainability

and growth of oil and natural gas liq-

uids rich drilling in North America,”

said Neveu.

Precision reports that demand re-

mains very strong for additional Tier 1

Super Series rigs for both Canada and

the U.S. with high drilling activity this

year on both sides of the border.

Precision believes that customer

demand, specifi cally for customers op-

erating in the Bakken, Eagle Ford and

Permian Basin will result in additional

new build rig opportunities through-

out 2011.

Oil plays in Canada, such as the

Cardium, Viking and heavy oil, will

provide the additional opportunities

for new build rigs during the year. Pre-

cision continues to see attractive op-

portunities to upgrade lower tier rigs.

Th e increase in oil and liquids

rich natural gas drilling in areas like

the Permian Basin, Bakken and Eagle

Ford have been strong and the U.S. oil

rig count as at July 15 was 73 per cent

higher than it was a year ago.

Precision has more equipment

working in oil related plays than at any

other time in the last 20 years, while

approximately 35 per cent of Preci-

sion’s active rig count is drilling for

natural gas targets.

Precision’s average active rig count

in the U.S. for the second quarter of

2011 was up two rigs over the fi rst

quarter of 2011 and 16 per cent over

the same period in 2010.

In Canada, Precision averaged 46

rigs operating during the second quar-

ter of 2011, up from 40 rigs during the

second quarter of 2010.

Precision says it expects to have

over 130 rigs working once the ground

dries suffi ciently to facilitate the move-

ment of rigs. Page B23

Precision’s new rig builds on the rise


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Page B22“Th e high activity levels expected

later this year and next winter in Can-

ada will likely create labour challenges

for the oilfi eld services industry, “said

Neveu.

“We believe Precision is uniquely

positioned to meet the challenge of

the imminent labour shortage with

well-staff ed fi eld operations support-

ed by employee retention, recruiting,

training and leadership development

programs.”

For 2011, based on current drill-

ing rig contracts, Precision has an av-

erage of 39 rigs in Canada under term

contract, 75 in the U.S. and two in

Mexico.

For 2012, Precision currently has

term contracts in place for an average

of 67 rigs, with 38 in Canada and 29 in

the U.S. and Mexico.

Precision spent $179 million of its

2011 capital budget of $841 million by

the end of the second quarter.

A total of $484 million is slated

for expansion capital and includes the

cost to complete the drilling rigs from

the 2010 new build rig program and

the new build rigs for 2011.

Th e total capital expenditures also

include an estimated $216 million to

upgrade 15 to 20 rigs in 2011 and to

purchase long lead time items for the

company’s capital inventory.

Long lead time items include top

drives, masts, and engines that can be

used for North American or interna-

tional new build rig opportunities and

rig tier upgrades.

An additional $183 million of

capital expenditures is expected to

carry forward to 2012 to complete the

2011 new build rig program.

High drilling level expected

Precision Drilling is go-ing full bore now, and building more rigs to boot.

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Carlyle’s John Read was inducted into the Sas-katchewan Petroleum In-dustry Hall of Fame dur-ing the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn on June 1. Here is his biog-raphy, as presented during the induction ceremony:

John Read was born

and raised in Carlyle,

Saskatchewan. John

graduated from the Uni-

versity of Saskatchewan

in 1970 with a B.Sc. in

mechanical engineering.

He spent several

years in the fi eld do-

ing engineering work

for a number of oil and

gas companies. Th en,

in 1974 Read accepted

an off er to join a new

start-up company, Colt

Engineering. Over his

career with Colt, he held

various engineering and

project management

positions, was general

manager of one of the

engineering divisions

and was the founding

general manager of Cord

Projects, Colt’s construc-

tion division.

In 1983, Read as-

sumed the role of presi-

dent and CEO of the

Colt Companies, a posi-

tion he held until 2006

when he retired. Dur-

ing this time, the Colt

Companies became one

of Canada’s leading en-

gineering and construc-

tion fi rms with 4,500

employees in Calgary,

Edmonton, Sarnia, To-

ronto and Anchorage,

Alaska.

Although his re-

sume claims that he is

retired, Read stays too

busy to use that word.

His current directorships

include Canadian Oil

Sands, Oilsands Quest,

PFB Corporation, An-

terra Energy Inc and

Axia Netmedia Corp.

During his career

Read has participated in

numerous industry and

business organizations

including the Alberta

Chamber of Resources,

the Oilsands Task Force,

past director of the Bi-

Provincial Upgrader and

Young President’s Orga-

nization. He is currently

a member of the World

President’s Organiza-

tion.

Read’s community

service includes United

Way of Calgary, past di-

rector and Chairman of

Alpine Canada skiing

association. He is cur-

rently president and a

trustee of the Manning

Innovation Awards.

In his free time,

Read enjoys hunting,

fi shing, and riding his

hog! He and a couple of

buddies recently com-

pleted a week-long mo-

torcycle odyssey from

Palm Springs, Califor-

nia, to Calgary.

John Read and his

wife Sandy have two

sons and one grandson.

Colt Companies former CEO honoured

John Read (right), shakes the hand of Premier Brad Wall during his induction into the Saskatch-ewan Petroleum of Fame.


Saskatoon’s Charlie Fischer was in-ducted into the Saskatchewan Petroleum Industry during the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn on June 1. Here is his biography, as presented during the induction ceremony:

Charles Fischer was born in Sas-

katoon and attended the University of

Calgary, graduating in chemical engi-

neering.

Like many of our recipients today,

Fischer started his career working in

the engineering end of the oil business,

working for companies such as Dome

Petroleum and Hudson’s Bay Oil and

Gas. He eventually returned to school

and in 1982, after fi ve years of night

school while holding down a full-time

job, Charlie earned his MBA from the

University of Calgary.

Fischer served in increasingly se-

nior roles in companies such as Bow

Valley Industries, TransCanada Pipe-

lines, Encor Energy, Talisman Energy

and Nexen. On June 1, 2001 Charlie

was appointed president and chief ex-

ecutive offi cer, a position he held until

his retirement in 2008.

Fischer remains active in the in-

dustry through his role on the boards of

Pure Technologies Ltd. and Enbridge

Inc. He also serves on the boards of

the Climate Change and Emission

Management Corporation (CCEMC)

and Alberta Innovates – Energy and

Environment Solutions. On the na-

tional front, Fischer is a participant in

the Clean Energy Dialogue between

the governments of Canada and the

United States, co-chairing the Carbon

Capture and Storage discussions.

Fischer is very active in the com-

munity. He sits on the Dean’s Advisory

Council for the Faculty of Medicine at

the University of Calgary. He is chair

of the Hull Child and Family Founda-

tion, chair of the Honourary Patrons’

Council for the Alberta Children’s

Hospital Foundation, vice-chair of

the Canada West Foundation, a mem-

ber of the Calgary Airport Author-

ity Business Development Advisory

Council, and a special adviser to SAIT

Polytechnique, supporting their capi-

tal campaign.

Fischer and his wife Joanne have

a simple philosophy about community

service: they believe in leaving things

better than they found them. He has

achieved this in spades.

Fischer co-chaired a capital cam-

paign which raised over $50 million

to support a new Alberta Children’s

Hospital in Calgary. He is a past board

member of the Canadian Olympic

Development Authority (CODA) and

the McMahon Stadium Society.

Fischer has received extensive

recognition for his eff orts. He has re-

ceived numerous awards and distinc-

tions from the University of Calgary,

including their Faculty of Manage-

ment’s MAX Award, the Hal Godwin

Award for Excellence in International

Business, the Faculty Association Rec-

ognition Award, the Haskayne School

of Business Distinguished Leader

Award, an Honourary Doctor of Laws

degree and the university’s Canadian

Engineering Leader Award.

Fischer’s other distinctions include

the Association of Fund Raising Pro-

fessionals’ Generosity of Spirit Award,

the President’s Award from Calgary’s

Strategic Leadership Forum, the Pres-

ident’s Partnership Award from the

Southern Alberta Institute of Tech-

nology, the 2005 Business Person of

the Year by Alberta Venture magazine,

the 2009 Resource Person of the Year

Award from the Alberta Chamber of

Resources and the 2009 Canadian En-

ergy Person of the Year by the Energy

Council of Canada. Most recently,

in April, 2010 Charlie received the

Woodrow Wilson Award for Corpo-

rate Citizenship.

Fischer is married to Joanne Cuth-

bertson, Chancellor of the University

of Calgary. Th ey have two daughters,

Kate and Lindsay. He enjoys tennis,

skiing and golf for relaxation.

Saskatoon engineer rises to head of Nexen

Charlie Fischer spoke on behalf of the hall of fame inductees, saying if you create the right environment, people will make investments and create jobs.

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Suzanna NostadtVice President

Bruce PalmerService Manager

Shaunavon - Th e Canalta Group and Th e Town

of Shaunavon confi rmed on Aug. 3 that a develop-

ment agreement has been reached to develop a new

Canalta Hotel in the community.

Shaunavon has been seeing extraordinary growth

in the oilpatch as of late, as reported in the August

edition of Pipeline News. Accommodations are a key

limiting factor for the area.

Th e Canalta Group is based in Drumheller, Al-

berta and has recently opened Canalta Hotel Prop-

erties in Weyburn, Moosomin, Tisdale and Hum-

boldt. Canalta will also open another Canalta-brand

hotel in Melfort in September 2011. Th e company’s

strategy to date has been building in smaller centres,

as opposed to the larger cities.

Th e Shaunavon Canalta Hotel is expected to

cost approximately $8 million and will be located

on the southwest corner of Highway 37 and Th ird

Avenue.

Th e three-storey Shaunavon Canalta will feature

57 premium guest rooms, whirlpool and steam room,

business centre, meeting room and fi tness facility. All

their new properties now include an outdoor barbe-

cue pad and stand for guests to barbecue their own

food.

Th at’s close to size of the twin Melfort and Tis-

dale facilities, which have 67 rooms each.

Construction on the project will start in October

2011, with the hotel opening scheduled for August

2012.

Once completed, the Canalta Hotel will employ

up to 20 persons. Th e project will also employ an-

other 50 or more workers while under construction.

Th e Canalta Group is a family-owned hospital-

ity company that owns and operates over 33 hotels

operating under the Ramada, Super 8, Travelodge

and Canalta banners. It established a beachhead in

Saskatchewan several years ago when it built a Ra-

mada in Weyburn, soon followed by its fi rst “Can-

alta” branded hotel next door.

Th e Canalta Group also owns and operates Bos-

ton Pizza and A & W restaurants along with Can-

alta’s own brands, namely O’Shea’s Eatery & Ale

House and Pros & Joes Sports Lounge.

Beginning with one hotel in 1979, the company

has grown dramatically in the past 30 years and to-

day employs over 2,000 persons across Alberta and

Saskatchewan.

“We have been on a steady expansion over the

past 15 years,” said Harry Hamilton, Canalta direc-

tor of construction and development.

“We design, build and operate all of our prop-

erties and moved into Saskatchewan four years ago.

We had a number of hotel guests and corporate cli-

ents asking us desperately to develop in Saskatch-

ewan. We like the business climate in Saskatchewan

and the spirit of co-operation and support we receive

from all the municipalities,” he added.

Douglas Peterson, director of sales for Canalta,

said that they Weyburn hotels have been running at

very high occupancy rates, despite the slowness of

the oilpatch until mid-July.

In early July, they were running occupancy rates

up to 98 per cent right out of the gate. Similarly,

Moosomin’s Canalta, which primarily services pot-

ash development at Rocanville, was running in the

high 90’s as well.


Thank YouThank YouThe Village of Kisbey Council and The Village of Kisbey Council and

residents wish to send a residents wish to send a “heartfelt thank you” to TS&M “heartfelt thank you” to TS&M Supply, Apex Distribution Inc., Supply, Apex Distribution Inc.,

and Sask. Water of Estevan, and Sask. Water of Estevan, Vic Ippolito and Nankivell Vic Ippolito and Nankivell

Trucking of Kisbey for their Trucking of Kisbey for their generous donation of pipe, generous donation of pipe,

pumps and manpower to help pumps and manpower to help move the water invading our sew-move the water invading our sew-er system this Spring. The water er system this Spring. The water was successfully pumped from was successfully pumped from

the sewer lines with only minimal the sewer lines with only minimal damage to a few homes. damage to a few homes. Once again, “Thanks!”Once again, “Thanks!”

Canalta to build hotel in ShaunavonCanalta to build hotel in Shaunavon

The rooms in the Weyburn Canalta hotel are large, and feature either a king size or two queen size beds. Weyburn was the company’s beachhead into Saskatchewan.

File Photo

Canalta built this hotel in Moosomin in re-cent years, and will soon be building one in Shaunavon.

