Last change
April 29, 2013
Phase III - Oil Sands Oral History Project | Phase II - CSEG/ CSPG Hall of Fame - 84 interviews | Phase I - 223 interviews
Complete finding aids to Phases I and II on the Glenbow.org website.
(Use Browser command "Edit > Find on this Page" to search for a name.)
CBC Eyeopener January 22, 2013 - David Gray's interview with Peter McKenzie-Brown on Six Oil Sands Pioneers
Phase III - Oil Sands Oral History Project
 |
Heavy machinery used at Athabasca Oilsands, 1967
Credit: Glenbow Archives (with permission) |
 |
Bucketwheel at Great Canadian Oilsands, 1967
Credit: Robert McClements Jr. |
|
Bitumount oil sands processing plant, 1936
Credit: Glenbow Archives (with permission) |
Sponsors | Completed Interviews | Inventories and Descriptions of Key Oil Sands Archival Materials
Funded by the petroleum industry and the Province of Alberta, and managed by the Petroleum History Society, the Oil Sands Oral History Project is the most-extensive research and documentation project ever undertaken on the oil sands industry.
The purpose of the project is to capture – in audio and, wherever possible, video format – interviews with people who played key roles in the development of the oil sands. In spring 2010, the first generation of the Interview Master List was developed and reviewed not only by the Board of the PHS but also by key industry representatives and historians. Protocols were developed for the conduct of the oral histories based on museum and archival standards. A team of experienced researcher/interviewers, videographers and transcribers was developed, and interviews began in June, 2010.
After the interviews are transcribed and the project’s researchers have checked them over carefully, interviewees have the opportunity to review them and a short biography prepared by the researchers. The Petroleum History Society is depositing these materials as well as any donated documents in the Glenbow Archives, where they will become a permanent resource for historians and other researchers. To date, 91 interviews have been completed and project researchers have identified more than 150 additional candidates.
For some of the stories we've heard, please see our Archives newsletters starting with September 2011 and onwards.
| Phase III Oil Sands Oral History Project |
Founding Sponsors: |
Non-funding sponsors: |
| Canadian Oil Sands Limited |
Glenbow Museum and Archives |
| Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
JuneWarren-Nickles Energy Group |
Alberta Historical Resources Foundation/
Alberta Lottery Fund |
CNW Group |
| Athabasca Oil Corporation |
|
| Canadian Natural Resources Limited |
|
| Imperial Oil Limited |
|
| MEG Energy Corp. |
|
| Nexen Inc. |
|
| Suncor Energy |
|
| Connacher Oil and Gas Limited |
|
Inventories and Descriptions of Key Oil Sands Archival Materials
Inventories of oil sands material at the University of Alberta Archives and the Provincial Archives of Alberta, in Edmonton, have been prepared as part of this project. Access is available here.
Completed Interviews in Oil Sands Oral History Project
| |
Interviewee |
Principal Affiliation |
| 1 |
Mickey Abougoush |
Amoco Canada, service companies |
| 2 |
Brad Anderson |
Alberta Chamber of Resources |
