Oil Patch Insider

Alberta’s pubs with no beer

A quenching drink after an often long, cold (or sweltering), grimy day in the Alberta oil sands is gradually coming with more no-alcohol restrictions.

Especially at the 77 lodges and work camps over the sprawling Athabasca region of the province’s northeast, booze is banned.

Leading the prohibition movement are Petro-Canada and Suncor Energy, now one and the same after their merger.

They report positive results from their efforts to provide all workers with a “consistent living experience” and protect the safety of employees at the camps.

Suncor has decided to add its Millennium and Borealis lodges to the dry list based on feedback from the Firebag mine.

However, the company will continue to offer a shuttle bus into nearby Fort McMurray, the oil sands capital city.

But not all companies are going cold turkey.

Canadian Natural Resources is retaining pubs at its Blacksands Lodge near Fort McMurray and its new Horizon camp site; a joint venture by Fort McKay First Nation and ATCO Frontenac has a lounge at its Creeburn Lake Lodge; Royal Dutch Shell has support from its workers and the local community for alcohol at its Albian Village; and Syncrude Canada will offer both a lounge at its Mildred Lake Lodge, and a shuttle bus to Fort McMurray.

The Albian Village pub has BYOB rules, but it demands that employees show up for work on time and with clear heads.

—Gary Park

Energy rally planned for Aug. 31

The Alliance said the intent is to draw attention to pivotal energy issues facing Congress when it returns from its August recess. The rally will begin at 10:45 a.m. at the Dena’ina Center, preceding an Anchorage Chamber of Commerce luncheon there which features U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

The Alliance said there are a number of business and resource development groups supporting the effort, which will feature speakers from business and community groups.

The rally will be a call to action for Alaska’s federal officials on energy access issues such as the outer continental shelf and domestic energy development, taxes, an Alaska gas pipeline and cap-and-trade legislation.

—Petroleum News