Art Dumont of Kennedy was honoured on June 1 with an induction into the Saskatchewan Petroleum In-dustry Hall of Fame during the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn. Here is his biography, as pre-sented during the induction ceremony:

Art Dumont was born and raised in Kennedy,

Saskatchewan. Graduating from the University of

Saskatchewan in 1967 with a degree in mechani-

cal engineering, it did not take long to start making

his mark on the oil and gas industry. Dumont began

his career with Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. where

he held a range of engineering related positions. In

1975, he became the Canadian vice president and

general manger of Bawden Drilling.

By 1985, he had risen to become that compa-

ny’s senior vice president of operations, responsible

for all the companies operations in Canada, Texas,

California, the UK, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia,

Madagascar and Peru. It was a job that required a lot

of travel – sometimes a little too much travel for his

family’s liking.

Th rough the 1990s, Dumont shared his talents

with a number of companies. By 2000, he had served

as president of Cactus Drilling in Texas; president of

Kenting Energy Services Ltd.; chief operating of-

fi cer for Precision Drilling Corporation; president

and CEO for Rock Bit Company Ltd.; and presi-

dent and CEO of Cen Alta Energy Services Inc.

Th rough most of the 2000s, he served as chair-

man and CEO of Technicoil, a company for which

he still provides consulting services.

Dumont has also been director of many orga-

nizations and holds numerous professional mem-

berships. He was the C.J. Mackenzie Distinguished

Graduate Lecturer in 1998, and has received awards

from the Canadian Society of Exploration Geolo-

gists for Best Paper of the Year (1975) and the In-

ternational Association of Drilling Contractors for

Dedicated and Outstanding Service.

Art is not only his name: he is also a patron of

the arts and served as the chairman of the Holmans

International Piano Competition for several years.

He has also been an active supporter of the Uni-

versity of Saskatchewan. He was appointed to the

board in 2003 and served as board chair from 2006

to June 2010. He is a member of the fi nance and

investments committee and serves as chair of the

governance and executive committee.

Dumont and his wife Bonnie met at university.

Th ey have two daughters and fi ve grandchildren.

Aside from the oil business and the arts, Du-

mont describes himself as a big game hunting fa-

natic. He has hunted bear and other big game exten-

sively throughout Canada and the U.S., and has even

done some wild turkey hunting.


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Art Dumont was inducted into the Saskatch-ewan Petroleum Industry Hall of Fame.


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Calgary – Novus

Energy Inc. is on target

to drill 52 net Viking

wells in the Dodsland,

Saskatchewan area and

complete 46 of them by

the end of September

with just two drilling

rigs running.

Th e remaining wells

will be completed early

in the fourth quarter of

the year, weather per-

mitting.

Th e company will

be dedicating some of

this year’s capital ex-

penditure program

towards the shooting

of 3D seismic and the

potential drilling of a

number of Birdbear lo-

cations in the Dodsland

region.

Novus has also re-

cently acquired a 100

per cent working inter-

est in approximately 55

net sections of land with

rights in the oil bearing

Birdbear formation in

the Dodsland area.

Th is acquisition

complements the 24

net sections of land

with rights in this for-

mation already owned

by Novus.

Successful Birdbear

oil wells in the area are

amongst the most eco-

nomic in Canada due

to high deliverability

rates, large oil reserves

and low drilling and

completion costs, ac-

cording to Novus.

With recent land

acquisitions in the

Dodsland area, Novus

now controls 115.25

net sections of Viking

rights, and has identi-

fi ed 592 net Viking oil

drilling locations.

Th e Calgary-based

junior oil and gas com-

pany is optimistic it

will meet its year end

exit production rate

of 3,000 barrels of oil

equivalent with its on-

going drilling spurt af-

ter a wet spring slowed

fi eld operations for the

industry in southern

and central Saskatch-

ewan.

In a news update

in mid-July, Novus re-

ported it had drilled 26

Viking wells in Dod-

sland with 17 of 20

wells completed and

producing, with the rest

to follow.

Drilling and com-

pletion costs in the

Dodsland area continue

to meet the company’s

budgeted fi gures of

$850,000 per well.

Th e company ex-

pected to provide a

further operations up-

date in August, as more

wells were completed,

and more production

data is being collected

in what is shaping up to

be a busy third quarter.

Novus is also excit-

ed about the prospects

for its Flaxcombe prop-

erties in the Dodsland

region west of Kinder-

sley.

Th e company has

determined that these

previously undrilled

lands are characterized

by two distinct cycles in

the Viking formation.

Novus has now

drilled two horizon-

tal wells targeting the

lower cycle this year,

and one horizontal well

targeting the upper for-

mation.

Th e initial pressure

on these wells was in

excess of 7,500 kilopas-

cals which is amongst

the highest pressures

the company has re-

corded in any of its Vi-

king wells drilled thus

far.

Th e three wells had

all been producing for

in excess of 30 days up

to the July 17 news up-

date and demonstrated

estimated fi eld level av-

erage production rates

per well of 74 bpd for

that 30 day period.

Novus has mapped

over 10 sections of its

land where both cycles

are present and expects

this area to signifi cantly

add to its existing drill-

ing inventory of 592

net Viking oil loca-

tions, and reserves and

production growth as

development of the two

distinct Viking cycles

progresses.

Production from

the recently drilled

wells has exceeded ex-

pectations, and is sup-

portive of the longer

term potential the

company believes the

area exhibits.

This scene of a drilling rig in operation for Novus Energy last fall in the Dodsland region is being repeated day after day this summer as the com-pany is on target to drill 52 net Viking wells by the end of September.

Photo submitted

Novus drillsViking on target, sights Bearbear


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Drilling Inc. achieved

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Second quarter

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a result of growth in the

drilling rig fl eet to 26.5

(net: 24.5) average rigs

available for operation

compared to an average

of 8.1 (net: 7.1) drilling

rigs and of revenue rate

increase to an average

of $28,400 per rig oper-

ating day compared to

$26,500 per rig operat-

ing day in 2010.

During the second

quarter the CanElson

continued to focus its

growth on rigs capable

of drilling horizontal and

resource play wells with

the acquisition of 100

per cent of the outstand-

ing units of Redhawk

Drilling, LLC for ap-

proximately $19 million

(not to be confused with

Red Hawk Well Servic-

ing of Oxbow, Sask).

Redhawk operated four

drilling rigs in North

Dakota which were pri-

marily drilling horizon-

tal wells which aligns

with CanElson’s focus

on rigs capable of drill-

ing resource play wells. It

also adds operations in a

region that is focused on

oil-based drilling activ-

ity.

In June 2011 as part

of the 2011 drilling rig

construction program,

the fi rst of fi ve “purpose-

built” small footprint

ultra-heavy-duty tele-

scoping double drilling

rigs (“tele-double”) was

deployed to west Texas

and the second is sched-

uled to move to a loca-

tion in Alberta during

the month of August. As

of Aug. 11, the remain-

ing three tele-doubles

are expected to be con-

structed and deployed

for over the next fi ve to

six months. Currently

the corporation has con-

tracted or received con-

tract advances on three

of the four remaining

tele-doubles to be con-

structed and anticipates

receiving a contract ad-

vance and/or a contract

on the fourth tele-double

drilling rig.

CanElson’s manage-

ment continues to focus

its rig fl eet on purpose

built tele-doubles as it

believes these drilling

rigs are the most capital

and operating effi cient

rigs for the majority of

resource plays the com-

pany targets. Th ese tele-

doubles are designed for

minimum rig up / rig out

time, lower cost trans-

portation and highly re-

liable operation.

“Th is strategy allows

us to off er competitive

rates through the full

cycle, building long-term

customer relations while

targeting top quartile re-

turns for our sharehold-

ers,” the company said in

a release.

President Randy

Hawkings stated, “Th e

strong second quarter

results during the sea-

sonally slow Canadian

spring is largely due to

developing strong per-

formance based west

Texas operations which

are not subject to the

same seasonality as

Canada. We continued

to focus our growth on

oil and liquids weighted

resource plays with the

acquisition of Redhawk

in June. Th e addition of

Redhawk combined with

our west Texas operations

provides exposure to ap-

proximately 56 per cent

of the US oil directed

drilling market. We con-

tinue to have signifi cant

fi nancial fl exibility to

take advantage of select-

ed growth opportunities.

Presently 100 per cent

of our drilling rig fl eet

is operating in resource

plays. CanElson consis-

tently achieves outstand-

ing operational perfor-

mance through effi cient

operations, well-trained

crews and purpose-built

drilling rigs.”

As of Aug. 11,

CanElson was operating

32 rigs: 18 drilling rigs

in the Western Canada

Sedimentary Basin, six

(net: fi ve) drilling rigs

in Texas, four drilling

rigs in North Dakota,

two (net: one) drilling

rigs and two (net: one)

service rigs in the Mis-

antla-Tampico Basin of

Mexico. Th e corpora-

tion’s owned drilling rig

fl eet has an average age

of less than 5 years and

is all capable of drilling

horizontal and resource

play wells.

CanElson buys North Dakota driller


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Edmonton Alta – Laricina Energy Ltd., a joint venture pilot project partner

of Osum Oil Sands Corp. at Saleski, will advance its thermal technology in the

Grosmont carbonate reservoir with $10 million in project funding from the

Alberta government’s Innovative Energy Technologies Program (IETP).

Th e Saleski steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) Phase 2 pilot is one

of six innovative energy projects to be funded in the latest round of IETP that

is aimed at establishing Alberta as a world-class centre for responsible energy

development.

Th e successful projects were submitted by Cenovus Energy, EnCana Cor-

poration, Laricina Energy, Pengrowth Corporation, and PennWest Petro-

leum.

Th e projects address a variety of research interests such as advancing pro-

duction technologies to produce bitumen in reservoirs that are not yet com-

mercial, better understanding of coal bed methane production, and expansion

of new enhanced oil and gas recovery technologies into previously inaccessible

oil and gas deposits.

Th e six projects will receive royalty adjustments totalling up to $27.5 mil-

lion under the fourth and fi fth rounds of the IETP. Th is is in addition to the

$134.3 million already allocated to 31 previously approved projects.

A previous IETP program pilot at Saleski southwest of Fort McMurray

is enabling Laricina to move from the laboratory to a fi eld project with the

objective of demonstrating SAGD bitumen recovery in the Grosmont carbon-

ate reservoir.

While SAGD has been demonstrated as a successful production method

within the McMurray reservoirs, the application of SAGD to a carbonate en-

vironment presents diff erent challenges and remains untested.

Another project, Bodo East Associative-Polymer Pilot Flood located

south of Lloydminster, which is being carried out by Pengrowth Corporation,

has been approved for approximately $1.4 million.

In this project, Pengrowth will be using an “associative polymer” that is

brine tolerant as a way to enhance oil recovery.

Current primary and waterfl ood recovery has achieved only four per cent

recovery of the original oil in place and the expectation is that incremental

oil recovery using polymers could be improved by two to three per cent over

waterfl ooding.

Polymer use is also expected to reduce water requirements.

Applications for the next round of IETP will be accepted until Sept. 30

with the expectation that successful applicants will be notifi ed by the end of

the year.

Further details on all IETP projects and applications are posted on the

Alberta Energy web site.

Osum’s jpoint venture partner gets $10 million pilot fund

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PIPELINE NEWSSaskatchewan’s Petroleum Monthly

C-SectionSeptember 2011

BRIAN ZINCHUK SE SASK Fast Trucking Photos PIX

CUTLINES:

NOTE: USE ONE OF THESE FAMILY PHOTOS PLEASE

Day Clan 5507

The Day family of Carnduff are, back row, from left, on the truck: Nathan Day, Julia Day, Emily Day, Lexi Day, Lucas Day and Levi Day. Front row, from left: Kiana Apperley, Rachelle Apperley, Den-nis Day, Harly Day, Tony Day, Vi Day, Lori Day and Larry Day. Miss-ing are Linda Apperley, Ross Apperley, Teresa Kyle, Mitch Kyle and Cheryl Kyle.

Day Clan 5519Day Clan 5522

The Day clan, of Carnduff: Back row, from left Kiana Apperley, Lexi Day, Julia Day, Lucas Day, Nathan Day, Levi Day, Emily Day, Harly Day. Front, from left: Larry Day, Lori Day, Vi Day, Tony Day, Dennis Day, Rachelle Apperley. Missing are Linda Apperley, Ross Ap-perley, Teresa Kyle, Mitch Kyle and Cheryl Kyle.

Ops 5547Ops 5549The operations team and senior management of Fast Trucking make sure the trucks know where they need to go. From left are Darwin Duncomb, Dennis Day, Tony Day, Larry Day and Laurie Connelly.

No one drills until No one drills until the rig is movedthe rig is moved

Story and photos by Brian Zinchuk

Carnduff – Th e huge truck with the biggest tires

you could possibly imagine short of a monster truck was

sinking up to its axles. Ruts knee-deep were being dug.

