Estevan鈥� 小蓝视频east Saskatchewan鈥檚 newest drilling company, Stampede Drilling, has been fortunate over the past year, often having all three of its rigs at work at the same time.
They鈥檙e humble about it, but Stampede has had one of the highest utilization rates in Saskatchewan over the past year, if you follow rig activity on Pipeline News鈥� sister publication Rig Locator (riglocator.ca). Stampede was also one of the companies the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC) recommended we call when we asked about activity in Saskatchewan.
鈥淥ur utilization has been quite well,鈥� said Jackie White, who, along with Bill Devins, look after the management of Stampede (they really, really don鈥檛 like titles).听
鈥淚t鈥檚 been strong. We鈥檝e run a tight ship,鈥� she said.
Devins said, 鈥淲e鈥檝e always been tight.鈥�
White noted the industry has seen a roller coaster in the last year. 鈥淲e鈥檙e prepared for the worst case scenario,鈥� she said.
When it comes to price concessions that have been a fact of life throughout the industry, she noted, 鈥淲e never took advantage of the high prices.鈥�
For a while this past summer Stampede Rig 1 could be found just outside of Saskatoon, drilling a 30-day well for the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.
Devins said that well was helpful for their company at the time, a nice addition to their agenda. 鈥淚t was a good experience. Our safety cultures meshed really nicely. Our COR (Certificate of Recognition) came through at the same time.鈥�
鈥淚t brought our three years of safety management into full view,鈥� he added, crediting White, who looks after Stampede鈥檚 safety program.
Despite having a strong year, Stampede did see a slowdown in September, when the rig count for the entire province dropped to 17.
鈥淭here was a lull there for about two-and-a-half weeks,鈥� Devins said. 鈥淲e never saw a time when all three rigs shut down.鈥�
White noted during that slowdown, 鈥淓verybody was ready for goose hunting season.鈥�
Stampede has been able to keep its staff through this year that has been tough on the industry. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 lost anybody. If anything, we鈥檝e gained,鈥� Devins said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e booking into the first quarter of 2016 today for all three rigs.鈥�
White added they don鈥檛 have a stack of resum茅s on their desk. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the same phone calls as two years ago,鈥� she said.
Devins countered, 鈥淚 would say we had more resum茅s two years ago.鈥�
听
Traffic lights needed on Estevan bypass, says Stampede Drilling
听
Ask Bill Devins and Jackie White of Stampede Drilling about the new Estevan truck bypass, and you鈥檙e likely to get an earful. That鈥檚 because in early October they witnessed a woman make a left turn onto Highway 39 at the intersection on the east end of the bypass. She nearly got hit by a semi running without a trailer.
They are both concerned about the possibility of a fatality at the key intersections of the new truck bypass, which is expected to open in November.
鈥淚鈥檓 telling you, it鈥檚 coming. A poor woman almost got killed,鈥� Devins said, adding there was smoke coming off the tires of that semi.
The Stampede office and shop is not far from the eastern end of the bypass. They see a lot of traffic coming off Shand Road, from the Shand Power Station and the nearby coal mine at shift change.
鈥淚鈥檓 not saying (the bypass) is a bad idea, but they need (traffic signal) lights,鈥� Devins concluded.
