Old Companies: A to L

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Last update April 20, 2013

What to expect from the PHS
What we need from you
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 "struck" means

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.
• We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information below.

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.

What we need from you

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. Please email us first to check if we need a copy of the company that you have - info@petroleumhistory.ca.

Another place that may be interested in certificates is:

Aquila Books
403-282-5832 or
403-282-2658
Toll free: 888-777-5832
Fax: 403-289-0814`
826 -16th Ave NW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2M 0J9

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 You may need to find these in an archives where out-of-date copies are kept, rather than just the latest edition.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 some commercial services which research old stock. Please note, we have no experience with these services and this is not an endorsement of them.

Here's a CBC news story entitled Researching old stock and bond certificates:
   http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/05/15/f-lostmoney-stockcertificates.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
Page 2 - Old Companies M to Z

A B C Oil Company Limited - circa 1923

The Financial Post Survey of Oils has no information on this company, incorporated in BC.

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Aberdeen Oils Ltd. - ?-1959

An Aberdeen Oils Ltd. certificate was found which was issued in July 1950. Aberdeen Oils was struck from the Alberta Corporate Register on December 31, 1959.

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Acme Oil Company Limited - 1914-1921

Acme Oil appears to be among the hundreds of small firms that were established in Alberta’s first oil boom in Turner Valley in 1914. Only a very few wells were ever drilled before the war intervened. Acme was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and struck from the register in 1921.

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Acroll Oil & Gas Ltd. - 1979

The name of Acroll Oil & Gas was changed to Acroll Petroleums December 1977. It amalgamated with Trans-Canada Resources Ltd. under the latter name.

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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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Albedena  Oils Limited - circa 1952

Our inquirer found out from a stock broker that Albedena was bought out by Nitrocell then Magnum then Enertech who dissolved in 1997.

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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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Alliance Oils Limited - date unknown

In the 1957 Financial Post Survey of Oils Alliance Oils Limited is listed as dead.

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Altoba Syndicate - circa 1920s

According to the 1929 Financial Post Survey of Oils Baymar Oils Limited took over the assets of the Altoba Syndicate in 1929.

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Amalgamated Oils Limited - 1941-1960

According the list of firms incorporated in Alberta Amalgamated Oils (head office in Calgary) was established in 1941 and struck from the register in 1960. However the assets were sold to Western Decalta Petroleum Ltd. in 1955.  This firm was acquired in 1976 by Wesdec Petroleum, a subsidiary of Loram Company Ltd.  Loram was part of the Mannix family empire and the current holding company name is Coril – perhaps they can provide information.

http://www.coril.com/about-coril-holdings/legacy-mannix-family/

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Amalta Oils & Minerals Limited - 1952-1981

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils and Predecessor & Defunct Companies Amalta Oils & Minerals was incorporated in Alberta in 1952.  It changed its name to Paracorp Limited in November 1981 and was struck from the companies register on July 1, 1992.

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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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Anaconda Oil Company Ltd. - 1926-1952 and 1978
Anaconda Petroleum Ltd. 1957-1971

According to the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies, Anaconda Oil Company Ltd. was incorporated federally in 1926 and in Alberta in 1978. It changed its name to Canadian Anaconda Oils Ltd. in 1952;  it was succeeded by Anaconda Petroleum Ltd. in 1957, which was changed to Zebedee Oil Ltd. in 1971, then Osias Resources Canada Ltd. the same year.  In 1974 the name changed again to Troy Gold Industries Ltd.  Troy was struck off the register in 1981.

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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 Alberta Oils Limited - circa 1927

Neither the Financial Post Survey of Oils or the list of the incorporated companies in Alberta had any information on Anglo Alberta Oils Limited, Wainwright, Alberta.

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Anglo Canadian Royalties Limited - 1924
Anglo Canadian Oil Company Ltd. - circa 1914 to 1921
Anglo Canadian Oils Ltd. - 1929-1935
Anglo Canadian Oils Ltd. - circa 1939

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.

Another person had a share certificate for Anglo Canadian Oils Ltd, incorporated in Manitoba, dated April 1939. According to the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies, Anglo Canadian was taken over in 1966 by British American Oil Company, which is now ConocoPhillips.

