• The Geological Survey of Canada publishes a map important to exploration for oil and gas. The map covers the Canadian Rockies from the border with the United States to the Red Deer Valley in central Alberta and includes Turner Valley and Bow Valley. It is based on surveying work done by George Mercer Dawson, A. R. C. Selwyn and Eugene Coste. <br />Source: Natural Resources Canada, used under the Government of Canada’s Open Government <br />License: http://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada.

    Geological Survey of Canada

    The Geological Survey of Canada publishes George Dawson’s geological map of the Canadian Rockies. The map covers the Canadian Rockies from the border with the United States to the Red Deer Valley in central Alberta and includes Turner Valley and Bow Valley and was an important resource for natural resource exploration.
    Source: Natural Resources Canada, used under the Government of Canada’s Open Government
    License: http://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada

  • William Stewart Herron, shown here ca. 1930, noticed gas seepages along the Sheep River and acquired land and drilling rights for the area. He partnered with Archibald W. Dingman and a group of Calgary-area investors to form Calgary Petroleum Products and began drilling in Turner Valley in 1913. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-4607-1.

    Herron Acquires Land and Drilling Rights

    William Stewart Herron, shown here ca. 1930, noticed gas seepages along the Sheep River and acquired land and drilling rights for the area. He partnered with Archibald W. Dingman and a group of Calgary-area investors to form Calgary Petroleum Products and began drilling in Turner Valley in 1913.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-4607-1

  • Calgary Petroleum Products discovers wet gas at the Dingman No. 1 well on the Sheep River in Turner Valley on May 14, 1914. Calgary Petroleum Products begins installing equipment to process the raw petroleum product. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-2335-4.

    Discovery!

    Calgary Petroleum Products discovers wet gas at the Dingman No. 1 well on the Sheep River in Turner Valley on May 14, 1914. Calgary Petroleum Products begins installing equipment to process the raw petroleum.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-2335-4

  • A fire and explosion in October 1920 severely damage the Calgary Petroleum Products plant at Turner Valley. Unable to continue operations, the company is taken over by Imperial Oil in 1921. Imperial Oil forms a subsidiary company called Royalite to manage the plant and wells in the valley. New absorption and compression plants are built as well as a pipeline to Okotoks, which, on December 31, feeds gas into the Canadian Western Natural Gas line to Calgary. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-711-85

    Royalite Takes Over

    A fire and explosion in October 1920 severely damage the Calgary Petroleum Products plant at Turner Valley. Unable to continue operations, the company is taken over by Imperial Oil in 1921. Imperial Oil forms a subsidiary company called Royalite to manage the plant and wells in the valley. New absorption and compression plants are built as well as a pipeline to Okotoks, which, on December 31, feeds gas into the Canadian Western Natural Gas line to Calgary.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-711-85

  • To meet growing consumer demand for natural gas in Calgary, Royalite doubles the size of its compression plant at the Turner Valley gas plant. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-6e-3-57

    Consumer Demand

    To meet growing consumer demand for natural gas in Calgary, Royalite doubles the size of its compression plant at the Turner Valley gas plant.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-6e-3-57

  • Royalite No. 4 in Turner Valley, a sour gas well, results in a major blowout that destroys the derrick. The fire burns for three weeks until a team of experts from Oklahoma uses dynamite and steam to extinguish the flames. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-6e-4-18

    Sour Gas

    Royalite No. 4 in Turner Valley, a sour gas well, results in a major blowout that destroys the derrick. The fire burns for three weeks until a team of experts from Oklahoma uses dynamite and steam to extinguish the flames.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-6e-4-18

  • Royalite builds a new scrubbing plant using the Seaboard soda ash process to remove toxic hydrogen sulfide and "sweeten" the sour gas. This signals the beginning of a major expansion of the Turner Valley gas plant. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, S-17-110

    Sweetening

    Royalite builds a new scrubbing plant using the Seaboard soda ash process to remove toxic hydrogen sulfide and “sweeten” the sour gas. This signals the beginning of a major expansion of the Turner Valley gas plant.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, S-17-110

