Robert Cosmas Fitzsimmons

Robert C. Fitzsimmons (1881-1971) arrived in northern Alberta in 1922 and became fascinated by the potential of the oil sands. Though he had no background in the oil business, he devoted many years of tireless labour to developing and marketing the oil sands. Fitzsimmons’s active role at Bitumount came to an end in 1944, but he retained an interest in the oil sands for the rest of his life.

Initially, Fitzsimmons did what everybody else was doing along the Athabasca River—he drilled wells, looking for the elusive reservoirs of oil that were supposed to lie beneath the oil sands. Unlike most of the other hopeful explorers, Fitzsimmons did not give up when this activity met with failure. Having seen pools of bitumen dotted throughout

his extensive claims, he was convinced that it must be possible to unlock the riches trapped in the oil sands.

Taking another tack, Fitzsimmons started experimenting with the sand, trying to find a way to extract the oil from it. He was not a scientist or an engineer, and his approach to the oil sands separation puzzle was one of informed and intelligent tinkering rather than systematic investigation or empirical analysis. He used available technology and made adjustments until he achieved a result he considered satisfactory. There is no evidence in his voluminous records that the method he devised was based on fundamental principles of chemistry or an understanding of the microscopic physical characteristics of the oil sands.

Despite his obvious handicaps, Fitzsimmons was apparently able to make progress with separating the oil sands. His primitive operation produced enough bitumen that he was able to distribute samples to roofing contractors in Edmonton and Calgary. Unfortunately, this did not produce any revenue, and it was a failure as a promotional exercise, since it did not result in orders for his products.

In 1927, he incorporated the optimistically named International Bitumen Company Ltd. (IBC) and embarked upon extensive fundraising tours through Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Vancouver and even London, England. He printed prospectuses, published newspaper advertisements and came up with a large number of products derived from the bitumen extracted at Bitumount. He undertook building campaigns at Bitumount, hired staff, and purchased equipment. All of this seemed to occur without the plant

ever generating an appreciable amount of revenue.

Fitzsimmons persevered in his quest for two decades. His ability to carry on under seemingly insupportable circumstances was remarkable. He believed that the oil sands could be profitably exploited, and that he had found the means to do so. He was very aware of the fact that he was a “little guy” in a game usually reserved for large corporations, but he would not give up. The fact that he continuously met with roadblocks, in the form of changing government regulations, and financing frustrations that eventually led to his losing control of IBC, convinced Fitzsimmons that he was the victim of a conspiracy.

In the end, Fitzsimmons did not have a direct role in demonstrating the commercial viability of the oil sands, but his contribution as an oil sands pioneer is universally recognized.