Old Companies

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Last update February 2, 2010

What to expect from the PHS
Share certificates of defunct companies
How to research old companies yourself
What to do if you find an existing successor company
Old companies we have researched

What to expect from the PHS

People often ask us, "What happened to such-and-such an oil company? Are they still around? Are the share certificates I've found worth anything?" Below are companies we have already researched for people.

We cannot promise to answer questions you send us and we do not provide valuations. The Petroleum History Society is a volunteer-run organization with few resources. However we are keenly interested in Canadian petroleum history and will reply to your questions where we can. Please note:

• Our research resources primarily relate to old oil and gas companies in Alberta and, to a lesser extent, Canada. We cannot research modern companies nor companies outside of Canada.
• It may take us a long time before we can get back to you.
• We do not promise to reply.

Our research is primarily conducted by the Glenbow Archives, under the direction of the Glenbow's Chief Archivist - Doug Cass - who is also one of our Directors. PHS President, Clint Tippett, and other members may also add their knowledge.

Share certificates of defunct companies

Even if a company no longer exists, the actual share certificates may be of value to collectors. To check that out search for "scripophily" at your favorite search engine. The Petroleum History Society would gratefully accept certificates as a donation if you so desire - Canadian companies only.

Other places that may be interested in certificates are:

How to research old companies yourself

Here are some good references for old oil companies in Alberta and Canada. You may need to find these in an archives where out-of-date copies are kept, rather than just the latest edition.

• Financial Post Survey of Oils
• Financial Post survey of predecessor and defunct companies
• Incorporated companies in Alberta

For more modern companies and companies in other jurisdictions please check with local archives, libraries, museums, or corporate registries. For relatively modern companies - check with stock brokers or other investment professionals.

Here are two commercial services which research old stock. Please note, we have no experience with these services and this is not an endorsement of them.

• www.paperchaseintl.com - Montreal-based.

• www.stocksearchintl.com/value.html

What to do if you find an existing successor company

If your research leads you to an existing company that took over the old company, contact their transfer agent. You can probably find the transfer agent by going to the Investor Relations section of the existing company's website. If you can't find the transfer agent, contact the Investor Relations department of the existing company.

Old companies we have researched

Note - "struck off" or "struck from the corporate register" means the company went out of business, rather than being merged with another firm.

A  B  C  D-E-F  G  H-I-J-K  L  M  N  O-P-Q  R  S  T  U-V-W-X-Y-Z

Acroll Oil & Gas Ltd.- 1979

- Amalgamated with Ranchmen's Resources.
- 1995 Ranchmen's bought by Crestar Energy.
- November 2000, Gulf Canada Resources acquired Crestar.
- July 2001 Conoco Inc. acquired Gulf Canada Resources.

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Aladdin Oil - circa 1930

Our inquirer was looking for information on Aladdin Oil and Gas. In the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1937 and there is a listing in the Dead and Dormant Companies for:

• Aladdin Oil Company Ltd.
• Aladdin Oils Ltd.

The Survey does not list Aladdin Oil and Gas.

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Alberta Associated Oil Fields, Limited - 1913-1946

According the Alberta Companies List Alberta Associated Oilfields was incorporated in Alberta in 1913 and struck from the register in 1946.  The Financial Post Survey of Oils in the mid-1930s indicated they were inactive and dormant.

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Alberta Energy Company - 1973-2002

Alberta Energy was formed as a public company by the Alberta government in 1973. It purchased PanCanadian Petroleum in 2002 and the company is now called EnCana.

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Alberta Keystone Petroleum Limited - 1930-1933

Alberta Keystone had a very short life.  It was incorporated in Alberta in 1930 and was dissolved in 1933.

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Alberta Oil Leaseholds - 1949-1957

According to the Alberta Corporate Registry, Alberta Oil Leaseholds was incorporated in Alberta in 1949, headquartered in Toronto and struck from the register in 1957.  It has a small interest in 4 wells at Leduc, 3 wells at Lloydminster and 1 well at Whitemud.

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Albertan Oil Refinery, Limited - 1939?

We could find no record of this company in the Financial Post Survey of Oils, the Canadian Oil and Gas Directory or the Alberta Companies List.

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Alberta Pacific Consolidated - 1914-1965

Alberta Pacific Consolidated was incorporated in 1914 and survived until 1965 when it was taken over by Canadian Industrial Gas and Oil which later folded into Norcen.  Some of the remnants of Norcen are now held by Anadarko.

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Alberta Petroleum Limited - 1914-1924

Alberta Petroleum Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and it was wound up in 1924 when it became part of Alberta Petroleum Consolidated Company. The latter was liquidated in 1929.

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Alberta Petroleums Lease Syndicate - circa 1930

The 1929 and 1937 issues of the Financial Post Survey of Oils have no listing for this firm.

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Alberta Petroleum Consolidated Limited - 1914-1929

Alberta Petroleum Consolidated Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1914, but did very little and was liquidated in 1929.

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Alberta Refineries Limited - 1925

There is no reference to this firm in standard sources such as the Financial Post Survey of Oils and Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies.

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American Leduc Petroleum Company - 1947 to 2003

The 2002/2003 Oil Register shows that American Leduc was incorporated in 1947 in Alberta and by 2002 had 7 employees based in Calgary. Veteran Resources Inc. acquired American Leduc Petroleums Limited in October 2003.

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Anderson Exploration - ?-2001

Anderson Exploration was acquired by Devon Energy in 2001. There is a current company called Anderson Energy also run by J.C. Anderson who founded Anderson Exploration.

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Anglo Canadian Royalties Limited - 1924

The Financial Post Survey of Oils, Alberta Corporate index and other directories have no mention of Anglo Canadian Royalties Limited.