| 3 |
David Armstrong |
Jack Armstrong's son |
4 |
Jack Avery |
Suncor Operations |
| 5 |
Gene Bacon |
GCOS/ Suncor Human Resources |
| 6 |
John Barr |
Syncrude Canada |
| 7 |
Guy Boutilier |
Fort McMurray Mayor and MLA |
| 8 |
Clem Bowman |
Chair, AOSTRA; Imperial Oil |
| 9 |
John Broadhurst |
VP, Shell |
| 10 |
Cliff Britch |
Suncor |
11 |
Larry Brocke |
Land Reclamation Division
Alberta Environment |
| 12 |
Elmer Brooker |
Engineering consultant |
| 13 |
Gerry Burden |
Imperial Oil law; incorporated Syncrude |
| 14 |
Terry Burton |
Suncor |
| 15 |
Maurice Carrigy |
Chair, AOSTRA |
| 16 |
Jim Carter |
CEO, Syncrude Canada |
17 |
William (Bill) Cary |
GCOS (Suncor Energy) |
| 18 |
Neil Camarta |
VP, Oil Sands, Petro-Canada/Suncor |
19 |
Harbir Chhina |
VP Cenovus Energy; commercialized SAGD |
| 20 |
Lester Deep |
Suncor Operation |
| 21 |
Gerry DeSorcy |
Chair, ERCB |
| 22 |
William D. Dickie |
Former Alberta Energy Minister |
| 23 |
Howie Dingle |
Esso VP |
| 24 |
Maurice Dusseault |
University of Waterloo |
| 25 |
Neil Edmunds |
Laricina Energy |
| 26 |
Keith Firmin |
Shell Canada |
| 27 |
Charlie Fischer |
Nexen, CEO |
| 28 |
Richard L. (Rick) George |
CEO, Suncor Energy |
| 29 |
Ned Gilbert |
Suncor Energy |
| 30 |
Ray Gillespie |
Esso Cold Lake |
| 31 |
George Govier |
Chair, ERCB |
| 32 |
Ron Gray |
First Syncrude employee, executive positions |
| 33 |
Maggie Hannah |
Geological Consultant |
| 34 |
Toshiku Hirata |
President, Japex
(aka Japan Canada Oil Sands) |
| 35 |
Chris Holoboff |
Cold Lake High School |
| 36 |
William (Bill) Humphreys |
Abasands during WWII |
| 37 |
Al Hyndman |
Syncrude Canada, Research/Operations |
| 38 |
Eddy Isaacs |
Alberta Innovates; Alberta Research Council |
| 39 |
Dave Krook |
Esso Cold Lake |
| 40 |
Bert Lang |
Suncor/ head of Millenium Project |
| 41 |
Vern Larson |
Director, Imperial Oil Research |
| 42 |
Peter Lougheed |
Premier, Province of Alberta |
| 43 |
Richard Luhning |
AOSTRA |
| 44 |
Neil Lund |
Syncrude |
| 45 |
Donald S. Macdonald |
Energy Minister, Government of Canada |
| 46 |
Hans Maciej |
Canadian Petroleum Association (now CAPP) |
| 47 |
Bert MacKay |
Suncor Safety and Training |
| 48 |
Dee (Parkinson) Marcoux |
VP, Suncor Energy |
| 49 |
Preston Manning |
Ernest Manning (his father) |
| 50 |
Jacob Masliyah |
University of Alberta |
| 51 |
William (Bill) McAffrey |
Founder and CEO, MEG Energy |
| 53 |
Bob McClements |
GCOS construction; CEO of Sun Oil |
| 54 |
Anne McLellan |
Energy Minister, Government of Canada |
| 55 |
Bill Mooney |
Syncrude Canada/Cities Service Canada |
| 56 |
Thomas Morimoto |
Bitumount |
| 57 |
Norbert Morgenstern |
University of Alberta |
| 58 |
Arthur Morris |
Suncor Heavy Equipment Operator |
| 59 |
Jane Morris |
Suncor Human Resources |
| 60 |
Prakash Mullick |
Suncor, Standards Program |
| 61 |
Patricia (Black) Nelson |
Alberta Energy Minister |
| 62 |
Eric Newell |
CEO, Syncrude Canada |
| 63 |
Randy Ottenbreit |
Imperial Oil, including Cold Lake |
| 64 |
Frederick Otto |
Dean of Engineering emeritus
University of Alberta |
| 65 |
Harold Page |
Alberta Chamber of Resources/GCOS/ Suncor |
| 66 |
Paul Precht |
Alberta Energy |
| 67 |
Carolyn Preston |
CONRAD |
| 68 |
Roland Priddle |