Yet with skilful use of the winch here, a push or a pull

with a dozer there, the components of Ensign Big Sky

Drilling Rig 37 yielded and allowed themselves to be

removed from a soup-hole of a lease.

Welcome to the world of rig moving.

“It took 17 hours to move this rig the last time,”

said Dennis Day, general manager of Fast Trucking. It

usually takes fi ve hours to move a drilling rig.

While drilling rigs get all the attention, they can’t

do anything until they are moved onto a lease. Th at’s

where the rig movers come in. Th eir specialized skills

and equipment deftly disassemble and reassemble the

modular drilling rigs each and every day, and allow Sas-

katchewan to keep drilling for its oil or natural gas.

Fast Trucking Service Ltd. is by far the largest rig

mover in southeast Saskatchewan, as well as the lon-

gest established. It has the capacity to move up to

seven rigs simultaneously. On Aug. 19 there were

nine moves scheduled, and six crews at work.

In at least one case, the second move was

completed before most people would

go for afternoon coff ee.

On this day, Saskatchewan

had 122 active drilling rigs.

Nickle’s Daily Oil Bulletinhad reported two weeks

earlier that a record

had been set at 116.

Th e pace was

frenetic.

“Th ere

are

about 90 rigs today working in Mani-

toba and southeast Saskatchewan, and we’re mov-

ing quite a few of them,” he said.

In the case of the big truck described

above, let’s just say it’s pretty rare. Named

“Miss Kitty,” Dennis calls it a “Tony

Day Special,” named after his father,

company patriarch Tony Day. It’s

an articulating rock truck with a

winch and a bed, also known

as a “commander.”

Th e bottom of the

front end is sloped,

and for good rea-

son. Numer-

ous times,

the truck

has to

slide

up the

berm on

the edge of the

lease as it posi-

tions itself to move

the stubborn building.

“Th at’s why we build

the big trucks,” Dennis said.

Th ey have three such units,

and are currently building the

fourth. Th e fi rst was introduced four

years ago. Asked how they accomplished

the job before with smaller trucks, he said

it took much longer.

Den-

nis spent

part of the day

before dealing

with the replace-

ment of two blown

tires on one of these

units. Each tire comes in

at $6,700, and Goodyear will

only make them if you order

them 20 at a time.

It’s not easy getting such special-

ized equipment, according to Dennis.

“We’ve got a truck similar to that we

ordered in July 2006. It took 14 months to

get it,” he said.

ChoreographyA rig move is a fl urry of activity, like a high-

ly choreographed stage show. Its director is the

truck push, in this case Rick Renwick. With his

radio clipped to his shoulder, he’s constantly di-

recting various units in and out of the lease.

On this job there are four bed trucks, each

with a swamper, and three tractors (semis). Th e

bed trucks don’t have trailers. Using a winch,

they hoist up buildings or components onto

their expansive beds, and then transfer them to

the road for transport to the next location by

another truck. Th ere the process is repeated in

reverse.

You learn to keep your head on a swivel re-

ally fast. While watching a loader one second,

“Miss Kitty” is coming your way the next. It’s

important to keep on your toes.

Page C2Two "sow" trucks move the derrick of Ensign Big Sky 37.

C2 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011

Page C1Th is was revealed even moreso later in the day,

when we visited the assembly of a second rig on a

much drier lease. Th e pace was much quicker, and

the whirr of activity was dizzying.

Th e rig crew assists the rig movers, telling them

where to spot pieces, as well as performing a lot of

the hands on work such removing the pins to lower

the doghouse.

Big Sky 37 toolpush Robert Lumley said his

men help load the loads, and spot loads on the new

lease.

“Normally we can be up and running by three or

four in the afternoon, no problem,” he said.

A moment later one of the bed trucks backs up

to the water tank. Its winch is used to lower the dog-

house into the water tank for transport.

“Because of the conditions, we’re taking it out

backwards,” Renwick said as the “sow,” a massive

tandem-steer bed truck, had its wheels sink one foot

into the ground. It’s apparent those huge balloon tires

are absolutely necessary. Th e ground springs back

several inches as the still-unloaded truck passed.

Th is is a short move, just down the road. Short

moves will use about 10 units, as they can shuttle

back and forth between leases. For longer moves, the

idea is to take enough trucks that they can move the

whole rig in one trip.

“For a hundred miles, you take 20,” Dennis said.

“When you’re really busy, you use them really effi -

ciently.

“A hundred mile move, we like to take it all in

one trip.”

Such moves are not uncommon, as that’s just

two-thirds of the way across the southeast Saskatch-

ewan oilpatch, and not counting southwest Mani-

toba.

Items like pipe pubs go after the main compo-

nents.

“Th ere are about 25 loads per rig nowadays, on

average,” Dennis said. “Th e smallest would have 12.

One rig we moved had 52. It used nitrogen and had

a whole bunch of extra stuff .”

Gin pole trucks are needed to pluck the derrick

off the rig. About 42 per cent of rigs in the area are

of the jackknife design, requiring this manoeuvre to

be performed. A semi is placed at each end of the

derrick. One drives forward, the other backward, to

move it. It’s possible to go up to 50 miles per hour in

this confi guration.

Page C3

Keep your head on a swivelThe operations team and senior management of Fast Trucking make sure the trucks know where they need to go. From left are Darwin Duncomb, Den-nis Day, Tony Day, Larry Day and Laurie Connelly.

PIPELINE NEWS September 2011 C3

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Many components to move Page C2

Between the new and old leases we briefl y vis-

ited a service rig, part of the General Well Servicing

Ltd. fl eet. It, too, is painted green, as is the produc-

tion testing unit beside it. Both are part of the Fast

Trucking group of companies.

PlacementArriving at the new site, it’s freshly matted, ap-

pearing nice and smooth.

Everything is centred around the cellar, dug by

a rathole company beforehand. It’s a large culvert

placed vertically in the ground with the main hole,

rat hole and mouse hole drilling in a specifi c pat-

tern.

Placement of the rig is precise, aligned to a posi-

tion surveyed long before. Th e rig must be level as

well. Some rigs have self-levelling jacks built into

them, useful if the ground is soft and the rig must be

straightened out.

In this case, the shacks are already in place, prior

to the rig arriving. Th e last major component of the

rig to leave the old lease is also the fi rst needed on

the new one. Th e substructure is positioned over the

cellar and main hole precisely. Its matting, with holes

to drill through, must be put into place over the cel-

lar.

Other major components include the derrick and

drawworks. On a jackknife rig, the derrick comes off

with gin pole trucks, whereas a telescoping double

will have the derrick remain on the drawworks skid.

Th ere’s also the watertank/doghouse, combina-

tion building which houses the generator and hy-

draulics, pumphouse, catwalk and Kelly, and typically

fi ve pipe tubs. A shale bin, centrifuge, pre-mix tank,

cement bin and fi ve shacks make up the remainder

of a typical rig in use in southeast Saskatchewan.

Once the substructure is down, the derrick is put

on, the A-legs for the derrick are raised, and the der-

rick is positioned.

Next are the mud tank, water tank, pump, com-

bination building and catwalk.

Dennis explained that in good conditions, mul-

tiple buildings can be done at the same time.

“We move over 1,000 rigs a year. We kind of

know where everything goes,” he said. “Th eir tool-

push knows where it goes. He spots it within inches,

and that’s where we put it.”

Tough business

Th e business of rig moving is a tough one, in

more ways than one.

“In 1985, we moved 103 rigs with 20 trucks. In

1986, we moved one rig four times,” Dennis said.

“I’ve moved rigs as far north as Fort Nelson,

B.C., and as far south as Oklahoma City,” he said.

“We move them all over, but now it’s so busy, we

stick close to home. When we’re really slow, I’ll work

wherever I have to to keep my men busy.

“Th e next days off we’ll have is when it rains or

Dec. 24. We don’t work Dec. 24, 25 or 26, or Jan. 1.

Th ose are the only four days we don’t work.”

Th e Fast Trucking group of companies includes

Sam’s Trucking of Estevan, another rig mover pur-

chased several years ago, as well as Fontana’s Truck-

ing. Th e companies work interchangeably. Between

Fast, Sam’s and Fontana’s, there are roughly 200

people working in rig moving, with 135 trucks and

220 trailers.

Th e company started in 1957 with one winch

truck. Tony Day would “suck on” a water tank onto

his 1954 Chev after the move was done, and haul

water for the rig.

“We used to get $20 a day, working 24 hours a

day,” Dennis said of his father’s experiences.

As for that ’54 Chev? Th ey’ve still got it.

“We could sell our businesses tomorrow. I get

calls weekly,” he said.

It’s not going to happen any time soon, he ex-

plained, noting, “I’m really proud of all my guys and

how hard they work. We have a lot of dedicated em-

ployees and loyal customers.”

Th e company is a family business, but not just

for the Day family.

“Th is kid, Josh North, driving this truck? His

grandfather worked for us. His dad worked for us,

and now he’s working for us,” Dennis said.

Page C4

As the rig comes apart (top), components are moved to the road for transport to the new lease.


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Operations team keeps things running

Page C3Operations team

Larry Day, Dennis’s brother, is the

operations manager. His life is punctu-

ated by the constantly ringing phone,

his tracking spreadsheet, and a map on

the wall with little fl ags pinned on it

for each and every rig. Th e phone may

ring 400 to 500 times a day.

Larry, like his brother, started

swamping, then driving truck. He did

that for close to 10 years. He’s been

working in the offi ce since 1998.

It’s impossible to work in this

business if you are not an early riser.

Typically, morning rig moves start at 7

o’clock, in the summer, 8 o’clock. in the

winter, which means the trucks have

to get to the lease before then. Th at in

turn means the workers have to be at

the shop with plenty of time to get ev-

erything lined up and ready to go with

time to spare. A Ceylon area move, at

the outer edge of their normal operat-

ing area, would see the workers at the

shop by 4 a.m.

Since Larry’s job is to co-ordinate

all that, he’s at work by 3:30 a.m.

He starts the day at his parents’

kitchen table, where he can get some

work done without too much inter-

ruption. His mother, Vi, is still highly

involved in operations, and has been

from the get-go, long before there were

the conveniences of modern communi-

cations. She still handles licensing and

annual permits. Tony is always around

the shop, and is involved in decision

making.

“We do it at the family table, like

we always have,” Larry said.

Someone always stays with the

phone. “If I’m gone somewhere, Vi

tries not to go,” Larry said.

Larry is assisted by the other

members of his operations team, Dar-

win Duncombe and Laurie Connelly.

Th ey, too, are very early risers.

“It used to be me and Vi who did

all the phones,” Larry said. Now Dun-

combe and Connelly step in as well.

Dennis stressed the important of

family’s involvement. “We’ve answered

the phone ourselves all the time. We

do not have an answering service.”

Scheduling“Usually the rigs will phone in and

book trucks three days to a week in ad-

vance,” Larry said.

Th ey will phone the rig the day

before to see if they are going to be

ready for the next day. If so, they make

it onto the plan.

“Th ey may say, ‘We’ll be ready

Tuesday or Wednesday. We’ll phone

them Monday or Sunday morning and

see when they’re going to be ready,”

Page C5

A Fast Trucking worker, right, moves a winch line. Note the massive tires of the bed truck.

Page C4Th e plan was done

on paper for years, but

more recently goes onto

a spreadsheet.

Rig moves are as-

signed in something of

a fi rst in, fi rst out order,

with some variations. If

two rigs are nearby, it

may make more sense

to move them one after

another on the same day

than to jump all over the

place.

An added challenge

has been the weather.

“Th is year, there’s so

many roads closed,” Lar-

ry said. “We had to make

extra miles because of the

closed roads. RMs still

have their road bans.

It’s also important to

be paid.

“Every truck makes

out its own bill and has

its own rate,” Larry said.

“Each driver will make

his bill and give it to the

truck push. He’ll total it

up and submit it.”

In cases where they

bid the work, the as-

sumption is good, hard,

dry conditions. Varia-

tions from that mean

higher cost.

Crews and drivers

need to be assigned for

each move. A truck push

may end up with large

variations in his crew,

depending on what is

needed for that move.

Connelly said the type of

rig determines who gets

sent out. For instance,

a jackknife rig like Big

Sky 37 requires two gin

pole trucks to take the

derrick off .

“Every day’s a little

diff erent. It’s not always

the same crew with the

same truck push,” he

said.

Other Day family

members involved in-

clude oldest sister Linda

Apperley, who does all

the invoicing, and sec-

ond child, Teresa Kyle,

who assists her mother

Vi on days off and han-

dles a lot of the family

obligations.

Larry’s wife Lori is

also involved with the

administrative duties, as

was Dennis’ wife, Car-

men. She helped with

books in earlier years

and now works full-time

is a registered nurse for

home care.