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Anglo-Wainwright Oil and Refining Co. - pre 1929?

We weren’t able to locate this firm. According to the first Financial Post Survey of Oils in 1929 a company called Anglo-Wainwright Oils was already defunct but it was probably not the same firm.

According to the Alberta Companies list, Anglo-Wainwright Oil and Refining was not incorporated in Alberta. The company is not mentioned in the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies which covers much of the 20th century, although it omits many small firms.

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Arctic Exploration and Mining - 1935-1936

Arctic Exploration and Mining was incorporated in Alberta in 1935 and struck from the register in 1936.

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Arctic Oil and Drilling Co. Ltd. - 1950-1957

Our researcher checked various issues of the Financial Post Survey of Oils from 1953 to 1957. Arctic Oil was incorporated in Saskatchewan in 1950 with headquarters at Maple Creek. They had leases in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Montana. The directors mostly seem to be related: President W. H. Palmer of Calgary, C. C. Palmer of Maple Creek, E. K. Palmer of Calgary. The 1953 survey mentions they had drilled two wells to that point and both were dry. In 1955 the headquarters had been moved to the Maclean Block in Calgary. By the 1957 survey the Financial Post indicates that they could not locate an address for the firm.

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Arrow Oil Company - 1944-1959

Arrow Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1944 and struck from the register in 1959.

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Arthur Petroleums Ltd. - circa 1952

Arthur Petroleums Ltd. was incorporated in Alberta with head offices in Edmonton. It was struck from the register in 1955. Thanks to Diane D. for this information.

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Asamera Oil Corporation, Ltd. - 1958-1988

The New British Dominion Oil Company Limited changed its name to Asamera Oil Corporation, Ltd. in 1958. Asamera was bought by Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. in 1988. Conoco acquired Gulf Canada Resources Limited in 2001.

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Associated Oil and Gas Company Limited - 1935-1958 or 1927-?

One company with this name was incorporated in Alberta in 1935 and struck from the Register of Companies in 1958.

Another firm with same name was incorporated federally in 1927 and drilled a successful well in Turner Valley in 1929. The company does not seem to have done much after the first well.  We could not find when it was dissolved, but you may be able to find out if you contact Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa.

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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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Baymar Oils Limited - 1929

According to the 1929 Financial Post Survey of Oils the company was incorporated federally in 1929 with headquarters in Calgary to take over the assets of the Altoba Syndicate.  The next Financial Post Survey of Oils that our researcher has is 1937 where the company is listed as "wound up".

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B. C. Alberta Oils Limited - circa 1929

The 1937 Financial Post Survey of Oils says the company was “never active.”

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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, Limited - circa 1914 and 1946?

Beaver Oils, Limited was an Alberta company with a head office in Calgary. It issued shares in 1914.

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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Bethwain Oils Limited - ?-1958

Bethwain Oils Limited, which was in existence in 1951, was struck from the Alberta Corporate Register on March 15, 1958.

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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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Big Four Oil Company - 1914-1915

Big Four was incorporated in 1914 and struck from the corporate register in 1915 without drilling.

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Bond Petroleums Ltd. - 1952-1957

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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Boundary Bay Oil Company - circa 1929

The Boundary Bay Oil Company of Vancouver BC is mentioned in the 1929 Financial Post Survey of Oils.  It says that the company owned lands in Fraser Valley but by 1929 it was dormant.

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BP Canada Ltd. - 1953-1992

"In 1953, British Petroleum Company (BP) entered the Canadian market through the purchase of a minority stake in Calgary-based Triad Oil Company. ... The Canadian holding company of British Petroleum was renamed BP Canada in 1969; and in 1971, it acquired 97.8% stake of Supertest. Subsequently, Supertest was renamed to BP Canada Ltd, and other Canadian interests of British Petroleum amalgamated to the new company. ... In 1992, British Petroleum sold off its 57% stake in BP Canada Ltd to the public, and BP Canada demerged into Talisman Energy Inc."
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BP_Canada thanks to David W.

