Depression style make work project in the oil patch

[ajl]

Premier Wall is pitching a proposal that Ottawa fund a program to clean up old oil wells and put unemployed oil workers back to work. The idea originally came from an oil field contractor. I though clean up of old oil field sites was covered but apparently not. Tax dough for the patch. Guess we can't let planes and auto get all of it. This depression is gunna last a long time.

[binthere]

yep. the moneys gone. land deals or slow oil patch let the tax payers cleaner up.

[bucket]

Hey I have an idea.

How about sending these oil guys out to farms and the government can help subsidize their wages.

Win for me. And a win for the worker.

I might be inclined to help him get a start.

[ColevilleH2S]

This plan probably has a few land owners around here quaking in their boots.

There is a huge pile of shut in wells in my area that haven't pumped in years. It is cheaper for the oil companies to pay surface leases to the landowners and maybe someday do something with the well, than it is to do a complete abandonment and remediation. This proposed program may make these cash machines disappear from the farmland. Thus lowering land values and municipal tax rolls.

[bucket]

Like Tom said....maybe there a reason why land is worth less in saskatchewan.....

Right back at you....

Just fun. Don't get to hung up on the message. Just enjoy the sarcasm.

[Oliver88]

Unemployed oil patch workers could definitely fill a shortage of farm labour.

Maybe a government sponsorship program could prop up a farm-oil patch labour program. (Similar to how governments would subsidize companies hiring Filipinos, Ukranians, etc in recent years when we had a shortage of workers.)

[TOM4CWB]

Bucket,

We have exactly the same problem here. If the old lease roads and well sites are to be put back using OHS and new environmental rules... the cost is astronomical. The old extraction site just behind my farm yard... would probably cost $1M to 'put the land back exactly the way it was' before the lease and lease road were built.

De-development... is very costly... and the consultants and de-construction contractors want to use fancy high cost equipment... and move to dirt, clay and gravel to some place where the road material won't reck more good land.

[bucket]

And I guess the taxpayers should pay for it instead of the people that made the mess?

[ajl]

Big problem with this is that the people are expecting their old wages back. To make limited resources go further those huge oilfield salaries need to be roll back further. Huge government salaries need to be rolled back even more.

[TOM4CWB]

The money extracted with the oil... is long gone both in Gov. and the private industry.

Good luck with this ponzy like scheme... when the price of oil drops by 75 percent.

The Goose laid the egg... and now even the gold processing costs more than the feed to keep the golden goose alive!

[farmaholic]

And I guess the taxpayers should pay for it instead of the people that made the mess?

Firstly, to me it's like the people who had the party refuse to clean up the mess. So they made money on the development but didn't, or refuse to, clean it up.

Secondly, haul what where? Level it, it will all become a medium to grow something on. Mother Nature has a way of taking things back. It may not be as good or productive as the ground that hasn't been disturbed around it but it will grow something(unless it is severely contaminated). Sad when the cost of remediation is so higher than just leaving it and paying the lease forever. Ahhh yes, the environmental pendulum, it may never come back to the mid-point.

[Guest]

ajl , oilpatch has already rolled back lots , and very few working at all . problem is the lower end of the patch wasn't making that much money considering they had to leave home for quite a bit at a time . looks to me that there is all lot of businesses and people around here that need to roll back ?? check out your local plumber , electrician ( oh and they can't send one guy always 2 together at double the price ) check out your local dealership @$130-150 / hr , plus a blatant robbery at the bottom of The bill called shop supplies of 10% . oilpatch Iis done and licking their wounds , time to start harping on these other pricks that are stealing from us

[bucket]

Caseih

Are you referring to the big government wage earners that just sent the taxpayers an 11 million bill on land flips?

Those guys don't need a wage reduction they need to be out of a job and maybe enjoying some of the food that Brad wall said ..." If you don't like prison food don't go to prison...."

Wonder if he mentioned that line to Bill Boyd yet?

[Guest]

yes bucket exactly , they need a shot of reality also . you are right . oil patch already received their shot , tho , and are hurting real bad . and a lot of people don't realize , the people at the bottom , doing the work were not making big money

[ColevilleH2S]

Lately news reports have clarified the wells they are talking about are orphan wells, as opposed to the paid-up non-producers, I thought they were talking about before.
I am under the impression there is either an industry fund, or bonds posted by oil companies when they drill to cover orphan wells. Why is the industry not following through on what they claim they would do in these situations.