Page C6


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In Memory of Tim FlodenIn Memory of Tim Floden

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The sound is deafening to you and me,But this is a sight you really must see.

For in the air is the smell of crude,Where nothing you say is considered rude.

This is what is called the “Oil Patch”Where boys are men who can’t be matched.

They spin, they run, they also swabAnd most agree it is just a job.

The grease, the smell, the men who toil,And all for the people who need the oil.

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But the men who’re addicted to the sweat and the tongsAre the ones who have grit and really belong.

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Top: A rig comes together near Stoughton. Bottom, "Miss Kitty" works its way out of a soft spot.


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Heavy family involvement

Page C5Th e Fast Truck-

ing group of companies

includes Fast Truck-

ing Service Ltd, Day

Construction Ltd,

General Well Servic-

ing Ltd, Competition

Environmental Ltd.,

Sam’s Trucking Ltd. and

Fontana’s Trucking Ltd.

Forsyth Trucking was

recently acquired. In all,

they employ over 260

people.

Th ere are also two

junior oil companies –

a numbered company

owned by Tony and Vi,

and Runcible Oil Ltd.,

which is owned by Den-

nis.

PerspectiveTony Day stepped

into the offi ce for a few

minutes to speak with

this reporter who has

been tagging along all

day. Now 79, he was

22-years-old when he

started the business in

1957. He fi rst worked on

drilling rigs in 1952.

“I came from out

west. Th ey were drilling

at Shaunavon and Gull

Lake quite a few years

before they drilled here,”

he said.

“We liked farming

and ranching, but things

were slow in ’52. Th ere

was foot and mouth dis-

ease in cattle, and prices

were down. I thought

I would work a year or

two and go back to the

farm.”

“We still farm,”

Dennis said, noting they

have 3,500 acres and 150

head of cattle.

Talking about the

aforementioned ’54

Chevy, Tony said, “You’d

be surprised what we did

with those little trucks.

We hauled the crown of

a triple derrick on it.

“Th ere were lots of

guys doing what I did.

I stayed on one rig for

a while until I got more

equipment.

Page C7

Truck push Rick Renwick directs a bed truck.

Dennis Day grabs a winch line off a bed truck.


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Perseverance in early years

Page C6

“My wife drove

winch truck for me. Wa-

ter truck, too. She did all

the offi ce work, and an-

swered the phones.”

Asked about how

his children became

involved, Tony said he

started them young. “Go

do this, go do that. Th ey

got their licence, then

came and swamped, and

then drove big truck.

“If everything was

good, the roads were

good, and it was not

muddy on the lease,

it used to take use 12

hours,” he said of the

time to perform a rig

move.

“Many days on a

long move, we didn’t

have enough trucks, so

we’d have to make sev-

eral trips. I’d rig up the

last load and it would be

midnight before I got

home,” Tony said.

Attitudes towards

the rig haulers have

changed, he noted.

“One big change is the

oil companies are good

to get along with. We

used to be treated like

dogs.”

Dennis noted it has

been a gradual change,

but has been more no-

ticeable over the last 10

years. Companies are a

lot more patient now,

whereas “If they had

to wait 10 minutes to

move a building, they’d

lose it,” he said.

A lot of competi-

tors have come and

gone over they years.

“About every three

years, someone shows

up, and they’re gone,”

Dennis said.

“It’s been good for

20 years,” Tony said. Of

those, he characterized

11 as average years, three

as bad years, and six as

really busy years.

“When it slows

down, the oil companies

get the drilling contrac-

tors to bill them for the

money, and the drill-

ing contractor won’t pay

you,” Tony recalled.

He has had quite a

few companies go belly

up and leave them hang-

ing. During really tough

times, he said, “We’d

haul hay or any other

loads we could fi nd.”

“In 57 years, Tony’s

never asked someone to

do something he wouldn’t

do himself,” Dennis said.

“We’ve always worked

hard and answered our

own phones.”

As if to punctuate

the point, Dennis not-

ed earlier in the day he

wanted to spend some

time with his oldest son

in celebration of his 15th

birthday. His idea of

fun? Dad driving truck,

and his son swamping

for him.

A derrick and drawworks skid is unloaded at a lease near Stoughton.

The Day clan, of Carnduff: Back row, from left Kiana Apperley, Lexi Day, Julia Day, Lucas Day, Nathan Day, Levi Day, Emily Day, Harly Day. Front, from left: Larry Day, Lori Day, Vi Day, Tony Day, Dennis Day, Rachelle Ap-perley. Missing are Linda Apperley, Ross Apperley, Teresa Kyle, Mitch Kyle and Cheryl Kyle.


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Carnduff – Family ties run deep in the oilpatch, as

evidenced by the Krupka family.

Kelly Krupka is a truck push with Fast Trucking

services of Carnduff , and has worked for the compa-

ny for 26 years. Prior to that he worked with L & C

Trucking.

He was born in Bienfait, grew up in Regina, and

then came back to Estevan where he found he was

“too smart for school.”

After four years of house painting, he went to

work with L & C Trucking for fi ve years.

L & C and Fast Trucking were helping each other

out quite a bit at the time, and Tony Day, president of

Fast, off ered Krupka a job when a position opened up.

He’s been with them ever since.

Fast forward to 2011. Two of Krupka’s three boys,

Jesse and Dillon, had worked with Fast Trucking at

one time, but now work for Estevan-based Red Dog

Drilling.

“Th ey were swamping with us for a while,” Kelly

said. “Guys on the rigs, if they (see guys who) look like

good workers, they hire them away from you. “

Jesse is now tool push (rig manager) on Red Dog

2, while Dillon is a derrickhand with Red Dog 3. Jesse

has been working on the rigs for a little over a decade,

while Dillon has been on them for a little under a de-

cade.

(Th e third son, Shilo, is a welder in Ontario.)

In early August, there was a family day of sorts.

Th e two sons happened to be working on the same

rig, when their father looked after moving it.

Being a truck push means having a constant sense

of awareness of your surroundings. To a newcomer, it

can be intimidating, but Kelly said it’s not so confus-

ing, because he knows where they are all going.

Indeed, his job is essentially directing traffi c, fre-

quently talking on the radio that is clipped to his left

shoulder.

“I tell everyone what to take out, and who hauls

what. I co-ordinate who picks up what,” said Kelly.

“It’s pretty easy when all the boys work as a team,”

he said of his crew. “Most of the guys, they know their

place.”

It’s common to have slightly diff erent crews as-

signed each day. “I get a menagerie of trucks,” he said,

pointing out two subcontractors helping them out

that day.

By 1:30 p.m., they had wrapped up not one, but

two moves that day.

“It’s a good company to work for, and good guys

to work with,” Kelly said.

Th e best part of the job for him is working with

the people. “If you can joke around and have fun dur-

ing the day, it makes it a little better,” he said.

Th e biggest challenge is soft leases, he said. And

in winter, it’s not bad unless someone slids in the ditch.

“At 40 below with a wind, it’s a bit ugly,” he said.

A family affair working and moving rigs

Fast Trucking general manager Dennis Day, left, and truck push Kelly Krupka have worked together a long time. Krupka has been with the company for 26 years.


Kale Williamson of the Weyburn 4-H Beef Club would like to thank John Kmita Ltd. for purchasing his steer Gerald. The

Weyburn Regional Fed Calf Sale was held July 6

Thank You John Kmita Ltd.

CLIFF NANKIVELLTRUCKING LTD.

Kalvin NankivellPresident

Claudia MullisVice-President

Of ce: (306) 462-2130Fax: (306) 462-2188

Box 123Kisbey, SK S0C 1L0

[email protected]

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Boyd's still growing

Tyler Boyd’s company, Boyd Excavating, is roughly ve times larger than it was the last time Pipeline News spoke to him two years ago.

Moosomin – When

Pipeline News last visited

Tyler Boyd of Moosomin’s

Boyd Excavating Ltd.

during the summer of

2009, the company had

recently grown to 17 em-

ployees, four excavators,

fi ve trucks, four gravel

trailers and a lowboy,

dozer and packer. Now,

two years later, the com-

pany is roughly fi ve times

that size.

A Regina location

has been set up. Okay, it’s

actually Pilot Butte, but

it’s close to Regina. “All

our work is in Regina,”

Boyd said.

He bought out a

company in April 2010

that had great guys that

came with it, and had

great potential.

Th at one excavator,

two trucks and a Bob-

cat have grown to nine

trucks and 16 excavators

(including two mini ex-

cavators).

“I’ve got all Deere,

and very proud of it, too,”

he said.

“We run more or

less all John Deere as our

main supplier for both

locations,” he said.

“We do everything

from a bit of facility

work to residential and

commercial work, as well

as deep services such as

18-inch pipe, four metres

deep.

“We do sand and

gravel and have hydrovac

trucks based there as well.

We do snow removal in

the winter.”

Th e company add-

ed one hydrovac in the

spring of 2010. “Soon

after that we set up a

steamer truck. Last fall

we purchased two more

hydrovac trucks,” he said.

All three are booked

at a major facility, but

one was working in the

oilpatch during the time

of the interview on Aug.

12.

New yard inheart of patch

“Oilpatch demand

is pretty good,” Boyd

said. “We’ve got a yard

in Stoughton and we will

be setting up vac trucks

there,” he said.

“We’ll see how it

goes. We’ll start with hy-

drovac. We plan to add

more units as demand in-

creases and we get more

known. We have expe-

rienced hydrovac opera-

tors.”

Page C11


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Page C10Th ere’s potential for dirt work based out of

Stoughton in the future.

“We’ve got a fair bit of work in Swift Current as

well. I’m heading to Leader on Saturday to look at

more work.

“We do a fair bit of environmental work out of

Regina such as gas stations,” Boyd said. Th ey recently

did a highway dig-up.

“We do a lot of trucking. I haven’t seen my trucks

for quite a while. Th ey’ve been hauling contaminant,”

he said, noting the trucking fl eet has been working on

lease cleanups near Swift Current.

“We do dig-ups of contaminated soil and trench-

ing for rigs. We do lots of lease cleanup,” Boyd said.

Last fall they were busy in the Pipestone area, south

of Moosomin.

Th e company also supplies pipelines with sand

and gravel, as well as hydrovac service, steaming and

washing of equipment.

“We’ve got some awesome, awesome guys. We’ve

had good luck hiring younger guys. Without a ques-

tion, we’ve got the youngest construction company of

anywhere I’ve heard of. It’s something I’m proud of.”

Boyd is 23-years-old.

“We’ll be the guys that come in in the middle of

the night, and don’t complain, but work,” he said.

“Th ey go steady and they’re dependable,” Boyd

said of his staff .

Tim Skulmoski is his right-hand man, looking

after Moosomin and then some. He co-ordinates all

the men and helps out in Regina as well.

“Our stance on safety is it’s part of everything we

do, in the shop, or on a job for TransCanada.”

Th e company is COR-certifi ed and part of ISN

Networld.

“We’ve got two full-time, trained safety profes-

sionals. It cost us a lot of money and took a lot of time,

but it’s the best thing we’ve done. Like it or not, it’s

part of your life. Th is is construction. Th at’s the way

it is.

“Safety, quality, schedule, price we’ve taken that

to heart,” Boyd said.

Th e company is running with 75 employees now,

but that’s down from 100 in June. Boyd said he has

been “putting up with a lot less.”

Boyd’s younger brother, Tim, had bought out his

drain cleaning service, Tyler’s earlier venture. Th at has

since been shut down, and Tim now works with his

brother full-time. Tyler describes the 18-year-old Tim

as an “incredible hoe operator.”

Both their parents work full-time with the fi rm.

Lorraine, the mother, oversees the paperwork aspect.

“She’s like our CFO,” Tyler said.

Th eir father, Erwin, also helps out. “He’ll do

whatever needs doing. He’s the same as I am,” Tyler

said. “He fi lls in the gaps, and makes sure everything

runs smoother.

Tyler’s wife, Amanda, does a good portion of the

invoicing. After they had their fi rst child, Charlie,

“She was back to work within a week of having him.

She’s an incredible woman,” he said.

Th e family focus on success is deeply ingrained.

“She brought an awesome lunch for 17 clients on

our 3rd anniversary,” Tyler said.

Uncles and cousins also work for the fi rm.

Tyler and Amanda Boyd recently moved back

to Moosomin after setting up the Regina operation.

PCS Rocanville is a major client for the fi rm.

Boyd Excavating and Tyler Boyd have been

nominated for the 2010 Saskatchewan ABEX Young

Entrepreneur of the Year award, the Canada Young

Entrepreneur awards, and was a fi nalist for the Para-

gon Awards in Regina for Young Entrepreneur of

the Year.

He said, “I really like to stay on top of my proj-

ects and stats. I’m very hands on. I was running an

excavator Tuesday. Last summer I ran hydrovac for

a week.