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Britannia Oil and Natural Gas Company, Limited - 1914-1920

The register of companies for Alberta shows this company was incorporated in 1914 and struck from the register in 1920.  Our researcher doesn't think it drilled for oil during the Turner Valley boom.

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British-American Standard Oil Corporation - 1914-1919

This company appears to be among the hundreds of small firms that were established in Alberta’s first oil boom in Turner Valley in 1914. Only a very few wells were ever drilled before the war intervened. British-American was struck from the register in 1921.

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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 Colonial Empire Royalties - circa 1939 and 1966

This royalty trust certificate was issued in 1966, subject to a royalty trust agreement made in 1939. The certificate holder found that "the section listed on this certificate is currently still in production, having originally began in 1939". (Thanks to B.S.) We found British Colonial associated with Montreal Trust which is now Computershare Trust Company Of Canada, Oil Royalties Dept., with an office in Calgary.

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British Dominion Oil and Development Corporation Ltd. - 1925-1950
New British Dominion Oil Company Limited - 1950-1958

British Dominion was incorporated in 1925 under the Companies Act of Canada. The company changed its corporate name to New British Dominion Oil Company Limited in 1950, and to Asamera Oil Corporation, Ltd. in 1958. Asamera was bought by Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. in 1988 and Conoco acquired Gulf Canada Resources Limited in 2001.

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British Petroleums Limited - 1922-1957

British Petroleums Limited, a Vancouver firm, began drilling operations at Wainwright, Alberta, in 1922. British Petroleums Limited was a small unsuccessful company with no relationship to the company now called BP. The latter company paid this British Petroleums Limited the sum of $250,000 to change its name and acquired rights on 2,366 acres of unexplored land.  In 1957, the name British Petroleums Limited was changed to Leamac Petroleums Limited and in 1961 to Embassy Petroleums Limited. Embassy Petroleums Limited merged into Cavalier Energy Inc. in 1974. Cavalier Energy Inc. changed name in 1978 to Cavalier Energy Ltd. Cavalier Energy Ltd. privatized.

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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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Brit-Leduc Oils Limited - 1947-1963

According to the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor Companies, Brit-Leduc was incorporated in Ontario in 1947 and dissolved in 1963.

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Cactus Drilling - 1967-1997

Cactus Drilling is listed from about 1967 to 1986 in the Canadian Oil Register. Cactus was acquired by Precision Drilling in 1997.

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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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California-Alberta Oil Company - 1910-1915

According to the Alberta Companies list California-Alberta Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1910 but struck from the register in 1915.  They did start a well in the Morinville area in 1910 but it was abandoned in 1913.

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Calmar West Oils Ltd. - 1948-1965

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils, Calmar West was incorporated in Alberta in 1948.  The name was changed to Brett Oils in 1965, to Bro Resources Ltd in 1978, and to Canadian Quantum Energy Corp. in 1990.

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Calmont Oils Limited - 1928-1939

Calmont Oils Limited was located in Calgary. They drilled an unproductive well in the Turner Valley area from 1926-1930. There is a photo of this well, called Calmont #1, in the Glenbow Photo Archives, number NC-26-327. The company ended in 1939.

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Canadian Anaconda Oils Ltd. - 1952-1957

Previously Anaconda Oil Company Ltd., it changed its name to Canadian Anaconda Oils Ltd. in 1952;  it was succeeded by Anaconda Petroleum Ltd. in 1957, which was changed to Zebedee Oil Ltd. in 1971, then Osias Resources Canada Ltd. the same year.  In 1974 the name changed again to Troy Gold Industries Ltd.  Troy was struck off the register in 1981.

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Can-Amera Oil Sands Inc. - 1953-?

Can-Amera was incorporated in Alberta in 1953 and seems to still be an active company in 2012.

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Can-American Natural Resources Ltd. - 1969-1976

Previously called Can-American Petroleum Ltd., Can-American Natural Resources Ltd. was dissolved on September 27, 1976.

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Can-American Petroleum Ltd. - circa 1963

According to the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies this firm changed its name to Can-American Natural Resources Ltd. in 1969 - the latter company was dissolved on September 27, 1976.