There was an Anglo Canadian Oil Company Ltd. which was one of the early Turner Valley companies – it went out of business in 1921.

There was also a short-lived firm Anglo Canadian Oils Ltd. which operated from 1929 to 1935 in Alberta.

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Atlantic Keystone Petroleums Ltd.- early 1930s

The 1939 Financial Post Survey of Oils says that the firm had been inactive since the early 1930s.

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Beacon Oils, Limited - 1914-1919

Issued under Section 63 respecting mining companies of the companies ordinance. Incorporated under the laws of the Province of Alberta. Involved in Alberta oil development generated by the first Turner Valley wells of 1914, although unsuccessful. Beacon Oils was incorporated in 1914 and struck off in 1919.

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Beacon Petroleums, Limited - 1937-1968

Beacon Petroleums was incorporated in Alberta in 1937 and based in Edmonton.  It had an interest in one well in the Lloydminster field, drilled in 1947.  The company was reorganized as Beacon Placers in 1961 and eventually struck from the register of Alberta companies in 1968.

A geological report for the company is on the internet at:

http://propertyfile.gov.bc.ca/PDFTemp/fileid_36227.pdf

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Beaver Oils Company of Calgary - 1946

According to the 1948 Financial Post Survey of Oils, Beaver Oils Limited was "wound up, charter surrendered, stated to be dead".  There appears to be no following company although this Beaver name is used by many other corporate entities and one might have had something to do with Beaver Oils Limited.  A current issue of the Financial Post "Predecessor and Defunct" listings may have more information.

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Belmont Oil & Gas Company Limited - 1914-1921

Belmont Oil & Gas was incorporated in Alberta in 1914.  As far as we can tell, it did not drill any wells and was struck from the register of Alberta companies in 1921.

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Big Chief Oil Company, Limited

Big Chief Oil Company was not incorporated in Alberta and we were unable to locate information about it.

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Bond Petroleums Ltd.

According to the Alberta Corporate Registry list, Bond Petroleums was incorporated in Alberta in 1952, based in Edmonton (in the Kresge Building), and struck from the register in 1957.  It owned a 1/3 interest in 2 wells at Leduc.

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British Canadian Oils, Limited - 1914-1920

Registered in Calgary, Alberta. Involved in Alberta oil development generated by the first Turner Valley wells of 1914. British Canadian drilled outside Turner Valley and was unsuccessful. Incorporated in 1914 and struck off in 1920.

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British Trans Canada Oils Limited - 1937-1946

British Trans Canada Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1937. In the 1946 Financial Post Survey of Oils it is listed as in liquidation.

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Cactus Drilling - 1967-1986

Cactus Drilling is listed from about 1967 to 1986 in the Canadian Oil Register. We were unable to find out what happened to it through the sources available to us.

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Calbrico Petroleums Limited - 1950-1966

Calbrico was incorporated in Alberta in 1950 and drilled a well near Edmonton.  According to the Alberta Companies list their status changed in 1966 but I have been unable to determine what happened to them from the Financial Post Survey of Oils.

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Capital Oil and Natural Gas Company - 1921-1930

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Capital Oil and Natural Gas Company was federally incorporated in 1921, headquartered in Vancouver, and drilled two wells in Alberta.  They were in the Milk River and Red Coulee fields and both were drilled in 1929-1930.  The company likely went out of business shortly after.

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Canadian Consolidated Oils, Limited - 1914-1921

Canadian Consolidated Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1914.  Its well was not a producer and it was struck from the register of Alberta companies in 1921.

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Canadian Pacific Oil and Gas - 1958-1971

The Canadian Pacific Railway Company incorporated Canadian Pacific Oil and Gas (CPOG) in 1958. CPOG purchased Central-Del Rio Oils in 1969. However, the company operated under the Central-Del Rio name until 1971 when its name changed to PanCanadian Petroleum Limited.

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Cavalcade Petroleums Ltd. - 1946-1959

According to the Canadian oil register Cavalcade was incorporated in Ontario in 1946 with headquarters at Toronto.  They had interests in wells in the Leduc and Lloydminster fields in Alberta.  According to the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies their name was changed to International Kingdom Mining and Exploration Ltd. in November, 1959.  That company was dissolved on April 15, 1965.

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Central-Del Rio Oils - 1957-1971

Formed from the merger of Central Leduc and Del Rio Oils in 1957, Central-Del Rio was purchased by Canadian Pacific Oil and Gas in 1969. However, the company continued to operate under the Central-Del Rio name until 1971 when its name changed to PanCanadian Petroleum Limited.

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Central Leduc Drilling - 1947-1957

Central Leduc Drilling was incorporated on July 11, 1947 and merged with Del Rio Oils to form Central-Del Rio Oils on April 9, 1957.

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Clarke Mitchell Oil Wells Limited - 1914-1920

Clarke Mitchell Oil Wells Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and struck from the register in 1920.  They had interests in land in Turner Valley.

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Commonwealth Drilling Company - 1939-1978

The person who inquired had found a Commonwealth Drilling Company credit card and wondered how old it was.

According to the Financial Post, Commonwealth Drilling was established in 1939 and merged with other companies around 1978. Many of the names of the other firms mentioned disappeared through mergers in the early 1960s.

This credit card was probably issued to a Commonwealth employee. A drilling company's business would take an employee all over rural areas, so the card had to be valid for a variety of companies - there were no widely accepted cards, like VISA or MasterCard, in those days. This card was good for Anglo-American Exploration, British American Oil, White Rose, Imperial, McColl-Frontenac Oil, Pacific Petroleums, Royalite Oil, and Shell Oil Co., with a separate credit card account number for each company.

The McColl-Frontenac account indicates that the card is from 1939-1941. The McColl-Frontenac name was in use until 1941 when it was replaced by the Texaco name. See McColl Bros. Ltd. below.

