The Weyburn Field Office for Whitecap Resources Inc. hosted the provincial Minister of Energy and Resources, Colleen Young, Thursday morning, as she toured the facility and gleaned information about innovation in the oil and gas sector happening here in the Weyburn area.
Employees of Whitecap Resources attended as well, alongside MLA for Weyburn Bengough Mike Weger and other representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Resources. The event began with a presentation outlining Whitecap Resources’ operations and their innovative use of CO2 and carbon capture in oil extraction.
Young notes the significance of this technique, remarking on its importance to this part of the province.
“I think in this area of the province, the important thing that I've seen today is the use of CO2 and carbon capture to get more oil out of the ground. The technology that's being used is very efficient and very high level, it’s really impressive and to know that it is producing 20,000 barrels a day out of this facility is incredible.”
Steel Reef, another company represented at the event, utilizes off gas from companies like Whitecap Resources to be turned into useful products, including propane and butane. This reduces the need for and frequency of flaring.
Attendees, including Young, were then shown the working pieces of this innovation with a tour of the field office. Including a look into their control room and safety measures, and the different working parts of their operation.
Young explains why touring facilities like Whitecap Resources are valuable to her in her position.
“I think it's important to know where our resources are located in the province and the people that work at those resources, the employees and the people who are managing them and providing that economic value to our province.”
She expands this to express her belief that all Saskatchewan residents should be aware of the valuable resources found across the province, and the industries surrounding them.
“We are a province that is truly blessed with a lot of different resources from our uranium in the north, to copper on the east side, to heavy oil in the northwest around Lloydminster where I'm from, as well as the conventional oil down here. I think it's really important for folks around the province to understand where our resources are coming from and what fuels our economy.”