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Canadian British Empire Oil Co. Ltd. - 1949-1960

The 1997 list of Alberta incorporated companies indicates that Canadian British Empire was incorporated in 1949 and struck from the register in 1960.

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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 Dutch Oils Limited - ~1924-1960

Canadian Dutch Oils Limited drilled several wells in Ontario in 1924-1925. The Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies lists Canadian Dutch Oils as “wound up operations in 1960”. Thanks to Bill R. for this information.

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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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Canadian Reserve Oil and Gas Ltd. - ?-circa 1985

Texaco Canada Inc. purchased Canadian Reserve Oil & Gas Ltd. around 1985.

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Canadian Westgrowth Petroleums Ltd. - 1986 - 1987

Canadian Westgrowth was acquired by Ulster Petroleums Ltd. on November 4, 1987. (Thanks to Doug Sweeting, CFP, of Langley, BC, for this information.)

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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 1937 Financial Post Survey of Oils, lists the company as “inactive”.

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Capital Petroleums Limited - 1949-1952

According to the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies this firm was incorporated in Ontario in 1949.  It was acquired by Ellesmere Oil and Development Ltd. in 1952, which was in turn acquired by New Concord Development Corporation Ltd. in 1952.  The latter was wound up in 1966.

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Cartier Oils Limited - circa 1920s

There is no reference to this company in the Register of Alberta Companies or the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1929 (the first year it came out). Our researcher is quite familiar with the early oil companies that operated in southern Alberta but this company is unknown to him.

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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 Limited - 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 Oils Limited

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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Cepear Oil Company Limited - 1914-1916

According to the Register of Alberta companies, this firm was incorporated in 1914 and wound up in 1916. It began a  well in Turner Valley which was quickly taken over by Union Pacific Consolidated and the well was abandoned in 1914.

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Cherokee Oil and Refining Company Ltd. - 1925-1929?

Cherokee Oil and Refining Company Ltd.  was federally incorporated in 1925.  In the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1929 it is listed as “inactive”.

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Chicago Alberta Oilfields Company 1909-1924

Chicago Alberta Oilfields Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1909 and was struck from the register of companies in 1924. There is no indication in the Alberta Companies list that it was taken over by any other firm.

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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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Clear Petroleums Limited - 1950-1964

Clear Petroleums was incorporated in Alberta in 1950 and struck from the Alberta Corporate Register in 1964.

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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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Consolidated Oil Company Limited - 1914-1917

Consolidated Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and struck from the register in 1917.  There is no indication that they were taken over by another firm.

Our researcher doesn’t recall that they were one of the early Turner Valley firms that actually drilled a well so he believes they went out of business before amassing enough funds to complete a well.

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Consolidated Peak Oils Limited - 1946-1960

This firm was incorporated in Ontario in 1946 and was acquired in 1960 by Western Allenbee Oil & Gas Company Ltd.

The name was changed to Convoy Capital Corporation in April 1989 and then to Hariston Corporation in 1992.

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Consolidated Trans-Canada Resources Ltd. - 1988-1989

Consolidated Trans-Canada Resources Ltd. was acquired by Ranchmen's Resources in 1989. In 1995, Ranchmen's was acquired by Crestar Energy. In November 2000, Crestar Energy, Inc. was acquired by Gulf Canada Resources Limited. Then Gulf Canada was then taken over by Conoco in 2001.

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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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Continental Potash Corporation - 1952-1958

Continental Potash Corporation was incorporated in Alberta in 1952 and struck from the register in 1958.

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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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Crestar Energy, Inc. - to 2000

In November 2000, Crestar Energy, Inc. was acquired by Gulf Canada Resources Limited. Then Gulf Canada was then taken over by Conoco in 2001.

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Dalhousie Oil Company - 1926-?

Dalhousie Oil Company Ltd. was federally incorporated in 1925 and incorporated in Alberta in 1931 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.

Dalhousie later merged with Imperial Oil Ltd. We suggest contacting Imperial Oil investor relations to check on the shares.

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Dalier Resources Ltd. - 1982-1994

Previously Wellington Oil & Gas and Ibex Oil Ltd., Dalier Resources changed its name on October 25, 1994 to Vescan Equities Inc. Vescan changed its name to Inouye Technologies (Canada) Inc. on December 24, 1999 and was dissolved on October 4, 2005.