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Continental Emsco - 1935-1996

Continental Emsco was incorporated in Alberta in 1935. In a news release of Sept. 18, 1995 Franklin Supply Company Ltd. announced that it had entered into a letter of intent to acquire all the shares of Continental Emsco Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental Emsco Company. Our researchers believes they are still in business as EC Franklin (as of July 2009).

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Crescent Oil Fields, Limited - 1914-1921

Crescent Oil Fields was incorporated in Alberta in 1914.  As far as we can tell it did not drill any wells and was struck from the register of Alberta companies in 1921.

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Dalhousie Oil Company - 1931-?

The person inquiring bought 100 shares in 1948. Dalhousie was incorporated in 1931 in Alberta to drill in Turner Valley.  It was controlled by Royalite Oil company which was originally a subsidiary of Imperial Oil and later of Gulf.  Royalite was wound up in the 1970s.

The 1997 list of companies for Alberta says they are still active. We suggest contacting Imperial Oil investor relations to check on the shares.

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Del Rio Oils Limited - ?-1957

Del Rio Oils merged with Central Leduc Drilling to form Central-Del Rio Oils on April 9, 1957.

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Dynamic Petroleum Products Ltd. - ~1962-1973

Dynamic was struck from the Alberta Companies list in 1973.

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Edalta Oils, Limited - 1926

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Edalta Oils was incorporated federally in 1926 and headquartered at Provost, Alberta. It drilled one well in the Wainwright field.  It likely went out of business shortly thereafter.

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Edmonton Oil Company - 1905-1924

The Edmonton Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1905 and struck from the companies register in 1924.

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Fabyan Petroleums - 1925-1937

Fabyan Petroleums had a dominion incorporation in 1925 and was based in Vancouver. It drilled several wells in Alberta but by 1937 was dissolved. The directors in the early 30s were R. E. Williams, G. F. H. Long, William Parslow, William Sanderson, F. W. Williams.

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Federal Oil and Gas Corporation - 1913-1927

Incorporated 1913 under The Companies Ordinance, Alberta. Involved in Alberta oil development generated by the first Turner Valley wells of 1914. Federal drilled outside Turner Valley and was unsuccessful. Incorporated in 1913 and struck from the register in 1927.

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Fidelity Oil and Gas Company Limited- 1914-1920

According the Alberta Companies list, Fidelity was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and was struck from the register of incorporated companies in 1920.  A notation that the company was struck means it went out of business, rather than being merged with another firm.

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Foundation Company - 1934

The Foundation Company drilled a well in Turner Valley starting June 14, 1934 in Section 21, Township 18, Range 2, West of the 5th Meridian. It was completed November 16, 1936 and produced commercial gas for about 10 years.

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Franklin Supply Company Ltd. - ?-1996

In a news release of Sept. 18, 1995 Franklin Supply Company Ltd. announced that it had entered into a letter of intent to acquire all the shares of Continental Emsco Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental Emsco Company. Our researchers believes they are still in business as EC Franklin (as of July 2009).

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Frontenac Oil Refineries

See McColl Bros. below.

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Globe Drilling Company Limited - 1924 - ~1937

Globe Drilling was incorporated federally in 1924 as an outgrowth of Mutual Oil Refineries Ltd.  They were based in Edmonton and owned property in the Pigeon Lake region of central Alberta. They are listed in the 1929 Financial Post Survey of Oils. The next issue we have is 1937, by that time they have disappeared.

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Globe Oil

According to the Alberta Companies list, there have been several Globe Oil Companies incorporated in Alberta since the first Turner Valley Discovery:

• Globe Oil Company Limited – incorp. 1914 – defunct 1921
• Globe Oil Company Ltd. – incorp. 1920, defunct 1939
• Globe Oil Company Limited – incorp. 1944, defunct 1952
• Globe Oil Company (1958) Ltd. – incorp. 1951, merged 1982

Globe Oil Company (1985) Ltd. merged on November 1, 1982 with Trans-Canada Resources Ltd., Acroll Petroleums Ltd. and United Western Oil & Gas Ltd. to form a new company under the Trans-Canada name. The name changed to Consolidated Trans-Canada Resources Ltd. in September 1988 and this company was acquired by Ranchmen's Resources on September 30, 1989. In 1995 Ranchmen's was bought by Crestar Energy. Gulf Canada Resources acquired Crestar in November 2000. Conoco Inc. acquired Gulf Canada Resources in July 2001.

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Granville Oils Limited - before 1968

Granville Oils Limited last appeared in the Canadian Oil Register in 1968. It says it was affiliated with Western Decalta Petroleum.  Western Decalta was established in 1947 and was dissolved in 1977.  Its assets were sold to Loram, a company owned by the Mannix family of Calgary.

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Great Northern Oil and Asphalt Company Limited - 1911-1919

According to the Alberta Companies list, Great Northern was incorporated in Alberta in 1911 and struck from the register of incorporated companies in 1919.  A notation that the company is struck means it has gone out of business, not merged into another firm.

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Great Northern Oil Company, Limited - 1907

We found quite a few Great Northern Oil companies. There was Great Northern Asphalt & Oil company that drilled a well in northern Alberta [Pelican field]  before WWI and their well was destroyed by fire.

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Great West Oils, Limited - 1926-1946

Great West Oils was incorporated federally in 1926. Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa may have the corporations branch files, and perhaps could provide further information. In the 1946 Financial Post Survey of Oils it says the company is inactive and it is gone from the directory in 1947.

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Great West Refining Company, Limited - 1935-1947

Great West Refining Company, Limited was a federally-incorporated firm. Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa appears to have a file - click link.