Chair, National Energy Board |
| 69 |
David Redford |
AOSTRA |
| 70 |
Joy Romero |
CNRL |
| 71 |
Robert Rosen |
City Lumber and Millwork |
| 72 |
Brian Rottenfusser |
UTF geologist |
| 73 |
Germain Routhier |
Suncor Operations |
| 74 |
Mark Ruschkowski |
Esso Cold Lake |
| 75 |
David Ryan |
Suncor PR & Training |
| 76 |
Bob Scarborough |
Dome, Amoco; steam technology |
| 77 |
David Schindler |
U of A |
| 78 |
Glen Schmidt |
Laricina |
| 79 |
Brent Scott |
CEO, Syncrude Canada |
| 80 |
Tony (Anton) Settari |
University of Calgary |
| 81 |
Cal Sikstrom |
Imperial Oil, environmentalist |
| 82 |
Mary Clark Sheppard |
Karl Clark (biographer of her father) |
| 83 |
Dr. Robert Skinner |
Alberta ADM Energy; IEA; Statoil Canada |
| 84 |
George Skulsky |
Suncor Superintendent of Operations |
| 85 |
Nell Spragins |
Widow of Frank Spragins |
| 86 |
Gerry Stephenson |
AOSTRA/Underground Test Facility |
| 87 |
Michael A. (Mike) Supple |
Suncor executive, now chair of Synenco |
| 88 |
Robert W (Bob) Taylor |
Alberta ADM – Oil; Amoco Canada |
| 89 |
Don Thompson |
Syncrude; Oil Sands Developers Group |
| 90 |
Ron Wallace |
Gulf, private consultancy |
| 90 |
Chi-Tak Yee |
Roger Butler’s partner; VP, MEG Energy |
| 91 |
Erdal Yildirim |
Syncrude; National Oil Sands Task Force |
News release January 18, 2011
Announcing our third Oral History Project: Preserving Our Oil Sands Story
|
|
|
Interviews available at the Glenbow Archives in Calgary in audio and transcribed.
Contact Doug Cass, Chief Archivist
|
Phase II - Quarterly Report #16 Final Report
For period April 1 to December 31, 2004
by
David Finch,
Interviewer and Project Manager
Petroleum Industry Oral History Project - Petroleum History Society
c/o Glenbow Archives, 130 - 9th Avenue S.E., Calgary, AB T2G OP3
Overview | Work conducted during
this period | Interviews conducted by Phase II of this project
Overview
Phase I of the Petroleum Industry Oral History Project operated from 1981 to 1985 and collected more than 200 interviews with key men and women involved in the development of the Canadian oil and gas industry. Phase II of this project began operation in October, 1999 and has revived and continued the process of recording and transcribing the stories of these important pioneers.
With seed funding from the Petroleum History Society, grants from the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, a partial matching grant from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation and assistance from the Glenbow Archives and Oilweek Magazine, this project intended to conduct an additional 100 interviews – 84 were completed.
Work conducted during this period
The project concluded conducting interviews during this period by interviewing Mike Miller in April, Robert Rintoul and Earl Lipsett in June and finally, Bill Mooney in July. Ms. Lenni Rae continued transcribing for this project during this reporting period and has cleared up the backlog of transcribing interviews from the first part of this project too. She has transcribed more than 250 interviews to date.
84 Interviews conducted by Phase II of this project
October 1999 to December 2004
These interviews are available on audio tape and transcribed in the Glenbow Archives in Calgary.