  • In August 1929, the Rutledge Air service begins a daily route between Turner Valley and Calgary, making Turner Valley one of the first communities in Alberta to be served by scheduled flights. Flights to Edmonton commence soon after. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, ND-3-4871b

    Air Service

    In August 1929, the Rutledge Air begins a daily route between Turner Valley and Calgary, making Turner Valley one of the first communities in Alberta to be served by scheduled flights. Flights to Edmonton commence soon after.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, ND-3-4871b

  • The Government of Canada transfers control of natural resources to the Government of Alberta The agreement is signed on December 14, 1929 by Prime Minister Mackenzie King (seated centre) and John Brownlee, premier of Alberta to his left. The required legislation is passed in 1930. <br />Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, A10924

    Provincial Control

    The Government of Canada transfers control of natural resources to the Government of Alberta The agreement is signed on December 14, 1929 by Prime Minister Mackenzie King (seated centre) and John Brownlee, premier of Alberta to his left. The required legislation is passed in 1930.
    Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, A10924

  • Turner Valley and Black Diamond incorporate as villages. Hit hard by the Great Depression, both villages would be bankrupt by the end of 1931. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-67-51

    Incorporation

    Turner Valley and Black Diamond incorporate as villages. Hit hard by the Great Depression, both villages would be bankrupt by the end of 1931.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-67-51

  • Royalite adds new facilities and expands production capability. <br />Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism, 12.4 absorber_nw

    Expansion

    Royalite adds new facilities and expands production capability.
    Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

  • Turner Valley Royalties strikes oil at its No. 1 well near Longview. Although not directly related to the gas plant, this discovery sparks an economic recovery and leads to the growth of communities in the region. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-2335-2

    Turner Valley Royalties No. 1

    Turner Valley Royalties strikes oil at its No. 1 well near Longview. Although not directly related to the gas plant, this discovery sparks an economic recovery and leads to the growth of communities in the region.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, NA-2335-2

  • After years of concerns about flaring waste gas, the Government of Alberta enacts the <em>Oil and Gas Resources Conservation Act</em>. This Act results in the creation of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Conservation Board, which is endowed with the authority to regulate all gas and oil operations and to enforce better conservation measures. <br />Source: The Oil and Gas Conservation Act, SA 1938 (Second Session), c. 1

    Conservation

    After years of concerns about flaring waste gas, the Government of Alberta enacts the Oil and Gas Resources Conservation Act. This Act results in the creation of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Conservation Board, which is endowed with the authority to regulate all gas and oil operations and to enforce better conservation measures.
    Source: The Oil and Gas Conservation Act, SA 1938 (Second Session), c. 1

  • During the Second World War, the Government of Canada establishes the Department of Munitions and Supply under the control of Minister C. D. Howe. Howe and his ministry, which oversees all aspects of Canada’s wartime production, deem oil to be a strategic wartime commodity. <br />Source: Library and Archives Canada, C-019382

    Wartime Supply

    During the Second World War, the Government of Canada establishes the Department of Munitions and Supply under the control of Minister C. D. Howe. Howe and his ministry, which oversees all aspects of Canada’s wartime production, deem oil to be a strategic wartime commodity.
    Source: Library and Archives Canada, C-019382

  • Royalite installs a Girbotol natural gas sweetener, which allows for the increased production of natural gas. This helps meet the increased demand for natural gas during the Second World War, particularly for the Allied War Supplies Corporation south of Calgary. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-6d-4-7b

    Wartime Demand

    Royalite installs a Girbotol natural gas sweetener, which allows for the increased production of natural gas. This helps meet the increased demand for natural gas during the Second World War, particularly for the Allied War Supplies Corporation facilities south of Calgary.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-6d-4-7b

  • Two Horton Spheres are installed at the Turner Valley plant to store isobutene, a necessary ingredient in the manufacture of high-octane aviation fuel. The spherical shape of these tanks is best for storing high-pressure, volatile petroleum products like isobutene. <br />Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-14a-1472

