Roughnecks, Wildcats and
Doodlebugs
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A unique feature of the website is the inclusion of
CKUA Radio Network Inc.'s 24-part documentary and 60
minute video entitled
Roughnecks, Wildcats and Doodlebugs
Part 4: Canada’s High
Arctic - The CANOL Project
In the early days of exploration, the search for
oil and gas was uncertain at best. Taking risks and
accepting losses were expected. Imperial Oil was
serious about looking for oil and, by the end of the
First World War, had embarked on an ambitious
exploration programme that would eventually take its
crews from the American border, north to the Arctic
Ocean, and west from the Rockies to the outcroppings
of the Pre-Cambrian shield in the east.
Aubrey Kerr talks about legendary geologist Ted
Link. Mr. Link discovered the existence of Norman
Wells, 100 kilometres below the Arctic Circle in
1919. The discovery of crude oil wells in 1920 at
the Norman Wells was an important discovery. Its
location, however, was not ideal, and many
exploration crews journeyed to the Arctic by
aircraft. Former workers discuss their experiences,
the impact of World War II on the oil industry in
Alberta and the aircraft used to survey the region.
This episode features the voices of
Bill Allen ,
John Ballachey ,
John Ballem ,
Gordon Connell ,
Walt
Dingle ,
Jeep Hall ,
Alex Hemstock ,
Aubrey Kerr ,
Doug
Layer ,
Fin Lineham ,
Don MacKenzie ,
Fred McKinnon ,
Scov Murray ,
Lauder Nowers ,
Jack Pettinger ,
Tom Wark .
Part 5: Leduc # 1 - The
birthplace of Canada’s modern oil industry
At the end of the Second World War, Leduc was a
small farming community. On Feb 13th, 1947, the
Leduc No. 1 well owned by Imperial Oil struck oil at
Leduc. Hundreds of people watched as 35,000 barrels
of oil were produced in a single day. . By the end
of 1947 there were over thirty producing oil wells
in the Leduc field.
It was a massive find that
almost didn't happen. Imperial Oil, the company that
drilled the discovery well almost gave up looking
for crude oil in Alberta and western Canada
The discovery of a major pool of crude oil at
Leduc signalled the birth of the modern petroleum
industry in Canada. And for Alberta, it was the
beginning of a new prosperous economic era. Listen
as former oil industry workers talk about the
significance of Leduc No. 1 as well as Leduc No. 2
and why it was also an important well.
This episode features the voices of
Bill Allen ,
John Ballem ,
Thelma Cameron , Carl Chapman, George de
Mille,
Walt Dingle , W.J.
"Gibby" Gibson, Ned
Gilbert,
Jeep Hall ,
Vern Hunter ,
Aubrey Kerr ,
Doug
Layer ,
Fin Lineham ,
Scov Murray ,
Lauder Nowers ,
Maurice Paulson, Hal Yurksa.
Part 6: Redwater
The discovery at Imperial Leduc #1 was only the
tip of a huge petroleum iceberg underground. Seismic
crews had turned up all kinds of intriguing data
in-and-around the region. The race was on to tap
into the huge Devonian Reef under the surface. The
second discovery after Leduc was Redwater.
"When Leduc No. 1 began producing in 1947, it
drew many people from the United States up to
Alberta. The Palliser Hotel in Calgary hosted many
of these newcomers until they were able to find
places of their own. As a result, Calgary became
known as the Oil Capital of Alberta. Listen as some
of those ""newcomers"" reminisce about their early
days in Alberta, working in the oil fields.
Following the discovery at Leduc No. 1, the industry
began to invest one million dollars a year and, by
1950, they were investing close to 500 million
dollars."
This episode features the voices of
Bill Allen ,
John Ballem ,
Thelma Cameron , George de Mille,
Walt
Dingle , W.J. "Gibby" Gibson, Ned Gilbert,
Jeep Hall ,
Emily Hemstock ,
Vern Hunter ,
Aubrey Kerr ,
Fin Lineham ,
Doug Layer ,
Fred McKinnon ,
Scov Murray ,
Carl Nickle ,
Lauder Nowers , Maurice Paulson,
Tom Wark .