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Dallas Petroleum Resources Inc. - circa 1982

Incorporated in Ontario, Dallas changed its name to AML International, and then AML was cease-traded by Ontario in 1990.

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Del Bonita Associated Oils Limited - 1937?-1943

Del Bonita Associated Oils Limited was struck from the Alberta Corporate Register on October 30, 1943.

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Del Rio Oils Limited - ?-1957
Del Rio Producers Ltd.

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

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Dempsey Oils Limited - 1951-1969

According to the Alberta Companies list, Dempsey Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1951 and struck from the register in 1969.

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Domalta Petroleum Limited - 1934-1953

Domalta Petroleum Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1934 and struck from register in 1953.

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Dome Oil Company - 1913-1918

Dome Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1913 and struck from the register in 1918.

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Dominion Oil Company, Limited - 1913-1920

The Alberta Companies list indicates that the company was incorporated in 1913 in Alberta and struck from the register in 1920. It would have been one of the hundreds of small companies formed to explore in Turner Valley before the first war.

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Dragon Oils & Gas Ltd. - 1954-1965

According to the Financial Post Predecessor & Defunct Companies publication, Dragon Oils & Gas Ltd. was incorporated in Ontario in 1950 and changed its name to Consolidated Dragon Oils in 1954.  It was purchased by Plains Petroleums Ltd. in 1965 which in turn was acquired by Scurry-Rainbow Oil Ltd in 1985, and then Home Oil Company Ltd in 1993, and then Anderson Exploration in 1995 and then Devon Energy in 2001.  Devon are still in operation.

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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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Eden Valley Oils Ltd. - circa 1929

Eden Valley Oils Ltd. was incorporated in Outlook, Saskatchewan. The certificate in question is dated March 1929 and the president is Charles McGregor. Our researcher checked the Financial Post Survey of Oils. The earliest edition he has is 1937 where Eden Valley is described as "wound up".

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Edmonton North Oil Co. Ltd. - circa 1950

Edmonton North Oil is listed as "non-registered" (2002) in the Petroleum Registry of Alberta. Thanks to Diane D. for this information.

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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. The Edmonton Oil & Asphalt Company is listed in the Edmonton Henderson’s Directory from 1913 to 1918.  The Directors were J. B. Dalphond, President, J. G. Lefaive, Vice-president, and R. Bourbeau, Secretary-Treasurer.  The offices were located in room 223, Empress Block, 10131 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta.

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Edoran Oil -1952-1965

According to the Financial Post Survey of Oils Edoran was incorporated in Alberta in 1952 and the name was changed to Kamalta Exploration Ltd. in 1965.  The company went into bankruptcy in 1970.

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Edson Oil Company Limited, Ontario - circa 1952-1957

Our researcher checked the Financial Post Survey of Oils for 1957 and 1967. In the 1957 one, the company says they have a 39% interest in SEC #3 well in the Leduc field.  In the 1967 one, they are listed as dead or dormant. More information may be available from the Ontario registrar.

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Ellesmere Oil & Development Limited - circa 1952

In 1952, the entire assets of Ellesmere Oil & Development were merged into New Concord Development Corporation Limited.

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Empire Oil Company, Limited 1914-1920

The Empire Oil Company, Limited was incorporated in 1914 and wound up in 1920. As far as we know it did not drill a well.

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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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Farrell Oils Limited - ?-1958

A Farrell Oils certificate was found which was issued in November 1956. Farrell Oils was struck from the Alberta Corporate Register on November 29, 1958.

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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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Flathead Oils Limited - 1930

The Financial Post Survey of Oils for the 1930s [1937 and 1939] has no mention of this company. As the company was incorporated in British Columbia, the BC registrar of companies or the British Columbia Archives may have some information on this company.

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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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Fort Mckay Oil and Asphalt Company- 1910-1922

According to the Alberta Companies List, Fort McKay Oil and Asphalt was incorporated in Alberta in 1910 and struck from the register in 1922.

