BENSON - There are a few people who could do without the heavy snowfalls this past winter, as it can make for tricky driving conditions.
There are some who love all the heavy snowfalls as it creates work, and that was the case for Robbie and Alesha Duke, owners and operators of RAD Oilfield Services.
After two difficult winters with little to no snow, Duke said, “This winter was a blessing.”
“In 2021, I blew snow for three days and it was the same in 2020,” Duke stated.
The Dukes live in the Benson area. They purchased a farm in 2004 east of Benson and became grain farmers, but this was not to be the Dukes’ calling. They remained on the farm with their active family. They have three children who participate in sporting activities.
Instead, Duke began to clean out snow at the oil leases. At first, he was working for another company, but soon he purchased his own tractors and opened RAD Oilfield Services. Now, in the winter, they blow snow and in the summer they mow the weeds and grass.
The only way for the oil trucks to get into these leases and batteries is if the roads are clear of snow. Everyone needs oil and gas to either heat homes or for vehicles. Farmers need it for their equipment.
Duke stated: “You can’t just get into a tractor and start to blow snow at a lease.”
“You need to learn how to operate the equipment safely.”
He went on to say, “I do all my own heavy duty equipment training.”
Another requirement is to have first aid, CPR, WHMIS, H2S and a licence.
The largest tractor Duke owns is a 485-horsepower, four-wheel drive New Holland. It runs with an 18-foot blade that is six feet high. It is a massive unit.
Duke solely operates this unit. This tractor blades the deep and hard snow. The other use this tractor has is towing the semis or other trucks that misjudge how deep the snow is, or when the mud is softer than thought.
Duke also has five other New Holland tractors, ranging from 140-200-horsepower. They are front wheel assist and house a 10-foot snow blower in the winter. These tractors, along with seven employees, worked for 2 1/2 months straight. Often those workdays were 14 hours in length.
The crew managed to clean on a regular basis over 500 leases and batteries. Often, when driving home, if they see a neighbour’s driveway heavy with snow, they will go and clear it out.
Now, the snow blowers will be dismantled and repaired. New, larger paddles, which are more aggressive, will be added to the fans. Each blower has a pair of shoes, and they too, are replaced with new ones. During the heavy months of snow blowing, they wore through 20 pairs of shoes. Duke does all his own maintenance on the blowers and mowers.
As for summer, the 15-foot mowers create more upkeep.
Duke said, “So much can go wrong with the mowers, that I need to inspect them every night when the tractors and mowers return to the shop.”
Duke did upgrade the blades to five-inch wide, for less bending and breakage, as they usually have over 700 leases and batteries to maintain. Lease grounds can often be unlevel in places, and then the mowers catch debris and rocks.
Duke went on to say, “Regular maintenance keeps the equipment healthy, and they last longer.” One of the tractors has logged more than 7,000 hours.
Duke is immensely proud of his excellent safety record. It is his hope that it remains that way.