“You will not see me in a shirt and tie in the of-

fi ce. I’m pretty mobile. I’ve got an iPad and a laptop

in my truck. We text hundreds of times throughout

the day.”

Tyler carries two cell phones at all times, just in

case one should fail.

Asked what’s next? Boyd responded, “We’re in

the process of purchasing another company or two.”

Both are in the same line of work.

Regina location added, Stoughton next


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I leaned on the railing and looked out over

the water. Th e wind was brisk and pleasantly cool

after the hot day, and it moved the hair off my

dusty face. Looking past the anchor to the water,

I noticed the wind had created whitecaps on the

waves. It was the last hours of the day, and the set-

tling sun had cast a rosy glow that was refl ected in

the water.

I gazed skyward. Th e sunset was spectacular,

a visual feast. Birds circled overhead, a few dived

to the water. A cloud of fi sh fl ies hovered nearby,

annoying but harmless.

Th e sound of the waves lapping at the water’s

edge was rhythmic and soothing. A mother duck

quacked for her brood, and the ducklings fought

the waves to follow her lead through the water.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Forget-

ting for a moment my location, I expected the

sharp smell of sea water. Instead I got a strong

whiff of … compost?

My eyes fl ew open. Not compost I realized,

but wet hay. A horn blared and I saw the line was

moving. I was not in a boat but in a traffi c line

in the picturesque lake district of southern Sas-

katchewan. I was waiting to cross the new lake

that Mother Nature had created from rains and

runoff between Midale and Macoun. Th e water

had crossed over Highway 39 between the two

communities, putting transportation on that ma-

jor traffi c corridor at risk.

I checked to make sure the straps holding the

oilfi eld anchor in the truck were secure, and left

the truck railing to climb into the driver’s seat

to follow the vehicle in front. Slowly we, and the

vehicles behind, drove down the highway for the

better part of two kilometres in water that was a

foot deep or more in many places.

It was quite surreal. On the one hand, I knew

that I was on a highway with fi rm footing under-

neath. And yet, through the deepest parts, when

I couldn’t see the road except for the faint yellow

line showing at the bottom of the dark water and

the weeds growing at the edge of the shoulders

poking through the water, I was apprehensive. It

required trust that the road would in fact be there,

and trust that the vehicle in front was actually still

on the road and not heading into a deep ditch!

My trust issues were evidently shared by the

late comedian and writer W.C. Fields, who said,

“You can't trust water. Even a straight stick turns

crooked in it.”

I travelled Highway 39 a dozen or more times

between Midale and Macoun in the six weeks it

was submerged. It provided time for contempla-

tion about trust.

I refl ected on the trust I have in the organiza-

tions and the people I work for and with. I trust

that the loader operator loading my truck knows

his equipment and is skilled at moving large loads.

I trust that the rig manager giving me backing

up directions will not let me hit the rig. I trust

that the boss will keep our trucks and trailers well

maintained. My trust has not been unfounded

thus far.

A few days ago, I was at the dock. I looked at

the anchor. Th ere were neither waves lapping nor

birds swimming. I wasn’t at the beach; I was at

Weatherford Completions. My truck was backed

right up to the dock used for unloading tools, in-

cluding oilfi eld anchors. In the back of the truck,

I readied the sling I trusted to help me move

the heavy tool. “Anchors aweigh!” I hollered and

heaved the anchor on the dock.

Trust me, I like the sling!

Nadine lives in Estevan with her husband and family, and works as a hot shot driver in the oil patch regularly delivering goods in and around Estevan and Shaunavon, and Sinclair and Waskada, Manito-ba. Her mission, beyond delivering the goods quickly, is to have every interaction be a positive one. She can be reached at [email protected]

One Woman’s Perspective on Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of

Land Locations By Nadine Elson

Shifting Shifting GearsGears

Anchors aweigh, my friends, I’ll see you another day


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Redvers – With the

business growing, it was

time to get serious about

it.

Redvers Generators

is owned and operated

by Darwin Fedorowich,

Grant Toms and Chad

Frecon. Toms and Fre-

con both farm, while Fe-

dorowich works with the

company full time.

“When we started

six years ago with two

units, it wasn’t hard for

three people to look af-

ter two units,” said Fe-

dorowich.

Th ings have since

picked up. “In a year and

a half, we went from two

to four to ten. I made the

decision to quit my job

at NAL Nottingham,”

he said.

Th at happened this

past spring. Th ey moved

into a shop in the south-

east corner of Redvers in

May.

Fedorowich has 13

years experience in gas

plants, and he hopes to

pick up some mainte-

nance work with vapour

recovery units. He also

works on pumps, com-

pressors, and reciprocat-

ing compressors as part

of a diversifi cation eff ort

for the company.

“I also fi x competi-

tors’ generators as well,

plus some oil companies

have their own units I

repair,” Fedorowich said.

“We also provide

maintenance for centrif-

ugal pumps, compres-

sors and vapour recovery

units.

Th e fl eet of ten gen-

erators will soon be 11.

Th at fl eet is also being

updated.

Th e generators are

trailer mounted, with

fuel tanks that have inte-

gral secondary contain-

ment. Th e sizes range

from 100 kilowatts to

175 kilowatts.

“We don’t have

smaller ones,” Fedorow-

ich said. “We decided to

shy away from them.”

All Redvers Gen-

erators’ units have Cum-

mins diesel engines. Two

are sound-attenuated

units.

“Th ey run quiet

when the doors are all

shut. We had one close

to a farmyard, and they

wanted it quiet,” he said.

“Th e reliability of those

engines is really good,

and parts are easily ac-

cessible.”

Most of his engines

are purchased from

Cummins’ Regina deal-

er. Th ey used to buy pre-

packaged units, but now

Fedorowich is looking to

assemble them himself.

Th ere are no plans

to operate solution gas-

fi red generators, as they

haven’t had any demand

for them.

“Diesel-fi re is more

consistent, I think,” he

said. “You don’t get the

power out of propane.”

So far, their genera-

tors have only been used

for powering pumpjacks.

However, they are not

limited to that.

“Th ey are reconnect-

able generators. I can

go from 480 volt three

phase to 110/220 volt,”

he said.

Fedorowich is a

heavy duty mechanic

by trade, and has been a

journeyman since 1986.

He used to work as a ser-

vice manager for Prosper

Tractor Ltd., the local

John Deere dealer at the

time. Page C15

Redvers Generators now a full-time affair

When he’s not working with gen-erators, Darwin Fedorowich likes to tinker with antiques, like this old gas tractor.


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Darwin Fedorowich pulls an air lter from one of Redvers Generators’ units.

Small town touch

Page C14Toms handles a lot of

the moving of units, and

public relations. “He’s

good at it,” Fedorowich

said. Frecon assists in

the shop and with fi eld

work.

“We don’t charge a

pickup or delivery fee

within 150 kilometres

of Redvers,” Fedorowich

said. Most of their units

have been used along

Highway 13, from Red-

vers to Griffi n.

“I’ve got one service

truck fully equipped,” he

said. Th at includes a load

bank tester that is “almost

like a giant toaster heat-

ing element.” It’s purpose

is to test generators af-

ter servicing to ensure it

works under load.

Fedorowich likes

to think they have the

small-town touch.

“Th e fellows that de-

liver the generators and

services it are also the

president and PR per-

son.”

Going hardA derrick can be seen just west of Arcola.



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Carnduff – Retire-

ment didn’t last long for

Bob Betts. In fact, there’s

now a company with his

name on it.

Betts had been the

operations manager for

Carnduff -based Totem

Drilling before it was

bought out by CanElson

Drilling in the summer

of 2010.

CanElson wanted

him to stay on and work

in North Dakota, but he

decided to leave. Betts

spent a few months off .

“It’s kind of boring

to be retired. It was okay

for a couple months,” the

49-year-old told Pipeline News.

So Betts asked his

wife, Ann, who ran the

offi ce for Totem Drill-

ing, if they should take

another go at it.

“Th ere’s six of us

in the company,” Betts

said of the new com-

pany’s ownership. Th e

Th orogood family from

Cochrane, Alberta, was

the family behind Totem

Building Supplies be-

fore it sold to Rona. It is

the major backer, under

the aegis of the Totem

Group.

Th ese are the same

people who were a large

part of the ownership of

Totem Drilling. While

Betts is the general man-

ager, Ryan Th orogood is

the president. It’s no co-

incidence the colour on

Betts’ business card is

the same orange as To-

tem Building Supplies’

logo and the former To-

tem Drilling rigs.

“I went back to them

to see if they were inter-

ested in getting into a

drilling project,” he said.

Now the new com-

pany, known as Betts

Drilling Ltd., is building

not one, but two rigs.

A little diff erentTh e fi rst rig is sched-

uled to be available Oct.

15, while the second

is planned for Nov. 15.

Both are already con-

tracted out to diff erent

junior producers oper-

ating in southeast Sas-

katchewan.

Th is time around,

they are doing a few

things diff erently in the

rig design compared to

the predecessor company

Totem’s rigs.

Th e substructure

and derrick will be API

certifi ed to 4,000 metres.

Both of those compo-

nents are being built at

Do-All Metal Fabricat-

ing’s new Nisku, Alberta,

facility. “Not many rigs

around have API-rated

sub and derrick,” Betts

explained.

“Because of the

4,000 metre rating, we’re

targeting the deeper

Bakken plays. Our cus-

tomers seem to want to

extend their legs longer

and longer.”

Th e rest of the rig is

being built at Do-All’s

Glenburn, North Dako-

ta and Estevan facilities.

Th e mud pump will

be a 1,000 horsepower

unit, powered by a De-

troit Diesel 2,000 series

engine, rated at 1005

horsepower. Th ere will

be a one-speed 1,000

horsepower gearbox. Th e

package will be coming

from Waterous Power

Systems in Calgary.

Page C17

New drilling company coming out of the gates

Bob Betts is at it again, ring up another drilling company based in Carnduff.


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Page C16

Some companies

with operations in the

area are incorporating

two mud pumps in their

new rig designs, but

Betts said they are going

with one. “Our area is so

close, we always have a

back-up pump. If some-

thing happens, we can

take that one out.

“If a customer re-

quests it, we would defi -

nitely look at a second

pump for the rig.”

Each rig will have a

single generator operat-

ing at 450 kilowatts. Th e

usual for similar rigs has

been 350 kilowatts. Th e

gen set will have a Cum-

mins engine powering

it.

Th e drawworks will

feature a Cummins 760

horsepower engine.

Th e gen set and

drawworks are both

coming from Southern

Industrial in Weyburn.

A fully hydraulic

catwalk will be standard.

One thing that To-

tem had done diff er-

ently compared to its

competition was the

implementation of iron

roughnecks – a robotic

system of making and

braking connections as

opposed to using human

roughnecks with tongs.

However, that proved to

be a little too diff erent

for the marketplace.

“We had iron

roughnecks with Totem.

We’re going to do some-

thing diff erent,” he said.

“Th e industry just hasn’t

caught up to that con-

cept, and it seems to be

a tough sell.”

He added “Some of

the guys prefer to run

stuff .

“I think I was one

step ahead for our area

to make it work.”

All of the controls

will be wireless, through

a system called rig-

controlled modular, or

RCM. It will still have a

normal braking handle,

but there will be no air

line to the control panel.

“We’re still in the devel-

opmental stage,” Betts

said.

Crewing up“We’ve got just

about enough people

to crew up both rigs al-

ready,” Betts said. “Most

were ex-Totem employ-

ees who wanted to come

work for us. We’re more

[like] family.”

Th ey will start with

three crews of fi ve with

each rig, running eight

hour shifts. Th en they

will hire a swing crew

for each rig, bringing

the total to 22 people

per rig.

Mike Picard is slat-

ed to be the rig manager,

or toolpush, for Rig 1.

Brent Ruthven is headed

for Rig 2. Trent Heiser,

former heavy-duty me-

chanic with Totem, will

also be joining them.

Betts’ younger broth-

ers Bill and Jim will be

drilling on Rig 1. Ann

Betts will again be offi ce

manager.

Th e former Totem

shop on the north side of

Carnduff is now owned

by Th e Competition,

part of the Fast Truck-

ing group of companies.

“We’re building a shop

and offi ce east of Carn-

duff ,” Betts said.

Th ey have 20 acres

to build on.

Th e company has

already started its Cer-

tifi cate of Recognition

(COR) process, and has

its job safety analysis in

place. Th ey are work-

ing on their health and

safety manuals.

“We’ve applied

for membership in the

CAODC,” Betts said, re-

ferring to the Canadian

Association of Oilwell

Drilling Contractors.

Th e area of op-

erations planned for

includes southeast

Saskatchewan and

southwest Manitoba.

“If things go well,

our business plan is to

build up to four rigs.

I’m sure we’d stop at

four this time and stay

a small company,” Betts

said in conclusion.