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Green Apple Petroleum

We searched several data sources and have been unable to locate this company.  It may have been a private concern, in which case it would not have been listed among public companies.

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Grenadier Oils Limited - 1929-1937

We checked the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1929, 1937 and 1939. The firm was federally incorporated in 1929 with headquarters in Toronto.  By 1937 it is reported as 'dead, dormant or inactive'  It is not mentioned in 1939.

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Harvard Uranium Mines Limited, Ontario - 1955-1965

Financial Post survey of predecessor and defunct companies says Harvard Uranium Mines was incorporated in Ontario in 1955 and dissolved in 1965.

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Herron-Elder Gas & Oil Development Company, Limited - 1913-1924

Incorporated in Alberta in November 1913. Herron-Elder was established by Turner Valley pioneer Stewart Herron in 1913 and merged into his firm Alberta Petroleum Consolidated.  It was struck off in 1924.

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Highland Oil Company Limited - 1926-1948

The 1948 Financial Post Survey of Oils refers to a Highland Oil Co. Ltd. At that time it was in the index but footnoted as "wound up; charter surrendered; stated to be dead."

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Home Oil Limited - ?-1995

Home Oil Limited was acquired by Anderson Exploration in 1995.

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Hudson Oil - before 1971

Hudson Oil Company of Canada Ltd. was dissolved in 1971. It was not incorporated in Alberta but may be in another province or federally. It does not appear in the oil and gas directories for the 1950s and 1960s that we have access to.

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Hunter Valley Oils - Circa 1933-1946

Campbell M. Hunter, O.B.E., an eminent consulting engineer and petroleum technologist of London, England, was president of Hunter Valley Oil Co., Ltd. The company had large holdings west of Olds, Alberta, and was financed largely by British capital.

More information is available in this article - Campbell Murray Hunter by Aubrey Kerr in the CSEG Recorder of April 2000:
http://www.cseg.ca/publications/recorder/2000/04apr/apr00-reflections.pdf

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 Illinois-Alberta Oil Company - 1917-1939

The Illinois-Alberta Oil Company was established in Alberta in 1917, backed by a group of investors, mostly located in Granite City, Illinois.  The firm bought one of the early Turner Valley companies – North Western Pacific and brought in their first successful well in 1923.  The company also built a small processing plant for their gas.  Several other wells were drilled in the late 1920s but the company was inactive by the early 1930s, and was struck off the Alberta incorporation list in 1939.

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Jennings Drilling - 1956-1970s

Jennings Drilling was incorporated in 1956 by Kendall and E. C. Jennings of Calgary.  It seems to have operated till some time in the 1970s.

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Keystone Oil Company - 1914-1920

The Keystone Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and struck off in 1920.  It did not complete any wells in Alberta and was among the many firms that had short lives in the first Turner Valley boom.

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Lancer Petroleums Limited - 1950-1970

Lancer Petroleums was incorporated in Ontario in 1950 and its office is listed in the oil directory in the early 1950s at 80 King Street West, Toronto. It disappears from the directories about 1957 and the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies says it was struck off the Ontario companies registry in 1970.

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Leberta-Redwater Oil Co., Limited - 1949-1960

The Leberta-Redwater Oil Company was incorporated in Toronto, Ontario in February, 1949 and dissolved in 1960. The directors were Dr. T. B. Armstrong, E. S. Clary, W. G. Chipp and H. A. Butt. The company held acreage in Bruderheim, Youngstown and Blackfoot.

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Leduc Calmar Oil Company - 1947

The Leduc Calmar company was incorporated in Alberta in 1947. In 1970 it changed its name to Liberty Resources Ltd., in 1971 to Turbo Resources Ltd., and to Canadian Turbo in 1990.

A Leduc Calmar shareholder took this research a step farther and reports that "Turbo Resources was purchased by PaynSave which was purchased by Shell".

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Lethbridge Petroleum and Refineries Ltd. - 1937-1962

Lethbridge Petroleum and Refineries Ltd. was incorporated in 1937. Its status changed in 1962 but we were unable to determine what happened to it. Alberta Registries may have further information.

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Lettermay Oil  and Development Company, Limited - 1914-1952

According to the Alberta companies list the Lettermay company was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and declared defunct in 1952.  However, the 1929 Financial Post Survey of Oils says that it was already inactive by that year. 

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Liverpool Oil Refining Co. - listed in Sarnia 1865

The Ontario Archives may have information on their incorporation and dissolution.

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Lloydbrook Oil Company - 1947-1984

The Lloydbrook Oil Company was incorporated in 1947 in Alberta and dissolved in 1984. There is no indication in the directories that it is continued in some way.

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Madison Oil Ltd. - 1926-1987

Madison Oils was established in 1926 and in 1987 became part of Knee Hill Energy.  In turn Knee Hill merged with Inuvialuit Petroleum.

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Magnet Oil Company - 1914-1918

The Magnet Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and struck off in 1918. It did not complete any wells in Alberta and was among the many firms that had short lives in the first Turner Valley boom.

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Maple Leaf Oil & Refining Co. - 1931-1992

According to the Alberta Companies list, Maple Leaf Oil & Refining was incorporated in 1931 and was on the books until 1992, although it is listed as inactive after 1977. From a sampling of various issues of the Financial Post Survey of Oils from the mid-1930s to the 1970s, Maple Leaf was never listed there.

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Marpoint Gas & Oil Corporation Limited- ~1959-1962

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Marpoint Gas & Oil was sold to Dynamic Petroleum Products Ltd. of Calgary on May 31, 1962.   Dynamic was struck from the Alberta Companies list in 1973.

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Maverick Mines and Oils Ltd. - 1952-1972

Maverick Mines and Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1952. According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils it changed its name to Peregrine Petroleum Ltd. in 1972. It appears Peregrine Petroleum Ltd. was delisted from the stock exchange in 1992 (TSX Venture symbol PGR).

