The unglamourous side of oil extraction requires innovation

Behold a picture that shows what the “dry season” in Drayton Valley, AB, looks like this summer. The weather forecast is looking like it’s getting better so that’s good, according to Pulse Oil of Calgary, AB. It hopes to get the equipment in soon to the new wells and get the permanent production flowing.

“Once we achieve reasonably stable production, we can update all our shareholders on how we are doing,” the company states.

The majority of our producing wells are tied into pipelines but one well, called the 14-4 well, gets produced to tank and when that’s full, trucks bring it out.

Pretty simple, right? Not in Drayton Valley!

“Our guys felt the road conditions may pose a challenge to our normal oil tankers,” it explains, “so they swapped in a 6-wheel drive truck with flotation tires. No problem accessing site while the truck is empty, not so easy leaving the site with a load full of sweet light oil!” Even our Bigoray “light” oil is heavy when it’s sitting in a truck, it adds.

The guys ended up getting the truck out and delivered the cargo for sale but to say it’s been a summer of perseverance would be a massive understatement, the company says.

“Bring on the winter freeze!” it says.

Link here for more on drilling progress at Bigoray.