Barrels of Fun in Devon, Alberta 

On August 7, 2009, 80 intermediate-aged delegates from one of Alberta 4-H’s provincial summer camping programs were invited by Penn West to spend the day attending the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre in Devon, Alberta.

The Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre preserves and displays historical oilfield artifacts, in addition to countless displays of current and developing technologies. The Centre contains photos, archives, interpretive displays and oilfield equipment all designed to give the viewing public a taste of what the oil industry is all about.

Penn West Energy and Alberta 4-H delegates
at the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre
in Devon, Alberta.

Following an introductory movie that covered the history of oil drilling in Alberta and the science of petroleum-based products, 4-H members charged into their next activity, which was divided into four different stations. In the first, they experimented in the “Learning Lab”, where members examined different rocks and fossils from the surrounding areas of Devon, Leduc and Edmonton, and created their own “silly putty” mixture. The second station was a guided tour of the area, which outlined the history of the space, as well as information on how drilling for oil first occurred on the Leduc No. 1 drilling rig. At this station, members were given the opportunity to ride a drill bit simulator, which took them down through the layers of rock to a level where oil could be found.

At the third station, the 4-H members constructed pipelines to suit a fabricated environment and learned about the different factors that can affect the flow of oil, such as temperature and pressure. The final station included on this jam-packed day’s itinerary was the “Fossil Creation station”, where the delegates created their own ceramic fossils.

An educational ice cream experience topped off the learning and fun-filled day, as they created “Sedimentary Sundaes”, which proved to be delicious.

“Looking through a community investment lens, Penn West, Alberta 4 -H, and the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre have partnered together to offer something quite special. We were all highly motivated to making this day happen by our enthusiasm and respect for the energy and agriculture industries - and to sharing the history and promise of the province with students that will help shape its future.” says Nicole Collard, Penn West Manager, Public Affairs.

Mark Shand, 4 -H Programs Specialist adds, “My goal is to provide our summer program participants with a quality experience that educates them about the industries and future of our province. In addition to
all the other fun and exciting activities we offer at the Alberta 4-H Centre - this field trip provides yet another unique 4-H program experience.”