    High Octane

    Two Horton Spheres are installed at the Turner Valley plant to store isobutane, a necessary ingredient in the manufacture of high-octane aviation fuel. The spherical shape of these tanks is best for storing high-pressure, volatile petroleum products like isobutane.
    Source: Glenbow Archives, IP-14a-1472

  • Royalite creates a subsidiary, Madison Natural Gas, to gather and process gas from wells in the Turner Valley region. <br />Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, P4723b (Detail)

    Madison Natural Gas

    Royalite creates a subsidiary, Madison Natural Gas, to gather and process gas from wells in the Turner Valley region.
    Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, P4723b (Detail)

  • In July 1952, Royalite buys the Western Propane plant and relocates it to the Turner Valley plant site. It makes propane from the main plant’s flare gas. <br />Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, P2902

    Propane

    In July 1952, Royalite buys the Western Propane plant and relocates it to the Turner Valley plant site. It makes propane from the main plant’s flare gas.
    Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, P2902

  • Madison Natural Gas establishes a sulfur extraction plant at its Turner Valley operation. This makes Canada the largest worldwide exporter of elemental sulfur. <br />Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta P2990

    Sulfur Extraction

    Madison Natural Gas establishes a sulfur extraction plant at its Turner Valley operation. This makes Canada the largest worldwide exporter of elemental sulfur.
    Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta P2990

  • In 1985, following years of declining production and rising costs for maintenance and upgrading, the Turner Valley gas plant is deemed to be no longer economically viable and is decommissioned. <br />Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

    Decommission

    In 1985, following years of declining production and rising costs for maintenance and upgrading, the Turner Valley gas plant is deemed to be no longer economically viable and is decommissioned.
    Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

  • The Government of Alberta acquires the Turner Valley gas plant in 1988. The site is determined to be provincially significant for its association with Alberta’s oil and gas history, and it is designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1989. <br />Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

    Provincial Designation

    The Government of Alberta acquires the Turner Valley gas plant in 1988. The site is determined to be provincially significant for its association with Alberta’s oil and gas history, and it is designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1989.
    Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

  • The Turner Valley gas plant is determined to be significant for its role in the development of Canada’s oil and gas history and is declared to be a National Historic Site of Canada on November 24, 1995. <br />Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

    National Designation

    The Turner Valley gas plant is determined to be significant for its role in the development of Canada’s oil and gas industry and is declared to be a National Historic Site of Canada on November 24, 1995.
    Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

  • The centennial of the discovery of the Turner Valley oilfield is observed on May 12, 2014, with a public event at the site. <br />Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

    100 Year Anniversary

    The centennial of the discovery of the Turner Valley oilfield is observed on May 12, 2014, with a public event at the site.
    Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism

Play Timeline

Glossary

Absorption plant: A facility that removes oil or a mix of liquid hydrocarbons, such as naphtha, from wet gas.

Actifier: In a scrubbing plant, hydrogen sulfide is separated from sour gas by a chemical process. The sweetened gas is piped off and the remaining compounds pass into an actifier. In the actifier, another chemical process separates the hydrogen sulfide; some of the chemicals that remain after this process are recycled for use in the scrubbing process.

Alkylate: A blending agent used in the manufacture of high octane gasoline including aviation fuel.

Allied War Supplies: Formally known as the Allied War Supplies Corporation. A Crown corporation established by the Government of Canada during the Second World War to oversee the production of materials required for the war effort. Allied War Supplies built a number of plants around the country, including two just south of Calgary.

Ammonia (NH3): A product resulting from the conversion of natural gas or liquefied petroleum gases such as propane and butane or naphtha into hydrogen gas that is then combined with nitrogen to produce ammonia. It is used in the production of various products including plastics, fibers, explosives, nitric acid and pharmaceuticals.

Anticline: An arch-shaped fold of stratified or layered rock in which the layers bend down and away from the crest. The oldest layers form the core, while the outer layers of the fold are younger rock. Anticlines with reservoir-quality rocks in the center core and impermeable layers at the outside of the fold make excellent petroleum traps. An anticline is the opposite of a syncline, which occurs when the rock layers fold upwards in a U-shape.