| |
Related to
Hall of Fame or other |
| 1 |
Bill Fisher |
Bill Mooney |
| 2 |
Hugh Leiper |
Roland Priddle |
| 3 |
Earl Lipsett |
Robert Rintoul |
| 4 |
Mike Miller |
Tony Vandenbrink |
| |
| |
Related to
Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists |
Related to
Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists |
| 1 |
Dick Baillie
|
Bill Ayrton
|
| 2 |
Wilf Baillie
|
Ted Best
|
| 3 |
Art Baptie
|
Fred Calverley
|
| 4 |
John Baxendale
|
Don Cook
|
| 5 |
Peter Bediz
|
Rein de Wit |
| 6 |
Harry Carlyle
|
John Downing |
| 7 |
Bob Comer
|
Bob Erickson
|
| 8 |
Don Crane
|
Cal Evans
|
| 9 |
Hans den Boer
|
George Eynon |
| 10 |
Marty Dewis
|
Bill Gussow |
| 11 |
Dave Einarsson
|
Mike Hriskevich
|
| 12 |
Bill Evans
|
A.N. Hutton
|
| 13 |
Harold Farney
|
Jim Kirker
|
| 14 |
Craig Ferris
|
Ed Klovan
|
| 15 |
John Frey |
Jim MacDonald |
| 16 |
Ed Fulmer
|
John Maher |
| 17 |
Ned Gilbert
|
Terry McCoy |
| 18 |
Lloyd Hatlelid
|
Bob McCrossan |
| 19 |
George Hobson |
Digby McLaren |
| 20 |
Norman Jones |
Jack McMillan |
| 21 |
Andrew Kennedy |
Peter Fitzgerald Moore |
| 22 |
George Kostashuk |
Eric Mountjoy |
| 23 |
Roy Lindseth
|
C.B. Newmarch |
| 24 |
George Longphee
|
Dave Organ |
| 25 |
J. Warner Loven |
Bob Orr |
| 26 |
Earle Mahaffy
|
Ernie Pallister |
| 27 |
Ian McIlreath |
Alice Payne |
| 28 |
Roy Millice
|
Ray Price |
| 29 |
Ken Morrison
|
Peter Putnam |
| 30 |
Denny O'Brien
|
Gerry Reinson |
| 31 |
Jack Pullen
|
Clay Riddell |
| 32 |
Wes Rabey
|
Kathy Scales |
| 33 |
Ted Rozsa
|
Jim Scott |
| 34 |
Bud St. Clair |
Lee Slind |
| 35 |
Peter Savage
|
Don Stott |
| 36 |
Don Seaman
|
Gordon Williams |
| 37 |
Gerry Sykes |
Harry Woodward |
| 38 |
Ken Thompson |
|
| 39 |
Bill Watson |
|
Top
223 People Interviewed in the
Petroleum Industry Oral History Project
Phase I, 1981 - 1985
A B C
D E F
G H I
J K L
M N O
P Q R S
T U V W
XYZ
These interviews are available on audio tape and transcribed in the Glenbow Archives
in Calgary. Contact Doug Cass, Chief Archivist
| 1 |
Harold |
Acheson |
| 2 |
Harry |
Alger |
| 3 |
Bill |
Allen |
| 4 |
Geoff |
Andrews |
| 5 |
John |
Andrichuk |
| 6 |
Jean |
Angus |
| 7 |
Jack |
Armstrong |
| 8 |
Eric |
Atkinson |
| 9 |
W. L. "Pete" |
Atkinson |
| 10 |
Don |
Axford |
| 11 |
Herb |
Bagnall |
| 12 |
Andy |
Baillie |
| 13 |
John |
Ballachey |
| 14 |
Ed |
Baltrusaitis |
| 15 |
Ray |
Barker |
| 16 |
Ed |
Barroll |
| 17 |
Peter |
Bawden |
| 18 |
Peter |
Bediz |
| 19 |
Elmer |
Berlie |
| 20 |
Ted |
Best |
| 21 |
"Tiny" |
Bevans |
| 22 |
Doris |
Bingham |
