Above: Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson; Dan Claypool (who worked on site 18 months after discovery); Tim Hawkins, President, Leduc/Devon Oilfield Historical Society; Energy Minister Margaret McCuaig-Boyd; Mark Schools, President, Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors; Don Hunter (son of Vern Hunter who drilled the discovery hole). – GOA photo
by Morinville News Staff
Monday marked 70 years since a crew of roughnecks struck black gold in a farmer’s field on Feb. 13, 1947, launching a second oil rush in Alberta.
The Ministry of Energy recognized the 70th anniversary of the Leduc #1 strike by declaring Feb. 13, 2017 Alberta Oil and Gas Celebration Day.
“The communities and the people who are part of the oil and gas sector have made tremendous contributions to building our province,” said Marg McCuaig-Boyd, Minister of Energy in a release Monday. “We’re proud to recognize this heritage as part of the anniversary of Leduc #1. I congratulate everyone who helped make this industry the Alberta success story it is today.”
Tim Hawkins, President of the Leduc/Devon Oilfield Historical Society said recognizing the Leduc #1 discovery is key in preserving the province’s history. “Celebrating our past will help us build a stronger future, and we appreciate everyone involved for helping make it happen,” Hawkins said.
The discovery of wet natural gas in the Turner Valley in 1914 was Alberta’s only large-scale deposit area known until the Leduc # 1 strike in 1947. The Leduc-Woodbend oilfield was designated a national historic site in 1990. Until it’s decommissioning in 1974, Leduc #1 produced an estimated 317,000 barrels of oil and 323 million cubic feet of natural gas. The Leduc-Woodbend oilfield has produced more than 300 million barrels of oil.
