Turner Valley oilfield discovery celebrated 100 years later

It has been 100 years since the discovery of oil and gas in Turner Valley, and hundreds of people attended the celebration being held to mark the important moment in Alberta's history.

The centennial celebration of theoilfield was held Wednesdayat the site of the Dingman No. 1 Discovery Well located at the Turner Valley Gas Plant.

Entertainment and guided tours were available to help celebrate the birthplace of the provinces energy industry.

The discovery of petroleum 100 years ago led to the creation of Alberta's first natural gas plant, which helpedstart the modern era of oil and gas exploration and processing.

Calgary historian and tour guide David Finchwas training interpreters this week in Turner Valley so that they could tellvisitors about the area's interesting history.

He is the author of a book called Pumped: Everyone's Guide to the Oil Patch, a story which he says has four distinct chapters: find it, get it, clean it and move it.

Gas bubbling near river led to discovery

It all started when anOkotoksfarmer, named StewartHerron, saw gas bubbling up alongside river.

Finch said Herron bought up property and brought investors on board, like Senator JamesLougheed, R.B. Bennett, andA.E. Cross or"upstanding citizens of the City ofCalgary,"to finance CalgaryPetroleum Products Company.

"They drilled and well and wouldn't you know their first well struck oil, so it was a pretty lucky break," he said.

Finch says the discovery in Turner Valley was not crude oil, or"the black stuff wethink of." He says it was more of a gasoline product called "unrefined condensate," but there was also natural gas and oil production at well sites in the years to follow.

Unearthing the product so close to Calgary helped established the cityas the energy capital of Alberta.

"It was pretty wild. There were only about 300 cars in Calgary and about half of them took offthe next day to go out and see the site. Andit was a pretty amazing discovery."

Lasting legacy

Some people livedin the rural area, which was named after the local Turner family, butBlack Diamond was the closest community, whichwas named after the coal discovered there.

Finch said while there wasno gas station for people to take advantage of yet,theyfilled up at the well and drove home.

There was an energy boom in the area in1914, then 1924 and once again in1936.

"By 1942 that oilfield was producing more than90 per cent of all the oil in Canada," said Finch.

It also made Alberta one of the economic powerhouses it is today.

Finch said oil and gas revenues started coming into the province in 1920, but it took until 1950 for that revenue tosurpass the amount the provincial government was making offalcohol taxes.

"In more recent years, of course, the oil industry through taxation and royalties has been a firm underpinnerof our economy, both for the province as the government and for individuals."

Below is a timeline of the oilfield discovery in Turner Valley. On mobile? Click here.