By Greg Nikkel
There are signs of rebounding health in the southeast oil industry, as the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show is not only full with 350 exhibitors for the upcoming 2017 show, there is a waiting list of around 30 exhibitors who would like to get in on the biennial show, said the show chairman Del Mondor.
The 2017 show is set to run from Tuesday, June 6 to Thursday, June 8, at the Weyburn exhibition grounds, with the setup and golf tournament to kick things off on Tuesday.
There were some outdoor spots available on the day of the interview, but Mondor indicated some of those on the waiting list might be willing to squeeze into the show with an outdoor exhibit. One difficulty he鈥檚 encountered is a shortage of hotel-motel rooms in Weyburn, estimating there is a shortage of around 40-50 rooms for people who are coming to the Oil Show, particularly from Calgary-based oil firms.
This was a different scenario than the Oil Show board had initially envisioned, with the oilpatch undergoing some tough times in the last couple of years.
鈥淲e鈥檙e pleasantly surprised at the response from the oil companies. What we thought was going to be a tough show has turned around to be every bit as big a show as any previous year,鈥� said Mondor.
鈥淭here are signs of optimism and an increase of activity, from Manitoba all the way over to northeast B.C. We鈥檙e seeing an uptick in activity here, and I think this response is a reflection of that uptick,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anybody is thinking we鈥檙e in a great position, but the feeling is very positive.鈥�
Mondor noted that drilling licences are up, and there are actual labour shortages for some companies in the southeast oilpatch, which is a sign that some level of activity is returning here.
Exhibitors will have June 6 to finish setting up their booth displays, with the Oil Show golf tournament to have a morning and afternoon flight, and a steak or lobster dinner in the evening at the Curling Rink.
The show officially gets underway on June 7, with the grounds open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Recognition Awards will be presented at the noon luncheon on Wednesday, presented by the Saskatchewan Oil Industry Board of Governors. The award recipients include Rick McHardy, president and CEO of Spartan Energy, as Saskatchewan Oilman of the Year, with the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Hall of Fame inductees including Grant Fagerheim, president and CEO of Whitecap Resources; Roger Soucy, founder of PSAC (Petroleum Services Association of Canada), and Bud Bell, former president of Schlumberger of Canada, a posthumous award.
Energy and Resources Minister Dustin Duncan, who is also the Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA, will be at the Oil Show, and will bring greetings at the awards presentation on Wednesday evening, when the 麻豆传媒AVeast Saskatchewan Oilman of the Year Award and the inaugural 麻豆传媒AVeast Saskatchewan Legends Award are presented. The official opening of the Oil Show is also a part of the evening ceremonies.
鈥淒ustin is going to be around the show a lot. He鈥檚 been a big supporter of our show, and of Weyburn and all of Saskatchewan. We鈥檙e really happy to have him here as the Energy minister,鈥� said Mondor, adding that organizers are hopeful that Premier Brad Wall might be able to come by the Oil Show, but this hasn鈥檛 been confirmed yet.
The show is open on June 8 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the day is kicked off by the barnstorming breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., sponsored by PSAC. The industry luncheon at noon will feature radio host and author John Gormley as the guest speaker, and he will be hosting his radio show in the morning from Crescent Point Place.
This year鈥檚 slate of exhibitors includes some who have been in the show for many years, some who have only been in the last two or three shows, and some first-timers as well, said Mondor, adding the hope that there will be some new and innovative technologies to check out along with a wide range of products and services from the exhibitors.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to see old relationships get solidified and new relationships get started. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e facilitating, the networking of oil businesses,鈥� said Mondor, pointing out the Oil Show is free to attend and is open for the public to come and check out. While there is no charge to attend, registration is required at the front desk that will be set up in Crescent Point Place as part of the security for the show.
鈥淭his is a big deal. There will be over 5,000 people and 350 exhibitors, the golf tournament and all sorts of equipment that will be moved in to the fair grounds,鈥� said Mondor, noting that the setup and show takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work and cooperation with the City of Weyburn, Weyburn Ag Society and the 32-member Oil Show Board, plus many volunteers from groups such as the Young Fellows Club and the Red Wings hockey club.
For himself, Mondor has been on the board for the Oil Show for 12 years, and this is his second show as the chairman. In spite of the responsibilities that accompany this position, Mondor said he鈥檚 basically a facilitator for what all of the board committees do to make sure everything related to show is organized and runs properly.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping for great weather, and for the same type of energy we鈥檝e always enjoyed at the Oil Show. Our board is ready to serve,鈥� said Mondor.
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