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McColl-Anderson Oil Company
McColl Bros. Ltd.
McColl-Frontenac Oil Company - 1873 to 1959
- forerunner of Texaco Canada

(This is an excerpt from "Canada's Early Oil Industry - A Brief History" by Brenda Curtis, originally published in The Petro-Philatelist. It was reproduced with permission of the author in the Petroleum History Society's newsletter Archives in June 2000.)

McColl-Anderson Oil Company was formed in 1873 in Toronto, Ontario, and consisted of a refinery and a lubricating oil and grease facility. Sometime before 1897 the name was shortened to McColl Bros. In 1927 it merged with Frontenac Oil Refineries to become McColl-Frontenac Oil Company. By then it had operations coast-to-coast. Around this time the Texas Corporation began to buy shares in McColl-Frontenac and within a few years gained controlling interest in the company. It further strengthened its interests by having McColl-Frontenac buy the Texas Company of Canada which had operations in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

The McColl-Frontenac name and its Red Indian products were in use until 1941 when they were replaced by the Texaco name and its Sky Chief products.

The McColl-Frontenac named was changed to Texaco in 1959. Texaco was acquired by Imperial Oil in 1989.

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Mercury Oils, Limited - 1929-1956

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Mercury Oils was incorporated in 1929 and produced in both Turner Valley and Leduc fields.  It was acquired in 1955-1956 by Mill City Petroleum which was in turn taken over by Pan Ocean Oil Corporation in 1971. Pan Ocean Oil Corporation was purchased by Marathon Oil Corporation in 1976.

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Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Ltd. - 1937-1943 and 1942-1953

Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Ltd. is curious because two companies with the same name seem to have been incorporated in Alberta at the same time.

The first was incorporated in 1937 and struck from the register in 1943.  The second was incorporated in 1942 and in 1953 changed its name to Midcon Oil and Gas Ltd.  It seems to have been wound up in 1977 but an inquiry with Alberta Registries might provide further information.

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Mid-Royal Oils Ltd. - 1929-1937

The 1937 Financial Post Survey of Oils states that Mid-Royal was in bankruptcy.

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Midway Oil Co. Ltd. - 1936-1938

The Midway Oil Company Ltd. was incorporated in Alberta in July, 1936 and dissolved in August, 1938. There is no indication it merged with some other firm.

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Mid-West Petroleum Corporation Limited - 1932-1948

Mid-West Petroleum Corporation Limited was incorporated provincially in Alberta in 1932. It was struck from the incorporation register in 1948, and there is no indication in the Companies list that it was taken over by anyone.

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Mill City Petroleum - before 1955-1971

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Mill City Petroleum was taken over by Pan Ocean Oil Corporation in 1971. Pan Ocean Oil Corporation was purchased by Marathon Oil Corporation in 1976.

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Mill Creek Oil Ltd. - 1940-?

The inquirer has a share certificate dated May 22, 1957 showing the head office was in Calgary and the transfer agent was Prudential Trust Company Ltd., Calgary.

According to the Alberta companies list the company was incorporated in Alberta in 1940 and as of 1997 [the last list that I have] it was still active.

Looking in the Financial Post Survey of Oils, however, it seems to have been active up to the 1960s, but disappears from the directory in the 1970s.

A Google search found several indications that the company was still around in the early 2000s, but they are not in any phone directory that I have tried.

The successor to Prudential Trust is TD Waterhouse – perhaps you could try with them.  http://www.tdwaterhouse.ca/

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Mount Stephen Oil and Gas Company - 1914-1924

The Mount Stephen Company was one of the firms established in the first major oil boom in Alberta in 1914. It was incorporated in 1914 and dissolved in 1924.

Quoting from PHS Director Doug Cass's thesis (Investment in Alberta Petroleum 1914-1930, University of Calgary, 1985, p. 53-54):

“The Mount Stephen Oil Company was organized by George Cloakey and T. G. Weston. They drilled a well in the Monarch field west of Olds, Alberta that by 1916 cost of $100,000. A second well was put down in Turner Valley but was suspended in 1919. After this, Mount Stephen attempted to negotiate a sale of their holdings, which was eventually accomplished with the disposal of the assets to the McLeod Oil company in return for shares. Cloakey then went on to establish the Seneca Oil Company.”

A few notes on George Cloakey: Mr. And Mrs. Cloakey first came to the Westerdale District in 1890, homesteading on SW 1/4 of Sec.36-32-3-W5M (Alberta). Having developed his homestead they moved to Olds where he became a real estate agent and a landman for the CPR. Later they moved to Calgary and he was active in oil field developments in the Turner Valley area.

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Naidanac Oil and Gas - 1914-1921

Naidanac Oil and Gas was incorporated in Alberta in 1914. As far as we can tell it did not drill any wells.  The company was struck from the provincial register of companies in 1921.

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New Peninsular Oil Limited - 1952

New Peninsular Oil Limited was incorporated in Quebec in 1952 and based in Montreal.  Their activities were in the Gaspe peninsula. The Quebec archives and/or corporations branch may have information regarding their current status.

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New Red Creek Oil and Gas Ltd. - 1951-1971

The list of incorporated companies in Alberta shows New Red Creek was incorporated in 1951 and in 1971 was merged with another company.  Unfortunately the list does not give the name of the other firm.  A search at any registry office in Alberta may give you the successor company name. The company must have been a very small operation as the Oil and Gas directories from the early 1950s to the early 1970s never mention New Red Creek.

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Norbaska Mines Limited, Saskatchewan - ?-1987

Norbaska Mines merged with Dore Explorations Inc. in 1987 to form Dore Norbaska Resources Inc.