| 23 |
Don |
Binney |
| 24 |
"Swede" |
Black |
| 25 |
Mark |
Blain |
| 26 |
George |
Blundun |
| 27 |
Bob |
Brinkerhoff |
| 28 |
Doug |
Brown |
| 29 |
R. A. |
Brown |
| 30 |
R. S. "Spike" |
Brown |
| 31 |
Jack |
Browning |
| 32 |
Bun |
Burggren |
| 33 |
Doug |
Cairns |
| 34 |
Thelma |
Cameron |
| 35 |
Don |
Campau |
| 36 |
Harry |
Carlyle |
| 37 |
Lyle |
Caspell |
| 38 |
S. K. |
Chakravorty |
| 39 |
Carl |
Chapman |
| 40 |
Bill |
Charles |
| 41 |
Norm |
Christie |
| 42 |
Bill |
Clemis |
| 43 |
C. E. |
Cleveland |
| 44 |
Gordon |
Connell |
| 45 |
Eugene |
Cook |
| 46 |
Bert |
Corey |
| 47 |
Pierre |
Cote |
| 48 |
Colin |
Crickmay |
| 49 |
Marshall |
Crowe |
| 50 |
Sterling |
Davies |
| 51 |
Marion |
de Chastelain |
| 52 |
George |
de Mille |
| 53 |
Mary |
Dickson |
| 54 |
Walter |
Dingle |
| 55 |
John |
Downing |
| 56 |
Ian |
Drum |
| 57 |
Jim |
Drumheller |
| 58 |
Charlie |
Dunkley |
| 59 |
Ralph |
Edie |
| 60 |
Garnet |
Edwards |
| 61 |
Oscar |
Erdman |
| 62 |
Art |
Feldmeyer |
| 63 |
Ralph |
Flanders |
| 64 |
Glenn |
Fox |
| 65 |
Larry |
Frantz |
| 66 |
Bill |
Friley |
| 67 |
George |
Furnival |
| 68 |
Bob |
Galbraith |
| 69 |
Jack |
Gallagher |
| 70 |
Ed |
Galvin |
| 71 |
Alvin |
Geddes |
| 72 |
Ian |
Gehman |
| 73 |
Ken |
Germond |
| 74 |
Kelly |
Gibson |
| 75 |
Marjorie |
Gibson |
| 76 |
Sheldon |
Gibson |
| 77 |
Willis |
Gibson |
| 78 |
D. P. |
Goodall |
| 79 |
Jack |
Goodman |
| 80 |
Jack |
Goth |
| 81 |
George |
Govier |
| 82 |
David |
Gray |
| 83 |
Jean |
Greig |
| 84 |
Earle |
Gray |
| 85 |
John |
Gray |
| 86 |
W. C. "Bill" |
Gussow |
| 87 |
Conrad O. |
Hage |
| 88 |
E. T. "Jeep" |
Hall |
| 89 |
Willis |
Hancock |
| 90 |
Stan |
Harding |
| 91 |
Don |
Harvie |
| 92 |
Dallas |
Hawkins |
| 93 |
John Homer |
Hayden |
| 94 |
Cecil "Harry" |
Heath |
| 95 |
M. |
Helliwell |
| 96 |
Alex |
Hemstock |
| 97 |
Emily |
Hemstock |
| 98 |
Gerry |
Henderson |
| 99 |
W. S. |
Herron Jr. |
| 100 |
Charles |
Hetherington |
| 101 |
Tom |
Hicks |
| 102 |
Polly |
Holden |
| 103 |
Harley |
Hotchkiss |
| 104 |
Al |
Howes |
| 105 |
Michael |
Hriskevich |
| 106 |
Harry |
Hunter |
| 107 |
Vern |
Hunter |
| 108 |
Allan |
Insley |
| 109 |
Jim |
Irwin |
| 110 |
John |
Jackson |
| 111 |
Marg |
James |
| 112 |
George |
Jones |
| 113 |
Gordon |
Jones |
| 114 |
Stan |
Kanik |
| 115 |
Aubrey |
Kerr |
| 116 |
Fred |
Kidd |
| 117 |
Tom |
Kimmett |
| 118 |
Stu |
King |
| 119 |
Howard |
Kirk |
| 120 |
Margaret |
Knode |
| 121 |
Labby |
Laberge |
| 122 |
E. H. "Eddie" |
Laborde |
| 123 |
"Spi" |
Langston |
| 124 |