Benzine (C6H6): An early term for gasoline, not to be confused with benzene. Benzine is a colourless, flammable mixture of liquid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum and used in cleaning and dyeing and as a motor fuel.

Bit: The cutting or boring tool used to drill for petroleum. It is located at the working end of the drill string or drilling line and is equipped with various types of cutting or grinding teeth.

Blowout: A petroleum well that goes out of control and literally blows out, spewing drilling mud, natural gas, oil and other liquids out of the well. Blowouts occur when formation pressure exceeds the pressure exerted by the column of drilling fluid.

British thermal unit (BTU): A unit of heat commonly used in heat engineering and corresponding to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one Fahrenheit degree.

Butane (C4H10): a colourless, flammable gas that occurs in natural gas and is used as a fuel, often for small household devices such as lighters, and as a refrigerant as well as in the manufacture of rubber.

Cable tool rig: A device used to drill for oil and natural gas that uses a heavy, chisel-like bit suspended on a cable and dropped repeatedly into the rock at the bottom of the hole.

Calgary and Edmonton Railway: An early railway in western Canada. The railway connected Calgary to Strathcona in 1891 and Calgary to Fort Macleod in 1892. Stations and town sites were established along the route, including one at Okotoks, which became the primary rail depot for the Turner Valley region. The Calgary and Edmonton Railway was taken over by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1904.

Calgary Petroleum Products: Incorporated as Calgary Petroleum Products Company Limited by Archibald W. Dingman, William S. Herron and a number of influential investors to drill for oil in Turner Valley. The company established the first processing equipment at the Turner Valley plant site between 1914 and 1920. Calgary Petroleum Products was reorganized by Imperial Oil in 1921 to form Royalite Oil.

Canadian Western Natural Gas: Formally Canadian Western Natural Gas, Light, Heat and Power Company Ltd. The company founded by Eugene Coste to drill at Bow Island for natural gas, which was transported to Lethbridge and Calgary via pipelines and sold through exclusive contracts.

Carbon (C): A natural element found in petroleum and derived from trapped organic material.

Casing: Steel pipe inserted into petroleum wells to prevent well walls from caving in and fluids from entering the borehole.

Catalyst: A substance that causes or speeds up a chemical reaction without itself being changed by that reaction.

Combustible: Able to catch fire and burn.

Combustion: A chemical reaction that produces heat and light; the process of burning something.

Coming in: The moment in the process of drilling an oil well when oil or natural gas is struck or discovered.

Compression: A process by which the volume of natural gas is reduced so that it can be more easily transported via pipeline.

Compression plant: A facility in which specialized equipment is used to compress wet gas either for transmission through a pipeline or into petroleum refining equipment, or for direct use as a fuel in blast furnaces and steel foundries.

Conservation: Measures to preserve, guard and protect natural resources and also ensure wise use. Such measures are generally enacted by governments or governmental authorities.

Crown corporation: A government-owned business established and organized to function as a private enterprise.

Decommissioning: The shutting down of an industrial facility, such as a gas plant, once production ceases. The process ensures that governmental environmental requirements are observed to prevent risk to the environment and the public.

Derrick: The large, load-bearing tower-like framework over a gas or oil well that supports the drilling tools and their accessories. They were once made of wood and constructed piece by piece but began to be made of bolted steel construction in the 1920s. Metal rigs are stronger, less flammable and better able to withstand strong prairie winds.

Devonian: A geologic period of the Paleozoic Era from about 450 million to 345 million B.C.E. Much of Alberta’s petroleum comes from rock formations of this period, which was dominated by marine life.

Distillation: A process in natural gas processing in which crude oil is heated gradually until all the different fractions have boiled off, one after the other (including gasoline and kerosene). The modern process described as fractional distillation is quite sophisticated, with six or more fractions being separated simultaneously.