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Northern Oils - 1914-1921 and 1928-1936

There were two companies named Northern Oils - one from 1914-1921. It would have been one of the many early Turner Valley companies that did not complete a well.

The second ran from 1928-1936 - but it is not listed in the Financial Post Survey of Oils.It must have been a very low key operation.

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Northland Utilities - 1945-1972

Northland was incorporated in Alberta in July 1945. In 1972 its gas assets were acquired by Northwestern Utilities and its electrical generation and distributing assets by Alberta Power Company.  Northland was then wound up.

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North Western Pacific Oil Company Limited - before 1920s

North Western Pacific was taken over by Mid-West Oil Company Limited some time in the 1920s.  Mid-West was a subsidiary of Royalite Oil which was owned originally by Imperial Oil and then by Gulf.  Many of the historical records of Royalite are held by Glenbow, but there seems to be no record of this firm.

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Omnium Oil Development Company Limited - 1927

We checked several standard reference sources:

• incorporated companies in Alberta
• Financial Post survey of predecessor and defunct companies
• Financial Post survey of oils 1929

We cannot find this firm at all. As this firm was registered in Canada and in existence in 1927, perhaps the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa may have some information.

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Palliser Oils Limited - 1928 - ~1938

Palliser Oils received Dominion incorporation in 1928 to explore in Turner Valley. They are gone from the Financial Post Survey of Oils by the mid-1930s. According to the Schedule of Wells put out by the Alberta Conservation Board they drilled no wells.

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Pan-Canadian Oil Limited - 1925

We checked reference sources such as the Financial Post Survey of Oils [it began in 1929] but could find no reference to Pan-Canadian Oil Limited headquartered in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan.

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PanCanadian Petroleum Limited - 1971-2002
PanCanadian Energy

PanCanadian Petroleum began in 1971. It was the new name of the company resulting from the purchase of Central-Del Rio by Canadian Pacific Oil and Gas. PanCanadian was purchased by Alberta Energy Company in 2002 and became EnCana.

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Pan Ocean Oil Corporation - ?-1976

Pan Ocean Oil Corporation was purchased by Marathon Oil Corporation in 1976.

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Peninsular Petroleums Limited - 1929-1937

Peninsular  Petroleums was incorporated federally in 1929, based on King Street in Toronto.  In the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1937 the company is listed as dormant, without funds.

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Peregrine Petroleum Ltd. - 1972-1992

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Maverick Mines and Oils changed its name to Peregrine Petroleum Ltd. in 1972. It appears Peregrine Petroleum Ltd. was delisted from the stock exchange in 1992 (TSX Venture symbol PGR).

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Place Gas and Oil Company Ltd.
Place Resources Corporation - 1958- circa 2000

Place Gas and Oil Company Ltd. was incorporated in Ontario in 1958 and up to the 1960s most of its activities were in Ontario. The name was changed to Place Resources Corporation in 1986 and the headquarters moved to Calgary. In 1998 it was a ‘junior’ oil company with only 8 employees. It disappears from the oil company directories around 2000 but we have been unable to locate further information about what may have happened to it.

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Pontiac Petroleum - 1953-1959

Incorporated in Alberta in 1953, Pontiac had interests in two wells at Leduc and eight in Texas.  It was struck from the register in 1959.

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Prairie City Oil Company Ltd. - 1912-1932

Prairie City Oil Company Ltd. was incorporated in Alberta in 1912. It was inactive in the 1920s and was struck from the register in 1932.

There also is a Prairie City Oil Company listed in the 1912 Henderson's directory for Winnipeg - A. E. Lewis, Manager, importers and manufacturers of illuminating and lubricating oils, greases and specialties. We don't know if this is the same Alberta company, or a different company. It was still listed in 1928 but gone from the 1942 directory (which is the next one we have access to after the 1928 one).

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Prairie Oil Cooperative - 1945-1974

Prairie Oil Cooperative was incorporated in Alberta in 1945 and struck in 1974. 

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Progress Oil & Gas - 1914

Progress Oil & Gas was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and was struck from the Alberta registry in 1920. It was one of the small companies that started drilling in 1914, soon to abandon its well.

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The Prudential Oil and Gas Company, Limited - 1914-1920

Involved in Alberta oil development generated by the first Turner Valley wells of 1914. Turner Valley pioneer Stewart Herron was involved in this company. Prudential was incorporated in 1914 and struck in 1920.

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Queen City Oil Company - to 1912

Queen City Oil Company built a warehouse in Kingston, Ontario, in 1908 or shortly before. Samuel Rogers sold Queen City Oil Company to Imperial Oil in 1912. His brother, Elias, had his own company, called Elias Rogers and Sons that was purchased by McColl Brothers (see above).

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Radiant Oils Ltd. - 1914-1921

We checked the list of incorporated companies for Alberta and this firm is listed as being incorporated in 1914 and defunct in 1921.

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Ranger Oil Company Limited - 1926- circa 1940s

Ranger Oil Company Ltd. was incorporated in 1926 (under Dominion incorporation) to drill in Turner Valley. Its headquarters was in Calgary. The Financial Post Survey of Oils in the mid-1940s says it was defunct by that time.

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Ranger Oil Ltd. - 1950-2000

Ranger Oil was an Alberta based company with its main office in Calgary. Originally under Maygill Petroleum Company Ltd., Ranger Oil was created in 1950 with the mission to explore and develop oil and gas formations in North America. In 1958, Jack Pierce, the first president and personality behind the creation of Ranger, incorporated the company. In August 2000, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. purchased Ranger Oil.