Sometimes you have to do some serious reaching to grind and weld all the valves on the catwalk.

The hydraulic catwalk for Betts Rig 1 is under construction in Estevan.

Totem group places its bets on Betts


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Doug Annable, a na-tive of Saskatoon, was in-ducted into the Saskatch-ewan Petroleum Industry Hall of Fame during the Saskatchewan Oil and

Gas Show in Weyburn on June 1. Here is his biog-raphy, as presented during the induction ceremony:

Doug Annable was

born and raised in Sas-

katoon where he ob-

tained his bachelor’s

and master’s degrees in

chemical engineering

from the University of

Saskatchewan.

Since graduation in

1969, he has worked for

both operating and en-

gineering companies in

the oil and gas industry,

and has been involved

with the design and con-

struction of many of the

major oil and gas pro-

duction and processing

facilities in Canada.

Annable began his

career as an engineer

with British American

as it was known at the

time. After a brief stint

as an engineer with the

Alberta government, he

seized an opportunity

to move into a manage-

ment role with Fish En-

gineering Ltd. By the

1980s, he had risen to

become president and

chairman of the board of

that company.

Annable has also

held senior roles at SNC

Inc., Canuck Engineer-

ing and AMEC be-

fore retiring in 2006 as

president of the Energy

& Mining Division of

AMEC, a large global

engineering, procure-

ment and construction

management company.

Annable is currently

president of C D Con-

sulting, providing man-

agement consulting ser-

vices to the oil and gas

industry.

Th roughout his ca-

reer Annable supported

and participated in many

industry and community

organizations, including

the United Way, Sci-

ence Alberta Founda-

tion, Keyano College

Foundation, University

of Saskatchewan En-

gineering Advance-

ment Trust Program,

University of Calgary

Engineering Associates

Program, SAIT Control

Engineering Technol-

ogy Centre, the Energy

Council of Canada, the

Oilmen’s Association,

the Canadian Gas Pro-

cessors Suppliers’ Asso-

ciation, the Consulting

Engineers of Alberta

and the Canadian Soci-

ety for Chemical Engi-

neering.

Annable credits his

success with the solid

education he received at

the U of S which he says

made him well ground-

ed in the practical as-

pects of engineering

and business. He notes

that it is often said in

Calgary that the best

engineers come from

Saskatchewan.

Doug and his wife

Charlotte have two

daughters, two sons-in-

law and three grand-

children. Th ey enjoy

travelling, with favou-

rite destinations includ-

ing California, Italy, the

UK and New Zealand.

Solid U of S education provides grounding for inductee

Doug Annable, right, is congratulated by Premier Brad Wall as he is inducted into the Saskatch-ewan Petroleum of Fame.


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katchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn on June 1. Here is his biography, as presented during the in-duction ceremony:

Michael Chernoff

describes himself as a

“creature of excesses”,

the sort of person who

focuses on one thing at a

time to the exclusion of

everything else. Th at’s a

pattern we see over and

over as we look over the

career of a man who has

achieved success in many

areas.

Chernoff was born

in Kamsack, Saskatche-

wan in 1936. He earned

the Governor General’s

Medal at Kamsack Col-

legiate in 1955 before

going on to earn a full

scholarship at Queen’s

University in Kingston,

Ontario. At Queen’s,

Chernoff continued

his record of academic

excellence, earning a

number of scholarships

before graduating with a

B.Sc. in geological engi-

neering in 1959.

Th rough the 1960s,

Chernoff worked as a

geologist for a number

of companies includ-

ing California Standard,

Pinnacle Petroleum and

Ulster Petroleums. In

the 1970s, he worked as

an independent geologist

in Alberta before form-

ing Strom Resources in

1979.

Chernoff ultimately

sold Strom to PennWest

and headed west to

work once again as an

independent geologist in

British Columbia.

In 1987, Chernoff

and his son Bruce founded

Pacalta Resources which

developed successful

oil and gas operations

in Canada, Ecuador,

Columbia, Guatemala

and the U.S. Pacalta was

sold to Alberta Energy

Company in 1999.

In the commu-

nity, Chernoff is proud

that his family provides

scholarships for approxi-

mately 70 students each

year. Th e scholarships

are off ered at Kamsack

and Notre Dame high

schools, several trade

schools, the University

of British Columbia,

University of Saskatche-

wan, Brandon University

and Queen’s University.

As well, Mike and his

son Bruce helped jump-

start the construction of

the chemistry building,

named Chernoff Hall,

at Queen’s University at

Kingston. Th e Queen’s

University website states,

“Established largely

through the eff orts of

the Chernoff family,

this $57 million, 12,000

square-metre, fi ve-fl oor

state-of-the-art facility,

housing labs, classrooms

and offi ces, is the home

of the Department of

Chemistry.”

Chernoff ’s great

passion is curling. In

1959, he skipped the

runner-up rink to rep-

resent Ontario at the

Brier in Quebec City.

He served as third to

Ron Northcott’s Alberta

Brier team at Charlotte-

town in 1964. He was

also third on Ed Lu-

kowich’s Alberta Brier

team that became Brier

champions in Vancouver

in 1978 and was runner-

up at Sudbury in 1983.

Mike Chernoff and

his wife Dorine have

been together 50 years.

Th ey have a son and a

daughter, both of whom

have given them grand-

children. Asked to de-

scribe the focus of his life

today, Chernoff said he’s

“just enjoying watching

the grandchildren grow

up.”

Kamsack man headed two energy companies

Michael Chernoff beams as he is inducted into the Saskatchewan Petroleum Industry Hall of Fame.

Timothy Hearn of Regina was inducted into the Saskatchewan Petro-leum Industry Hall of Fame during the Sas-katchewan Oil and Gas Show in Wey-burn on June 1. Here is his biography, as presented during the induction ceremony:

Timothy Hearn

was born in Regina,

Saskatchewan and

is a graduate of the

University of Mani-

toba.

In 1967, he joined

Imperial Oil as a marketing rep-

resentative and held progressively

more responsible positions in mar-

keting, refi ning, and systems and

computer services. In 2002, he as-

sumed the position of president of

Imperial Oil Limited and shortly

thereafter he was appointed chair-

man, president and chief executive

offi cer.

Hearn retired as chairman and

CEO of Imperial Oil Limited in

2008.

Hearn is immediate past chair-

man of the board of directors of the

C.D. Howe Institute, a member of

the board of directors of the Royal

Bank of Canada and Viterra Inc.,

and a past member

of the Canadian

Council of Chief

Executives. He

co-chairs a multi-

year, fund-raising

campaign for the

University of Al-

berta and chairs the

Tyndale University

fund-raising cam-

paign.

For a num-

ber of years, Hearn

has served on several

community boards and committees.

He is the chair of the board of the

Calgary Homeless Foundation. In

addition, Hearn is chair of the advi-

sory board of the new Public Policy

School and a member of the Dean’s

Medical School Advisory Boards,

both at the University of Calgary.

Most recently, he was appointed

to Advisory Committee of Canada-

US-Mexico Commission for Envi-

ronmental Co-operation.

Tim Hearn and his wife Susan

have been married 40 years. Th ey

have two daughters, one son and

four grandchildren.

Former Imperial Oil president inducted into Hall of Fame

Tim Hearn

Resources Resources GuideGuide


RICK CORMIERManager

Box 609 Bus: (306) 634-8084Carlyle, SK Cell: (306) 577-8833S0C 0R0 Fax: (306) 453-6075www.truetorq.ca [email protected]

516 Nesbitt Drive, Estevan • 634-2631(Behind Power Dodge)

Canada's leading distributor of industrial, eet and safety products.

Proud to provide selection, quality and

excellence to our customers.

[email protected]

www.aspentrailer.com

Aspen Custom Trailers6017-84th Street S.E.Calgary, AB T2C 4S1

[T] 403 236 2244

[F] 403 236 8829

[C] 403 813 6319[Toll Free] 877 236 2244

Lance Wotherspoon

Regional Sales Manager

We Look Forward to

Seeing Our Customers at

the Oil Show

Dwight G. Blomander, CFP, CLU, CH.F.C., RHU• Life Insurance• Disability Insurance• Critical Illness Insurance• Employee Bene t Plans

Tel: (306) 359-2015 • Fax: (306) 359-3034E-mail: [email protected]

Toll Free: 1-855-359-2015 • Cellular: (306) 421-1935Life Licence sponsored by The

Great-West LifeASSURANCE COMPANY

105, 335 Hoffer Drive, Regina, SK. S4N 6E2

LECLAIRTRANSPORT

Lyle LeclairCell: 306-421-7060

General Oilfi eld Hauling

Box 208 Estevan, SK S4A 2A3

461-8471 • 461-8472 • 461-8473

Call: Clinton Gibbons

JUSTIN WAPPEL - Division Manager

401 Hwy. #4 S. Biggar, SaskatchewanPO Box 879 S0K 0M0Ph (306) 948-5262 Fax (306) 948-5263Cell (306) 441-4402 Toll Free 1-800-746-6646Email: [email protected]

a l t u s g e o m a t i c s . c o m

Specializing in well site and pipeline surveys

Yorkton

306.783.4100

Weyburn

306.842.6060

Regina

800.667.3546

Swift Current

306.773.7733

Lloydminster

780.875.6130

Medicine Hat

403.528.4215

Edmonton

800.465.6233

Calgary

866.234.7599

Grande Prairie

780.532.6793

Lloyd Lavigne • Kirk ClarksonOwners/Managers

6506 - 50th AvenueLloydminster, AB

Phone: (780) 875-6880

5315 - 37th StreetProvost, AB T0B 3S0

Phone: (780) 753-6449

Fax: (780) 875-7076

24 Hour ServiceSpecializing in Industrial & Oilfield Motors

Legacy production, earnings up despite severe weather in second quarter of 2011

(Nickle’s Daily Oil Bulletin) Legacy Oil + Gas

Inc. spent less than budgeted in the second quarter

due to severe weather, a period in which the com-

pany recorded signifi cantly higher funds fl ow, net in-

come and production compared to the same period

of 2010.

Production of 10,202 boepd was up 78 per cent

year-over-year, despite severe weather conditions

caused by an extended and pervasive spring breakup

and associated fl ooding, which restricted Legacy’s

ability to produce wells, as well as severely restricted

the company’s ability to drill new wells to off set pro-

duction declines.

In addition, the Quirk Creek gas plant was shut

in for a turnaround for approximately half the quar-

ter, which shut in almost 2,000 boepd of the com-

pany’s Turner Valley production.

Funds generated by operations in the second

quarter of $40.5 million was were 91 per cent year-

over-year, while net earnings climbed 514 per cent to

$6.89 million, reversing a net loss the previous year.

At Bottineau County, North Dakota, three of

the fi ve wells drilled and completed in late 2010 and

early 2011 are on production with an average 60-day

initial production rate of 100 boepd, per well. Th ese

wells have confi rmed the presence of an emerging

light oil resource play in the Spearfi sh formation and

proven the productive potential of a large portion of

Legacy’s Bottineau County acreage.

Th e junior increased undeveloped land holdings

year-over-year from 351,917 net acres to 484,104

net acres.

Page C21

Career Career OpportunitiesOpportunities


OVER 50 YEARS STRONG IN OILFIELD CONSTRUCTIONARNETT & BURGESS Oilfield Construction LimitedOiOiOiOilflflfieieieieldldldld CCCCononononststststrururuructctctctioioioion nn LiLiLimimimiteteteteddddddRRNENETTTT && BBURURGEGESSSS OiOiO lflfieieldld CCononststruructctioionn LiLimimitetedd

NOWNOW Hiring

For more details and other career opportunities please visit: www.abpipeliners.com

Please submit your resume to:[email protected]

For inquiries please call: 403.290.7806

To Apply:Call: 780.205.0780Fax resume: 780.875.7847Email: [email protected]

Driven Energy is a progressive busy oilfi eld service company offering pressure truck and vacuum truck services to the Midwest area. The “Driven” team takes great pride in the quality of service offered and is dedicate to maintaining that stadard.

We at “Driven” are looking for experienced:

pressure truck and semi-vac operators who have that same frame of mind. We offer top wages, new eqipment,

scheduled days off, benefi ts and a great atmosphere to work in.