Downstream: That part of the petroleum industry that delivers oil and gas to the consumer.

Drill bit: The tool attached to the lower end of the drill pipe. A heavy steel head equipped with various types of cutting or grinding teeth.

Drill string: The assembly of elements connected to the drill bit and lowered into the hole. In the case of cable tool drilling, the entire drill string is raised and dropped on the end of a cable. In the case of rotary drilling, the entire drill string is turned in the hole by a motor located in the floor of the drilling rig.

Drilling rig: The combined machinery involved in the drilling of petroleum wells; includes the derrick, the hoisting equipment, the drill string, the pumps and the mud system.

Dry gas: Natural gas that is essentially devoid of liquid hydrocarbons.

Ethane (C2H6): A gaseous, colourless, flammable hydrocarbon, slightly more complex than methane, that is used as a building block by the petrochemical industry.

Flare: A pipe or tower that burns off excess or unwanted natural gas.

Foothills: Any of the low hills around the base of a mountain or the hill country in Alberta lying east of the Rocky Mountains.

Formation: An identifiable geological unit or location where petroleum is found in rock.

Fossil fuel: A hydrocarbon deposit formed in the geological past from the remains of living creatures. Through combustion, the hydrocarbon provides a non-renewable source of fuel.

Fractionation: A step in natural gas processing involving specialized equipment that separates the mixture into its component parts, or fractions, based on the different rates at which the components vaporize at a given temperature.

Gasoline: A complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons, with or without small quantities of additives, suitable for use in spark-ignition engines.

Geophysics: The study of the physical properties of the Earth and the physical processes of its environment, including the fields of meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, seismology, volcanology and geomagnetism.

Girbotol process: A scrubbing process that uses an aqueous solution of monoethanolamine (MEA) to sweeten sour gas by removing hydrogen sulfide.

Gusher: A well that comes in under such pressure that it spurts gas or oil uncontrollably. Improved drilling technology has made gushers rare.

Horton sphere: Spherical tanks used to store isobutane (used in the production of aviation fuel) and natural gasoline/naphtha under pressure. The spherical shape allows for highly volatile liquids under extreme pressure to be stored safely.

Hydrocarbons: A large class of gaseous, liquid or solid organic compounds that are comprised of only hydrogen and carbon molecules and are the basis of almost all petroleum products.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S): A toxic compound with a strong odour like that of rotten eggs. It is the component that makes so-called “sour” gas sour. In the early days of the natural gas industry, hydrogen sulfide removed from sour gas was not captured but was released directly into the atmosphere. Later, this practice was banned, and producing sulfur from hydrogen sulfide became an industry in its own right.

Imperial Oil: Formally known as Imperial Oil Limited or The Imperial Oil Company, Limited. Founded in London, Ontario, in 1880, Standard Oil of New Jersey (now Exxon Mobil Corporation) acquired a majority share in Imperial Oil in 1898. Imperial Oil was Canada’s largest oil company until the 2009 merger of its competitors Petro-Canada and Suncor Energy.

Isobutane (C4H10): A colourless, flammable gas derived from natural gas and used in the production of alkylate, a blending agent for the manufacture of high octane gasoline including aviation fuel.

Lean oil: Oil or gas that has had lighter hydrocarbon molecules such as propane removed. Lean oil, when used in an absorption plant, removes lighter hydrocarbons from wet gas. The result of this process is rich oil.

Liquefied natural gas: Natural gas that is super-cooled in order to maintain it in a liquid state and at a fraction of its original volume. In this way, it is much easier and less expensive to transport if pipelines cannot be used.

Madison Natural Gas: Formally the Madison Natural Gas Company Limited. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Royalite established in 1944 to handle the sweetening and distribution of natural gas.

Mercaptan: A substance added to odourless natural gas giving the gas an unpleasant odour in order to make it detectable.

Merox process: A process that removes mercaptans from light petroleum products such as propane and butane.