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Record Oil Company Limited - 1914-1936

The Record Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and struck from the register in 1936.  It started one well in the Turner Valley field in Alberta.   Record was taken over by Mill City Petroleum in 1929, which in turn was taken over by Pan Ocean Oil Corporation in 1971.  Pan Ocean was purchased by Marathon Oil in 1976.

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Red Creek Oil and Gas Ltd. - 1951-1975

The Alberta Companies List shows Red Creek was incorporated in Alberta in 1951.  In 1975 it indicates that the company’s status has changed. This usually means the company was purchased by someone but it doesn't say who that was.

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Red Star Refineries Ltd. and
Canadian Marine Engineering Company Ltd.

We could not find any reference to Red Star or Canadian Marine Engineering. The inquirer mentioned a take-over by Frontenac Oil Refineries Ltd. We will check the Imperial Oil Archives at the Glenbow for some information on Frontenac which ultimately became part of Imperial.

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Regal Oil Corporation in Ontario - 1924

We have no information. There may be information in the Archives of Ontario.

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Regal Oil - 1914-1920 and 1927-1938

There were two firms with the Regal name:  Regal Oil Company of Alberta, 1914-1920, another early Turner Valley company.

Also the Regal Oil & Refining Company, 1927-1938.  The 1935 Financial Post survey of Oils says it was sold to Imperial Oil in 1935.

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Resolute Oil & Gas Company Ltd. - 1949-1988?
Resolute Petroleums Ltd.
Resolute Corporation

The 1969 Canadian Oil Register shows that the company was incorporated in Ontario in 1949 – headquarters at 555 Burhamthorpe Rd, Etobicoke. It was controlled by Cessland Corporation. The Officers were G. E. Buchanan of Toronto and N. Murray of Islington, and Directors were S.G. Moore, G. E. Buchanan, L. R. Johnson and S. Nikiforuk, all of Toronto and W. S. Bishop of Etobicoke. They had small gas production at Cessford, Alberta.

The Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies shows the Resolute Oil & Gas Company Ltd. incorporated in Ontario in 1949 changed its name in 1965 to Resolute Petroleums Ltd. It changed its name again on July 26, 1988 to Resolute Corporation. We could not find out anything after that.

Perhaps the Ontario Archives could provide some additional background on the firm.

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Richfield Petroleum Ltd. - 1929-1995

According to the Financial Post 1948 Survey of Oils, Richfield Petroleum Ltd. was incorporated in 1929 under a Dominion charter.  In 1948 it seemed to be in rough shape but hoping to make a comeback. 

Apparently it did, as the Financial Post Predecessors and Defunct listings states that in 1952 it changed its name to New Richfield Petroleum Limited. 

In turn it changed its name to Twin Richfield Oils Ltd. in 1969.

An amalgamation of some sort appears to have taken place under Canadian regulations in 1988. 

The last report of the company was in 1990 and dissolution was said to have been in progress as of Nov. 1, 1995 according to the Financial Post Mines and Energy listing. 

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Richland Oils Limited - 1937-1997

The Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies for 1997 indicates that Richland Oils Ltd. was wound up and does not seem to have been taken over by another company.

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RobertaOils - 1930

Roberta Oils, an early Turner Valley firm, was taken over by Teapot Dome Oils, Ltd.

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Rockton Oil and Gas Company Limited - 1936

Our inquirer had shares of this company which indicate it was in operation around 1936 in Dundas, Ontario. Our researcher could not find any information about this firm in the usual sources such as the Financial Post Survey of Oils and the Canadian Oil and Gas Directory. He suggested contacting the Ontario Archives.

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Saskalon Uranium and Oils Ltd. - before 1961

Our reader was tracing Metoils, a Canadian company from 1948. They had already found out that Metoils was bought in 1953 by Savannah Oils and Mines Ltd., which was then bought in 1954 by Saskalon Uranium and Oils Ltd.

The Financial Post Survey of Oils it says that Saskalon Uranium and Oils was dissolved in 1961.

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Sentinel Oils - 1926-1947 and 1937-1955

Sentinel Oils was incorporated federally in 1926 and drilled one well in the Calling Valley field near Turner Valley, Alberta. There were several stops and starts and it was not abandoned until about 1947, without production.  There was also a Sentinel Oils incorporated in Alberta in 1937 which was likely the same firm; it was struck from the register of companies in 1955.

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Share Oils Limited - 1936-1965

Share Oils Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1936 and had one well in Turner Valley.  They were struck from the incorporation register in 1965.

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Signal Hill - 1925-1930

Signal Hill was incorporated in 1925 and held various lands southwest of Calgary. Their one well near Moose Mountain was abandoned in 1927 and the company seems to have been dormant by 1930.

As Signal Hill was federally incorporated, the National Archives may have record of the date of dissolution.

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South End Petroleums Limited - 1929

The Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct companies lists South End as Dominion Incorporation in 1929, struck off the register of companies.

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Spartan Oil Company - 1914-1920

Spartan incorporated in 1914 and dissolved in 1920. It was headquartered in Edmonton. The Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1929 (first one printed) says company is dead.

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Spike-Redwater Oil Co., Limited - 1949-1960

Spike-Redwater Oil Co. was incorporated in Ontario in 1949. They operated out of Toronto and had acreage in St. Michel and Lloydminster.  They were struck from the companies register in 1960. This company was incorporated by the same group as Leberta-Redwater Oil Co., Limited.

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Sunburst Oil Company - 1937-1955

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils Sunset Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1937. They drilled two wells in  Turner Valley [#1 in 1937 and #2 in 1938] which continued to produce for several years. They also partnered with several other firms in the McConset syndicate at Leduc which drilled 5 successful wells.  Sunset dissolved in 1955.

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Super Oil Syndicate - 1939

We could find no record of this company in the Financial Post Survey of Oils, the Canadian Oil and Gas Directory or the Alberta Companies List.