Quality Driven Quality Driven / / Experience Driven Experience Driven / / Saftey DrivenSaftey Driven / / Driven for ExcellenceDriven for Excellence

Employment and Investment Opportunity

OILFIELD PROFESSIONALA local business is seeking an entrepreneurial-minded, self-moti-vated individual to manage all aspects of the business operations. Company and contacts are well established and has been in busi-ness for 20 years. The company offers a dynamic work environ-ment including a competitive salary with investment opportunities. Bene ts included.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:- Business growth in the oil patch- Promotion and distribution of oil eld products- Management of a small team of employees

Quali cations of the right individual:- Extensive knowledge and connections in the local area oil patch- Proven business development strategies - Skilled leadership and motivation abilities- Exceptional customer service- Ability to work independently- Has a vision of growth and strategies for implementation - Valid safety tickets including CPR, First Aid, WHIMIS and H2S Alive- Valid driver’s license with a clean driver’s abstract - Reasonable investment under $100,000

Thank you for your interest but only those selected for an inter-view will be contacted. Please mail or fax your resume to:

MANAGER OF OPERATIONSBox 950, Estevan, SK, S4A 2A7

Fax: 306-634-7828

Titanium is currently looking for dedicated, responsible:

Mechanical Engineer P.Eng The ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work as an integral part of a multi-discipline design team. The individual must have extensive component and system design experience, good materials and fabrication knowledge, and be results driven. The candidate should have 3+

years fi eld/design experience. Skill with Solidworks an asset.

Titanium offers excellent starting wages, benefi t packages, scheduled days off and excellent opportunities for advancement.

Experience preferred but we are willing to train the right candidate.

Please forward resumes attention:Pat PotterEmail: [email protected]: 780-875-5249

P.O. Box 2062Lloydminster,Alberta, T9V 3C3Or call: Pat at 780-875-1395 780-871-3802

Higher costs Page C20

Th e company spent

$40.1 million in the

quarter, which was below

budget due to the severe

weather. Key projects

funded in the quarter

included the fi rst south-

ern Alberta Bakken well,

seven (4.9 net) wells

in southeast Saskatch-

ewan, road construction

at Maxhamish, facility

work at Turner Valley,

Taylorton and Pierson,

as well as land and seis-

mic acquisitions.

Legacy participated

in the drilling of nine

(5.9 net) wells targeting

light oil with a 100 per

cent success rate.

All fi ve of the previ-

ously drilled Spearfi sh

horizontal wells in Bot-

tineau County have been

multistage fracture stim-

ulated. Th ree of the wells

have been on production

for 60 days, one well was

waiting on a service rig

and the fi nal well had a

mechanical failure of the

liner system and will be

re-drilled later this year,

as it is located imme-

diately adjacent to the

three producing wells.

Results are prelimi-

nary but indicate an av-

erage 30-day initial pro-

duction rate of 95 boepd

per well. However, pro-

duction rates have been

constrained by artifi cial

lift capability and eff orts

are ongoing to further

optimize production as

evidenced by the average

60-day initial production

rate of 100 boepd per

well. Th ese wells have

confi rmed the presence

of an emerging light

oil resource play in the

Spearfi sh and proven the

productive potential of a

large portion of Legacy’s

Bottineau County acre-

age position of 46,042

net undeveloped acres.

Legacy will continue

to produce these wells to

confi rm this positive ini-

tial result and is working

on permitting a signifi -

cant development drill-

ing program for the sec-

ond half of 2011 and into

2012, which will com-

plement the Spearfi sh

development program

at Pierson, Manitoba,

where completion op-

erations started in early

July, with eight Spearfi sh

horizontal wells com-

pleted to date. Opera-

tions staff continue to

work to restart a num-

ber of shut-in wells but

progress has been slowed

by the damage sustained

to the transportation

infrastructure in south-

ern Manitoba from the

fl ooding in the last num-

ber of months.

Our Fishing and Remedial Team is currently looking for a

Fishing Tool Supervisor Sr. to join our team in Lloydminster, AB.

Primary job duties will include, but are not limited to:• Highly specialized position skilled in the rigging-up, running tools in and out of the hole and the related procedures associated with retrieval of tools, drill string, and equipment in the well bore• Supervises the tool preparation activities and operation of all fi shing equipment• Solicits fi shing and rental work• Requires comprehensive understanding of down-hole environment in open-hole and cased hole situations• Work with operations when not on jobs to keep up with new procedures, paperwork, equipment, and price books• May provide technical support to other departments to share experience and subject matter knowledge base; training and development, research and engineering

Qualifi cations: High School Diploma or educational equivalent 5 years experience in tool fi shing 7 years working experience Knowledge of fi shing tool applications required Must be exceptionally competent in drilling and fi shing operations Must have excellent communication skills and abide by all safety requirements Excellent leadership, decision making and customer relation skills are required

Interested applicants may submit a resume to:[email protected] quoting reference number CAN-11-SVS-078.

We wish to thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

SMITH ServicesA Schlumberger Company

Oilfield Construction Company Requires

email: [email protected] 780-875-7684 or phone:780-875-8764

LaborersOperatorsForeman

WeldersPipefittersMechanics

Tickets an Asset

HELP WANTED

Do you want to work for a progressive company that takes safety seriously and uses today’s newest technologically advanced equipment? If your answer is “yes”, we are interested in talking to you!We are currently seeking to fi ll the following positions in the Provost, Consort and Lloydminster areas.

Well Servicing Division

Slant Rig Crew for Contract WorkVertical Rig: Derrickhands & Floorhands

All applicants must have a valid driver’s license, as well as all of the required industry training for the position they are applying for. We offer higher than industry standard wages, an exceptional employee benefi ts package, several employee incentive programs and unlimited opportunity for advancement.

If you want to grow with a company where you are known by your name and not your employee number, please forward your resume to:

CWC WELL SERVICESBox 1360

3803 52nd AveProvost, AB T0B 3S0


Quality people delivering quality service.

Building Leaders.Driving Success.

“We Are One Of Alberta’s Best Workplaces In 2011”

Flint is an industry leader in oil eld hauling by providing the highest quality service and safety when it comes to drilling rig moving, service rig moving, off-road hauling and specialized heavy hauling. We are currently seeking applicants for the following full-time positions in Alberta & British Columbia:

Our bene ts package and training and development programs are one of the key reasons why candidates choose Flint as their employer of choice’. Flint provides employees with all of the tools they need to grow and excel both personally and professionally.

Apply now at www. intenergy.jobs or call our Recruitment Toll-Free line at 1-866-GO-FLINT (1-866-463-5468)

Thank you to all who apply; only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Truck Drivers - Class 1• Winch tractor, bed truck -truck or boom truck

experience will be considered an asset• Off road experience will be considered an asset• We provide on-the-job mentoring program for

the right candidates

RIG HANDS WANTEDIronhand Drilling is a growth orientated company that was founded and built around its most valued asset, its people. As a result, we are continually pursuing enthusiastic, self-motivated, positive candidates that will assist in complimenting the Ironhand team. Ironhand presently operates 7 – Telescopic Doubles ranging in size from 3200m to 3600m.

Immediately hiring all positions for new conventional doubles. No experience required for entry level. Must have valid H2S and other applicable safety tickets. Competitive wages, full bene ts & RRSP program.

Apply online for a career with Ironhand Drilling at

www.ironhanddrilling.com or fax resume & tickets to 403-237-9444

is an industry leader in Safety Services and is currently seeking

Safety Personnelto keep up with increasing customer demands.

If you are interested in becoming part of the TargetTeam and enjoying our growth with us, let us know!

Employment Opportunity

Please forward resume with copies of tickets to:

[email protected] or fax to780-870-5359 OpportunitiesOpportunities

CareerCareerC22 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Rig Welderin Vermillion

Tank Experience

Apply in person oremail Debbie at

[email protected]


CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Journeyman Electrician/Maintenance WorkerExperience with Welding

Equipment. Full timeApply in person or

email Debbie at debbie.hudson@

lmginc.ca

RECEPTIONIST REQUIREDFull time

Microsoft of ce experience requiredBasic of ce duties

Must be a multitaskerPleasant customer service and

overall presentation

Apply in person oremail Debbie at

[email protected]

Platinum Pumpjack Services Corp. has grown to be the largest Pumpjack sales and service company in Canada with operations in Lloydminster, Provost, Drayton Valley, Medicine Hat, and Kindersley. We are currently recruiting motivated mechanically inclined individuals for:

PICKER OPERATORS & SWAMPERSPICKER OPERATORS & SWAMPERS(for the Lloydminster, Provost, Drayton Valley, and Kindersley divisions)

PUMPJACK SHOP MECHANICSPUMPJACK SHOP MECHANICS(for the Lloydminster, and Medicine Hat division)

We offer competitive wages, with overtime, and a benefi t package. Only the applicants who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Résumés, including references, stating which location applying for, can be sent to:

Platinum Pumpjack Services Corp.PO Box 10207Lloydminster, AB T9V 3A3

Fax: (780) 875-7149Email: [email protected]

Class 1A, Heavy Duty Tow Truck Drivers for the Lloydminster area. Full time, Permanent Position.

Will Train. Abstract Required.

Call John or Ginette 1-888-875-8111

orSend Resume to

Fax: 780-846-0005Email:

[email protected]

BRENT GEDAK WELDING

Employment OpportunitiesEmployment OpportunitiesBrent Gedak Welding Ltd. is seeking pressure welders

for 2 full time positions.- Valid driver’s license, H2S and CPR/1st Aid Safety tickets required,

no rig required.Competitive wages and health benefits available.

Please apply with resume by fax to:634-5148 or in person at 126 Lamoro Street (Hwy 39 West of Estevan)

Permanent Full Time Positions

CREW FOREMAN/PIPELINE FOREMAN

EQUIPMENT OPERATOR

LABOURERS

Wage negotiable depending on ex-

perience and qualifi cations. Safety

certifi cates required (H2S, Confi ned

Space, First Aid/CPR, TDG, Ground

Disturbance Level 2). Minimum 5

years oilfi eld experience.

Class 1A license would be an asset.

Applicants should be familiar with

oilfi eld work/construction. Ap-

plicants must have safety tickets -

H2S, Confi ned Space, First Aid/CPR,

TDG. In this position you will oper-

ate trackhoes, backhoes, graders,

cats, etc.

Wages negotiable. Safety tickets re-

quired (H2S, Confi ned Space, TDG,

CPR and First Aid)

Interested applicants can apply in

person, mail or fax resumes to:

McGILLICKY OILFIELDPARTNERSHIP

#6 Hwy 39 East, Box 843, Estevan, Sk.

S4A 2A7 • Fax: 634-4575

No phone inquires please.

Is hiring for the following positions at our Weyburn SK location:

Coil OperatorsCoil Helpers

Essential Coil & Stimulation Services is a company recog-nized for safety and excellence within the oil & gas industry. We currently provide services throughout Alberta & South-ern Saskatchewan. Class 1 driver’s license is preferred, but all class of drivers are welcome to apply. Previous oil eld

experience & valid tickets are an asset.

Essential offers above average wages, job bonuses, em-ployee savings plan, group bene t plan, scheduled days off

& training will be provided for the right candidates.

Great employees are Essential…come see what we have to offer!

Fax, email or drop off your resume & current drivers abstract

[email protected]: 403-580-8906

A vibrant & growing company

CareerCareerOpportunitiesOpportunities

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS! Truck Driver: Must have: Valid Class 1A License, Clean Drivers Abstract, Valid Passport (MANDATORY), Minimum 1 year experience. Winch experience considered an asset! Duties/Responsibilities: Operate Winch truck, hauling to ND, AB and within SK, Some yard duties as required when not driving. We Offer: Full time hours (home most evenings), competitive wages, benefits and RRSP.

Apply by email to: [email protected]

or fax: 306-6374-8388

Career Career OpportunitiesOpportunitiesC24 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011

Lloydminster - Estevan

Apply online today at: www.frontierpeterbilt.com

While Frontier Peterbilt appreciates all applications received, we advise that only candidates under consideration will be contacted. Thank you for your interest for employment with Frontier Peterbilt Sales.

Frontier Peterbilt Sales Ltd. is an enterprising truck dealership with operations in Saskatoon, Regina Lloydminster and Estevan. Our ongoing development and phenomenal growth in the Truck Sales industry are evidence of the company's commitment to offering customers a comprehensive range of products which perform at optimum efficiency and provide valuable benefits.

We have built a high level of customer trust and satisfaction through our new and used truck inventory and parts availability and reliability, strong geographic presence, premium service, and unparalleled value. We have a strong mandate to continue to grow in the marketplace and to provide quality service for sales, repairs, and maintenance.

Frontier Peterbilt Sales Ltd. continually offer opportunities for our employees' career development, we have created an organization and a working environment aimed to attract, empower, reward, and retain the most dedicated, talented, and passionate individuals.

These positions offer a competitive and comprehensive compensation package.

Estevan•Heavy Duty/Truck & Transport

Technician

•Used Truck Representative

•Service Manager

•New Truck Sales Representative

•Lot Attendant

Lloydminster •Branch Manager

•Heavy Duty Technician

•New Truck Sales Representative

•Service Writer

Pumping & Stimulation DivisionIs currently accepting applications for:

Supervisors Equipment OperatorsClass 1 & 3 Drivers

With Experience in:

AcidizingRemedial Cementing

Nitrogen Pumping

For our :Grande Prairie / Dawson Creek Branch

Red Deer BranchSaskatchewan / Manitoba Branch

With some of the newest equipment in the industry and Technicoil’s commitment to its employees, we offer room for advancement, excellent wages & benefits.