Douglas |
Layer |
| 125 |
Louis |
Lebel |
| 126 |
Charles |
Lee |
| 127 |
D. E. "Ed" |
Lewis |
| 128 |
Fin |
Lineham |
| 129 |
Jim |
Lineham |
| 130 |
Jim |
Livingstone |
| 131 |
Bill |
Lockhart |
| 132 |
Emily |
Mackay |
| 133 |
W. D. C. "Don" |
Mackenzie |
| 134 |
Roy Harry |
McMillan |
| 135 |
Gerry |
Maier |
| 136 |
Paul |
Marshall |
| 137 |
Rod |
McDaniel |
| 138 |
D. P. |
McDonald |
| 139 |
Bill |
McGregor |
| 140 |
Don |
McIvor |
| 141 |
Gordon |
McKay |
| 142 |
Fred |
McKinnon |
| 143 |
Horace |
Meech |
| 144 |
Archie |
Miller |
| 145 |
Jack |
Minchin |
| 146 |
David |
Mitchell |
| 147 |
Hoadley |
Mitchell |
| 148 |
Carl |
Moore |
| 149 |
Paul |
Moseson |
| 150 |
J. V. "Tip" |
Moroney |
| 151 |
Scovil |
Murray |
| 152 |
Clair |
Nabors |
| 153 |
Reg |
Nelson |
| 154 |
Matt |
Newell |
| 155 |
Carl |
Nickle |
| 156 |
Arne |
Nielsen |
| 157 |
Trajan |
Nitescu |
| 158 |
Lauder |
Nowers |
| 159 |
Ralph |
Oborne |
| 160 |
Ernest |
Pallister |
| 161 |
E. O. |
Parry |
| 162 |
Raymund |
Paterson |
| 163 |
Maurice |
Paulson |
| 164 |
Stan |
Pearson |
| 165 |
David |
Penner |
| 166 |
John |
Pettinger |
| 167 |
W. A. |
Phillips |
| 168 |
Jack |
Pierce |
| 169 |
Mary |
Pope |
| 170 |
Mel |
Pope |
| 171 |
Jack |
Porter |
| 172 |
John |
Poven |
| 173 |
Gilbert |
Raasch |
| 174 |
Wes |
Rabey |
| 175 |
Gordon |
Rae |
| 176 |
Mel |
Reasoner |
| 177 |
Don |
Redman |
| 178 |
Bill |
Roliff |
| 179 |
Alastair |
Ross |
| 180 |
Charles |
Schock |
| 181 |
Jim |
Scott |
| 182 |
Bob |
Sears |
| 183 |
Ernie |
Shaw |
| 184 |
Charlie |
Shipp |
| 185 |
Clark |
Siferd |
| 186 |
Hubert |
Somerville |
| 187 |
Bobby |
Sparrow |
| 188 |
Lloyd |
Stafford |
| 189 |
David |
Stauft |
| 190 |
Peter |
Stauft |
| 191 |
Charles |
Stelck |
| 192 |
Bill |
Stuart |
| 193 |
Hans |
Suter |
| 194 |
Kathleen |
Taylor |
| 195 |
Nick |
Taylor |
| 196 |
Vern |
Taylor |
| 197 |
Ann |
Knode Tharp |
| 198 |
Ben |
Toone |
| 199 |
George |
Tosh |
| 200 |
Ed |
Tovell |
| 201 |
Ray |
Tull |
| 202 |
Helen |
Turgeon |
| 203 |
Mary |
Pandachuk Turner |
| 204 |
Bill |
Twaits |
| 205 |
Leo |
Vladicka |
| 206 |
Len |
Walker |
| 207 |
Bruce |
Watson |
| 208 |
Jack |
Walper |
| 209 |
Tom |
Wark |
| 210 |
Jim |
Warke |
| 211 |
C. T. "Bill" |
Webb |
| 212 |
Gordon |
Webster |
| 213 |
Harry |
Webster |
| 214 |
Jack |
Wegh |
| 215 |
Don |
Weir |
| 216 |
Bob |
Welch |
| 217 |
Sid |
Weller |
| 218 |
R. T. D. |
Wickenden |
| 219 |
Giles |
Wilderman |
| 220 |
Don |
Wilken |
| 221 |
Ralph |
Will |
| 222 |
Lloyd |
Wilson |
| 223 |
Lewis |
Workman |
|