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Swift Current Oil & Gas Ltd. ~ 1953

We could find no record of this company in the Financial Post Survey of Oils and the Canadian Oil Register from the 1950s to the 1980s. 

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Tawadina Syndicate & Ram River Oils Limited
(Share certificate dated September 1937.
1952 documents indicate Ram River Oils entered into agreement with Richland Oil Development Co. of Canada )

(PHS President, Clint Tippett, researched this company.)

"I couldn't find any reference to this Tawadina Syndicate in any of the corporate level references I have.  Consequently I believe that it was a privately held company or arrangement. ...

"Richland Oil Development of Canada Limited  was incorporated in Alberta in 1951.  It changed its name to Richland Oil and Gas Ltd. in 1955.  The latter is also listed as having been incorporated in Alberta in 1951 and it was merged into Toloda Drilling Ltd. in 1971.  I could find no further trace of this last company."

Ram River Oils was struck from the Alberta register in 1963. There is a good little history of Ram River in the June 1982 issue of Roughneck magazine.

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Teapot Dome Oils, Ltd. - 1929-1930

Teapot Dome Oils, Ltd. was federally incorporated in 1929 by a group of investors from England, the US and Vancouver. Most of the company holdings were in Wyoming, but the firm took over Roberta Oils, an early Turner Valley firm.

Not much development work was done and in the 1939 Financial Post survey of oils it says that the firm had merged into the Atlantic Keystone Petroleums Ltd. which had been inactive since the early 1930s

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Texaco Canada - to 1989

Around 1927 the Texas Corporation began to buy shares in McColl-Frontenac and within a few years gained controlling interest in the company. It further strengthened its interests by having McColl-Frontenac buy the Texas Company of Canada which had operations in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. The McColl-Frontenac named was changed to Texaco in 1959. Texaco was acquired by Imperial Oil in 1989.

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Titan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. - 1951-1977

Titan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. is listed in the Alberta Companies list - it was incorporated on March 12, 1951 and struck off on May 14, 1977. The company seems to have been based in Calgary in the 1960s and it moved to Vancouver in the 1970s.  Most of their wells were in the USA.

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Trans-Leduc Oils Ltd. - 1948-1964

The Trans-Leduc Oils Ltd. was incorporated in Ontario in 1948 and dissolved in 1964. The directors towards the end of the company's activities were W. T. Davidson and D. Davidson. It doesn't appear from the directories that the company was carried on by another firm.

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Turner Valley Supply Company Ltd. - 1935-1949

The companies list for Alberta shows that Turner Valley Supply was incorporated in Alberta in 1935 and operated until 1949 when its status changed (not sure what happened then).  The Henderson’s City Directories for Calgary list the company at #510, 300 – 8th Avenue S. W., with C. H. Hanson as manager through the 1940s, but it is not in the 1950 directory.

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Twin Provinces Oil Co. Ltd. - 1934

Both the active and inactive (precursor and defunct) listings from the Financial Post have no company by this name.

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Twin Richfield Oils - 1932-1994

According to the Alberta Companies list there have been three Twin Richfield Oils incorporated in the province.

The first was incorporated in 1932 and became inactive in 1983.

The second was incorporated in 1983 [likely the same firm coming back to life] and then inactive again in 1989.

The third was incorporated in 1989 [likely the same firm again] and was struck from the register in 1994, indicating it was out of business.

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Twin River Petroleums (Alberta) Ltd. - 1947-1958

Twin River Petroleums (Alberta) Ltd. was incorporated in 1947 and struck from the register in 1958.

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Union Pacific Consolidated Oils Limited - 1914-1916

Union Pacific Consolidated Oils Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 by John Engman of Calgary.  He merged 6 or 7 of the little Turner Valley companies and altogether the firm drilled 5 wells.  A good deal of their money came from investors in the US midwest.  By 1916 the company had found no production so it was liquidated.  It was struck from the companies register in 1921.

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Union Pacific Oil and Gas Company - 1914-1916

The Union Pacific Oil and Gas Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 but did not have any success and was out of existence by 1916.

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Wesley Gas Co. Ltd. - circa 1986

We checked the Canadian Oil Register for the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s but I could find no reference to this firm.  The Register is a pretty comprehensive tool for industry information so this company may have been a small operation.  Perhaps the Companies branch of the Ontario government may have more information.

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Wespac Petroleums Limited - circa 1954-1970s

Wespac Petroleums Limited, incorporated in Ontario, declared bankruptcy in the 1970s after several name changes.  (Thanks to The Mailey Rogers Group, Personal Wealth Management, ScotiaMcLeod for this information.)

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Western Decalta - 1947-1977

Western Decalta was established in 1947 and was dissolved in 1977. Its assets were sold to Loram, a company owned by the Mannix family of Calgary.

In 2009, Mancal Energy states on its website: "The Mancal Group has been involved in the oil and gas business through a number of entities including Nuehren-Mannix Petroleum (in 1914), Western Decalta and Pembina Resources. Mancal re-entered the energy industry in the summer of 1999 when Mancal Energy Inc. was created."

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Western Petroleum Company of Calgary - 1914-1924

The Western Petroleum Company of Calgary was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and dissolved in 1924. The Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1929 (first published) says it is dead.

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Western Provinces Oil Company Limited - 1926-1930

Western Provinces Oil Company Limited was incorporated under the Laws of the Dominion of Canada, dated 19th May 1926. The Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1929 says that the company was headquartered in Saskatoon, was federally incorporated, C. G. Locke was the Secretary and that they were in the midst of drilling their first well. The 1929 Financial Post Directory says the well results were inconclusive.  In the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1937 (the next issue our researcher has) the company is said to be defunct.

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The Petroleum History Society
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