If this opportunity interests you and you have a current H2S Alive, First Aid and PST, please submit your resume with

a 5 year Driver’s abstract, to:

Phone: 403-314-3090FAX: 403-309-3320E-Mail: [email protected]

Building Leaders.Driving Success.

“We Are One Of Alberta’s Best Workplaces In 2011”

Flint is an industry leader in oilfi eld hauling by providing the highest quality service and safety when it comes to drilling rig moving, service rig moving, off-road hauling and specialized heavy hauling. We are currently seeking applicants for the following full-time position in Lloydminster, Alberta:

Our benefi ts package and training and development programs are one of the key reasons why candidates choose Flint as their ‘employer of choice’. Flint provides employees with all of the tools they need to grow and excel both personally and professionally.

Operations Centre Manager - Pipeyard

Job Description:• Build an organizational culture in line with Flint’s Vision and Values. • Monitor Operation Centre’s performance against performance goals to ensure progress is being made and corrective action, if necessary, is taken.• Lead people using People Focused Practices, Win/Win thinking and create a positive work environment in the business unit through eff ective communications, performance management and recognition.• Demonstrate excellent leadership & organizational skills in developing positive and productive teams. • Shape and develop the designated area’s strategy and organization including adherence to annual budgets. • Help identify opportunities and areas for improvement within Operating Centre • Advise the Area Manager on strategic business development and key issues that relate and impact the operations of the Area. • Must have 3-5 years experience with trucking or tubular business.

Apply now at www.fl intenergy.jobs or call our Recruitment Toll-Free line at 1-866-GO-FLINT (1-866-463-5468)

Thank you to all who apply; only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Career Career OpportunitiesOpportunities


CAREER OPPORTUNITYAPPRENTICE APPRENTICE

and/or JOURNEYMANand/or JOURNEYMAN

WELDERTop Wages, Full Benefi tsTop Wages, Full Benefi ts

Fax: 780-872-5239Email: [email protected]

drop off resume: 5602 59th Ave

Fax: 780-872-5239

Required immediately to haul

oil/water in the Lloydminster area.

• $24/hour - OT after 8 hours

• Accommodations provided

CLASS 1ADRIVERWANTED

Fax drivers abstract and Resume to:

780-808-8767

PARTS PERSON REQUIRED

• Full time position • Competitive wages

• Bene ts

Email resume to: [email protected]

Fax resume to: 306-634-5066

Brady Oilfield Services LP.

1A, 3A Drivers/Owner Operators

Weyburn, Halbrite and surrounding area.Oil eld Safety Certi cates an asset but not

necessary. Bene ts package available.

Forward Resume and Drivers Abstract P.O. Box 271 Midale, Sask. S0C 1S0

Fax: (306) [email protected] [email protected]

Concord Well Servicingis looking for experienced service rig

hands for work across Alberta.

Minimum Quali cations: · Previous service rig experience.· H2S. · First Aid.· Class 5 Drivers License (air brakes an asset). · Travel and accommodation assistance available.

Apply Now Email:

[email protected] or Fax 1-780-948-3058

Integrity Maintenanceis looking for

LabourersMust have valid tickets

Please fax resume to:1-306-453-2298 Attn: Mark Slykhuis

Or call: 1-306-577-3311

Journeymen Electriciansand Apprentices

PowerTech Industries Ltd. in Estevan is seeking

Journeymen Electricians and Apprentices for work

in the Southeast Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Industry.

Experience: 1 year (preferred) Safety Certifi cates

are needed. 1st Aid/CPR, H2S, WHMIS. Applicants

must have a valid driver’s license. Oilfi eld

background preferred. Full benefi ts packages and

RSP plan.

Duties: Day to day electrical construction and

maintenance in the oilfi eld.

Wage/Salary Info: Depending on experience &

qualifi cations.

To Apply: Fax: (306) 637-2181, e-mail

sschoff [email protected] or drop off resume to

62 Devonian Street, Estevan, SK.

Precision Instrumentation & Supply Ltd.

Box 4, Coleville, SaskatchewanTelephone: (306) 965-2550

Fax: (306) 965-2553

Precision Instrumentation is an instrument

and electrical company providing service

for the oil and gas industry in the

Kindersley area. We are currently looking

for 1st year apprentices through to

journeyman for both the electrical and

instrumentation trade.

Please call (306) 965-2550 or fax resume to (306) 965-2553.

WANTED - Part or full time truck drivers needed

must have 3A or 1A licenses. - Part of full time heavy equipment

operators.Experience and tickets an asset but not necessary should the applicant apply.

Please send resumes by fax 306-685-2267

or email: [email protected]

Southern RangeWell Servicing Ltd.

is looking for:

• Rig Managers • Operators• Derrickhands • Floorhands

• All safety tickets required • Class 1A or 3A required

Work for a company that offers:Above average wages, Excellent Benefits package

Safety incentives and much more

Apply online at www.southernrange.caOr fax your resume to 842-3402

SRI HOMES’ Estevan FacilitySHELTER HOME SYSTEMS

is currently accepting applications for

PREFABRICATEDHOUSING ASSEMBLERS

• Required Immediately• Permanent Full Time

• 10 Available Positions• Starting at $14.70 per hour plus benefi ts

Duties include:• Assembling and installing modular components

Send, fax, e-mail or drop off resume to:

Box 845 #200 Hwy. 18 West,

Estevan, SK S4A 2A7

Fax: 306-634-7597


CareerCareer OpportunitiesOpportunitiesC26 PIPELINE NEWS September 2011

C & N Oil eld is currently looking to ll the following Full Time positions.

· Labourer · Health and Safety Of cer (Carnduff Area) · Pressure Truck Driver (Stoughton Area) · Chemical Circulator (Stoughton Area) · Journeyman Mechanic (Carnduff Area)

To apply fax or email your resume.

Fax: 306-482-5213E-mail: info@candnoil eld.com

C&N Oil eld1411 Hwy. 18, Carnduff, Sk.Phone: 306-482-5105

www.candnoil eld.com

FRACTURING ACIDIZING COILED TUBING CEMENTING

Canyon is the fastest growing Fracturing Company in Western Canada. If you’re looking for a career with a leading organization that promotes Integrity, Relationships, Innovation, and Success then we’re looking for YOU!

We thank all applicants; however, only those selected for an initial interview will be contacted. To apply: email your resume to [email protected] or fax to (306) 637-3379

CLASS 1 DRIVERS Canyon is hiring for the following positions:

SUPERVISORS: Fracturing OPERATORS: Fracturing

SR. BULK PLANT OPERATOR HEAVY DUTY MECHANIC

ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN

DO YOU DO YOU HAVE WHAT HAVE WHAT

IT TAKES?IT TAKES?

www.canyontech.ca

Why Canyon? Dynamic, rapidly growing company Premium compensation package

Paid technical and leadership training Career advancement opportunities

Applicant requirements: Self motivated Willing to work flexible hours Current abstract

Safety focused Team oriented Clean Class 1 License an asset. Must have Class 3 or 5 (training provided)

Due to growth and an expanding economy we have Due to growth and an expanding economy we have immediate openings for the following positions:immediate openings for the following positions: · · Journeyman Carpenter/ Construction ForemanJourneyman Carpenter/ Construction Foreman · · Journeyman Heavy Duty TechnicianJourneyman Heavy Duty Technician · · 1A Drivers for Sand and Gravel Division1A Drivers for Sand and Gravel Division · · 3A Drivers for concrete Redi-Mix Division3A Drivers for concrete Redi-Mix DivisionTop wages, Bene t package, Pro t Sharing and Top wages, Bene t package, Pro t Sharing and more for the right individual. Talk to us soon and join more for the right individual. Talk to us soon and join our team. our team.

Send resume to: Send resume to: Turnbull Excavating Ltd. Turnbull Excavating Ltd. Att: Pat Boyle Att: Pat Boyle Box 788 Box 788 Estevan, SK Estevan, SK S4A 2A6 S4A 2A6

or email to or email to [email protected]@sasktel.net

We’re Hiring!

Founded in 1925 and based in Easton, PA, the Victaulic Company is the world’s

leading ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of mechanical pipe-joining products -

couplings, fittings, and valves with 3,500 employees worldwide. The company is

continuing to experience significant growth and is seeking to add to its staff in

selected territories globally.

Mining Sales SpecialistVictaulic’s standard and customised piping solutions can be found at work the

world over - in small to large commercial and industrial HVAC and fire protection

applications, safely moving large volumes of wet and dry mediums in industrial piping,

oilfields, mining operations and municipal water and waste water treatment plants.

What began as simply a faster, easier and more efficient way of joining pipe has

evolved into a whole new approach to solving piping solutions, setting the global

standard for piping, efficiency and performance reliability.

Victaulic is seeking a talented Mining Sales Specialist to join its team in the Western

Australia Goldfields. The successful individual will focus on developing business in

the Mining markets for all of the company’s engineered products and solutions by

calling on Mining Engineers, Consultants, Owners, Management and Contractors.

If you have a “can do” attitude, some sales experience in an industrial or commercial

market (mining experience preferred), then we want to talk with you.

Victaulic offers an excellent remuneration package including base salary, commission

plan, superannuation, training and strong sales support.

www.miningpeople.com.au

Apply online at www.miningpeople.com.auFor a confidential discussion, please contact Katie Burns on (08) 9091 8882, quoting the job reference KB2135, after 8am WST Tuesday.

Total confidentiality is guaranteed.

Oil and Gas Sales SpecialistVictaulic’s standard and customised piping solutions can be found at work the world over - in small to large commercial and industrial HVAC and re protection applications, safely moving large volumes of wet and dry mediums in industrial piping, oil elds, mining operations and municipal water and waste water treatment plants.

What began as simply a faster, easier and more ef cient way of joining pipe has evolved into a whole new approach to solving piping solutions, setting the global standard for piping, ef ciency and performance reliability.

Victaulic is seeking a talented Oil and Gas Sales Specialist to join its team in Estevan, SK. The successful individual will focus on developing business in the oil and gas markets for all of the company’s engineered products and solutions by calling on Engineers, Owners, and Field Locations.

If you have a “can do” attitude, some sales experience in an industrial or commercial market (oil and gas experience preferred), then we want to talk with you.

Victaulic offers an excellent remuneration package including base salary, commission plan, training and strong sales support.

For more information, please visit our website at www.victaulic.comSend resume to [email protected]

Equal Opportunity/Af rmative Action Employer

THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY

PICKER OPERATORApplicants must have a Class 1 with an A or B

license and a clean Driver’s Abstract. Safety tickets

considered an asset. Must be able to pass manda-

tory drug and alcohol testing. Job involves general

oilfi eld hauling and setting pumpjacks.

DRIVER - OILFIELDHaul pipe and oilfi eld equipment to locations in

SE Saskatchewan. Applicants must have a Class

1A driver’s licence and pass mandatory drug and

alcohol testing. Safety tickets would be an asset.

Duties include: load, haul pipe and supplies to

destination in a safe and timely manner & unload.

Maintain a clean and safe truck.

Some of the many

benefi ts to consider

when applying for

a position at

Bert Baxter Transport

in Estevan:

• Full time, permanent

employment

• Full benefi ts packages

available

• Clean, safe work

environment

Interested applicants can fax to: 306-634-4258 or email: [email protected]


Calfrac has grown from a small oilfield services company to an international leader in fracturing and coiled tubing well services.

Rotational OpportunitiesAs a key part of our strategy, we’ve developed a rotational schedule for our Canadian operations. The 3-weeks-in, 2-weeks-out field positions currently available are:

On your application, please include this code: CWS001

Call us: 1-877-908-FRAC (3722)

Fax us: 1-403-234-6655 Apply online: www.calfrac.com/careers


Sales & Service we provide:

• Industrial & Hydraulic Hose

and Fittings • Pumps & Motors

• Valves • Cylinders

• Pneumatic Controls • Winches

• Pipe Handling Equipment

o Kelly Spinner o Pipe Spinner

o Rod Tongs o Tubing Tongs

“Your Drilling Rig Hydraulic Specialists”“Your Drilling Rig Hydraulic Specialists”

Website: www.wil-tech.ca

EstevanPhone: (306)634-6743

Address: 69 Escana Street, Estevan, Sask. S4A 2H7

Contact Information:

ReginaPhone: (306)721-1559

Address: 259 McDonald St. N., Regina, Sask. S4N 5W2

Services we provide:• Parker Store

• Full Machine Shop and

Fabrication

• 24 Hour Mobile Repairs and

Testing

• Complete System Design

• Hydraulic Crane Repairs

• Preventative Maintenance

• Power Unit Fabrication

pipeline news september 2011

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