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Franco Oils Limited - pre 1935-1968

Franco Oils Limited was struck from the Alberta Corporate Register on September 15, 1968.

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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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Freehold Gas & Oil Ltd. - 1956 - 1979

Freehold Gas & Oil Ltd. was incorporated in British Columbia in 1956 and changed its name to Westgrowth Petroleums Ltd. in January 1979. (Thanks to Doug Sweeting, CFP, of Langley, BC, for this information.)

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Frontenac Oil Refineries

See McColl Bros. below.

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Futurity Oils Limited - 1952-1984

Futurity Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1952 and struck in 1984.

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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. The Provincial Archives or corporate registry ineSaskatchewan should be able to provide more information.

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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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Gulf Canada Resources Limited - 1906-2001

Gulf Canada Resources Limited was incorporated in 1906 as the British American Oil Company Limited (BA). In 1969 Gulf Oil Corp. of the United States bought BA, which became Gulf Oil Canada Limited. The name, Gulf Canada Ltd., was adopted in 1978 and in July 1987 the company became Gulf Canada Resources Limited. Gulf Canada was then taken over by ConocoPhillips Canada in 2001.

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Hallrich Petroleums Ltd. 1952-1965

The Alberta Companies list shows that this firm was incorporated in 1952 and struck from the register in 1965.

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Hargal Oils Ltd. 1932-1962

According to the Alberta Companies list and the Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies, Hargal Oils was incorporated in Alberta in 1932 and was struck off the register in 1962.

It was acquired by Freehold Gas and Oil in 1957. The name was changed to Westgrowth Petroleums Ltd. in January 1979, then to Canadian Westgrowth Ltd. in October 1986. The company was acquired by Ulster Petroleums Ltd in November 1987.  From checking the internet it looks like Ulster was purchased by Anderson in 2000. Anderson Exploration was purchased by Devon Energy Corp. in September 2001.

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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 & Gas Company Limited - 1914-1916

According to the Alberta Companies list, Highland Oil & Gas was incorporated in Alberta in 1914 and soon went out of business in 1916.

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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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Ibex Oil Limited - 1968-1982

Previously Wellington Oil and Gas Company Limited, Ibex Oil Limited changed its name in July 1982 to Dalier Resources Limited (basis 1 new for 3 old shares). On October 25, 1994, Dalier changed its name to Vescan Equities Inc., which then changed its name on December 24, 1999 to Inouye Technolgies (Canada) Inc. (basis 1 new for 110 old shares). On October 4, 2005, Inouye Technologies was dissolved.

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Interior Oil Company, Limited - 1924- circa 1937

According to the 1929 Financial Post Survey of Oils, Interior Oil Company Limited was incorporated federally in 1924 with headquarters in Winnipeg and wells in the Wainwright field.  By the 1937 edition of the Financial Post Survey of Oils it is recorded as dead.

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James United Industries Limited - 1952--1978

James United Industries Limited was incorporated in Alberta in 1952 and struck from the register in 1978.

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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. It was taken over by Cactus Drilling.

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Kamalta Exploration Ltd. - 1952-1970

Kamalta Exploration Ltd. was incorporated in Alberta in 1952 and struck from the register in 1970.

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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 Limited
Lethbridge Petroleum & Mines Ltd.
Lethbridge Petroleum Refineries Ltd. - 1937-1971

Lethbridge Petroleum Limited was incorporated in 1937 and was connected to Lethbridge Petroleum & Mines Ltd and Lethbridge Petroleum Refineries Ltd. They were all struck from the register in 1971.

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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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Lochiel Exploration Ltd. - circa 1969-1986

In 1986, creditors rejected a proposal to salvage Lochiel Exploration Ltd. effectively killing the debt-plagued oil company run by then Alberta Liberal Leader Nick Taylor. Lochiel was struck from the Alberta Corporate Register on May 2, 2002.

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Longview Oil Company - 1936

The Longview Oil Company was incorporated in Alberta in 1936. The directors were Robert Wilkinson, James B. Cross, D. A. Ross and D. A. Lane. Our researcher could not find what happened to it.

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Page 2 - Old Companies M to Z

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The Petroleum History Society
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