Methane (CH4): The most basic hydrocarbon. This colourless, odourless, flammable gas is lighter than air and is the primary component of natural gas. It is also a by-product of the decomposition of organic matter. Methane releases a large quantity of heat when burned.

Naphtha: A flammable, liquid mixture of hydrocarbons distilled from petroleum and used as a fuel.

Natural gas: A gaseous form of hydrocarbon. Methane is separated from other components found in natural gas, such as ethane, propane, butane, pentane and hexane, at processing plants located near producing fields.

Natural gas liquids (NGLs): Naturally-occurring hydrocarbon components of natural gas. Because they are valuable in and of themselves, they are removed during natural gas processing and then separated into distinct by-products including ethane, propane, and butane among others. Kept under pressure, they can be easily transported as liquids in tanker trucks.

Natural gasoline: A liquid that can be obtained from wet gas by distillation. Technically a type of natural gas that is liquid at atmospheric pressure, it was sometimes used to power early automobiles.

Octane rating: A standard measure of the performance of an engine or fuel. Higher octane fuels are considered to enhance engine performance. Aviation fuel has a high octane rating. Diesel is a low octane fuel.

Petroleum: Derived from the Latin roots petra, meaning “rock,” and oleum, meaning “oil.” This is the general term for all the naturally occurring hydrocarbons, including natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and bitumen. Petroleum is a non-renewable natural resource found within the pore space of rocks.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Conservation Board: A professional board created by the Government of Alberta in 1938 to regulate the oil and gas industry, particularly the conservation of natural gas. The organization replaced the Turner Valley Gas Conservation Board and has been known as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Conservation Board (1938-1957), Oil and Gas Conservation Board (1957-1971), Energy Resources Conservation Board (1971-1995), Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (1995-2013) and Alberta Energy Regulator (2013- ).

Propane (C3H8): A colourless, flammable hydrocarbon component found in natural gas. When kept under pressure, it remains in liquid form. It is used for cooking, heating, and other domestic and industrial purposes.

Refining: A complex industrial process that involves the cleaning of raw natural gas coming from the well. The product is a dry, pipeline quality product that is easily transmitted and can be used as fuel for residential and commercial applications. The type of gas is determined by the nature of the geology and depth at which it is found.

Refrigeration: A type of gas processing in which inlet gas is cooled to a sufficiently low temperature to cause condensation of the desired fraction. Freon or propane is used as the refrigerant.

Remediation: A process in which pollution or contaminated materials in soil, groundwater, sediments or surface water are removed to prevent risk to people and/or the environment. It is generally done at the request of a governmental authority.

Reserves: The amounts of gas and oil recoverable from within the Earth.

Reservoir rock: A permeable rock, usually sandstone or limestone that contains quantities of petroleum within its pores.

Rich oil: An oil that includes lighter hydrocarbon molecules such as propane, methane, ethane, butane and pentane. When these lighter hydrocarbons have been removed from the oil by processing, including distillation, the result is lean oil.

Rig: The derrick and surface equipment of a drilling unit.

Rotary drill: A technology using a rotary drill pipe and bit, or one that bores its hole by rotating the drill stem and bit. Rotary rigs were introduced in Texas in the 1890s and in the Turner Valley, Alberta in 1925. Rotary drilling was not used widely in Canada, however, until a new exploration in Turner Valley began in 1936.

Roughneck: A member of the derrick floor crew as distinguished from the driller.

Royalite: Formally known as the Royalite Oil Company, Limited. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Imperial Oil formed when Imperial took over Calgary Petroleum Products in 1921. Royalite drilled wells in the Turner Valley region and operated the Turner Valley gas plant.

Scientific and Industrial Research Council: An organization established by the Government of Alberta to promote better understanding of the province’s natural resources potential and how they could be used. Initially focused primarily on oil, gas and coal, the organization gradually moved into other sectors, notably technology and bio-sciences. The organization has been known as the Scientific and Industrial Research Council of Alberta (1921-1930), Research Council of Alberta (1930-1981), Alberta Research Council (1981-1999), Alberta Research Council Inc. (1999-2010), and Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures (2010- ).

