Weyburn 鈥� Quick question: what fuels the oilpatch?
If you thought diesel, or gasoline, you鈥檇 be wrong.
Anyone whose worked in the field and has spent time in a doghouse knows it鈥檚 coffee.
And that鈥檚 why Apex Distribution carries it. And sugar. And cups. Because no one鈥檚 turning to the right without their Folgers or Maxwell House. When you walk into the back of their Weyburn shop, it鈥檚 the closest thing to the door.
鈥淩ig crews don鈥檛 want to drive all over town to pick up a can of coffee,鈥� said Trevor Pandachuk on May 14. The same thing goes for five-gallon jugs of water.
Pandachuk does inside sales with Apex in Weyburn. In his younger days, he worked in the field, doing oilfield maintenance. 鈥淚 used to work in the field. I worked in maintenance for Midale Petroleums for 16 years. I turned 40 and realized you know, I鈥檓 too old for this, pulling pipe wrenches in -30 C.鈥�
Back in 1978, he was driving form his home in Moose Jaw to a party in Estevan when he saw a sign for the distillery in Weyburn. He initially got a job there, but eventually ended up working in the oilpatch.
That perspective of having working in the field is useful when you鈥檙e on the other side of the counter, supplying rope, soap and dope.聽
Apex specializes in oilfield supply, but they also have safety supplies and provide a fair bit for farmers, especially during seeding and harvest. The hydraulic hose area in the back is particularly important during those times of the year.
Lately, they鈥檝e been selling some water hoses to famers who are trying to fill up their dugouts, Pandachuk said.
He鈥檚 one of four people working at Apex鈥檚 Weyburn location. Between them, the offer 24/7 on call service. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to a little bit of everything,鈥� he said.
鈥淚f you need it, we鈥檒l have it, or we鈥檒l get it.鈥�
However, sometimes after a request comes in, there鈥檚 a little head scratching as to how they鈥檒l get 鈥渋t,鈥� whatever 鈥渋t鈥� is, but that鈥檚 part of the job. It could be a pallet of water softener salt, or batteries, or hose.
The store is open 6:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l see customers first thing in the morning, then at the end of the day,鈥� Pandachuk said of their busy times, as crews go out or come in.
Sometimes they鈥檒l get called in after hours as many as three times in one day. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 charge to be on call. It鈥檚 a service,鈥� Pandachuk said.
He doesn鈥檛 mind 小蓝视频 called in, because he used to be the guy on the other end of the phone. 鈥淵ou understand what the guys are doing. Been there, done that. It used to be me, making the call,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 much prefer 小蓝视频 the guy getting the call, and not driving the hours to go fix it.鈥�
At the upcoming Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Show, to be held June 5-6, you鈥檒l likely see Pandachuk moving around on a side-by-side. This year, the 19th show, marks something approaching 38 years that he鈥檚 been volunteering for the show, starting right at the beginning.
Pandachuk鈥檚 been on the board for 10 or 12 years, he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good board.鈥�
His role is 鈥渟how services.鈥� What that means is he looks after anything affecting the grounds, facilities, and security. While there are committees looking after different areas, he鈥檚 the overview guy.
Every two years he takes two weeks of his own holiday time to work with the show. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a volunteer thing, and you鈥檝e got to step up,鈥� Pandachuk said.
That involves a lot of 10 to 12 hour days over those 鈥渉olidays,鈥� if you can call them that.聽
But this will be the last year he handles show services. He鈥檚 not resigning from the board, but he will not be doing the same role. 鈥淭revor Sealy is going to take over for me. I think he鈥檚 a good choice. I think he鈥檒l be dedicated.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 mind it, but I鈥檓 tired,鈥� he said. This is Pandachuk鈥檚 fifth show in this role.聽聽
