Wainwright Oil Wells
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British Petroleums Limited, a Vancouver firm, began operations at Wainwright during 1922. Its first well was spudded in on October 26 before an interested public with Mrs. R. Aykroyd opening the valve to start the drill. The company’s No. 2 well drilled in 1923 was on intermittent production until 1942. Both No. 3 and No. 4 were completed in 1924, however, No. 3 could not be brought into production and another well, WO 3B, was successfully drilled nearby the next year. During 1928 Hargal Oils acquired British Petroleums interest in the Wainwright field.
- Grattan Oil Company
Charles Taylor formed the Grattan oil company in 1914. Drilling was delayed by the war, but gas and oil indications were encountered. Eventually Taylor joined the Northwest Company and Imperial Oil obtained the Grattan leases.
- Northwest Company
The Norhtwest Company, an Imperial Oil subsidiary, piped gas from the old Grattan well for power at Fayban NO.1 which blew off gas and oil before it was shut down. A second well drilled in 1923, was abandoned as a dry hole.
- Refining
The first refineries were located near the wells north of town. In 1929 the Gipsy plant was enlarged by associated refineries which was later combined with J.W. Fraser’s Plant. West of town, Wainwell oils completed drilling the Wainwright producers syndicate well in 1928. The company drilled four other wells nearby and built a small refinery. Gold Standard Oils took over and enlarged this refinery during 1934. Because only five wells were producing, some crude oil had to be imported to keep the plant in operation.
Full-scale expansion of Wainwright oil field was dependent upon introduction of improved drilling technology and increased demand for oil.
An extensive drilling program by American Northland Oils in 1953 led to the development of the oil field. A subsidiary, Wainwright Producers and Refiners, built a refinery on the Standard site, which was officially opened on October 10, 1956.