Scrubbing: A procedure used to extract toxic hydrogen sulfide from sour gas to make it safe for consumer use.

Scrubbing plant: A facility in which a chemical process and high pressure are used to purify natural gas containing high volumes of hydrogen sulfide to make it safe for consumer use.

Seaboard process: A scrubbing process that uses sodium carbonate (Na2C03) to sweeten sour gas by removing hydrogen sulfide.

Sedimentary rock: Rock that is composed of sediment, or particulate matter carried by water, and compacted by pressure. Limestone, sandstone and shale are sedimentary rocks.

Seep: A location at which hydrocarbons have migrated to the Earth’s surface.

Seismic waves: Waves of energy that travel through the Earth. They can be generated naturally by earthquakes or artificially, such as by explosions.

Seismology: A modern method in geophysics based on the fact that sound waves travel through different kinds of rock at different speeds. It is used to find gas, oil, water, or minerals.

Shale: A fine-grained sedimentary rock made up of clay minerals and fragments of quartz, calcite and other minerals. Shale has a layered, plate-like structure. These layers can be less than one centimetre in thickness and can be sheared or broken easily along these plates.

Sheep River: A river that flows from the Rocky Mountains into the Highwood River, approximately 30 km (18.6 mi.) southeast of Calgary. Recorded by the Dominion Land Survey as Sheep Creek in 1883, the name Sheep River was officially adopted in 1907. However, both names remained in use for many decades.

Sour gas: Natural gas that contains toxic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and is often found in deep, high-pressure natural gas deposits such as those in the foothills of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.

Spud: To begin drilling operations, or begin making a hole, by moving the drill stem up and down in the borehole without rotation.

Sulfur: An odourless and tasteless chemical element having a pale yellow colour and occurring widely in nature.

Sulfur plant: A facility in which elemental sulfur is produced from sour gas containing high volumes of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It is used to produce fireworks, explosives and fertilizers, in the vulcanization of natural rubber, and in the production of fungicides and insecticides.

Sweet gas: Natural gas that has been cleaned of impurities, particularly of hydrogen sulfide (H2S).

Trap: A geological feature that stops the free flow of petroleum to concentrate it in a limited space.

Turner Valley Gas Conservation Board: A professional board established by the Government of Alberta in 1932 to encourage the conservation of natural gas by regulating the gas producers. The industry successfully challenged the board’s legitimacy in the courts, greatly limiting its effectiveness. The Turner Valley Gas Conservation Board was replaced by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Conservation Board in 1938.

Turner Valley Royalties: A company established by Robert Brown Sr. in 1934 to drill for oil in the Turner Valley region. Its first well, Turner Valley Royalties No. 1, found oil towards the south end of the Turner Valley oil and gas field in 1936, reviving exploration interest in the region.

Valley Pipe Line: Formally the Valley Pipe Line Company Limited. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Royalite established in 1940 to handle the transportation of oil from the Turner Valley area to the Imperial Oil refinery in Calgary.

Volatile: Readily evaporates at normal temperatures.

Waste gas: Natural gas that is flared.

Wet gas: Natural gas that is partially saturated with liquid hydrocarbons.

Western Canada Sedimentary Basin: A geographic area with several source rocks (Ordovician, Upper Devonian, Uppermost Devonian and lower Mississippian, Middle Triassic, Lower Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous and Upper Cretaceous) that contain active petroleum systems. A sedimentary basin is usually a depressed region, shaped like a basin.

Western Decalta: Formally Western Decalta Petroleum (1977) Limited. This company was the final owner of the Turner Valley gas plant as a production facility. Western Decalta acquired the plant in 1977 and operated it until decommissioning the plant in 1985.

Western Propane: Formally Western Propane Limited. A company established by James Barber to manufacture propane from the waste coming from Royalite’s Turner Valley gas plant. Royalite acquired Western Propane in 1952, disassembled the equipment and moved it to its Turner Valley gas plant site, bringing it into operation in 1953.

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